Page 101 of The Loves We Lost

As I watch Niro’s van pull out of the drive with Avery in it, I sigh.

“You holding up, okay?” Miles asks, sliding his arms around my waist and kissing my cheek.

“The silver lining is we weren’t home. Oh, crap. Your money. The three thousand dollars you left under the sink. What if they stole it?”

Miles takes my hand. “Fuck the money. You and Avery are more important. The money is replaceable, but I’ll never get you and Avery back if something happens to you. Are you ready to come take a look around inside?”

I glance up to my front door. The one that welcomed me home. The one that always felt like safety. “It’s never going to feel quite the same again, is it?”

“I’ve got you, Vi. I promise.”

When I step inside, my legs shake. I can’t pinpoint why from all the emotions pinballing inside me. It’s a violation. They stole my safe space. The wanton destruction. The recklessness of it.

Plants have been knocked over, their leaves and soil trodden into the old cream carpet I try too hard to keep clean. Miles leadsme upstairs where drawers have been emptied. The tampon box in the bathroom has been discarded, unopened. Relieved, I open it and hand Miles the money back.

“Don’t give a shit about that,” he says, but I tuck it into his cut pocket anyway. “Anything irreplaceable missing or broken?”

“Oh, god. Avery’s baby book.” I take off down the stairs into the living room where the bookshelf has been tipped over. Miles joins me and lifts the shelf back up while I take in the mess beneath it.

When I see the brown leather, a little dinged but otherwise undamaged, I pick it up and hug it to my chest and let my tears fall.

At some point, Miles kneels next to me and tugs me into his arms. “I’m so sorry, buttercup.”

We sit like that until I hear the siren of a police car approach.

“You good?” Miles asks, helping me to my feet.

I swipe beneath my eyes. “Good enough.”

It takes another two minutes for Anthony to knock on the door and step inside.

“Jesus,” he mutters, deep frown lines etching his brow. He glares at Miles. “You can’t help but bring trouble to her door, can you?”

Miles immediately stands straighter. They’re both about the same height, but despite Anthony being a member of law enforcement, I know he’d have no chance in a fight with Miles.

“How about you focus and do your job?” Miles says.

Anthony huffs then looks to me. “Can’t you see this is how your life is going to go if you stay with him, Viola? Men breaking into your house, putting Avery at risk.”

It’s like he knows exactly where to needle me, because his words echo the worries of my own, ones I’ve only just made peace with. I’m sure Miles must feel it too, so I reach for his hand and squeeze it. Miles lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it gently.He tips his head toward Anthony, silently encouraging me to handle this by myself.

And I feel like I can because he’s by my side.

“My choices don’t need to make sense to you. Your opinion of them is irrelevant. Can you please do whatever it is you need to do so I can go home with Miles, please?”

Muscles twitch in Anthony’s jaw and I can tell he’s grinding his teeth.

“Let me rephrase it, in case Viola was otherwise unclear,” Miles says. “Do your job.”

Anthony turns his gaze to Miles. “Are you threatening an officer?”

Miles shrugs. “Are youhereas an officer? Or are you here as some guy she friend-zoned who can’t take no for an answer? Because refusing to investigate or provide a police report for insurance purposes sounds a lot like a petty power play. And you and I both know that body cam you wear is on right now. So, no. I didn’t threaten you. I told you to do your job.”

“You’ll regret the choices you’re making, Viola,” Anthony says. “But give me some space while I call in some of my team.”

It takes several hours to shift from my house being a crime scene to it being mine again. Niro took Avery to Emma’s bakery for hot chocolate, then to the park for a couple of hours. And I’m grateful.

Meanwhile, Miles has held my hand every step of the way, much to Anthony’s frustration.