Fidelity (Infidelity #5)

I lifted the tumbler to my mouth and tipped the glass. Like liquid fire, the heat scorched my lips. Without drinking, I placed the glass back on the table. I wouldn’t do it. I couldn’t.

Taking a deep breath, I confirmed his assessment. “It did come full circle. She did. He was an abusive fuck. You remember the surveillance. It was because her old man finally figured out he’d sold his daughter to the devil. I didn’t know until recently what that meant. I hope now it meant he made a last-minute change to his will. That didn’t spare her the years of degradation.”

“And yet it took Lennox…”

“Alexandria Collins is her daughter, is his daughter… the race fan.” When Vincent didn’t respond, I went on. “None of this is news to you.”

“No, Oren, but it’s good to hear it from your lips.”

“I won’t say it got easier. I will say I never made the mistake of getting to know the families again after my first job.”

Vincent lifted his hand toward the waitress. “Quite a coincidence, your son, her daughter.”

I shrugged. “Guilt combined with hope.”

“Hope?”

I nodded. “Not much. I don’t deserve it, but a small kernel. I took the man who should have helped her. I stole that from her. She’s young and smart.”

“Columbia and Stanford,” Vincent said.

I wasn’t sure why it surprised me. It shouldn’t.

“Yes, but Fitzgerald, he had plans for her. They needed to be stopped. If they weren’t, she’d have been sentenced to the life her mother endured.”

The waitress sat another glass in front of Vincent. After she left he lifted it, like a toast. “Knight in shining armor, you are.”

“No. We both know that isn’t true.”

“Six years.”

I tilted my head.

“It’s been six years. Eight since Angelina’s funeral. You weren’t at Jocelyn’s.”

“You were?”

“Didn’t Lennox tell you?”

“No,” I admitted. “We weren’t talking much at that time.”

“Now you are?”

“Yes. I’ve been honest with him—mostly.”

“And he’s being honest. He’s understanding his family.”

I shook my head. “Angelina and I didn’t want that. She didn’t want that.”

We sat in silence as Vincent finished his current glass of whiskey. Though the air was still strong with the aroma of garlic and oregano, my appetite was gone.

“Jimmy,” Vincent said, “go get the car. Bella is blowing up my pocket.”

I smiled. “I always liked her.”

“She and Angelina were tight. They would cackle like hens in a chicken coop.”

“Luca has become a good man. He’s ready. You made him that way.” I leaned forward. “I thank you for Lennox. He’s a good man too.”

“We miss Angelina,” Vincent said.

“I do too.”

“You love this woman, the race car fan’s wife?”

I huffed. “I do. I’d give her back that man if I could.”

“The other husband?”

“He should have been the one in the car. Even old man Montague figured that out. He just never got the chance to make it known.”

“But he did,” Vincent said as he stood. He moved his head from side to side. “And he didn’t. He contacted me. Left a message and asked to be called back. Times were busy. Business, life, and death. Two days passed until I returned his call. When I did, I couldn’t reach him. He’d passed away. I didn’t pursue it.” He shrugged and grunted as he pulled on his overcoat. “Never even gave it much thought until recently. Lennox’s request reminded me.”

My request, I wanted to repeat, but I didn’t. Instead, I asked, “The message?”

“Asking for a favor.”





“THERE’S A RESTRAINING order,” I said to everyone in the vehicle as I found my phone and called Chelsea. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, why? Is something wrong?” Her initial tenor slowed as a new panic infiltrated her question.

“Chels, we’re on our way. Where’s Isaac?”

“Alex, you’re scaring me. Isaac was here. He read something on his phone and stepped out of the room for a minute. He said he’d be back.”

“Okay. Don’t open the door for anyone but us.”

“What do you know?” she asked.

The speed of the SUV increased as the bare trees along the road blurred. I shook my head and covered the phone. “We’re at least fifteen minutes away.”

“I’m calling the police,” Deloris said. “This is a direct violation of the restraining order.”

I lifted the phone back to my ear. “Isaac called. He’s probably not wanting to scare you, but Bryce is at the hotel.”

“He’s here and Isaac left?”

“No,” I said, “Isaac didn’t leave. He’s checking it out.” I took a reassuring breath. “He’s taking care of it. That’s what he does.”

“Do you think Bryce knows I’m alone? Do you think he knows you aren’t here?”

“I don’t know what he knows.” I lowered my voice. As Deloris began speaking into her phone, Nox’s hands balled into fists and the vein in his neck as well as the one on his forehead pulsated. “Deloris,” I said to Chelsea, “is calling the police. Chels, Bryce was released on bail. There’s a restraining order. If he comes within one hundred yards of you he’s in violation of that order and risks revocation of his bail.”

“They’ll put him back in jail?”