Chapter 16 #3
“What?” My father takes a few unsteady steps towards me. “You can’t.”
“I can.” My voice goes cold. “But I want to know something. How did you know Sofia was on to you?”
He eyes me with a calculating gaze. “I’ll tell you. But then you need to drop it. Convince her to leave things well enough alone. Shit, marry her. Then she can’t turn on us.”
“Not us. You. Now, tell me.”
After a long pause, he says, “I have all the landlines tapped in the buildings where I do installs. The clients prefer it. But one of them was going through the recordings and heard the phone call she made. They got concerned about her questions and called me. So I looked into it. She was onto something. It would have only been a matter of time—”
“So you decided to shut her up before she could.”
“I had to,” he retorts. “I talked to a contact at the hospital. They said her memory could come back any time. I couldn’t take the risk.”
I stare at my father, so filled with rage it’s all I can do not to launch myself across the desk at him.
“Come on, Nico. Let’s just let things go. I’ll stop, how about that?” He gives me a pleading look. “I’ll stick with the legal jobs from now on. And you convince your little high school girlfriend to leave things alone.”
“What’s going on?” My mother appears in the doorway; polished as always in a black evening gown and clutching a bag that probably cost more than Sofia’s yearly rent. Her expression is creased with confusion. “Why are you two yelling?”
“It’s nothing,” my father starts. “Just—”
A loud pounding at the front of the house stops him. Then a crisp, authoritative voice calls, “This is the police. Open the door. Now.”
My father turns a stricken gaze to me. “You called the cops on me?”
I look at the man I once called my father. But he’s a stranger now. One who needs to be punished for what he’s done. “Yes. I did.” Moving around the desk, I keep my hands low and away from my pockets, so the police will be able to see I’m unarmed. “It’s finally over.”
By the time I get back to the condo, it’s close to one in the morning.
As I trudge inside, feeling as though I’m moving through quicksand, Wraith and Knight look over from their seats on the couch.
Knight examines my face for a second. His expression goes solemn. “Is it done?” he asks quietly.
Wraith stares at me. “Are you okay?”
All at once, speaking feels like too much effort. But I force myself to respond. “It’s over. He’s in police custody. They have all the evidence.”
Knight lifts his chin. “And you?”
I shrug. “I don’t know.”
My chest feels carved out. Empty. Aching.
Glancing towards the hallway, I ask, “How is she?”
“Okay,” Knight replies. “Worried about you.”
My heart wrenches. Of course Sofia would worry about me. Even though I don’t deserve it.
“I guess I’ll see if she’s still up.” Releasing a heavy sigh, I head across the living room. “Thanks for staying with her. Sorry it went so late.”
“It’s fine,” Wraith says. As I pass by, he pats my arm. “I know this sucks. I’m sorry. You need anything…”
“I know.” I appreciate his concern. And Knight’s, too. Plus Houdini and Jester, who asked me if I was okay several times on the way home. It’s no different from how I’d act if one of them were hurting. But I can’t talk about it now. It’s too fresh. Too painful.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Knight says. “Unless you want to talk sooner.”
“Thanks.” I nod at Knight, then Wraith. “I’m just going to check on Sofia and then go to bed.”
Without waiting for them to leave, I continue towards Sofia’s bedroom. Each step feels slower than the one before.
And with each one, another crushing reminder comes.
She’s going to leave me.
She’ll never forgive me.
How could she, after what my father did to her?
When I reach her bedroom door, I push it open carefully. If she’s asleep, I don’t want to wake her up.
But just like the first night I came back from my parents’, she’s sitting up in bed, reading. The instant she sees me, she closes the book and sets it to the side. “Nico?” Worry lines her forehead. “Are you okay?”
I take her in, so beautiful it makes my heart hurt. “Yeah.” A beat passes, and then I amend, “No. I’m not.”
“Nico.”
“He did it. All of it. We found the evidence.” Swallowing hard, I add, “He’s the one who tried to kill you. All three times. Because you were onto his fucked up conspiracy. He wanted to shut you up before you could ruin it.”
Sofia winces. “Nico.”
“I know.” Every muscle in my body is so heavy. “I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.” Backing out of the room, I add, “Just… don’t leave tonight. Okay? I don’t know if it’s safe.”
Turning, I head down the hallway.
The walls close in around me.
My chest hurts. It’s hard to breathe.
I had a chance, and now it’s gone.
My eyes sting.
Fuck. It hurts.
When I get to my bedroom, I sag onto my bed. I don’t have the energy to do more.
Leaning over, I rest my elbows on my knees and stare at the stupid black tiles the interior decorator insisted on.
I hate them. I hate this condo.
I hate my father.
Pain comes at me in punishing waves.
Fuck, it hurts.
“Nico.” The mattress sinks slightly. Sofia’s soft scent wraps around me, making me feel even worse.
Soon she’ll be gone. And I’ll be alone.
She’s quiet for several long seconds.
I wait for her to say something about leaving. How she can’t stay here any longer.
My heart shrivels.
But then she wraps her arms around me and rests her head on my shoulder.
She doesn’t say anything. She just hugs me.
So I hug her back.
And that’s how we stay. Holding each other.
Even after she falls asleep, her body sagging against mine, I keep holding her. Memorizing every moment to relive later.
Because if this is the last time I get to hold Sofia in my arms, I’m not wasting any of it.