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Interesting. Another to add to the hit list.

My phone starts vibrating in my pocket. Maria wrinkles her nose at me, but I ignore her. Rosa’s name is flashing up on the screen.

“I have to take this.”My chest feels tight with excitement.

“Hello.” I try to sound professional as I leave, pulling out a cigarette and heading to the outside seating.“How are you, tesoro?”

“I’m fine. Are you busy?”Her soft voice is like music to my ears.

“For you, Rosa? Never.”

I light my cigarette, looking at the couples sitting in front of me, all deep in conversation. As I glance through the window to the café, I can see Romano and Maria having a heated conversation. As her mother locks eyes with me, I look away.

“I’m on my own,” her voice is so quiet I can barely hear her.

“Then why are you whispering?”

“I don’t know,” she giggles, and I remember how much I miss that sound.

“I’m in a meeting at the moment. I can come over after that?”

“W-what, here? What if Dante comes home?”

I know he won’t be. I have him out on runs all day.

“I was going to go to Dr. Jenkin’s in a minute. Could you meet me after that?”

As she goes to reply, Maria storms out. “Luca, your lunch is here.”

I hold up my cigarette to her and excuse her. The line is silent.

“Rosa, are you still there?”

“Huh-yes. Just forget about it. We can see each other another time, maybe. Sorry.”

Before I can get a word in, she cuts the call, and I shake my head.

Fuck.

I head back to our table and as I approach, Maria flicks me a look as I limp towards my seat next to her.

“Why the hell are you limping?”she hisses in my ear as I sit.

“Jumped off a bridge trying to kill myself to get away from you.”

She huffs and carries on picking at her salad. I sit there, not being able to get Rosa’s voice out of my head.

I need to see her.

CHAPTERFORTY-SEVEN

rosa

As I push open the front door, I toss my bag down on the floor. After a session with Dr. Jenkins, I need a cigarette and a coffee.

Today we discussed another coping mechanism. Journaling. So on the way home, I stopped and picked up a little notepad with my Capricorn star sign on the front.

I’m going to start with five things I want out of life.