“I’ve never been to Charleston,” Daniela says, with more cheer than she must be feeling. “It sounds like fun.”
I expect it will be fun.What I didn’t expect is that I’d have two dates for the wedding.
“I think that’s a yes.” Valentina smiles at Delilah. “Will you make shrimp and grits?”
“Noooo,” Gray says, elongating the word. “You’re our friend, darlin’. We won’t let her make you anything to eat. But we know someone who makes them real good. Remember what I told you—” He jerks his head toward me, while winking at her.
Hopefully he kept out the part about me being an asshole.
Once Gray and Delilah walk away, we’re on our own to muddle through the quiet sorrow and the awkwardness. Two adults and a child who can no longer distract themselves with the talk of weddings and Southern cuisine. Isabel’s still dead—along with several others.And I don’t know who’s next. I hate living with the unknown—especially when the stakes are so goddamn high.Well, there are certainly no answers on an island in the middle of nowhere.
“We should go home, too.” I gesture toward the plane.
Valentina freezes, before trembling.
Daniela wraps an arm around her. “It’s going to be okay,” she murmurs, pulling her close. “I’m right here.”
“I don’t want to go to Fall River,” the girl cries. “I’m afraid. What if they kill you, too? Or maybe they’ll kill me.”
My chest rumbles. Little girls shouldn’t have to worry about being murdered. Not even in my world.
“We’re not going to Fall River. We’re going to Porto,” I explain, before Daniela can reassure her. “You’ll be safe there. I won’t let anyone hurt you, or Daniela. You have my promise.”
She peers into my eyes in much the same way her mother does. Assessing me. Rifling through the bullshit in search of clues.Can my word be trusted? Can I be trusted at all?That’s what she’s wondering.Smart kid.
After several seconds, she appears to relax a bit and gives me a small nod. I either passed muster, or she decided that I was her best option for remaining alive.
“Let’s go, ladies.”
While they board, I scan the tarmac and surrounding area. The Wilder plane is taxiing onto the runway. Nothing seems amiss. But danger awaits us. Every cell in my body knows it.
The promise I made Valentina was from the heart. But it’s been on shaky ground from the moment the words tumbled out of my mouth. Until we identify the enemy, they’re both vulnerable. There’s no getting around it.
23
DANIELA
When the car pulls up to Antonio’s house in the valley, Valentina’s asleep.
“Don’t wake her,” Cristiano whispers to me. “I’ll carry her inside.”
“I’ll do it,” Antonio mutters, with a pointed look at his friend. The one that screamsBack the fuck off. I’m in charge here.“Go ensure that the activation we discussed earlier is on track.”
Activation?
Cristiano doesn’t respond—not with words. But the knob in his throat bobs up and down.
I don’t waste my breath asking about theactivation. There will be no forthcoming explanation.
“I’ll take her up,” Antonio says quietly, “and you can get her settled. She needs sleep, and so do you.” He gets out of the car, and then reaches in and lifts Valentina off the seat like she weighs nothing. She mumbles something incoherent but doesn’t open her eyes.
While I’m trying to make sense of Antonio with Valentina in his arms, a muscular arm reaches for my overnight bag.
“I’ll take care of the luggage,” Thiago, our driver, says kindly. He glances at Antonio, who is almost at the entrance of the house. “Will you get the door for him?”
“Of course. Thank you.” I flash him a small smile and hurry to open the door.
“Where are you taking her?” I whisper, when we get inside. I hadn’t given the sleeping arrangements much consideration. When Valentina asked me about it on the plane, I told her that the house had lots of bedrooms and that we’d find her a nice one. I never gave it another thought. I vacillated between being grateful she was safe, to the road ahead of us, unpaved, with divots and potholes that, even if they don’t swallow us, will leave us stumbling.