LITMIR.BIZ

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you.”

      “I look forward to it,” she said simply. The day Belleni let her go would be the best damn day of her life, but given their most recent conversation…that wasn’t happening anytime soon.

      Plainly disappointed by Skye’s failure to react more strongly, Vivian switched tracks, aiming for something far more bound to rile her as she queried, “Have you given any more thought to the Excelsior School for Boys?”

      Skye’s gaze narrowed. “No. My answer remains the same as it was the first time Belleni suggested it. I want my son to have as normal a childhood as possible and that does not include being sent to boarding school,” she said firmly, ignoring Vivian’s long exhale of annoyance. Belleni’s motivation was transparent enough to Skye. He no longer wanted to be encumbered by a child and shipping Nico off at the earliest opportunity was the easiest answer but there was no way she’d even consider it. Nico was the only thing keeping her sane on some days. “Besides, he’s not even old enough to be put on the list so why even talk about it?”

      “Oh, please, let’s not run in circles about this. I only ask because Belleni is eager to see Nico with an excellent education. Personally, I couldn’t careless. But Belleni seems to have taken a mild interest.” Her lip curled in distaste and Skye’s fingers curled into a tight fist but she made a concentrated effort not to give into her impulse. Punching Vivian would only provide a momentary—albeit deliciously wonderful—satisfaction but it would no doubt create more problems than solve. And she had enough of those on her plate as it was. “Well, I can’t expect you to understand the value of a higher education seeing as you barely graduated high school—”

      “You know that’s not true, Vivian,” she interrupted coolly. “I graduated early so I could focus my attention on my ballet.”

      “Oh, that’s right.” Vivian made a show of remembering, though Skye knew it was an act. Why they had to play these silly malicious games was beyond Skye but Vivian rarely gave up an opportunity to jab at her. “Dance. What a shame that didn’t work out, either. Given your experience, I would assume that you would want Nico to focus on getting the best education possible. But what do I know? I’m not a mother.”

      Thank God for that. She imagined crocodiles were more suited for parenting than the spindle-thin, pointy-jawed, designer-clad menace idly straightening Skye’s photos along the mantel. “No, you’re not. For everything there is a reason, I suppose,” Skye said, not quite able to help herself.

      Vivian’s gaze cut to hers, frost in her eyes. “Yes, well, not everyone is as lucky as you.”

      Lucky? Skye swallowed the sputter of indignation. She was hardly what she’d consider graced in that area. If anything, ever since she’d booked that flight from Iowa to New York, a black cloud of misery had been hanging over her. Ballet had been her life but if she’d known how cutthroat the professional world of dance was…She suppressed an inward sigh of resignation. Oh, who was she kidding? It wouldn’t have mattered. She’d had stars in her eyes and believed stardust in her slippered toes. Ha. The old injury twinged in her knee as if to remind her how far she’d fallen from her dreams, pulling her back to the moment and the fact that she was wasting time trading barbs with Vivian when she could be enjoying the day with her son.

      “I doubt your services are needed for the rest of the day. Go someplace where you’re wanted. If there is such a place.” Skye allowed a small amount of pleasure at the red creeping up Vivian’s neck to stain her cheeks at the insult. “Don’t let me keep you from the rest of your day,” Skye said, dismissing her as she walked toward her son’s room. “I know Belleni keeps you busy with all your responsibilities.”

      Vivian smiled and grabbed her purse, saying as she opened the door, “Enjoy your day with your son, Skye D’Lane. Perhaps the memory of it will ease your heartache when he’s gone. But remember there are eyes in the city. Don’t think of running off or else you will find yourself scratched out of Nico’s life forever.”

      The door slammed and Skye flinched. Vivian didn’t make idle threats. The woman was a socio-path draped in a socialite’s body. Vivian didn’t seem to understand or possess anything remotely close to human compassion. She wasn’t moved by tears, pleas or heartache. And she seemed to hate children. Or maybe it was just Nico. Another reason Skye wanted Nico out of Belleni’s house.

      She’d long suspected that Vivian hated her but she’d never figured out why. After she’d become pregnant, she’d realized the true depth of Vivian’s aversion as it was reflected in all its purity when she looked at Nico with something between revulsion and fascination. Skye found it extremely unsettling that Belleni had sent Vivian to play nursemaid when there were plenty of other women in his employ who could’ve fit the criteria.

      Nico appeared, a darling angel with a shock of dark hair and deep-set blue eyes the color of diamond-cut sapphires, wearing a hopeful expression that buoyed her as much as it broke her heart that he was being raised in such an environment, and she longed to scoop him into her arms but her protesting rib prevented it. She wiped at her eyes and then pressed a kiss to his forehead. “It’s a lovely day, sweetheart. Are you ready for the park?” she asked.

      Nico nodded but his gaze went to the door where Vivian had left. “Do I have to go back?” he asked in a small voice. Vivian scared Nico and it renewed Skye’s ire that Belleni insisted Vivian be the one to shuttle Nico to the apartment for visits.

      “Yes. For now,” she answered, wishing things were different. Perhaps, a house will fall on the big, bad witch and at least one half of her misery would disappear. “But she’s gone, at least for today,” she said with bright cheerfulness. “Ready to have some fun just you and me at the park?”

      Nico nodded and smiled up at her, his fears dropping away. “Can we get hot dogs?”

      “Of course. A trip to the park isn’t complete without a hot dog with lots of ketchup and mustard, right?”

      “Right!”

      She carefully wound a warm, woolen scarf around his neck and grabbed his mittens and deliberately pushed aside the knot of fear lodged in her belly for the repercussions that were surely coming for her disrespect. She was going to have a great day with Nico and that’s all she was going to think about. Period. “Let’s hit it, little man,” she announced with a smile. “We’ve got a whole lot of fun to do before the day is done.”

      That’s right. Fun, damn it.

      And she’d mow over anyone who tried to get in their way.

      LITTLE LEAGUE TRYOUTS were finished and Mathias and Christian were both starved so they headed for the hot dog vendor that was smart enough to hang around the park during the tryouts. It was there Christian saw her again.

      The brisk air had put hearty roses in her cheeks and pinked the tip of her nose but it was the million-watt, sweet smile that stopped him, sucking the air out of his lungs. The memory of her beaten and broken seemed incongruous with the image of her now. Her blond hair, tucked in a messy ponytail trailed down to the middle of her back and she was laughing with a small boy who looked to be around four years old. She wiped mustard from the corners of his mouth while he giggled.

      She looked…different. Wholesome. Nothing like the woman he often saw at the bar, waiting, world-weary, jaded.

      Her sunglasses hid her eyes but there was no mistaking the love she felt for the boy.

      “Are we gonna get some dogs or are you gonna stare at that lady all day?” Mathias asked, annoyed that Christian had simply stopped in his tracks, obviously rattled. Mathias elbowed him. “I’m starved.”

      He shook himself. “I’m not staring,” he denied to the kid who was too street-smart to buy it but Christian couldn’t admit that he’d been shocked to see the woman here, in a setting so far removed from where he usually saw her. Looking nothing like she normally did. Not to mention now the worst of the bruising had faded and while she still favored her left side, she looked like a million bucks. He glanced down at Mathias who had shaken his head as if to say “weird” and moved on

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