Page 252 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

“I’m so sorry,” he told her again.

He couldn’t make this better.

This couldn’t be fixed.

Gian hated himself for that.

“Cara, look at me,” Gian demanded.

She did, but the sadness that had been constant in her eyes for a week, stared back at him. He was so angry and disappointed in himself, because she asked him the same thing every day: why and who. He was no closer to being able to answer that for her, and each time he couldn’t give her what she asked, he failed more.

“It’ll be fine, a quiet weekend away,” he told her.

Cara nodded, her attention drifting back to the sleeping baby in the car seat next to her. “Maybe it’ll help to get away.”

That’s what he kept telling her.

He hoped it was true.

“Chris will keep an eye on you,” Gian promised, “but if you need anything, if you want me, just call. Okay?”

“Sure, Gian.”

He didn’t for a second think she would call. She blamed him, in a way, and Gian didn’t fault her for it. It had been his phone, his pictures. It was her job lost, her newly beginning career already stained and tainted, and her reputation destroyed with one selfish, vile act. It was her image and self-worth ruined, not his. And fuck him, because he couldn’t even tell her who or why.

“Is it different?” Cara asked. “The Ottawa penthouse, I mean. Is it different from the last time I was there?”

Gian smiled. “A bit. I had some upgrades done. It needed them. I think you’ll like it. Take some time to enjoy it, anyway. I haven’t been able to yet. Not entirely.”

“You could come.”

“You don’t really want me to, though, do you?”

Cara glanced away. “I just need to get out of this city and breathe, Gian.”

“I know, mon ange.” He wouldn’t fault her for that, either. Leaning into the back of the SUV, Gian kissed Cara on her forehead, and relaxed a bit when her soft fingertips stroked his cheek. It felt like a silent promise that things would be better … eventually. Quickly, he laid his hand on top of his son’s head, and Marcus’s eyes fluttered open at his father’s touch. “For anything, Cara, you call me.”

“I will. I love you, Gian.”

That, he didn’t doubt.

Not at all.

“Ti amo, Cara.”

Closing the SUV door, Gian smacked the roof with his palm, and caught Chris’s eye in the front seat. He didn’t have to verbalize his order for the man to do his job, Chris always did it without needing to be told.

Gian stayed standing on the sidewalk long after the SUV had disappeared out of sight. It was only as he headed toward the underground garage to get his own vehicle that his cell phone started ringing. Dom, he thought, or maybe Stephan. There was always too much shit for him to do, and he never got time to rest anymore.

He picked up the call without even checking the ID.

“Ciao, bonjour.”

“It’s been a while, Gian.”

Every inch of Gian turned to ice at the sound of his father-in-law’s voice.

“Gabriel,” Gian greeted as he closed in on his car. “I’d like to say it’s nice to hear from you, but we both know that would be a fucking lie.”