No.
Nothing is okay.
“I’m at work,” I rasp. My voice catches in my throat. “I need your help.”
“Whatever it is, I’m here for you.”
Ivy isn’t the most dependable person, but she will throw her life on the line for her nephew and me when it comes to sisterhood.
I give her a brief overview of the last few days with Aurielo, the Bianchi’s, and then what I witnessed last night.
“Shit, you really are in with the mafia,” Ivy says. “Tell me what you need. Papers? A place to escape to outside of the city?”
“All of it,” I whisper, careful to keep my voice down.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Ivy says. “Keep Ashton close. If that lunatic lays a finger on my nephew—”
“He won’t,” I say, interrupting her. I shut the door to the breakroom, making sure no one can overhear the conversation. “Ashton is Aurielo’s son. He’s not going to let anything happen to his kid. Which is why I need to get us out now before things get more complicated.”
“Fuck. I worried something was going on between the two of you,” Ivy says.
Whatever we had is over.
This isn’t the conversation I want to be having with Ivy, and certainly not over the phone. “Can you help me or not?” I glance at my watch. I’m running out of time.
My break is over.
Any minute, Jocelyn or one of the other nurses or staff members will come looking for me.
“Yes. Just keep pretending that everything’s fine. Gain his trust,” Ivy says.
* * *
She isn’t wrong. Gaining Aurielo’s trust is what I need to do. Pretend that I’m okay with what I saw. That’s an entirely different scenario that I’m struggling with.
I’ve finished work. Francesco picks me up at the usual time. I have no idea if he’s still waiting in the lobby or if he’s on a schedule and coming by when it’s time for my shift to end.
I haven’t been out to lunch since marrying Aurielo and being forced to have a bodyguard. But after what happened with the Bianchi family, I’m a little relieved someone cares enough to keep watch over me.
Aurielo wants to protect me.
At least that’s what I tell myself.
I hate to think that the whole reason Francesco is still shuttling me to work, following me around, keeping an eye on me is that he doesn’t trust me.
Shuffling out of my shoes the minute I’m inside the front door. I glance over my shoulder at Francesco. “Where’s Ashton?” I don’t know if he’s been sequestered to his room like I was yesterday or if he’s somewhere else in the house.
Francesco raises an eyebrow. “How would I know? Go upstairs.”
I press my lips together.
Fighting isn’t going to help me gain anyone’s trust.
“Okay,” I say and do as he instructs. I head up the stairwell. Hopefully, he won’t force me to my bedroom. I want to see my son and find out how his day was at school.
Francesco doesn’t stop me when I reach Ashton’s room and open the door.
“Mommy!” Ashton grins. His eyes are bright and wide. He drops his pencil at his new desk that’s been delivered to his bedroom and rushes over to me for a hug.