It rushes out of me like a volcano, all because of what I’m witnessing outside the apartment building across the street
where I parked, waiting for Caterina.
It’s enough to suck the air from inside the car and tighten my chest until my heart’s about to burst from the strain Sweat beads along my temple, and my skin bes tight. I’m going to explode
They’ll find me here, dead of a heart attack or stroke, sitting behind the wheel across the street from where Caterina–m Caterina, nobody else’s–ducks away from her ex–boyfriend’s attempt at marding her
He owes her his life for that I’m not stupid. I know he wouldn’t have stopped at a simple kiss, and then I would have had no choice but to end his miserable life. All that keeps me from firing off a bullet into the bastard’s skull is the way she rejects him. have the grim pleasure of watching her shove him away with both bands. The windows of my car are rolled up, so there’s n telling what she <b>says</b>, but her facial expressions are enough
She’s disgusted. Furious. She even flips him the bird before marching away, anns folded over her chest. Her lips are moving. and I can imagine what must be pouring out of her as she ms herself inside her car.
“Good girl,” Imurmur, breathing like I just finished a rum My hands are wrapped around the steering wheel when have them wrapped around that son of a bitch’s neck, squeezing until he goes purple and the light leaves his eyes
The idea is intoxicating, and <b>I </b><b>savor </b>it like a fine wine while observing his reaction.
He watches her every move while wearing a look of utter misery. That’s the only reason I’m willing to leave him alive. I won’t give him the mercy of death. I like knowing he’s wallowing in the shit he put in ce. The ignorant prick deserves to be in the bed he made.
“If you’re smart, you’ll go home,” I mutter, staring at him. “You need to leave, shit stain. Don’t even think about following her.” Even if it would give me the excuse to have him shot on sight for trespassing on private property I doubt he would be that. stupid, or I hope not. Then again, he was brainless enough to cheat on the most perfect creature to draw breath, so I suppose
he’s capable of anything.
You fucking hypocrite.
My skin prickles, thanks to a reminder from my seldom–used conscience that I’m no better than him. Here I am, warning against following Caterina after following her myself. She told me this moming she’d be looking at an apartment tonight it was nothing like she wanted me to be happy for her. There I was assuming we’d settled that I was expecting her to move in permanently. My fists clenched tight when she said it, but I doubt she noticed
She might have chosen differently if she had the first clue of whather announcement did to me. How I instantly ow her in my mind’s eye tied to any bed, locked behind a beavy door, at my beck <b>and </b>call.
Thad no choice but to let her go to work and wish her well, thanks to Roger’s unexpected presence in the kitchen while we shared a quick breakfast. He saw her, overheard our conversation and while he’s looked the other way on a great many things, every man has his limits.
I don’t think she knows I’m watching, even if it seems by now she should assume. She’s crazier than I thought if she believes I’d let her live in the middle of town, surrounded by god only knows <b>what </b>
Yeah, like I’d let that happen.
I won’t lie. As inconvenient as it is, I admire her desire for independence. I’d rather ber try to do her own thing than sponge off me the way Amalia did and continues to do. The slightest thought of that birch enrages me. It also reminds me of something! meant to take care of already<b>. </b>Caterina’s long gone now, on her way home<b>, </b><b>and </b>I n to follow. Before easing out into the street, I pull up Tatiana’s contact details and call her through the car’s Bluetooth She knows better than to ignore me
“Dad” Her overly chipper response rouses my instincts. “How’s Leoing on the other side of the Antic?”
She’s trying too hard. “Do you know why I’m calling?” I ask in a carefully measured voice.
“Because you miss your little girl and wish I woulde home?”
Wiscass. “That’s true, but it’s not why I called Let’s be serious. You ran two of your cards over their limit. I know you’re aware get an alert when that happens.”
“Oh, Bad.” She sighs like a woman with the weight of the world on her delicate shoulders and not a girl whose father is footing the bill for her trip across Europe. “I apologize. Flost track. I don’t think you know how easy it is to forget how much you’ve spent.”
<b>“</b>You act like I’ve never traveled. Being an adult means staying on top of your expenses.
“I know. <b>I’m </b>sorry. I really am.”
