Page 376 of Under Her Skin

Inca poked her head around the door and Ama sighed with relief. “Come in, please. I need some girltime.”

Inca hugged her. “It’s awful. I’m so sorry.” She perched on the end of Ama’s bed and studied her. “How are you?Really?”

Scared.That was the first thing that flew into her mind, but she bit it back. “Okay. Sad. He was a nice oldcoot.”

Inca smiled. “He was. And sometimes, he had goodDNA.”

Ama chuckled. “Yes,sometimes.”

Inca lowered her voice. “Ama, you can tell me anything. It’s pretty obvious, to Raff and me at least, that you and Enda are together. I don’t blame you, or judge you, except to say …yay. Selfishly, I want my friend Enda to be happy, and it’s clear to me that you are the person forhim.”

Ama wanted to cry. It was such a relief to be able to be honest with someone about her feelings for Enda. “It’s true. It’s just complicated.” She told Inca about the threats Jackson hadmade.

Inca nodded sagely. “I get it. Look, Ama, I don’t know how much Enda has told you about my past, but I had some pretty serious …enemies, shall we say. There was a lot of violence and I nearly didn’t make it. So, I’m saying …I’ve dealt with the kind of things I think Jackson isthreatening.”

“And you made itout.”

Inca nodded, her lovely face serious. “I did. And I want to help –you—we both want to help you and Enda. I don’t know how, yet, but we will. Jackson has a lot of power, and now with even a third share of his father’s fortune, he’ll think he’suntouchable.”

Ama sighed. “You’re right. Did you know aboutPenelope?”

Inca nodded. “Yes. Look, Ama, I’ve had some experience with obsession. It’s unpredictable. I think our first step would be to secure both your and your family’ssafety.”

“I agree. My family comes first, though. If Jackson’s going to take anything out on anybody, I’d rather it wasme.”

Inca gave her a strange smile. “You and I are more alike than you think. I would rather die than let anything happen toRaff.”

Ama smiled. “He worships you, and I expect he’d say thesame.”

Inca laughed. “He would. Hopefully, that part of our lives is over and donewith.”

Ama squeezed her hand. “And now you’re on a mission to savemine.”

“Youbetcha.”

After her talk with Inca,Ama felt lighter and more positive. She rejoined the wake. People were starting to leave, and she saw Enda and Olivier talking to some of the stragglers. She moved towards them, but a hand shot out of a group of people, and Jackson hauled her to his side. The smell of alcohol coming off of him wasoverpowering.

“Isn’t she beautiful, my wife?” He slurred and kissed her on the cheek. Ama tried to not to cringe. Macaulay’s friends looked uncomfortable, but Jackson hooked his arm around Ama’s neck. “I’m a very lucky man, wouldn’t yousay?”

Ama tried to deflect attention by smiling politely at the elderly couple. “How are you both? You lookwell.”

Jackson snorted. “Come on, what do you say? Arthur? Magda? Isn’t Ama the most beautiful woman you ever saw? Her sister’s pretty too, if you know what Imean.”

God.Ama pushed him away from her. “That’s enough, Jackson.” She turned, red-faced, to the couple. “I’m so sorry. He’s taken Mac’s death reallyhard.”

The elderly couple smiled sympathetically at her and made their escape. Soon only the family, Inca, Raff, and one other couple were left. Jackson lurched at Ama. “Don’t ever contradict me again in public, bitch. That’s not yourjob.”

“That’s enough, Jackson.” Enda strode over and put himself between Jackson and Ama. “Go to bed and sleep itoff.”

Jackson sneered. “Oh, look, it’s thebastard. Are you still here? Daddy dearest has gone now, so you can just go fuck yourself, you Italianasshole.”

Enda kept his temper. “Go to bed,Jackson.”

Jackson looked at Ama again and grinned nastily. “Okay. If Ama comes with me. She can suck my cock while I decide whether or not to fuck her sistertoo.”

Ama gasped in horror, and Enda, incensed, launched himself at Jackson, landing punch after punch. Jackson staggered back against the window, smashing it, but Enda yanked him to thefloor.

It took both Raffaelo and Olivier to haul Enda off the bloodied Jackson. A shocked Inca had locked her arms around a trembling and sobbing Ama and was trying to calm herdown.