Page 98 of Mafia Scars

“Yes.”

“Good. He’s alright.”

I started to laugh as I remembered how Millicent told me that he’d been happy about Luc and me actually getting together. Now supposedly, Luc was just alright.

“Okay, I’ll remember that.”

“I’m stalling, Amelia.” He regarded me with a stare filled with worry.

“Why?”

“Because I know the minute I give you the password, that’s it. Plan’s in motion. A plan I’m not part of. I feel useless. If this were years ago, I would have just found Tag and killed him for daring to put a mark on you. My fault. I sort it out. But I can’t even walk a few meters without feeling like I’m going to drop dead.”

“Please don’t say that.” I didn’t want to hear talk of him and death.

“It’s true, amore mio. My plan in sending Luc to you was indeed to make sure he protected you, and I guess I hoped you would like him. I sent him because I couldn’t protect you myself. He’s the best I have. My last weapon. The ace up my sleeve. I guess now that you really are together, he’ll do more for you than I’d hoped.”

“Things will work out.” I didn’t know where the positivity came from, but there it was. Me thinking I could actually do this.

“I hope so.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden key. I took it when he handed it to me.

“Thank you.”

“This opens the box the diamonds are in. Password is the date I took you to your first dance class.”

I smiled at him, thinking back to the day.

God, I remembered that day so well, and I’d been so young. Five years old.

“That’s the password?”

“Yes, my girl. Only you and I know that date.”

True.

“Thank you for that memory.”

“It was a good day. The best, and one of my most cherished memories of you.”

I threw my arms around him, holding him and closing my eyes to recall the memory of that day in full.

June 19, 1995…

That was the password.

“Me too, Dad.” I pulled away and held up the key. “This goes in the safe in the library until we leave.” I thought he would like to hear that since he was so antsy. Keeping it in the safe and not on me was probably best, just in case I got attacked or something before we left.

“Good idea. I’d like that.”

“I thought so. Now, how about we do something fun today.” I thought we could step out of the real world for a while and continue our catch up session.

Dad smiled. “What did you have in mind?”

“I thought maybe we could do something you want.” I nodded.

“I—” He looked over my shoulder and smiled. “Millicent. Didn’t hear you.”

I turned to see Millicent holding a tray with iced tea and cookies.