“Was it hard?” It was a stupid question on its face, but she needed to know she wasn’t the only one who grappled with the warring emotions of love, duty, andprinciple.
He seemed to think about it. “It was hard at first because I thought I could still save him. I’d been saving him since we were children,yousee.”
She thought about all the times she’d talked Primo down, all the times she’d covered for him when he’d been too sick to show his face without compromising his leadership, all the times she’d nursed him back to some semblance of sanity only to have him return to madness days — or even hours —later.
“I understand,” she said. “Sometimes I think I’m sick, too. I must be to have held out hope for him forsolong.”
“No.” The strength of the single word took her by surprise. “You must never think that. It isn’t sick to want to help the people you love — not while there’s still hope ofhelpingthem.”
“How do you know?” she asked. “How do you know when there’s no helpforthem?”
“You know,” he said firmly. “Sometimes we lie to ourselves for awhile, but I knew Bruno was lost long before I admitted it to myself.” He met her eyes. “The question is whether you can be honest withyourself.”
She swallowed and nodded. “Ican.”
“Then there’s only one question left to ask,”hesaid.
She drew in a breath. “Whichis?”
“What are you going to doaboutit?”
She nodded slowly. She’d already asked herself the question. She asked herself after her meeting with Primo in Paris, after she’d found out that he’d been involved in herkidnapping.
It seemed there would be no end to the number of times Primo would make her disavow him — as if the universe itself was giving her yet another opportunity tobeweak.
The universe would bedisappointed.
“I’m going to apologize again for putting you and Charlotte at risk,” she said. “Then I’m going to stand by Damian’s side while he fights mybrother.”
Christophe nodded and stood. He rested a gentle hand on Aria’s shoulder. “There is no more need for apology. All is wellbetweenus.”
“Here you go.” They both turned to Damian as he re-entered the room. “Aspirin and some fresh clothes from your bag. Charlotte insists you make use of one of the guest bedrooms and private bathsupstairs.”
“Thank you.” Christophe’s words echoed through her mind as she took the aspirin and clothes from Damian’shands.
What are you going to doaboutit?
Christophe and Charlotte had been overly generous in light of everything that had happened, but it was time for her to face the inevitable. It was time to deal with Primo and Malcolm and theGreeks.
Time to end the madness once andforall.
“I’m going to shower and change,” she said. “Then I think it’s time for us to go back toNewYork.”