Don't Need You - Lilian Monroe Page 0,23

you. I appreciate it.” His sickly smile widens. “But I really should respect Serena’s space. I just wanted to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving.”

He raises one of his massive hands as Mrs. Russo clicks her tongue, and I watch the big man turn around and head back toward his car. Mrs. Russo gives Serena a disappointed stare.

“I can’t believe you let him go, Serena. He would have made such a good husband, and I know he was going to ask you to marry him. Mrs. Berretti said he’d picked out a ring and everything. Why did you have to push him away? I can tell he still loves you. He was so heartbroken after the baby…”

Baby?

Serena’s shoulders round as anger sparks deep in my gut.

A good husband? Really? Does she not see the effect Angelo has on Serena? Does she not think him showing up here, unannounced, is a clear violation of Serena’s privacy?

It’s an act. He wanted to show her that he can still get to her, even where she feels safest. I glance over my shoulder, meeting Angelo’s eye as he slides back into his car. His car roars to life and accelerates down the quiet street, and Serena lets out a breath.

“Just drop it, Mom. Please.” Serena picks up the bag of recycling I’d dropped, avoiding her mother’s eye.

But Mrs. Russo isn’t done. She plants her hands on her hips and takes a step toward Serena. “I just don’t see why you had to break up with him. Everyone makes mistakes. He said he was sorry about that girl and he even fired her! I think—”

“Is there anything I can help you with in the kitchen, Mrs. Russo?” I interrupt, taking a step toward the older woman.

She looks at me with wide eyes, registering my presence. “That’s nice of you, Kit, but no. You just take a seat in the living room. Do you need another drink?”

Patting her dark, dyed hair, Mrs. Russo turns to the door and walks inside. I glance at Serena, who mouths a silent thank you before heading for the recycling bin. I walk back inside and take a seat on the couch, not hearing any of the thousand conversations happening at once.

Robbie appears beside me, handing me a beer. “Everything okay?” He speaks quietly, so only I can hear. The couch shifts as he takes a seat beside me, his eyes serious.

“Angelo was here,” I say. “He’s gone now.”

“Fucker,” Robbie spits, making as if to get up. “How’s Serena?”

“She’s okay, I think.” I take a deep breath, glancing at my friend. “I think it’s a good thing for her to come to Woodvale. She can stay at my place as long as she needs.”

Robbie’s eyes soften, and he puts a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. He lets out a long breath, nodding. He doesn’t have to say how grateful he is. I can see it in his face.

I know I’d already agreed to let her stay with me, but even Robbie can feel a shift. I mean what I say. I want her to stay with me. She needs to get out of here and go somewhere safe.

When Serena walks back inside, her body crumpled in on itself, I know it’s the right thing to do. Judging by her mother’s reaction, no one understands. No one sees the truth. I saw the switch in Angelo, and I know I saw a side of him he hides from them.

When I worked at Woodvale Skydive, I saw lots of guys come through our doors with their girlfriends. They’d get territorial whenever Finn and I were around, and hated when Finn or another male skydive instructor strapped themselves to their girlfriends for the jump.

I could see the dark looks in their eyes and heard the low comments they’d hiss to their significant others.

Guys like Angelo? Like the territorial dudes who hated another man looking at their girl?

They don’t want what’s best for their girlfriend. They didn’t want her to enjoy the jump, and I was pretty sure some of those girls hated being strapped to Finn for the simple reason that they’d hear about it later.

So, yeah. I know Angelo’s type. I know the corner Serena’s backed into, especially when her family is pushing her to get back together with him.

She needs to get out of here, and I have a spare bedroom. What kind of guy would I be if I refused? I’m not even there most of the time.

Plus, I want