Page 52 of Forbidden Eyes
“Of course. I know you. We’ve raised you to be a wonderful woman. It would only have been a matter of time before this blew up.”
“Why won’t Dad listen?” I ask, but I know the answer before it’s said.
“Because he is Benjamin Vico. He sees the world differently. Always has, Fia.”
“You can come with me?” A small child’s hope suddenly balloons in my chest at the thought of having my mom next to me, but this isn’t her journey. This isn’t her path. She’s been my dad’s right hand all my life, and that’s where she belongs, no matter how much I currently hate the thought.
“You know I will be with you wherever you go, but I can’t come with you, baby girl.”
I nod and look at her eyes. Unshed tears linger behind her long lashes. She’s always been so strong, the perfect role model for me in ways I’m only now seeing.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back.” The words suddenly become very real. I don’t know when I’ll be back. Or what I’m going to do. This won’t stop at a simple call to Carter to warn him. There’s more to this than that. My throat thickens, full of sadness at leaving the one person I’ve felt nothing but unconditional love from my entire life.
“Just be safe. Check in when you can.”
“Dad will be mad.”
“He will, but he said himself that actions have consequences. He’s not seen that in a long time, but baby, please remember that he loves you so deeply. No matter how it feels, he has done everything with your interests at heart. For all of his sins, he is a good man.”
I nod again, scared that my emotions will betray me and I’ll lose the courage I’ve built to stand up to him.
“Can you get us out?”
“I can drive you.” She smiles and gives my hand a squeeze.
I finish packing while Mom waits. “I’ll look at setting you up an account.”
“What?”
“We don’t know what this course of action will mean. I take it you’re not just running to warn Carter?” She smiles and it tells me she knows that I have feelings for him.
“I guess, maybe. I don’t know. I have so much rushing in my head, but I know I can’t let Dad just kill him for daring to notice me.”
“I’ll help any way I can. Just keep in touch. If you need to run, I’ll make sure you have money and that he won’t find you.”
“Uncle Nate?”
“He won’t help your father if I ask him not to. He’s my brother. It’s going to be fine. I promise.”
Although she says the words, I have no idea of what I’m doing.
“Come on. We need to go before I change my mind and keep you locked in here where I know you’ll stay safe.” Mom smiles as she jokes, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
Less than half an hour later, we’re driving towards Manhattan, back the way we came earlier today.
We arrive at JFK, and I look up at the departures board.
This time, if the plane journey is tracked, it won’t matter because Dad will be looking for the same person.
Fifteen
Isip the dark, sweet coffee and stare out into nothingness. It’s not that there isn’t anything to look at; it’s just that I’m not seeing it. My head’s still lost in something I can’t get past. I shake it and concentrate on the vista rather than letting myself drift into stupidity. Blue ocean spreads out in front of me beyond a long, sandy beach. I don’t even know why I came here after dropping her at the airport. I handed her bag over and watched that ass walk away from me, hating the distance being put between us for some irrational reason. Then I parked the car and boarded another plane. That plane brought me straight back here to Miami.
All I’ve done is think about her.
As Quinn said: idiot.
The sigh I let out at the thought makes me imagine that last conversation with him. Not that it was a conversation, more a show of his disappointment as he tried to teach me a lesson I know all too well already. Him telling me to disappear for a few weeks wasn’t for his benefit; it was for mine. I guess he hopes it will stop me thinking with my dick. I guess I thought it would work, too.