Page 60 of The Fighter
I let Mila tell the story. “Julia arranged protests and had people sign petitions. The council sent her to reflect on it, but every time she came out, she went back to fight for her right to go to the Northlands. I guess that in the end they got tired of dealing with her and gave in.”
“Devlin. His name was Devlin,” I bellowed out as I finally remembered.
Mila smiled. “Yes, that’s right. And anyway, he and Julia have three kids together and live here in the Northlands. I haven’t met them, but I was happy that Jonah spoke for them and helped them get a visa so Devlin could finally meet Julia’s family and go on vacation with his wife and children.”
I placed my crossed arms on the table. “That’s kind of sweet and a little crazy too. Don’t you think, Willow?”
She looked thoughtful. “The heart wants what the heart wants. Sometimes you just can’t fight it no matter how hard you try.”
Leo’s face popped into my mind when Willow spoke of love, and the annoyance and resistance against him coming to mind made me physically shake my shoulders and arms.
“Are you cold?” Mila asked.
“Me? No, why?”
“You just shivered like you were cold.”
“No, no, I just had goosebumps from what Willow said. It sounds awful to fall in love against your will. What if you fall in love with someone who is the complete opposite of what you want? I don’t like that idea. I read somewhere that the tingly little feeling you get when you like someone? That's your common sense leaving your body.”
“I didn’t like it either.” Willow still had that serious expression on her face. “I’ve told you how I was so blinded by my anger that I said some horrible things to Solo.” Willow looked down, her nail scraping along the edge of the table. “I still feel awful for telling him that I wished he was dead.”
Mila rested her hand on top of Willow’s and gave her a look of sympathy while I shrugged.
“You were hurting at the time. Remember how you used to hate him?”
“That doesn’t make it better. I’m ashamed of it.” Willow was looking into my eyes.
“I get that, but I remember wondering if you had lost your mind when you got back together with Solo. I didn’t understand how you could go from hating with such intensity to loving him again.”
“I understood.” Mila blinked her big blue eyes. “I always figured that your anger with him was just a shield to protect you from the greatest love of your life.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me that?”
Mila drew in a sigh. “I tried, but you didn’t want to hear it. Solo’s name was practically taboo around you and Hunter. But either way, Willow, your love story should give hope to all of us. If I’m paired up with someone whom I don’t love, I’ll remind myself that you went from hating Solo to loving him.”
“That’s not the same at all. Solo was my first love. Mila, I wish you wouldn’t do that tournament. You can’t gamble with your future like that.”
Mila had a soft smile on her pretty face. “It’ll be fine. I get along with most people and a promise is a promise.”
“The food is taking a long time, isn’t it?” Willow turned in her seat and looked toward the kitchen. “Nora was sleeping when I left, and I told Erika that I would be back by two. She usually takes a three-hour nap this time of day, but I’d hate for her to wake up before I get back.”
“Then we’ll just have to eat fast.” Mila straightened up in her chair. “I’m sure Erika can handle it, though; with all the grandchildren Khan and my dad have given her, she’s amazing with babies.”
When the service-bot brought us our food a little later, we dug in and tasted from the many plates. Mila asked me, “So how is the investigation going?”
I tightened my lips and bulged my eyes, signaling that it was a secret, but Willow saw it and frowned.
“What investigation.”
Before I could come up with a white lie, Mila had already revealed more.
“Raven is investigating a murder mystery.”
“Yeah, an old one that was never solved, but I’ve told Mila that it’s a secret so we really shouldn’t talk about it.”
Willow lit up. “Who’s your suspect?”
I pursed my lips and skewed my mouth from side to side, tempted to talk about something that I was passionate about. “I think Marcus Aurelius might have ordered the assassination of a man.”
