Wynter: If you say so.
Rex: I do.
Wynter: I’ll see you tomorrow?
Rex: For breakfast? Sure.
Rex: Have a great night. :)
From: [email protected]
Subject: Question
Is it sex that gives you nightmares?
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
No. It’s stress usually. Anxiety.
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
Most people would think you weren’t anxious by nature.
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
Fake it ’til you make it.
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
You don’t have to fake it with me.
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
I know I don’t.
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
So why do you?
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
Because you’re the one person I want to impress, and you’re the one person I consistently let down anyway.
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
When I come back, we’re going to be together, Rachel. You can’t fake it all the time. Will you be able to cope?
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
Probably not. Will be a learning curve. But I’d prefer to learn to live with you than to learn to live without you. I did that already, and I didn’t like it. I hated it.
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
You know what it means, don’t you?
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
That I’ll be your Old Lady?
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
In time.
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
I think I can handle it.
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
That isn’t the right answer. You can’t ‘think’ you’re ready. You have to be ready. We’ll revisit this conversation when you know you’re ready.
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
You know how patronizing you sound, don’t you?
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
Consider it a perk of me being a dad. Been stretching my patronizing wings.
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
Perk? Okay. Now you’re the one who’s lying to yourself lol.
I’m going to sleep.
Rachel
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
I hope it’s nightmare-free.
I love you, Rachel.
We’ll get there.
K
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re. Question
I hope so.
Love you too.
<3
THIRTY-TWO
RACHEL
“Luciu, what an unexpected surprise,” I drawled as the door to the interviewing room slammed to a close behind me.
Luciu Valentini was more trouble than he was worth.
Not just because of his career choices, but because he had a face that was a gift from the devil himself.
The Valentinis were trouble—that was probably why I liked them.
I didn’t have to like my clients, didn’t even have to believe they were innocent, but the Valentini brothers amused me.
Custanzu and Luciu were troublemakers, but their journey was a different one. They weren’t actually born into this life; they chose it. I understood the need for vengeance. It didn’t eat into me like it did them, but their motivations made sense to me.
Their father was murdered by the old leaders of the Famiglia. How couldn’t I understand the need that had driven them to this point?
“The pleasure’s all mine, Rachel,” Luciu replied, getting to his feet like the gentleman he was.
He acted like he was born in the eighteen hundreds. Sometimes, I half-expected he’d bow or take my hand and kiss it like we were back in the olden days.