Page 39 of Lethal Abduction

“I just realized.” He gives me a searching look. “It’s today, isn’t it? The three-month thing with Abby. It ends today.”

I give a curt nod, not trusting myself to speak.

“And I’ve been so wrapped up with the baby and everything, I just forgot. I’m sorry, Dimitry.” He puts his hand out, and after a minute, I take it.

This is why it’s so fucking hard to stay mad at Roman.

He’s a self-absorbed bastard. He’s also the best man I know.

“It’s over, then?” he asks, studying my face.

I lift a shoulder. “I guess.”

He grimaces. “Stay tonight. Have a drink with me. We can talk this shit through.”

“Thanks.” I meet his eyes. “But I need to go, Roman.”

His eyes narrow. “Back to Miami?”

“Yeah.” I lift my shoulders. “At least for a while. Until I get my head straight.”

He nods slowly, watching me. “Fair enough. But don’t stayaway too long.” He puts his hand out again. “And I’m always here, brother. Anytime.”

I shake his hand again, unwilling to speak.

Roman pulls me into a hard embrace, thumping me on the back twice.

Then we’re done.

I don’t knowwhy I bother going back to Abby’s apartment.

Maybe because I feel the need to wait the day out until the bitter end, until the stroke of midnight, in the place it all happened.

I stop to buy more booze on the way, because why the fuck not. But when I get back to the apartment, I have no thirst for it.

I have no appetite for anything.

I clean up the apartment, more to keep myself occupied than anything else. Check to make sure the bills are all paid, along with the next several months of rent.

Why are you even bothering, Dimitry?

But I don’t try to answer that. There isn’t an answer that would make sense.

Then I sit down on the couch and wait.

At midnight,I finally stand back up.

Abby’s never been late for anything in her life.

A more optimistic man might want to believe that her silence is just the precursor to some kind of miracle.

But nothing in my life has taught me to expect miracles.

Abbywasthe miracle. And then she left.

“You’re not coming back, Skip, are you?” My voice echoes around the silent apartment. I twist the silk of her robe between my finger and thumb. “You’re never going to come back.”

I turn off the lights and lock the door behind me. I slip a chain through the door key and hang it around my neck.

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