“Has everything worked out since we took care of Colin’s problem? With Salvatore out of the way, Colin’s business should be good,” she said as a starting-off point.

“Yes, and you left so soon after all that, so I didn’t get to thank you properly. It still shocks me that you did so much for me after I treated you so horribly. I’m ashamed that I had that reaction, but I’ve spent my life running from fear, and that’s so hard to let go of.” Judice seemed sincere. “I’m so sorry for everything, especially my behavior.”

Apologies, her father used to say, were merely words if they weren’t backed up by something to make you believe it. I’m sorry was easy to say, that was true, but she understood Judice’s motivations. She didn’t like them, but she couldn’t find fault in her reasoning.

“The way I see it,” she said, and Emma reached for her hand, “you most probably wanted a life with a man who loved you and your child. My father would’ve wanted to know Fiona, but he would’ve never taken her away from you. You’re never going to believe that, but my mother understood what it was to bring children into the world. She would’ve never allowed Da to turn his back on either of you.”

“I was young, and being pregnant back then without a husband was terrifying. It was a mistake, but all we can do is go forward. What I don’t know is how Fiona would react if she ever knew the truth. I’ve lied too long now to ever gain her trust again.”

“We’ll never share your secret,” Emma said. “You’ve carried it long enough, but Cain and I will never turn her away unless she means the family harm.”

“I don’t think after what happened to your daughter that you’ll have a problem with that. Thank you for saying it, though.” Judice took a sip of her coffee as if for courage and took a deep breath before she started talking. “Fiona seems happy where she is, so she doesn’t concern me. I am worried about Colin. I don’t want to smother him, but I also don’t want anything to happen to him.”

“He should be happy with the business we left him. Is he branching out into something else?” Cain had to give herself a small pep talk to stay calm.

“He’s coming to meet with Cesar Kalina, and from everything I’ve heard, he’s a scary man. I don’t want Colin to think I’m going behind his back, but you’re his family. Could you talk to him?”

She didn’t have an extensive amount of information on every drug lord out there, but Cesar Kalina she’d heard about. “What is he thinking?”