22. Tessa

22

Tessa

T he burner phone sits on the bed while I chew my nails. Cin and Harry are playing on the Xbox and Chloe's sitting on the rug, chewing on a plastic brick. I ducked out to call Stella.

I'm still trying to decide whether to call Enzo. While I want closure, Kade's warning keeps rattling around in my head and the last thing I want is to bring more trouble down on all our heads.

But until I understand what was going through his head, I can't move on. One day, the kids will ask me why they don't see their father anymore. I'm surprised Harry hasn't asked already, although, given how little Enzo gives a shit, maybe I shouldn't be all that shocked.

Outside, the rain continues to fall. Kade went back to the city several hours ago. I heard him talking to Madden before he left, but I wasn't close enough to hear what they said. Madden disappeared shortly after and I've not seen him since.

The only one who's around is Cin. Probably because he's trying not to aggravate the wound on his leg.

After checking to make sure the bedroom door is firmly closed, I pick up the phone and punch in Enzo's number. It rings out for ages before the call connects.

"Who the fuck is this?" a familiar voice growls.

"It's me." There's silence, long and filled with the weight of all that's gone wrong between us. Not that there was ever much right. Other than our two children.

"Tessa, where are you, Cara ?" All traces of anger are gone. The old Enzo - the man with charm in abundance - is back.

"Far away. Just tell me why?"

"Baby, I need you to come back. Everything's fucked up. If you don't come back, they'll kill me!" The shrill note to the words tell me he's on the verge of hysteria. I picture him in his office at the club, knocking back bourbon and sweating at the thought of being held accountable for whatever crime he's guilty of this time.

A few months ago, I'd have done anything for this man. Not because I loved him, but because I felt guilty that I didn't love him. And never have, if I'm being honest.

"Why would I come back after someone shot at me, Enzo? I'm not a fucking idiot!"

"That was a mistake, Cara . Kirov just wanted to talk to you. He got annoyed when you ran off." He's trying to stay calm, but it's not working. If I was there, standing before him while having this discussion, he'd probably have me by the throat and be spitting vitriol in my face by now.

Angry tantrums were always Enzo's preferred dispute-resolution tactic.

"Most normal people don't discharge a weapon at a woman running to a car with children in it, Enzo. You know that, right?"

"Just fucking come back, Tessa, or I'm a dead man!"

"I'll consider it," I lie, "if you tell me what trouble you're in and how you found out who my father is."

The sound of breaking glass echoes down the line and I wince, even though I'm hundreds of miles away. I hope he's not wrecking our house. It's my name on the lease.

"I ran up some gambling debts." Which explains why Enzo is always broke, despite managing a successful club. "And the rest?"

"I didn't know until Kirov told me. He said Mashkov would wipe my debts clean if I handed you over."

For a moment, I can't speak. A combination of anger and hurt force my throat shut while I sit on the bed shaking. What did he think would happen to me if he passed me off to this Russian dude like an unwanted gift?

"What were you planning to do with our children once the Russians had me, Enzo? Hand them over to the CPS?"

"No, no way... of course not..." But I know he's lying. He'd have abandoned them in a heartbeat. The man has no fatherly instincts at all. Why I ever thought he would change when the kids arrived is a mystery.

Talk about fucking delusional.

"You don't deserve to be a father, Enzo, and I hope you get what you deserve." Before he can say another word, I end the call and switch the phone off.

The faint sound of Harry's laughter filters in through the door while I lie on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Is my life worth nothing to Enzo? Sold out for a gambling debt. It's laughable. Even if Mashkov wiped his debt, he'd have run up a new one in a few weeks.

What then? Would he sell off the kids, too? The thought of our children being handed over to a ruthless Russian mafia kingpin makes me want to vomit.

The realization that it's my fault I've ended up in this situation kills me. If only I'd listened to Stella and Quinn. They both warned me Enzo wasn't a good guy. Instead, I let him seduce me with honeyed words and promises of a family.

I blame my father, too. If he hadn't abandoned me, maybe I wouldn't have fallen for Enzo.

After all, nothing says Daddy issues like an unsuitable boyfriend.