She smiled. “I appreciate the sacrifice, but there’s not much left here for me.”
“What about your job? I know how much it means to you.”
“You do?”
“I never really left you, you know.”
Sadness at his words invaded her soul, making fresh tears find their way to her eyes. She blinked them back. “That’s what Ivan said.”
“Then both of us kept track. We can stay here in London, you and me.”
“It’s not important, anymore.” She looked away so Cain wouldn’t see the turmoil in her eyes.
The truth was she couldn’t face going back, not with the memories that would assault her at the theater, both good and bad. Anyway, Ivan had been right. The reason she’d taken the PR job was because she was frightened of not living up to her mother’s legend.
“You don’t have to decide about your future now,” Cain said gently. “Take your time.”
She nodded.
A meow at the window drew their attention.
Happy for the distraction, she got up and opened the window. “It’s Mr. Whiskers.”
The cat jumped inside and rubbed against her leg.
“Hey, you.” She picked him up and cuddled him against her chest. “It’s the neighbor’s cat, but he spends more time here than at his own home.”
Cain gave her a warm smile. “I know.”
“Of course, you do.” She put Mr. Whiskers down and filled his bowl with kibbles. “I’m going for a shower. I’ll fix dinner after. You better tell the others to come inside. I’m sure they can all do with a warm meal.”
The look on his face was one of pride. “Yes, they’d like that.”
Chapter 19
During the next week, Maya and Clelia mostly stayed with Alice while the men took off in frantic searches for Godfrey and Ivan’s body. Clelia took over the cooking while Maya managed the household chores, no matter how much Alice protested. Most evenings, they all had a quiet meal at Alice’s house. Cain had moved in with her for the time being while the others stayed at their hotel. Someone always kept watch. The times when things got too much for her, they let her sit with her album of keepsakes, paging through old photos and disintegrating flowers.
Articles about her failure on stage had made headline news, only to be outshined by features on Ivan’s disappearance. Speculations were he’d run off to some exotic location. The theater sued Ivan for a huge amount of money, which Kate had to deal with. Closing down was no longer a threat with the money coming from the lawsuit, and Johnny told her to take all the time she needed after her public humiliation before getting back to work.
Not a day went by that Ivan didn’t dominate her thoughts. She took the time she needed to grieve. Even if they couldn’t have a burial, Cain arranged a small, secret funeral service to give her the closure she craved. Eventually, the leads to Godfrey dried up, and Cain made arrangements to go back to New York to meet with his sponsors. Being Cain’s daughter, her life would always be in danger, but she refused to take a bodyguard. She tried hard to maintain a sense of normality. Instead, Cain equipped her with a smart watch that would always give her location and taught her how to use it while his team put extra security measures in place around her house. Maya gave her a pistol and took her to the shooting range on a daily basis until she knew how to shoot a bullseye.
On the day of Cain’s departure, he stood on her doorstep with mixed feelings etched on his face.
“Go,” Alice said. “I have a few loose ends to tie up before I decide what to do next.”
“I wish you’d let some of the team stay.”
“They’re not bodyguards. They have their families to get back to. I can take care of myself.”
“I have no doubt. I’m just…”
“Worried?”
“Like a father.”
She kissed his cheek. “I’ll come visit.”
He nodded. “Take care.”
She would. For Ivan. He’d given his life for hers. She wasn’t going to waste it.
“Go.” She shooed him off to the waiting van.
“Call me.” He motioned at the smart watch on her arm.
Then they were gone. For the first time since Ivan’s death, she was alone in her house. She took a shaky breath. It wouldn’t be easy, but she had to fight on. Ivan would always be a part of her, and she’d never give up the hope of seeing him again, one day. For now, life awaited.
The seafood restaurant was small and intimate. Couples were having dinner at tables set with candles and a single red rose. The flowers reopened the wound in Alice’s heart, but she put the thought of Ivan into the part of her soul where she locked away her most treasured memories and made her way to the table where Henry waited.