Page 70 of Dangerous Games of Trust

He nods solemnly, seeing my mind is made up. “You will need to pack a bag. If you leave it in your walk-in closet, I will collect it at some stage tomorrow.”

I nod, agreeing, a heaviness coming over me at the finality of it all.

Then he produces an envelope from his back pocket, handing it to me. “Don’t tell me any details. I don’t want to know.” His eyes drop away from mine, and I know he’s serious. If I do this, I’m on my own.

I carefully open the envelope and see it’s a one-way ticket to Australia. My heart flutters a little in excitement. I’ve always wanted to go there. There is also a passport with my new identity, a credit card, a wad of cash, and the details of the accommodation I’m going to stay in when I get there. Am I really going to do this? Walking away from them is going to kill me, but I know it’s the only way to keep them safe. My eyes fill with tears, and a lump forms in my throat. “Thank you,” I sniff.

“I don’t want you to do this, Red.” He brushes my tears away with his thumb. “Letting you get on that plane is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But I understand why you have to. When I lost Bianca… I didn’t think I would ever recover when she died. She took a piece of me with her. I tortured myself with what-ifs. And I know if there was some way I could have saved her back then, I would have. No matter how difficult it would have been to let her go. What you’re doing is brave and stupid on so many levels, but I understand why you have to.” His hand laces into my hair and he pulls me in close, his lips meeting mine in a gentle kiss. I can feel his pain. It’s killing him to let me go. But he knows I’m right. It’s more dangerous for all of them if I stay. “You’re something else. And we are all lucky to have known you. You’re going to leave behind four broken hearts.”

Another tear slips down my cheek. “I won’t be gone forever. Just until this mess is sorted out.” I offer him a half smile, trying to ease the gut-wrenching tension between us. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I don’t want to leave them, but I do want my freedom and theirs.

“They won’t know that.”

“I know,” I whisper, my heart breaking for the other boys. When they find out what I have done they’re going to hate me. I asked them to trust me, and I’m going to take that trust and break it into a million tiny pieces. I can only pray when we cross paths again, they will have mercy on me for the pain I caused them. “How do we do this? They’re going to ask questions if you just take me out of here.”

“Now that Carlo is taken care of, Elisa and her girlfriend have decided to come home. They fly home tomorrow afternoon, and Dani has lined it all up so you can cross paths. I will drop you off at the airport at the same time we pick them up to make it look less sus to the boys and give us a reason to be at the airport. You have until then to work out how you say your goodbyes. Any more questions talk to Dani, she will be the only one who knows where you are.” He kisses me once more then leaves me standing in his office holding the envelope that contains my new life.

I glance over my shoulder at her. She’s working away on her computer with headphones on as if she is oblivious to us even in the room. But she knows. She knows everything, and all I can do is hope this time she can be trusted. It’s late for her to even be working, but I guess my decision has left her with more than a few loose ends to tie up tonight.

As I approach Dani, she drops her headphones. “How you holding up, girl?”

I can’t help it, I burst into tears.

She comes over to me in a rush, wrapping her arms around my shoulders, pulling me into her. “That bad, hey?”

“Am I doing the right thing? They’re going to hate me.” I cry into her baggy sweater.

Her eyes, warm and filled with empathy, lock on to mine. “They will. But when they cool down, they will understand you did it for them.”

I peer up at her, hoping to God she’s right.

She smiles sadly. “Why are you moping around here tonight? It’s your last night with them, go have some fun.”

“What about Geovani?”

“He’s terrible company tonight, Lana, he’s already mourning your loss.”

I sigh heavily, knowing she’s right. He will also get to say goodbye to me tomorrow at the airport, but they won’t.

If you need anything from me while you’re gone, I mean anything, my number is programmed in your phone. And I can have you wired money, or your accommodation changed, or you on the first flight back here. Just call me. Okay?”

“Okay,” I agree with a half-smile, grateful someone will be on my side. “Take care of Marco for me. Tell him I’m sorry.”

“I will. But he’s going to understand. It’s why he risked everything to get you out of this place originally.”

“I hope so.”

She smiles softly, getting a little teary. “Go have some fun, girl. Live like it’s your last night. That’s what I would do.”

“Something tells me you do that every day regardless.”

“You know me too well.” She wraps her arms around me in a tight hug again. “See you soon.”

I make my way back into where Ricky is waiting for me and pop my head around the corner. “Is a fun night out still on offer? I just took some painkillers and my head’s starting to feel better.”

His lips turn up at the sides. “Go get ready, baby doll, I’ll meet you in the garage in thirty.”

I smirk back. Tonight, I’m going to block the reality of tomorrow from my head. Tonight, I’m going to have fun with my boys.

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