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“I’ll be out of the house a lot—hts”

“I thought you were a contractor?”

“Not anyh escaped his lips, his eyes annoyed

“Oh…” Now I understood “That was the only way Bartholomeould help you”

“Yes”

I gave a nod even though he didn’t look at me “I’m sorry”

“I left that life to keep Claire safe…and now I’m back where I started” His palain “I can’t keep it froets, the more she’ll understand I want her to look at ht now…forever But she’s sure it out”

“You shouldn’t have to apologize for doing whatever is necessary to protect your child”

His eyes flicked to me, hostile

“I…I didn’t —”

“Don’t rationalize my actions I’m a top-tier criminal I kill people And I do worse than that I failed as a father If I hadn’t, I would have gotten her back myself”

My eyes winced at his self-destructive narrative

His eyes moved back to the fire “Now it’s just the two of us I can’t be in two places at once, so I need someone to care for her when I’m away I trust that you’ll keep her safe in my absence”

“Of course But…what about Beatrice?”

Still Quiet Formidable He didn’t ry he was at the question “She’s joining her family in London”

“Like…permanently?”

He didn’t answer—but that was an answer in itself

“Why would she do that? I’ll talk to her—”

“Don’t bother She’s a piece-of-shit ives a damn than a mom who still wishes she’d never had her”