“There you are. It’s time for the cake,” Grace said as she got closer.

Blinking her eyes a few times hoping that they’d swallow up the tears that had begun to well in them, she smiled. “That ridiculous three-layer, double-A-shaped cake?”

“Three-layer, chocolate cake,” Grace reminded her with an even bigger smile, “your favorite.”

Alex’s twin girls ran after little Chava just behind Grace, laughing loudly—a reminder that there was more to it than simply giving into her more-than-willing-to-forgive heart. How could she be sure Vincent wouldn’t go back to dealing again? He’d risked it all more than once already. Rose had given a lot of thought to what Grace had said the day she last spoke to him. He was dangerous—not just to her but to her family.

Rose walked back to the kitchen with Grace, never addressing Lorenzo’s comment. He didn’t stick around to watch the rest of her and Ben’s performance, and she couldn’t have been more relieved. She appreciated Ben’s efforts and his going along with this. He was a good friend, but this was the last time she was doing this. She hated that now not only would Vincent know she’d broken a promise she couldn’t even imagine breaking but he’d be under the impression she’d done so with Ben.

After walking Ben out and giving him nothing more than a kiss on the cheek, Rose was surprised to see her mother waiting just inside the door. She had a mischievous smile on her face. “I didn’t know he was studying to be a doctor. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Rose rolled her eyes. Of course this would be the only thing that interested her mother. It wasn’t enough that already one daughter was practically supporting her. Two daughters who married well were better than one. She just may get her dream of retiring early and never having to work another day in her life if she had the both of them paying her bills.

“I didn’t think you’d care,” Rose said flatly continuing to walk through the front room.

“Rose,” her mother said in a tone so unlike her, Rose had to turn and look back at her. “I know I haven’t been the greatest mother to you or Grace, but I do care. I’ve never been able to express myself like most mothers, and you may never forgive me for that, but I want you to know that I do care. I’ve always cared.”

Rose stared at her wanting to ask her so many things like, first and foremost, why the hell hadn’t she ever said it before, but this wasn’t the time or place. Already people were headed toward them on their way out.

Before Rose could say a thing, her mother turned to Alison and her boyfriend Ezekiel. “It was very nice to see you again Mrs. Zendejas,” Alison said.

As Rose said her goodbyes to her friend and her boyfriend, her mother disappeared back into the party. By the time Rose got back, her mother was gone. Grace said she’d gone to bed. It was for the best. Rose wasn’t up for that conversation just yet. She had enough going on in her head. She’d take the fact that her mother claimed to care about her as a win and leave it at that before pushing and getting the real truth: a truth she wasn’t sure she was ready to hear.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Vince

Running as fast as his tired legs would move, Vince could see the helicopter up ahead. Just a couple of hundred feet more to go. “You can do this, damn it,” he muttered to himself.

Every step he took felt heavier and more painful than the last. His lungs fought for the little air that trickled in, and he coughed most of it back up; the air was so thick with smoke and dust.

“Hurry up!” One of the soldiers in the helicopter yelled out. “We gotta get out of here!”

Vince lifted his hand in an effort to show that he’d heard the guy and he was trying his damnedest to hurry. He’d never been so terrified but at the same time so determined in his life.

Rose’s voice still fresh in his mind reminded him of Will’s last words. Don’t give up. How could he have ever considered it? The only thing that stopped Will from going back and fighting for his Missy Anne was death. He loved her that much. The blinding jealousy of knowing Rose was with someone else had made Vince lose sight of just what Rose really meant to him. She was everything to him. She’d changed his life in such a way that he’d never be the same person he was before he met her. He’d even told her that: told her everything he did, he did for her now. Running for his life now was all for her. He needed to get out of here alive, needed to make it back to her and beg on his hands and knees because he knew now his life would never be complete without her. He had to at the very least fight to get her back. He’d stop at nothing now.

Stumbling as he reached the helicopter, he was pulled in by two different pairs of arms. Once inside he lay on his back gasping for air. He’d made it.

“We got one more, and then we’re out.” The guy at the door yelled back at the pilot. “Hurry your ass up, Private! You’re gonna get us all killed!”

As Vince lay there, he could hear the huffing and groaning getting closer as the last guy they were waiting on finally made into the helicopter with a grunt.

“He’s in. Let’s go!”

Not a second later, the helicopter shifted violently, and Vince reached for the closest thing that was nailed down—the legging of the co-pilot’s seat. Tightening his grip around it, he held on as it got harder and harder to grip with the sharp turns the helicopter made.

“Hold on and take cover, guys. If we can get past this, we’re home free!” The soldier at the door of the helicopter started shooting, and Vince covered his face with his forearm.