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But there was no turning back now.
I closed my eyes and took steadying, calming breaths, and waited for Vince to come back out.9VinceI found Mona sitting on the floor outside of my father’s office a half hour later. She looked up at me and I could see the tears still shining, though they hadn’t fallen.
Good for her. Most girls in her position would have broken out in sobs the second that door shut.
I lingered over her. “You okay?” I asked.
She nodded. “I’m fine.”
I held out a hand. She hesitated then took it and I helped her to her feet. She stumbled and ran up against me. I held her lower back to steady her, pulling her body tighter against mine.
“Careful,” I said, my voice low.
She stared at me then shook her head and pulled away.
“I’m fine,” she said again.
“Good.” I walked down the hall and she hurried to keep up.
“What happened in there?” she asked, her voice soft.
I glanced at her and shook my head once.
She took the hint and didn’t ask any more questions. We moved back down the main hall, turned right at the far intersection, and headed through the entryway. Roberto was near the front door, looking bored and annoyed all at once.
I was pretty sure that was his default setting.
“Have a wonderful evening, Roberto,” I said as I opened the door and let Mona out into the night.
Roberto grunted in response.
I smiled and followed Mona out. I helped her into the car, walked around, got behind the wheel, and started it up.
She turned to me and I could see the questions forming.
“Just wait,” I said. “Okay? I’ll answer your questions back at my place. I just need a second to think. And a fucking drink.”
She closed her mouth and sighed. “All right. But you’d better answer.”
“I will,” I said and pulled out.
There were very few things my father and I agreed about. I thought he was too complacent and too quick to form alliances where none were necessary. I thought the Russian deal was stupid and foolish. I thought he needed to be stronger, needed to accept his role as the dominant force in the city. I thought the family needed to expand across the continent.
Where I was brash, reckless, and strong, he was quiet, calculating, and careful.
But for once, there was no argument. There was no disagreement.
Getting the snake was a very, very bad thing.
I drove in silence and let my mind wrap around the conversation I’d just had with my father. I glanced at Mona, at the slit of her dress riding up her leg. Fucking hell, she was gorgeous.
I wondered if my father was right, if she really was just about getting a taste.
There was some truth to that. I wanted her and wasn’t trying to hide it. Every time she came around, I wanted to put my hands on her skin, feel her soft body, make her moan, make her whisper my name.
But it wasn’t just that.
There was something about her. It was there, in the way she approached me that first night. It was in her smile, in her swagger. In her inability to keep her mouth shut back in my father’s study, even though I told her not to speak up no matter what.
It was that little spark that drew me to her.
We made it home and I parked in my usual spot. I got out, opened her door, walked her up the stoop. We got inside and she collapsed onto the couch with a sigh. She took off her shoes and threw them onto the floor then lounged back.
I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a drink. “You want one?” I called out.
“No, thanks,” she answered.
I carried my whiskey back into the living room and looked down at her. She stared up at me, adjusted her dress, tilted her head.
“Well?” she asked.
I sipped my drink then slowly sat in the brown armchair next to the couch. I let out a sigh and stared at my shoes for a few seconds.
“My father doesn’t know why we were given that warning any more than I do,” I said.
“Okay,” she said. “That’s not good.”
“No, it isn’t. We have some guesses, but we’re not sure.” I took a longer sip, nearly finished off the drink.
“What are your guesses?” she asked.
I reached into my jacket. Inside was a plain manila envelope with several pieces of paper tucked inside. I took out the envelope and tossed it to her.
“If you want to hear them, you need to sign that,” I said.
She stared at the envelope then shook her head. “What the hell is this?” she asked.
“That’s a standard Leone Family NDA,” I said.
“A non-disclosure agreement?” she asked, her mouth hanging open.
“That’s right.”
“How the hell am I supposed to sign this?” he asked.
“With a pen,” I said.
