Kimberly Meter - A Chance in the Night

“I—”

“Silence!” he interrupted her with a snarl, losing the act of gentle benefactor, shedding it like a snake lost its skin in the heat of summer. “I have nurtured you, cosseted you, protected you…and you repay me with treachery?”

She lifted her chin. “I don’t know what you’re talking—”

“Stop lying,” he demanded, holding her stare for a long moment as her heart banged painfully against her chest. Did he know how much she’d saved? If so, he knew she’d been planning to bolt. He gestured and the two men advanced on her, grabbing her arms, startling a yelp out of her. He shared a look with Vivian then said, “Here’s the situation, my darling. Tomorrow you will go to this bank of yours and you will make a withdrawal…”

Nooo! She struggled against the grip on her arm but they were like steel manacles clamped against her skin and it was no use. Tears sprung to her eyes—born of pain and despair—and began tracking down her cheeks. “I can explain,” she began in a desperate bid for damage control but Belleni waved away her attempt.

“You will close your account and the balance will be brought to me as punishment for your deceit.”

“It’s for Nico,” she protested the half truth on a sob, too devastated at the realization that their hope was dead to hold back her tears. She couldn’t imagine losing all that she’d saved, not when they were so close. “For his college education. Please…please don’t take that from him.”

“I want to believe you but I would be a fool. Would you like to know what I think you were going to do?” He continued without her answer. “I believe you were going to use that money to take my son and disappear. After everything I’ve given you…it’s disappointing. Vivian was right—I’ve given you too much slack. You’ve forgotten your place. As much as it pains me, it’s time to remind you.” He looked at the men holding her. “Do not leave too many marks and do not break any bones,” he instructed, adding with a sigh. “Nobody pays for a broken Belleni girl, that’s for sure.” He dismissed them with a wave and Skye was dragged from the room to be taught a lesson in obedience.

“Mama?”

Nico’s voice jerked her back to the present and she realized a tear had snaked its way down her cheek without her notice. She lifted her sunglasses and wiped it away. “Sorry, honey. What did you say?” she asked, shaking off the memory with effort. In the past three months she’d endured more than she ever thought possible and that was saying a lot.

“Why are you crying?” he asked in a solemn tone.

She swallowed and regarded him, the love she felt for Nico colliding with the hatred she felt for his father, and she wondered how the hell she was going to get them out of this mess in one piece. “I was just thinking that today is the best day ever and I’ll be sad to see it end,” she lied, sliding her fingers through Nico’s hair and smoothing it away from his face. “But we still have to hit the swings before we call it a day so what do you say? You ready?”

He nodded, but there was still worry in his voice as he said, “Are you sad because of your owies? I have a Band-Aid if you want. They always make me feel better.”

A Band-Aid. She bit back the sad laughter and merely smiled at her son’s compassion. If only the answer to their problems was so easily found. “You’re too sweet for words, kiddo,” she said. “But I’m already feeling better so you go ahead and hold on to those Band-Aids for a true emergency. Okay?”

“Okay, Mama,” he said dutifully, and then as he clamored to his feet he surprised her with an exuberant, “Race you!” taking off as fast as his sneakered feet would take him in the direction of the swing set.

She sighed, wishing she could chase after him but the painkillers were wearing off and already it was becoming difficult to hide the pain of her ribs. Still, she refused to let anything keep her from enjoying every last moment of the day and climbed to her feet.

Her problems would still be there tomorrow but if Vivian had her way, Nico would not.

CHRISTIAN WATCHED AS SHE followed a small boy, her face alight with joy, and a grin tugged at his lips. Mathias was climbing the monkey bars, swinging like, well, a monkey, and Christian was hard-pressed to keep from staring at the woman as she went to the swings. He had to get her name. He couldn’t keep staring at her and referring to her as “the mystery woman” in his mind. He ought to let it go. He already knew she was trouble and he had enough on his plate to heap someone else’s problems on it, too. But he had questions. Why’d she leave without even saying goodbye? He figured saving someone’s life earned a courtesy chat in the morning. He’d snuck out of a lot of bedrooms in his day but he’d never had a woman sneak from his. But it wasn’t about that, not really. He just couldn’t get her out of his mind. He wanted to ensure she was all right. He double-checked Mathias and then wandered over to the swing sets.

“I almost didn’t recognize you,” he said, breaking into a smile that she didn’t immediately return. In fact, she seemed quite distressed that he’d approached her, much less addressed her. “You look good,” he added, hoping to break the awkwardness between them.

“Thank you,” she murmured, returning her attention to the boy he assumed was her son, effectively communicating the “I’m not interested in having this conversation” vibe.

He ought to take the hint but he wasn’t ready to walk away just yet. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Last time I saw you…” he ventured, hoping she’d take up the lead but he was disappointed.

“Yes, I’m aware of how I looked,” she said, ducking his gaze, extreme discomfort radiating from her trim body. “As you can see I’m doing fine. Thank you for your help,” she added stiffly.

“I get it. You don’t want me in your business. That’s coming across loud and clear. Like I said I was just, well, worried. You snuck out before I woke up and I didn’t see that coming. I figured we’d at least exchange names or something in the morning. It’s not every day I save a woman’s life. It was a unique experience and I’m sorry if I don’t know how to act.”

She had the grace to look ashamed but she also looked panicked that her son might overhear their conversation and for that Christian felt like a jerk. She stepped away from the swing set and he followed. He opened his mouth to apologize but she started first. “I’m sorry. It’s not my style to sneak out on someone who’s been so kind to me but I’d never been in a situation like that and I didn’t know how to act, either.” Never? He found it hard to believe that in her line of work she’d never been roughed up before that moment. His mom had been brutalized more times than he could count. Sometimes it’d been a crack across the mouth, other times it’d been broken bones. Maybe that was the difference between a streetwalker and the high-class variety. “Anyway, I’m just here to enjoy the day with my son,” she finished with a glance toward the boy on the swings and Christian’s gut clenched. Didn’t she realize the damage she was doing to her kid by continuing to hook? It didn’t matter that she was high-class, she’d still been beaten like a common prostitute. What if she’d died that night? Where would that put her kid?

“It’s probably none of my business but you really shouldn’t put yourself at risk like you do when you’ve got a kid depending on you,” he said, even though he knew he ought to leave it be.

The wariness returned to her eyes and her mouth firmed as she said coolly, “You’re right…it isn’t any of your business.”

“Fine. But I can tell you that I’ve seen the damage that parents inflict on their kids because of their choices.”