Page 47 of Tristano

“Why would it be necessary? Explain it to me,” I tell him, needing that thread of reasoning to be okay with this.

“Remember when I took care of your problem at seventeen?” he asks.

I nod.

“I did that so that he would never hurt another person again. That’s why we kill. The person we eliminate is someone who did something that hurt someone we care for. We never want that person to do it again, so we end them. Trust me when I say that we do not do it lightly. It’s not like in the movies where someone just upsets someone. It’s serious offenses only. Lighter offenses are dealt with in other ways.”

I swallow hard. That all seems reasonable. When did his life begin to sound reasonable to me?

When the law wouldn’t protect you,I think.

“Why isn’t my uncle here?” I whisper.

“Red tape,anima gemella.Last I checked, he couldn’t even trace you past the corner you disappeared on. He attempted to try but got shut down by his superiors. Seems they feel like this is a bit of a habit for you. Running off half-cocked and coming back days later with an excuse as to why you were gone.”

I let out a heavy breath. “It’s because when you dropped me off that morning, I told them I had gone to a rave in the city. I told them someone had spiked my drink and had raped me and kept raping me for days. I told them they let me go when they were done. I refused to file a report. They let me go to therapy and join the academy, but ever since then, they’ve treated me like a child with issues. They never take what I say at face value.”

“I’m sorry. I wish I was there to make it better,” he whispers against my head.

“You were. That first month when I found the package with the phone? I was so happy. I remember when I heard your voice. It made all the bad stuff disappear. It still does. I looked forward to those calls each month.”

“I bet you did. Don’t think I didn’t notice you stalking me too. You know you could have gotten caught.”

I gasp. “What? You knew?”

He smirks. “Of course. Did you think I wasn’t watching you too? Difference was I did it through cameras. Easier to get away with.”

I laugh, moving closer to him. “Why did we even try to stay apart again?”

“You’re a cop. I’m a criminal.”

“Seems like a stupid reason to me,” I say softly.

“It sure does now,” he admits just as quietly.

Then a silence takes over as we stare out the window.

I think I know what I need to do when we get home.

* * *

“Well, this is it.”I say as I shut the door to my apartment behind me.

“This place is nice,” Serena says as she looks around.

Taking a step back, I try and look at my place through her eyes. The kitchen has white countertops with black cabinets and an island that separates it from the living room. I have a white couch with black end tables and a coffee table. A large TV that I don’t use nearly enough for how much I spent on it is mounted to the wall across from it. The place is nice and quite large for being in the city.

“Thanks. Can I get you a drink?” I ask, moving our small bag into the living room.

I was cool with leaving everything in Chicago, but Serena insisted she wanted to take some things with us.

“Water?” she says, looking around some more.

“Sure. Make yourself at home,” I say as I head into the kitchen.

Opening the fridge, I pull out two bottles of water. My phone buzzes in my pocket. Setting the water down, I pull it out and look at the screen.

Declan: What in the hell did you order me?

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