“Things are bad, Nico,” Vinny piped up.
Gio nodded. “We’re with you.”
“I need you all to understand,” I insisted. “If we’re caught, we’re dead. The capos won’t be forgiving.”
“And if we don’t do something, we’re going to die anyhow,” Anthony grumped. “A group of thugs jumped us last week, and Alfonso told us to stand down.”
A knot itched between my shoulder blades. The Grimaldi name wasn’t feared, wasn’t respected. Our legacy might not last the year at this rate.
“Still, this is a coup. A rebellion. Leave now, if that isn’t something you can stomach.” My voice was granite. It silenced every murmur. I braced myself for them to walk out. Giuseppe had strict instructions to take care of any deserters. We couldn’t afford a leak.
But not one man left. They were following me straight to hell.
Chapter 29 – Rae
Cherry Pie was still gone. Three days. Three blasted days without my baby sitting in the garage. I was fit to be tied. The problem was, I couldn’t dump the bowl of soup on Nico’s lap at lunch. I had to act like nothing was wrong, keeping my facial expression neutral, and stay calm through the whole meal.
The moment the family left the dining room, I wanted to bolt. Chasehimdown for a change. But there was the cleaning up that had to happen first. By the time the formal dining room was spotless, the dishes loaded into the washer, and Franky was done with me, I nearly burned a hole in the bottom of my soles.
“Quit your pacing, it’s giving me a headache,” the cook grumped.
I didn’t need to be told twice.
Carrying a supply bucket, pretending to be on a mission to clean some other part of this godforsaken mansion, I rushed from the back quarters. If Nico left again, I was going to scream.
He wasn’t in his room. Nor the lounge areas. Or on the back patio.
I slammed open the library door, not even bothering to knock. “You have something that doesn’t belong to you, and I want her back!”
Nico peered up from behind his laptop. That face was drawn and haggard. His eyes lacked their usual fire. But it was the sigh that passed his lips that punched me straight in the gut.
“I’m too tired to fight right now, cherry-bomb.” Nico pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll get your keys, and Luigi or AJ can drive you to pick up your car.”
Just like that, the pent-up anger dissipated. I’d been stewing for days, but his exhaustion made my chest pinch tight.
Closing the door almost the whole way, I stood there, watching him. Something happened. And damn me, I wanted to know. I wanted to help.
“Can I bring you anything?” I asked quietly. “Tea? Coffee?”
Nico dropped his hand. His tired smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I haven’t had enough water today, but don’t trouble yourself. I’ll get it as soon as I’m done here.”
I shook my head rapidly. “No, just wait.”
Setting the cleaning supplies down, I bolted from the room before he could stop me.
And ran right into the housekeeper.
“There you are.” Sanderson frowned. “I need you to turn the sunroom.”
“Okay, just a minute,” I said quickly running past her.
Her hawkish gaze bored into my back, but she didn’t try to stop me. I burst into the kitchen, making the cook jump. He cursed as coffee spilt from his cup.
“Can I not have five minutes of peace, Rae?”
“Sorry,” I muttered.
Cathy, placing the ramekins of proofed dinner rolls in the oven, gave me a concerned look. “Watcha doing, honey?”
