Page 43 of Angel

Sophia snorted. “He was telling the truth about that much.”

“Why would he not tell me?” I blubbered, more asking myself than Sophia.

“Because he’s just trying to get what he can while he can get it.”

“No. He’s helping me. He’s working on finding a way to get me out of it.”

“He’s not,” Sophia sadly said. “Angelo knows the rules of the game. He knows this marriage has to be honored. There’s no backing out of it.”

“That’s not true. He promised me that...”

Sophia waved her hands frantically around. “Then he was lying! He’s just trying to get what he wants, Paige, while he can get it. That’s the kind of guy Angelo is. He’ll keep you around for fun until the day he has to turn you over. Do you see that now?”

I hated it, and I didn’t want to believe it, but yes. I did see things for what they really were.

Angelo could have just as easily told me the man in the picture was Moretti. And yet he hadn’t. Because he didn’t care.

“He’s not as innocent as he seems,” Sophia fiercely said. Then, in a softer voice, “I’m sorry.”

I nodded, unable to speak. Unable to do anything but stare at the floor.

And then something else hit. The bigger issue I’d been ignoring.

“He was there,” I gargled, finally looking at her. “Moretti. He was there.”

“There where?”

“The day Mom and Dad died. I saw him there.”

Sophia paled. “What are you talking about? I thought you didn’t remember anything about that day.”

“I thought I didn’t either...” My eyes filled with angry tears. “But it came back when I saw this photo. That’s why I had the asthma attack. I remembered it… I remembered it all.”

“Oh my God!” Sophia exclaimed. “You’re sure? You’re sure that guy,” she gestured at the phone in my hand, “was there?”

“I’m positive.”

“But why? Do you know why?”

Sophia’s hands curled into fists. “Does it matter? He had something to do with our parents’ murder. That’s all that’s important.”

“Do you think he had it done? Like, he ordered it?”

Her chin trembled. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

She marched past me.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To fix things. Don’t worry.” She grabbed her suitcases and looked back at me. “I’ll be back soon.”

I straightened up. “Soph! You can’t just leave.”

Her eyes glimmered with tears. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. I promise.”

Without another look at me, she hurried from the apartment.

I stared at the closed door, my knees trembling and my stomach heaving.

I didn’t know which to process first, Moretti’s involvement in my parents’ deaths or Angelo’s betrayal.

Holding onto the top of the couch, I made it to the front and then fell down onto the cushions.

“Oh my God,” I croaked, a dry sob escaping my chest.

Not knowing what to do or where to go, I sat there, frozen solid while the dark grew and pressed in around me.