Page 28 of Poisoned Promise
“Well, I’m sorry, Dove. I’m so sorry about what happened. And I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I was so… so fucked up after Nico’s death that I drank myself into a fucking stupor and when I dragged myself out of it a few days later, I learned your family had been slaughtered and everyone was dead. You included.”
Her hand pauses on the way to her mouth and something glints in her eyes, an emotion I can’t quite place.
“A few… days later?” she repeats.
I nod. “I’m ashamed to admit how Nico’s death affected me. As you know, he was my best friend since childhood. You knew him. He was a good, kind man. He was strong. Stronger than me. It rocked my world that someone could kill him, and then a few days later, I learned you were dead and…” I shake my head. No need to bring up how badly I wanted to join them.
Dove shifts in her seat and eats slowly. “I did what I had to do.”
“You left,” I mutter, unable to stop the jealousy rising. “You went and had another family.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Isn’t it?” I glance down at her hands and note a shadow of a bruise around her wrist. “No ring? Does your husband know you take it off when you go to meet an ex?”
Her eyes dart up to mine with the sharp, angry glare I’ve missed so damn much. “First of all, I would never do something like that. Second of all, I’m not married so there’s no husband to tell that I’m meeting an ex.”
“But there is a father,” I point out. “Is that why you changed your name? Dove James.” I scoff softly. “Hardly Dove Healy, is it?”
“No father,” she replies stiffly. “Dead. Keeping it on theme, wouldn’t you say?”
I smirk. “Dead after you married?”
“Nomarriage,” Dove insists. “If you must know, I changed my name to hide. Surely you can work that out.”
I can. I just needed to confirm there really was no other man in her life.
“Why stay in New York?”
She pauses her next mouthful. “It was easy. And I know how this world works. Someone goes missing, I know the protocol. My family were—.” Her voice breaks slightly and she clears her throat after a mouthful of wine. “I knew their bodies were mutilated enough that I’d be assumed dead with them. Staying close to the fire was the only way to keep myself hidden, not that anyone would be looking.”
“You always were smarter than me.”
“Wasn’t hard,” Dove replies quickly and an almost smile tugs at her lips.
“Why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you reach out to me? I could have helped you, Dove. You know I would have done anything for you.” I still would.
She finishes her last bite, chewing thoughtfully as if overwhelmed by answers and then she sighs. “After what happened… I wanted out. A clean break. I didn’t want to lookover my shoulder, I didn’t want any more blood on my hands. I wanted to escape and grieve and leave it all behind.”
“And have a baby. Alex.” The bitterness rises one more.
“Alex wasn’t planned,” Dove admits softly. “But he’s the most important thing in my life.” Her gorgeous eyes lock onto mine. “So think very carefully before you mention him again.”
An open threat.
Interesting.
The Dove I knew was much more cloaked and secretive when it came to threatening people.
She enjoyed the thrill of espionage but now she’s openly telling me she’ll cut my balls off if I talk about her son again.
Hot.
“Is that why you killed the Rossi Don?”
“I didn’t kill him,” Dove replies without missing a beat. “I didn’t even know he was dead.”
“But you knew of him?”
