Page 146 of Be With Me
“This got something to do with the Morales girl?”
I eyed him. “Why would it?”
“You looked like you wanted to fucking murder Mom when she asked you to tape her.”
My grip tightened around the glass in my hand. “I’m not seeing her anymore.”
“No?”
“But no one’s going to fucking touch her unless they want a gun shoved down their throat.”
Cosimo adjusted his watch, chuckling. “Interesting.”
“Is it?”
“You went from seeing her, to not seeing her but acting like her guard dog. Care to explain?”
“Not really.” Truth was, I could’ve used some advice. But opening that door meant unpacking a lot of shit I wasn’t ready for.
His voice dropped lower. “What Mom asked you to do crossed a line. What did she mean when she said you’ve done worse?”
Annoyance crackled over my nape at his prying, but when I caught his gaze, something in his eyes diffused it. A hint of concern.
I remembered our conversation at The Golden Circle dinner. More accurately, the conversation he’d tried to have, one I’d intentionally dodged.
Even after telling Mia, the idea of sharing the worst night of my life and everything that led up to it with another person made me sick.
Shame, guilt, and something even colder churned inside my stomach.
You. Can’t. Be. Weak.
Since that night, I’d built walls around every part of me that could be broken, that could hurt.
Walls that protected me and kept everyone out.
But Mia broke through. And as fucking vulnerable as her seeing me made me feel, it gave me faith, for the first time, that things could change.
That maybe, I didn’t have to be bad for her.
Tell him.
My eyes scanned around the room. I wanted to, but there were too many people around. “It’s not the right time to get into it. Let’s talk later.”
He studied me for a bit longer, then nodded. “Sounds good.” He sipped his drink. “Had a chance to talk to Dad yet?”
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
“Fuck,” he muttered with a laugh. “Look what Aunt Lisa brought.”
Our aunt had just stepped into the living room, cradling a bonsai tree like it was a newborn.
I chuckled. “Dad’s going to be thrilled. One more for his collection.”
Cosimo swiped a palm over his mouth. “That thing looks heavy as hell.”
“Let’s go help before she drops it.” We weaved through the crowd, making our way over.
“Zia, are you trying to butter up Dad?” I teased as I lifted the tree from her arms.
