“Please keep her safe for me . . .” Tony met my eyes. “Please.”
The man begging me right now was a brother worried about his sister. I’d heard what he told Eva about his sister. Tony owed Hawthorne for his sister’s life. He displayed a rare loyalty that most men would’ve broken years ago. People did inexplicable things for their loved ones, and sometimes thoseacts crossed the line. I knew this well, and a part of me sympathized with him.
“I will,” I said. “I promise to keep her safe.”
His lips trembled as if to say something, but the words never made it out because his eyes fluttered closed.
Chapter Sixty-Five
Eva
I took the day off from BeLeaf in Love’s prime location to oversee the counter and flooring installation at the second location inside the Kessler Building. Business boomed at an unexpected rate, for which I was grateful. Avery and Hailey were now part-time employees, helping me at the flower shop. Natalie LaRue recommended my services to her friends, so I’d taken on a few events.
The second shop was next to Mimi’s Healthy Eating & Market, Saigon Café, and Brazilian Bistro, all of which were inside the newly renovated retail section of the Kessler Building. The Marketplace was scheduled to open in a few months, and the town and its surrounding neighborhood were excited for the grand opening.
“What do you think of the bamboo hardwood?” Kain slung an arm around my shoulders. I wrapped an arm around him, appreciating everything he’d done for me.
“Looks good,” I said, watching the two men working in the shop. “The shelves and display cases are arriving today.”
It had been a month since Tony died in my shop. The shop had closed for a week so the authorities could do what they had to. Though Tony was a murderer, I felt sad for him. The desperation to help his sister forced him to work for Hawthorne, which changed him. Not all criminals were born evil; some were created through awful circumstances.
“Still thinking about him?” He rubbed a hand on my back, reading my internal struggle.
“I can’t help it,” I said. “I know I should just forget it all, move past what happened, but I need to make sense of it.”
“Take your time.” Kain placed his hands on my shoulders. “You’ve been through hell in only a few months. Most would’ve locked themselves in at home, not wanting to deal with the world.”
“That’s because I have you.”
“And you’ll always have me. Come here.” He took my hand, leading me to a seating area by the large windows overlooking the street.
The potted plants on the floor and those hanging from the ceiling transformed the place with more colors and textures—and life. The warm, modern shade softened the atmosphere, making it more welcoming.
“You were trapped in that same dark place for years, but you didn’t turn out like him.” I sat on a long bench with a soft cushion.
“His sister was dying and needed a new heart.” Kain caressed my hand with his thumb. “Entirely different motivations between us.”
Motive was everything. Tony had one reason to keep going: to save his sister at all costs. I could sit here all day, wondering what drove people to commit crimes, and I’d getnowhere. I’d rather focus on what inspired people to achieve their dreams, what gave them hope, and what inspired them to love.
The search for Hawthorne and his followers was still ongoing. Kain and his friends had their team looking out and about. I didn’t want to waste my life worrying about what-ifs. Kain and I had each other, and no matter what came at us, we’d endure it together.
“Why are you always right?” I kissed his cheek.
“Because I’m older and wiser.” His eyes glinted with mischief. “I know everything, and that means you should obey my every order.”
“Dream on, Tattooed Titan.” I snorted and squeezed his forearm, wondering when I should ask him to ink me.
A serious expression tugged at his face. “We were destined to meet. Fate wove through our lives like a vine growing inside a forest, connecting and pulling so many things together.”
I’d thought about that many times. How he knew Grandpa, and how I was friends with Stori, who was the younger sister of his friend Hudson. Life could be magical, even if it sometimes didn’t seem that way.
“That’s a beautiful way of describing it. I’d like to believe we were meant to be together. You can’t get rid of me.” I kissed his cheek.
“I’d never want to.” He kissed me on the lips, then drew back. “Your grandfather was at the flower shop picking up a bouquet of roses when I checked on the additional cameras. He invited us over to dinner atyourapartment tomorrow.” He smiled. “We’re back full circle. It all started when he invited me to your place for lunch, and now it’s dinner.”
“I forgot to tell you he’s seeing Camila. I guess they fell for each other over bingo.”
“Does that mean he’s staying in Brookline?”
