Page 95 of His Son's Ex

I bristle at the thought, jabbing a finger at his chest. “You had your chance, remember? And you blew it. If your father hadn’t shown me what an actual relationship looks like, how a woman is supposed to be treated…” I stop, swallowing hard, letting the words trail off.Focus, Eva.“I’m pregnant with his child, so don’t try to pitch me some triangle fantasy.”

He narrows his eyes at me for a moment, a flicker of resentment flashing. “Fine,” he mutters. “Just get a new ID and go. Or you’ll never have peace. These people will help you disappear. No questions asked.”

I snatch the slip of paper from his hand, glancing at the address. Some place in Queens, from the looks of it. It could be a trap, or it could be my ticket out.

“Sure,” I say curtly, folding the address and shoving it into my pocket. “Thanks.”

He exhales dramatically, relief warring with bitterness on his face. “So, we good?”

I cross my arms over my chest. “We’ll never be good, Luca. But for now, this is convenient for both of us. Now get out.”

He gives me a half-hearted nod. “I guess that’s fair.” He steps to the door, turning at the threshold. “Look, I know you hate me. But I’m not the real enemy here. Think about that.”

I shrug, my expression flat. “Save the speech. Just leave.”

He slips out into the hallway, a defeated and miserable look on his face. “Remember,” he says before closing the door, “you have to go see them tonight. You don’t show, offer’s off the table.”

He pulls the creaking door shut behind him, leaving me standing there, my mind spinning. I sink onto Halsey’s couch, pressing the heels of my palms to my eyes.

Should I take his offer? Flee New York and start fresh under a new identity?Again?My mind reels with the possibilities. I’ve done it before, but could I do it now, with a baby on the way?

My hand goes to my belly. This isn’t just about me anymore.This could be a trap; Luca could be sending me into a viper’s nest for all I know. Starting over means zero ties to Dante, Halsey, and everything else I’ve built in my New York life. But staying means learning the truth about Dante’s involvement in my father’s murder and accepting the possibility that he’s as dark and cruel as the footage suggests.

I don’t know if I can handle that type of betrayal.

A headache throbs at my temples.Damn you, Luca.Damn you, Dante.The entire Bellacino family is a swirl of secrets and I’m caught in the middle.

I pull out the piece of paper and stare at the address like it’s a magic number. I’m sure the place is shady as hell, but if Luca’s actually telling the truth for once in his greasy little life, it might be my shot at real freedom. No more mafia life. No Linda with her Botox scowl.

No Dante with his beautiful lies.

Of course, leaving would also mean no closure. No answers. No chance to corner Dante and make him explain why he was getting cozy with my father’s killer. Just poof—gone. Everything I’ve bled for over the last year all for nothing.

My stomach growls. I head to Halsey’s fridge, which looks like a crime scene of expired condiments. I settle on leftover Chinese from the other day and toss it in the microwave, my gaze drifting back to the address sitting on the coffee table.

I plop back onto the couch, phone in one hand, paper in the other. I could call this guy and get the vanishing act rolling. Be nothing more than a memory by Monday.

I look around, frowning, and see Halsey’s baby magazines on the shelf—her idea of “prepping” after I told her.

I rest my hand on my belly. “You and me, kid, we’ve got options.”

I stare at my phone. My thumb hovers. I could dial and disappear or...

I could talk to Dante. Demand the truth. Swallow it, no matter how bitter.

Either way, something’s going down tonight.

CHAPTER 31

EVA

Iknow I’m making a mistake the second my boots hit the subway platform.

I place my gloved palm against the grimy subway beam like it might talk me out of it, just as the train screeches into the station, belching out a blast of stale air that smells like old cigarettes.

Charming.

I step on because clearly, common sense and I are on a break. My foot hovers over the threshold, the last sane part of me whispering,Don’t do this, Eva. Finally, I move my foot, the door slamming closed with a metallicclunk, and just like that, I’m locked in with my bad decision.

---