Last Words (Morelli Family 7)

I really do love Vince, and that’s why this is all so hard. I didn’t have to. I didn’t intend to, going into it. Mateo told me I had to occupy Vince for one year. I’ve done worse for longer to keep Laurel safe and happy—one year and one client was practically a vacation.

But then I actually liked him. I came to value the life we started piecing together and regret the foundation of lies I had to build it all on. I know the truth would ruin everything, though—I know that. Mateo doesn’t have to tell me that (he did anyway, of course). He doesn’t trust me, so he threatens me. He’s happy with the work I’ve done, he’s happy with how effectively I’ve wrangled Vince. He doesn’t give a damn about our relationship, only the illusion of it, only how it looks to his wife. He only requires Vince to be as happy as is necessary to leave Mia alone, and only for long enough that Mia is convinced. He’s already told me I’m Vince’s last chance. As if I needed more responsibility on my shoulders, now I know if I can’t deal with Vince’s past, he doesn’t get a future.

But I hate lying to him. I wish we could have remained in Connecticut, cuddling on the couch and strolling through town on our way to get milkshakes. I love that life with him. I love normalcy.

I think I hate his family, though.

I definitely hate what he did to create Dominic. I’ve made so much progress with him, though. Unless he’s a far better liar than I think he is, he really has let go of so much bitterness toward Mia.

He just let it go a little too late. Now she has his baby, and I have no idea how I’m going to navigate him around this iceberg. Mateo should have told me so I could have put down some groundwork on this front. I’ve done the opposite of that. I had no clue he had some illegitimate child out there—I’ve been gearing his ass up for fatherhood!

Would not have started laying that groundwork if I’d known about all this. I’ve probably made a bigger mess for myself to clean up.

I’m feeling calmer now, so I leave the library. I have no idea where Mia is though, so much as I hate to, I scroll to Boss Man in my contacts and ask him where I can find Mia. I would like to take him up on that offer to spend some time with her today, just to see for myself that she’s all right. I’ve only seen her around him, and she defers to him on everything. I’m not sure she breathes without his permission.

“Playroom,” he sends back. The bubbles appear and he sends me directions from the library, realizing I have no idea where the playroom is.

I go back to my inbox and delete the message. Don’t want to get caught in that lie again.

Poor Vince. His family is fucking crazy. I wish I didn’t have to be a part of it, but I have no way out. I tried. I told him part of the truth to see how he would react, and he reacted poorly. Mateo told me he would. He gave me permission to test it out with half of the truth, obviously leaving out any involvement with him. He assured me he was Vince’s dealbreaker. If I told Vince I had any link to Mateo, I would never be effective again. Vince would write me off. And if I made myself ineffective, Mateo would be greatly displeased. Mateo Morelli is not a man you want to displease.

I find the playroom and wander inside. Two attractive blonde women sit on colorful mats with their legs spread in a V, babies propped up in their laps while they chat. Mia is talking, while the one I don’t recognize jots something down on a notepad beside her.

The other blonde responds, “I feel like we need four days at Magic Kingdom. The first day is just for me. It doesn’t even matter what the kids want to do, I have a whole day’s worth of activities that I want to do.”

Mia grins, stacking bold-colored, plastic blocks in front of the baby between her legs. “Fine by me. I’m down for whatever. Rosalie has already decided she wants to permanently relocate, and she’s never even been there yet.”

“I can’t believe Mateo doesn’t want to go.”

“Oh, he’ll go,” Mia assures her. “I don’t know exactly how I’m going to accomplish it, but he’s going with us.”

I feel like I’m eavesdropping, so I call out, “Hey, ladies.”

Mia looks back over her shoulder and the other one looks up. “Oh, hey Carly,” Mia says, starting to push up off the floor.