8
Karina
“What are you doing back home early? I paid for a spa day. You ought to be getting pampered right now.”
I slam the door shut and lock it.
Not that the deadbolt will do any good if Aurielo breaks down the door. I gesture with two fingers for Ivy to follow me as I hurry into my bedroom.
I rush toward my closet and find the first bag that I can to stuff clothes inside. It’s considerably large and has wheels and a handle for easy navigating.
“I’m in a bind,” I say and hold up my hand to silence Ivy. “I stumbled into something I shouldn’t have seen, and the mafia is after me.”
“What?” Ivy squeals.
I shove my hand over my lips. “Quiet!” I snap at her.
“Aurielo is outside the apartment door, and his men are waiting downstairs for me. If I don’t go with them, things will only get worse.” I yank open my dresser drawers and start shoving as many of the clothes as I can into the suitcase.
I have to protect Ashton.
“Are you insane?” Ivy asks. “Are you seriously going to go with the mafia?”
What I want doesn’t matter.
“They’ll kill me, Ivy. I need you to watch Ash until I can figure out how to fix this mess.”
Ivy’s brow is furrowed, and she stops my hands, resting hers over mine. “We can go on the run, the three of us.”
“These men are cold-blooded killers.” I grab the zipper, struggling to close the suitcase, tugging on it, but it only budges a few centimeters at a time.
Ivy climbs atop my bag, forcing it shut while I yank the zipper all the way closed. “That’s even more reason not to go with them,” she says.
I can’t take the chance that Aurielo will find out Ashton is his son. “I need you to look after Ashton. You have to be me,” I say.
“No!” Ivy shakes her head adamantly. “I can’t be you. That’s insane. What we did as kids would never work. I can’t go to your job. I know nothing about being a pediatric oncology nurse.”
I exhale a heavy sigh. I hate it when she’s right.
“Okay, then just take care of Ashton. Let him know Mommy loves him.”
There’s a firm knock on the front door.
“That’s him.” I drag the suitcase out of my bedroom.
There are toys in the living room, pictures Ash drew on the refrigerator. Evidence of my son. Thankfully, Ashton is at school. I’m not sure that I’d have the courage to walk out if he had been home.
“Coming!” I shout across the room, hoping that Aurielo can hear me through the door.
“Can I contact you?” Ivy asks.
“Aurielo has my phone. I’ll reach out to you at work,” I say.
Ivy doesn’t seem convinced.
She grabs me for a hug and gives me the biggest squeeze that I’ve ever felt. “I love you. I’m sorry.”
Before I can ask why she’s sorry, she shoves me hard, knocking me down to the ground. She grabs my bag and slips out the door, taking my place.