Casually, she’d come back to the subject of his horrendous injuries, at times wincing when he spoke and she’d stare at the rip on the corner of his lip. A couple of times she asked if it hurt to eat or chew.

Eventually she brought the conversation back to her father’s campaign. She hoped to plant the idea that dropping the charges would lessen the amount of airtime the story of her boyfriend beating him to a pulp got. But by her being so concerned about her father’s campaign, he could use the excuse that he was doing a noble thing for her and her father by letting it go. “I just hope the trial is a speedy one. Because you know, these campaigns can get vicious. And the media loves to milk these kinds of stories.” She shook her head. “My brother called this morning to tell me it’s already made the local news in Los Angeles.” Another white lie but she had her fingers crossed under the table.

Michael wanted them to head back to the sofa in the living room for some more champagne after dinner, but she declined, saying she still had papers to grade and an early meeting in the morning. She was getting pretty good at lying. It was easy when the person didn’t know you well at all. She would never be able to look in Romero’s face and lie.

He walked her to the door and thanked her for coming by, then touched her arm. “I really hope you decide to do the right thing and drop that loser. Your sister mentioned she was worried about you being with him, and after last night, I have to agree with her completely.” He came close to her face. “But that’s not my only reason, Isabel. I really would love to give us a chance.” He lowered his lips to hers but she turned her face and he kissed the corner of her mouth.

“I’m technically still with him, Michael. It just doesn’t feel right.” She touched his lip with her finger. “Besides I wouldn’t want to hurt your lip. It’s ripped so bad.”

He pressed his lips together and he saw the annoyance in his eyes. “I’m fine. I promise.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “But I really hope you do make that decision and soon.”

She nodded. “I will. Good night, Michael. I’ll call you.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Isabel smiled and turned away. Even though he hadn’t offered to drop the charges, she’d definitely been right about him hating the idea of the story being reported that he’d gotten his ass kicked. She felt evil giggling. How could he look in the mirror and still keep saying he hadn’t?

It was late and she knew the mall closed early on Sundays but she was driving right by it and it was still ten minutes before they closed. She couldn’t help herself and turned in, parking by the entrance she knew was closest to Dan’s Jewels. Chances were Cici wasn’t even there, but Isabel just had to check.

Her stomach churned as she walked in the mall entrance. She could see the jewelry store from the entrance. There was only one person behind the counter. She was young and blonde and busy arranging something on the counter so she didn’t look up. Though she couldn’t see her face one thing was for sure, she was well endowed. Certainly something that would garner extra tips at a topless bar.

Isabel got closer but she didn’t plan on going in. She just wanted a good look. She wasn’t even sure this was Cici or not.

A little boy ran past Isabel and into the jewelry store. “Mommy!”

The girl looked up and Isabel could see she was young and damn it—attractive. Still, the little boy gave her hope that maybe this woman was married.

“Cici!”

Isabel’s head jerked to see tht another girl, a brunette just behind her was who had called out for Cici. She turned back to see that the blonde in the jewelry store was in fact Cici. She was looking straight at the brunette, but still running her fingers through her son’s hair.

“I’m gonna run into Sears real quick before they close,” the brunette said. “Moe, come with me. Let Mommy finish up her work.”

Isabel froze feeling the strangest numbness overtake her. Moe? Cici had a son named Moe? What were the odds? Is this what made her so different? She’d had his baby? But why wouldn’t he tell her he had a child? Romero had no secrets. It was one of the things she loved most about him most. He put it all out there. Like it or not—this is who I am. Moments passed before she realized she’d stopped in the middle of the mall and stood there as people walked around her.

She began her slow walk back to the exit of the mall. Last night she’d decided to give Romero at least a week to cool down. If he hadn’t called or attempted to reach her by then, she’d call him. Now she wasn’t sure she’d be calling him at all. If in fact he did have a son with Cici, she wasn’t sure she could deal with him needing to continue his relationship with her. It was obviously a close one if it involved embraces that left her scent lingering on him for hours.

CHAPTER 23

Broken

Four days—that’s how long it’d been since Romero had seen or talked to Isabel, and he was going crazy. Monday, Alex and Valerie had dropped by to pick up his laptop. He’d changed his mind about making things so final after only one day without her so he’d told Alex to only pick up his laptop—nothing else. But Valerie had called Isabel ahead of time, and she had all his things packed and ready for them when they got there. She asked Alex to come back when he had time to take down his plasma T.V. There was no question about it. She was done with him.

Romero sat miserably, staking out a house where a client’s husband had entered over an hour earlier. The guy’s car still sat in the driveway. The house was being rented by two women. He knew that much from running the records on the house. He already had pictures of this guy with one of the women that lived here in all kinds of compromising situations. Ever since he’d picked up more employees, he usually left this work to them, choosing instead to be home with Isabel but all week he’d been out here every night. He had enough pictures of this guy to hang him dead with his wife. But still, he was out there getting more.