Page 7 of Entangled

“People like us have no souls, Gian. This is nothing more than a farce, and if there is a heaven, we will only be allowed entrance because we paid our way in.”

Touché.

“Chris can drive you home,” Gian told his wife as he picked up his aviator sunglasses from the pew. “I have things to do today.”

Elena pursed her lips. “I’m sure.”

She didn’t push him or argue his demands, though. Chris would be waiting outside to return Elena to the mansion, and she had another driver on speed dial to take her wherever in the hell she wanted during the week. She had a license and could drive perfectly well, but she preferred to be chauffeured about like a queen.

Gian didn’t give a shit, as long as it wasn’t him doing the driving.

It wasn’t long after Elena was gone down the aisle that Dom slid in beside his brother in the pew. Gian allowed a few more people to head down the aisle, opting to stay behind with Dom to get his weekly update.

It always fucking hurt.

It sucked like nothing else.

Gian did it to punish himself, surely.

It still helped him to breathe.

“Well?” Gian asked.

Dom sipped from a to-go cup of coffee like he had all the time in the world. “Nothing new, really. Cara’s been pretty quiet the last week. She’s still working at that women’s shelter over on the Fifth.”

“Carolina’s House,” Gian said, naming the shelter.

He knew it, because he’d donated to it often over the years, given his family’s history with the place.

Cara didn’t know that, though.

She didn’t know Gian watched her at all.

Dom nodded. “Still there. She’ll be back in school next month, probably. I’m not sure about the shelter after that.”

Knowing Cara, and what she wanted to do with her life, if the shelter allowed her a position while she remained in university, she would take it in a heartbeat. Gian hoped they gave her the chance. Dreams were worth following, after all.

“That’s about all I have to tell on that side of things,” Dom noted.

“Nothing else?” Gian asked.

Dom gave his brother a side-long look. “She’s not been out with anybody, you know. And you could just outright ask that, instead of posing it like it’s something else. I don’t think she’s even got time for a man, Gian.”

He doubted that. Cara had time, if she wanted to make it. For whatever reason, she just hadn’t made the time.

Yet.

Jealousy burned hot and heavy in his gut at the thought. Gian ignored the reckless, violent emotion, because what in the hell else could he do?

He couldn’t force his wants upon Cara.

Hadn’t he already hurt her enough?

“You could go see her,” Dom suggested.

Gian scoffed. “Our last encounter did not end well. I doubt me showing up would go over spectacularly, either.”

“Then why not leave her alone, man?” Dom nodded down the aisle where Elena had disappeared to. Most of the people had also cleared out of the church. “You do have a wife, Gian. Focus there, maybe.”