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“What are you saying?” Gia demanded.
“Once word got out, one of his fellow criminals didn’t want merely to give us information. Apparently, this one decided he could run the hood better, so he tried to turn in Wayman and collect a little money, too.”
“Wayman would never go in quietly. He’d fight to the death… Oh my god.” She pressed her hand to her mouth, shaking.
“Your reward put an end to him,” Mila said.
Jason shrugged. “His fellow gangster’s greed prompted him to turn on his ‘buddy,’ and Wayman chose to die rather than go to the station for questioning. Maybe you think I should feel guilty, but I don’t. I don’t always get to use my money for something good, but I think in this situation, we got the best outcome possible.”
“You knew I wanted to bring Wayman in myself,” Gia said through her shock.
“I knew it would kill you, too.”
She couldn’t argue that he hadn’t done everything possible to keep her safe, but he’d completely missed the point. Later, when she was less stunned, she might not be so angry. But not now. “You didn’t even discuss it with me.”
“I saw no reason to mention it unless my plan actually worked. And I didn’t know Wayman would rather die than be questioned.”
“Did you think he’d just go quietly?” She tossed her hands in the air.
“Most people do. My intent was simply to get him off the streets. I hoped this operation would lead to his arrest and eventual conviction. I did this for you.”
She knew that logically, but somehow she had a hard time simply thanking him. “What gave you this crazy idea?”
“The night we met for Mexican food, I knew you needed closure. The way you spoke suggested your family did, too. I knew you’d kill yourself trying to provide it. So I took care of it. It took me a while to find the right team who could produce results but?—”
“That phone call this morning, the one I overheard after I first woke up…”
“I fired the first firm. While you showered, I hired Edgington because I wanted results. How does that make me the bad guy?”
It didn’t, and in her head Gia knew that. But right in her gut where the anger and rage over Tony’s death lived? Not so much. “You didn’t talk to me about this.”
“So you could tell me not to and go on risking your life?” he challenged.
She held up her hands, feeling seconds away from explosion. She didn’t even know how to put everything she felt into words. Jason’s heart had been in the right place, but that didn’t excuse his interference.
“You had me put behind a desk, then you blackmailed me into spending a few weeks with you. You bought me clothes without consulting me, forced me to introduce you to my parents. And now you tell me that you had my brother’s murderer turned to dust. When do I get to make some decisions about my own life?”
“Gia!” Mila screeched. “I couldn’t be more grateful to him.” She turned to Jason, then rounded the table to hug him. “Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, really. Thank you.”
He put an awkward arm around her. “I’d do it again.”
Meeting Jason’s stare over the top of her sister-in-law’s head, Gia dragged in a breath, trying to get ahold of herself. They’d been so happy an hour ago. She’d been almost convinced this could work.
Almost.
Her father grabbed Jason’s hand again and shook it. “You did what I wish I’d had the means to do. My wife and I are grateful.”
Mama nodded. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re a permanent member of this family.”
“That means a lot.” Jason disentangled himself from Mila.
“Let’s leave them alone,” her mother suggested to the others.
Bella started crying, and Little Tony called for his mother. The women sent Jason one last grateful smile before they disappeared into the family room. Her father followed. As they retrieved the children, turned off the TV, and disappeared into the back of the house, the sudden yawning silence threatened to swallow her and Jason whole.
“You’re truly angry with me?”
“Yes! Apparently, I’m the only one. I know you did it for the right reasons, but…I can’t believe you went around me like that.”
