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“But of course, a gentleman never mentions his callers.”
I step into the black night, tip my head in thanks, and disappear.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The pulse in Simona’s neck is jumping wildly when she slips into the car.
“Shit,” she mutters as she rolls down the window.
“Ready to get out of here?”
She rips off the wig. “Yeah. Go.”
I pull onto the road. Far behind me, Andre’s lights come on. I reach for her. “What happened? I was watching you with the binoculars, but obviously something happened that upset you.”
“I just need some air. I feel kind of dizzy.”
Glancing at her, I see her color is off. “Lean your seat back. Get your breathing under control.”
She instantly complies which tells me how off she must feel. No fight at all. That’s a warning flag for sure. “Talk to me.”
“I’m a little out of breath right now.”
Using navigation, I follow the route across town toward the highway. “Do you need to pull over?”
“Yes. Yes. Please—”
She’s out of the car on the side of the road before I can get the car in park. Andre passes us slowly. I know he’ll stop nearby.
“Babe, what the hell is going on?”
“I just needed some air.”
I grab her arm. “Whoa. Hold still. Let me look at you.”
She huffs. “I’m fine.”
“You’re pale.”
Pulling against my hold, she growls at me, “I’m freaking upset.”
“I can see that. Now, what happened?”
“He told me that there were eight kids born around the same time as me that were not what their parents expected.”
My brain can’t quite grasp what she’s saying. “Eight infants born that were not expected? That happens a lot. Accidental pregnancy.”
She twists out of my hand. “No, Scotch. Something different. He knew I was blonde and that my parents weren’t.”
Pacing, she jams her hands in her hair. Then she stops and glances at me… Right before she falls like a tree, in a dead faint.
Fuck!
My heart nearly stops. I’m on her a second later. She’s coming around. Gravel is stuck to the side of her face. I brush it off. “Damnit. Simona, have you always been a fainter?”
She frowns. “No.” Looking around, she says, “Oh no. It happened again.”
“Just lay there. Don’t move.”