Page 57 of Redemption

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I’m woken up the next morning by Aria jumping on my bed.

“Mom, get up! It’s pancake day!”

I groan as I roll over and toss the blankets over my head. “It’s too early.”

“It’s eight thirty!”

“Ugh,” I moan into the pillow. “Why are you up so early?”

“I want to work on my science project before practice so that way I can just bake cupcakes with Magda tonight.”

She keeps jumping on the bed and I swear she is going to make me throw up from the movement. I peel the covers off my face and when she isn’t looking, I pull her down and attack her with tickles.

“Mom, stop!” She giggles.

“This is your punishment for jumping on the bed! Remember what I told you?”

She squeals as she squirms underneath me. “No jumping on the bed or I may fall off and break my head!”

“That’s right,” I say with a smile as I pull away from her. I slide off the bed and she shifts up with the goofiest smile on her face. “You make sure all your practice clothes are clean and packed and I’ll make breakfast. Then we can work on your science project.”

“Okay,” she says with excitement as she sprints toward the door.

“What kind of pancakes do you want?”

She taps her finger against her lips. “Lemon mascarpone!”

I roll my eyes. “Of course you do.”

She starts to run down the stairs and I shout after her, “No running down the stairs with your socks on!”

I run to the bathroom and freshen up, tying a robe around my body. I check the burner phone for any texts from Kilian but there are none. I contemplate texting good morning but decide against it. That sounds too normal and I have no idea what the hell we are.

I head into the kitchen and start pulling all the ingredients out for pancakes. They are Aria’s favorite. But I only let her eat them on Sundays. It’s our little tradition.

As I pour batter onto the griddle I hear her dragging her practice bag down the stairs behind her. I shake my head. I have told her so many times to carry it but she never does.

I catch a glimpse of dark hair skip past the kitchen as she puts her bag by the front door.

The alarm chimes that the door is open and I am ready to grab a knife and run for Aria but then I see her skipping into the kitchen with a brown box tied with raw cord in her hand.

“I found this outside,” she says as she sets it on the island. “It has your name on it.”

I immediately think it’s from Dante with whatever stupid instructions he has for me. I have no intention of playing that game with him. He can fuck himself for all I care. I know he won’t touch Aria. It’s just an empty threat.

“Why don’t you go get your science stuff ready so we can work on it after breakfast? Pancakes will be done in ten minutes.”

“Okay,” she singsongs as she runs back up to her room.

I eye the package on the island. Wary of opening it.

I flip the pancakes on the griddle and grab the mascarpone out of the refrigerator. But my eyes keep flitting back over to the box.

What could they possibly be sending me in a box?

Maybe it’s not from Dante.

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