“Sorry enough to quit buying your boyfriend clothes?”
It’s a momentary <b>pause</b><b>, </b>but a significant one. “What are you trying to say? Yeah, I bought him a few suits,” she mumbles.
A few suits. “Thirty–thousand dors’ worth of suits at a men’s store in Mn is <b>not </b>afewsuits.”
“Right.”
Idraw a deep breath in through my nose and count to five while waiting at a red light. “Tatiana. Fagreed to foot the bill for him up to a point I covered the rental properties and, of course, the jet, but otherwise<b>, </b>the n was for him to pay his own way, and <b>you </b>both told me he would.”
“And he has, mostly,” she defends.
“Doesn’t he have any pride? A real man would not let his girlfriend <b>pay </b>for everything”
<b>“</b><b>Dad</b>, can you please not turn this into something it isn’t?” She blows out <b>a </b>heavy <b>breath</b>, “You act like you’re the only one with unanswered questions.”
“No. You’re not turning this around on me.
I’m <b>not</b>. I just d don’t like secrets, and Theard a rumor that you’ve been sneaking around with Caterina while I’m out of the country. Are you trying to hide it from me?”
ryet, who knows–and how? It’s incredible how many names and faces can fly Damn it. Who the fuck is she talking to? Better y through my head in the blink of an eye. I’ve been discreet. Not even Roger knows we’re on a <b>more </b>than a friendly basis, though it he did, I doubt he’d tell Tatiana. They’re not on friendly terms.
“Dad?” she prompts once a length of ufortable silence <b>has </b>unfolded between us
“Is it true?”
“Is what true? I have to pretend I don’t have the first idea of what’s going on if I’m going to convince her.
“Don’t make me say it, please,” she grumbles. “You know what I’m saying, and know Caterina’s had a crush on you forever All <b>that </b>matters to me is making sure she doesn’t get her heart broken <b>again</b><b>.</b>”
I blurt it out without thinking. “You knew she had a crush on me?
“Dad“” <b>She </b>groans. “Yes, I knew. It was painfully obvious. But she never admitted it to me, and we never talked about it.”
“All you need to know is <b>that </b>I’m being careful with her. I promise. <b>When </b>she stays silent, Task, “Are you okay? You’re not upset, are you? She’d be crashed if she thought that.”
“No. 1’in not upset. Like I said, it’s not a huge surprise. I mean, it’s a little weird, but not at the same time.
I’m <b>almost </b>at thepound now,
and the familiar anticipation builds in my gut. How many years has it been since Hast anticipated going home to a woman?
“Don’t worry,” I murmur as I roll through the gate, litting a band to wave at Henry in passing. “Everything will be all right”
“Thope so.”
“Who told you?” Thave to know. My eyes sweep the grounds <b>as </b><b>I </b>drive up to the house. Is there a traitor among my men? If so, it’s been too long since I’ve had target practice. I can see it now, the potential traitors scrambling for cover while I take shors from my office window.
“Tran’t say, so don’t bother trying. I promised I wouldn’t tell, I’m familiar enough with the defiance in her voice to know it’s pointless to push. I’ll find out in time, anyway. If there’s a leak somewhere around here, it needs to be plugged
“No more spending money on that guy,” I wam. “I’ll cut the cards off, and you’ll have toe home. Got it?”
“Got it,” she mutters “Love you.”
“Lave you” She took that better than I imagined, but something tells me it’ll be different once she gets home. Whenever that is. No wonder Christopher isn’t in a hurry to return, he’s living it up in Italy on my dime. We’ll need to have a talk once they get
back
Ipass Roger’s house while ending the call and notice a light on inside. Rather than park in the courtyard, I pull over to the side of the driveway and knock on the door to the renovated gardener’s shed a few hundred yards from my front door.
Hees to the door dressed like he has just finished a workout. I didn’t think you’d be back already, or else I would’ve—“:
“Am I that much of a taskmaster? Your time is your own. I wanted to know if you met up with the doctor.” I haven’t been able to keep their appointment out of my head.
