Page 132 of Anton

“Obligations.” His tone turns rougher. “Just like you have.”

Thora presses her lips together.

“Have you taken care of what you needed to take care of yet?”

Blood rushes into my ears as I pray he doesn’t say Thora’s name or anything else that will make her question this.

“I said I will.” My voice stays even as I glance at her. “Is there anything else you need from me? I have a mai tai waiting.”

Thora’s eyes flash before she covers her mouth to keep from laughing.

“Since when do you drink mai tais?”

“Since I started taking vacations.”

She tries to hold back another laugh, and seeing her this happy makes me smile.

“All right,” Konstantin says. “Well, enjoy yourself. How long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know. A few days.”

“Let me know when you return. And why didn’t you take the jet?”

“In case you needed it for an emergency. Flying commercial wasn’t so bad. I flew first class, so it wasn’t as terrible as it could have been.”

Konstantin pauses again, and this time I can feel the question coming before he asks it. “Where did you go, exactly?”

“Oh, you know.” I reach over and take Thora’s hand, squeezing it once. “Here and there. I’ll send pictures.”

Another stretch of silence passes before Konstantin repeats, “Enjoy yourself.”

My thumb moves over Thora’s knuckles. “Yeah. I will.”

I end the call before he can ask anything else, then Thora lets out a laugh.

“A mai tai? Really? Even I wouldn’t believe that. You don’t even look like you know what’s in one.”

“I don’t.”

That makes her laugh harder, and I’ll never get sick of it. If lying to Konstantin about tropical drinks is what gets her laughing like that, I’ll tell him I’m drinking out of a coconut next time.

THORA

My hands won’t stop shaking, no matter how tightly I clasp them in my lap.

We’re actually here. After driving for almost three hours, we’ve arrived at what’s supposed to be my family home. The place where my parents were…murdered.

Nausea swirls in my gut. I’m so going to need therapy after this.

Anton didn’t say much on the drive, which was better. Sometimes saying nothing and holding someone’s hand is the best thing you can give them. He’ll never be a hearts-and-flowers kind of man. He isn’t even in the same zip code. But showing up, staying beside me, and bringing me here is how Anton proves he cares, and that will always be enough.

I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t answered my call or was already back in New Jersey, leaving me to face all of this alone.

I haven’t called Blair yet. Eventually, I’ll have to tell her everything, but I’m not ready just yet.

Anton’s fingers press more firmly around mine as I take in the small, neglected house, its paint peeling and weeds crowding the fence.

I wait for some sort of memory to hit, but nothing happens. There are no images of a woman’s laugh or a nursery with yellow walls. No strange pull in my chest telling me I’ve been here before, that some buried part of me recognizes the place where I was once called Penny.