Page 60

"I know, but as we're growing into adults, like real adults, I'm just realizing that I don't really seem to have any path in life. Like, what are my dreams? What are my goals? And I think my dad might be spying on me." I slip that last part in like it’s nothing. I’m starting to feel like I’m a part of some detective TV show. Or a self-help show. I feel like I need both.

"What do you mean, spying on you?"

"Well, he asked me if I could understand my boss’s English accent?"

"Why? Did he think he was from Liverpool or something?"

"I don’t know, but here's the thing. I never told him that Liam was from England. I just said that I got a job at the law firm you work at."

"Oh." She blinks. "Fuck. Then why would he ask you if you could understand his accent?"

"Exactly. Do you think my dad… No, he wouldn't do that, right?"

"I mean, I don't know your dad super well, so I don't know. If he's in the mafia, maybe he would."

"Do you really think he's in the mafia?" I stare at her.

She shrugs. "I'm not gonna lie. I wouldn't be shocked if he was, but let's be real, neither of us knows what it's like in the mafia. Like, if he's in the mafia, he shielded you pretty well, right?"

"Yeah," I say, nodding.

"I wonder if Romeo knows," she asks.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean, he seems to get around town, right? And he's your stepbrother, so maybe your stepmom knows the truth about?—"

"She doesn't. She sees my dad even less than I do. I don't even understand why he married her. I…" I sigh, trying not to feel overwhelmed by sadness. "Everything in my life feels like a lie, and I don't even know why."

"I'm sorry. What can I do to help you?"

"I don't know." I shrug. "Nothing. Find me a man so I can think about something else."

"Is that what you really want? Do you think a man?—"

"No." I look down. "And you're not gonna believe what I did today."

"Oh, boy. What did you do?"

"I went back to Liam's place."

"You what?" she screams. "Oh my gosh, how did you go back to Liam's place and have sex with him and not tell me?"

"I didn't have sex with him."

"Oh, my gosh, Elisabetta!" She interrupts me. "What is going on?"

"I'm telling you, Skye, I did not have sex with him."

"So what did you do at his place?"

I blush and look away.

"Oh my gosh, you went down on him, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't go down on him. In fact, I've never even seen that man's naked penis."

"Okay, well, that's good. So you haven't seen each other naked."