Page 193 of Valentino

And while I know he could have easily packed it up for me and sent it over, he didn’t.

Which makes me wonder if he has things he wants to say too.

I don’t even know if he’s going to be at home.

The doors open and we walk into the foyer area; he appears at the door.

My heart is jolted by the sight of him, so familiar but so distant, and unwelcome tears fill my eyes.

“Thank you,” he tells the boys before turning and walking back into the apartment.

I stand still, cemented to the spot…. He couldn’t even look me in the eye.

Eventually I follow him inside to find him staring out the window with his hands in his suit pant pockets.

My nostrils flare as I stare at his back.

The pull to him is still so strong, it’s like a tangible force. A thick rope of sadness tethering me to a dark place.

“I’m here for my things.”

“They’re where you left them,” he says void of emotion.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You wouldn’t have believed me anyway.”

“Stop pretending that you know what I will do,” I snap.

“I know all about your burner phone, Anna. I know all I need to know about you.”

My heart constricts.

“I hid that SIM card to protect you,” I stammer like a cornered animal. “I wanted to defuse the situation…. Because I care about you.”

“Oh, is that why?” He nods in an overexaggerated way. “You hid it in your office to keep me safe, but you had no intention of ever using it?”

“That’s right.”

“That would be a great story…if only it were true.”

“It is true.”

“Let’s recap, shall we?” He leans his behind onto the back of the couch and folds his arms. “Key word.” He air-quotes his fingers. “Hid.”

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” I screw up my face. “I didn’t call him. I didn’t know what to do with the SIM that wouldn’t make an outright war. Was it a mistake, yes. Absolutely! And I’m sorry. I was trying to defuse a terrible situation; I didn’t want you to go to jail for killing him.”

“If you wanted to defuse the situation and you had no intention of ever using that SIM card you would have thrown it in the trash.”

My eyes search his.

“But…” He stands. “You didn’t throw it out, did you, Anna? Because that would mean you would have no way to contact him.”

“That’s not it.”

“That is exactly it.” He walks into the bedroom. “Get your things and get the fuck out of my house.”

Asshole.