He <b>nods</b>, waving me inside before heading to the desk under the front window. This ce is twice the size it was when I first bought the house andnd, which means it’s roughly as big as the row home I grew up in. Whenever I get toofortable or used to the luxuries that have be second nature<b>, </b>a visit to Reger’s home reminds me of where I came from.
He keeps it tidy but sparse. I suppose a workaholic bachelor doesn’t need much more than a little fumiture in the living area and the necessities in the bedroom. He’s more than wee to take his meals up at the house. That doesn’t leave him with much time to kick back around here
He hands over the in, wrapped package containing the sugar pills and fertility shots. Nothing about his attitude tells me he has the first clue what’s inside, and even if he did, Roger knows beer than to question me. I don’t pay him for that. “He was extremely grateful for the f*e ”
“I’m sure he was,” As I close my hands around the brown paper–capped box, I snicker. I made a point of paying double the usual rate this time around. “Thanks for taking care of this.” And for not asking questions. But discretion is the name of the pame, and that’s one thing I <b>can </b>always count on from him
Before I can head up to the house to switch out my little bird’s birth control the way I’ve looked forward to for <b>days</b>, he holds up a hand to stop my retreat. “One more thing. I got a call from Jack Moroni down in Miami.”
Fuck me This isn’t <b>good</b>. Mucord is my main go–between there.
“I knew that shipment issue woulde to bite me in the ass
“No, it isn’t that. He wants a meeting and says he has <b>a </b>business proposition to discuss.”
Somehow, that’s worse. “Let me guess. He wants to marry his son off to Tatiana and unite the families? It’s not the first time <b>he’s </be to me with the <b>idea</b><b>.</b>”
His dark brows draw together over narrowed eyes. “Is that something you would consider?”
“What? Arranging a marriage for my daughter?” When Iugh it off, he doesn’t join me. His features remain cold and stoic. It’s a joke, in case you missed that I wouldn’t actually consider arranging her marriage, no matter which family we were talking about. This isn’t the neenth century.”
“What if it meant solidifying the situation in Florida? You wouldn’t string the guy along, at the very least?”
He knows me too fucking well “What’s this about? There’s no harm to be done either way.”
“I don’t trust Moroni, <b>and </b>we don’t know his son,” he reminds me, scowling “Ican’t imagine the son being much better than the slimy father. I can make some calls and ask around, but regardless, I have a bad feeling”
I don’t have time for this discussion, but more than that, I don’t care. I know my Intentions, and that’s all that matters “I’m telling you, there’s nothing to worry about. It’ll never happen, but want you to reach out and let Motoni know I’m open to a meeting. After that fucking debacle with the crates, I can’t afford to piss anyone else off.”
His jaw tightens, but he says nothing, only nods. “You know,” I add on my way out the door, “you should take the rest of the night off. Go out, <b>have </b>a drink, and get Laid. You’re too tense.”
Η
“I’ll give it some thought.” Something about the darkness in his voice tells me he won’t, but it isn’t my problem if he doesn’t take the offer.
One of us needs to have their mind on business, and I can’tin if that person is him. My mind is miles away from where it needs to be, which I’m sure he knows but is smart enough not to mention. As it <b>is</b><b>, </b>I have to keep myself from running to the house and straight to Caterina’s room.
For some reason, I thought things would get easier now that I don’t have to stay away from her. My obsession has only shifted <b>Now</b>, if I’m not either eating her pussy or fucking her, I’m reminiscing about thest time I did. Wishing I was doing it again. I can’t get her out of my head or from under my skin.
<b>cards </b>
op off the package from the doctor before going to find her. I can’t walk straight into her I choose to head to my office and drop room with this in hand and risk her asking questions. I’m even whistling as 1 walk down the hall. Aside from two credit going over their limit and knowing my daughter’s dating a freeloader, everything’s going my way.
The whistle dies in my throat when I notice lights on inside my office. What the hell? I round the open doorway and find Caterina in tears at my desk. Instantly, I’m taken back to the day she moved in when I found her in here crying. Only weeks ago. even if it feels like a lifetime ago. There’s a man envelope on theclesk. <b>The </b>one Luciano forced on her.
And it’s open.
Her red–rimmed eyes shimmer with fresh tears when they meet mine. “We have a problem. A very big one.”