Page 11 of Night's Reckoning
“And I do. The reason she’d communicate formally through her father—whom she does not get along with, by the way—would be to create aformalobligation instead of a personal one.” He started sorting through the envelopes Chloe had forwarded. “She wants me to pay attention to her, but she doesn’t want to apologize for running away. I know how she works. I’m not falling for it.”
Fabi watched him, gathering envelopes as he tore through his mail. It was a mix of personal and professional. A few letters from Cormac, the vampire in charge of New York. One from his uncle with updated pictures of Sadia, his new sister whom Giovanni and Beatrice had adopted the year before. He handed the picture to Fabia, who stuck it on the refrigerator next to all the other pictures of the little girl.
“She’s getting so big,” Fabia said.
“I know.” There were charity solicitations he’d have to sort through. A gallery opening for a friend. “I need to get to LA soon.”
“Christmas, maybe?”
“They’ll probably come here.”
Ben sorted the mail from his life in New York and tried not to think about how many of the letters he wished he could ask Tenzin about. He wanted to show her the pictures of Sadia. He wanted to take her to the gallery opening. Did she want to donate to the New York Restoration Project? Probably. He had no idea.
“What happened between you two?” Fabia asked for the hundredth time.
“I was honest. She wasn’t,” he muttered. “I’m not apologizing for being honest, and I’m not going to come running because she summons me. If she wants to call me or write me, she knows where I am.”
“She doesn’t think like you, Nino. She doesn’t think like anyone else.”
He set down the mail and looked up. “You know what? She knows what risk is. If she wants me to pay attention to her, she can stick her neck out and apologize, just like I stuck my neck out with her.”
Fabia didn’t say a word. She walked over, put her arms around Ben, and hugged him.
Ben took a deep breath and hugged her back.
“I don’t know exactly what happened, but I know you miss her,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
He felt his heart crack. “Why didn’t I fall in love with you?”
Fabia pulled back and winked. “Careful what you wish for. I can be a monster too.”
4
Lately, video calls with Chloe were inevitably interrupted by a cat.
“Down, Pete!” Chloe nudged aside the lanky feline that had taken over her life. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem. As long as I don’t have to watch Gavin rubbing up against you, I can put up with Pete.” Ben couldn’t stop the smile when he saw Chloe on the screen. He might have been a cranky bastard lately, but if anyone could lift his mood, it was Chloe. “How’ve you been?”
“Good. Better than you, judging by that face. I think you need to leave Italy. You seem to be getting beat up a lot.”
She was sitting on the floor of Gavin’s penthouse, and he could see the dark windows in the background, which meant Gavin was probably hanging around somewhere. Ben had waited to call until the morning in Rome so he could catch the two of them at night. Once daylight hit, Gavin would be locked in his day quarters and unavailable.
Ben gingerly touched his swollen eye, which was slightly less swollen that morning. “It’s fine. I needed some information, and I played the easy mark to get it.”
“If Arthur were here, he’d probably try to analyze your subconscious need for punishment and what that says about your current romantic life.”
Gavin and Chloe had only been together a few months, but Ben’s human friend and his vampire friend were making a relationship work. They both seemed happy. It was more than many couples managed.
“I have no romantic life. Next subject, Chloe.”
“Okaaaaay,” Chloe said. “Um… I’m auditioning for a new role in an off-Broadway show on Tuesday! It’s not off-off-Broadway, so I’m making progress. Gavin thinks I’ll get it for sure, but I keep telling him he’s biased.”
“He is biased, but he’s right. You’re going to kill it.”
Her smile was wide and generous. “You two guys. For the record, Arthur also thinks I’ll get it, and he’s far more honest than both of you. Also, he knows the director.”
“Well, there you go. If Arthur says you have it, then you have it. Say hi to him for me.”
