Page 185 of Obsessed by My Ex's Mafia Uncle

I look away first, trying to escape the bite of the words I let slip tonight.

“Am I that obvious?”

“To me?” She huffs lightly. “Painfully.”

I expect another joke after that… Maybe another tease.

Instead, she twists the bottle cap slowly between her fingers, smiling softly like she is turning over a thought.

“Be careful with your heart, Christine.” She nods to herself. Then shakes her head.

I frown slightly. “That’s cryptic”

Atelia leans back against the counter, eyes drifting somewhere distant for half a second before returning to me.

“Robert…” She pauses briefly. “Is not a reliable man to love.”

The sentence cuts mean across my ribs and turns bitter on my tongue.

“He loves deeply,” she continues. “But he disappears into things.” Her eyes hold mine now. “And sometimes he doesn’t notice what he’s neglecting until it’s already gone.”

The air suddenly feels colder, with pointy tips biting into my pores.

She pushes away from the counter then, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her pants.

“For what it’s worth,” she adds casually, already moving past me, “He does love you.” She halts beside me, the nearness sending chills down my spine. “But it comes with a price.” She adds darkly.

Then she’s off.