Chapter 8 - THE DAUGHTER OF A DEAD MAN
Naomi walked outside alone.
She couldn’t breathe underground.
Couldn’t look at the photograph.
Couldn’t hear another secret.
Rain had started.
Cold drops struck her face.
She stood beneath the stone balcony, shaking.
The door opened behind her.
Luca.
“Go away.”
He didn’t.
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
Naomi laughed bitterly.
“Does anyone in your world ever listen?”
“Rarely.”
She turned.
“My whole life was a lie.”
Luca said nothing.
“My mom told me my dad fell asleep driving home.”
She wiped her face.
“I hated him for it.”
Luca’s expression softened.
“I thought he left us because he was careless.”
“He wasn’t.”
“That doesn’t fix anything.”
“No.”
She looked at Luca.
“That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said tonight.”
He almost smiled.
Then his face became serious.
“If Dominic killed your father, he knows who you are.”
“Why would he care now?”
“Because your father hid evidence.”
Naomi froze.
“What evidence?”
“We don’t know.”
Rain struck the stone around them.
Luca stepped closer.
“Naomi, your employment here may not have been an accident.”
“What?”
“My mother chose you personally.”
Naomi stared through the glass doors at Isabella.
“She barely knew me.”
“Maybe she knew your name.”
Naomi’s chest tightened.
She went back inside.
“Mrs. Moretti.”
Isabella looked up.
Naomi sat in front of her.
“Did you know who my father was before you hired me?”
Isabella hesitated.
Low note.
Yes.
Pain crossed Naomi’s face.
“You knew?”
Low.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Isabella’s eyes filled.
She reached for the paper.
Slowly, she wrote:
PROMISE.
Naomi stared.
“To my father?”
Low.
Yes.
Another word.
PROTECT.
Then:
WHEN READY.
Naomi stood.
“I’m not ready now!”
Isabella flinched.
Naomi immediately regretted shouting.
“I’m sorry.”
She walked away.
Luca followed her into the hall.
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
“I said don’t follow me.”
“You’re in a house under attack.”
“I need five minutes where no one is lying to me.”
Luca’s jaw tightened.
“I haven’t lied to you.”
“No. You just don’t tell people anything.”
“That’s different.”
“It really isn’t.”
She turned to leave.
Luca caught her wrist.
Naomi looked down.
He released her immediately.
“Sorry.”
That surprised her.
He looked at her.
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?”
“Care whether someone walks away.”
Naomi stopped.
For one dangerous second, neither moved.
Then Luca’s phone rang.
Marco.
Luca answered.
“What?”
His expression changed.
“Where?”
Naomi watched all emotion disappear from his face.
He ended the call.
“What happened?” she asked.
May you like
Luca looked at her.
“Your apartment is on fire.”
