She started the car and headed in the direction of their old house. She drove without thinking. The road stretched ahead of her in streaks of streetlight and shadow, and Valentina followed it as if her body knew the way even when her mind had gone somewhere darker. The anger had stopped screaming now. This new quiet thing inside her felt colder.
Marco was gone. Carol had cut her off. Voss was disappointed. Vee would soon know. Luca had won.
And Vito, the man who had somehow stood at the beginning of every ruined road in her life, had walked away again.
No.
Not this time.
She reached the old neighbourhood and slowed down. The house appeared ahead, hunched in the dark. It was smaller than she remembered. Or maybe she had grown too used to mansions.
Home.
What a stupid word for that place. She parked on the street and sat there for a moment with both hands on the steering wheel.
