“I won’t.” He clasped a hand over his heart. “I’d never put anyone in danger like that, especially not Francine and her family.”
I nodded, hoping we could rely on him for this. We had men stationed at each of the motels, including the decoy one, so we’d know right away if he passed the information on to anyone or if he’d kept his word.
“I have a burner cell for you.” Lorenzo reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, and the guys tensed until the small, old-school silver flip phone materialized in his hand. Merrick took it cautiously, as though it might bite. He removed the battery and examined it, making sure there weren’t any explosives in it. “You can have Francine hold on to it if you need reassurance that I haven’t placed anything in it. Besides, I already know her location now.”
“Give that to me,” Francine said and swiped the phone right out of Merrick’s hand.
He was right, of course, but there was still apprehension on both ends if Lorenzo’s narrowed gaze was a barometer of his feelings for Merrick, at least. Kellan shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the phone like he wanted to examine it even more thoroughly than Merrick had.
“Why do we need that?” Kellan asked, his brow scrunched in thought.
“Because I can’t be sure that Angelo hasn’t bugged your phones. That one’s clean, and the only number programmed into it is my burner. Contact me if there’s anything you need help with or to plan out your endgame—that is, if you decide totrust me, of course.” He gave the guys a mocking smile, before it softened as he met my gaze.
Yeah, that was one way to immediately piss my guys off.
“We’ll give you a call,” I said, not wanting Merrick to insult him when this could be our chance to actually get near Angelo. Every time we’d gotten close, we’d been on the knife’s edge of an all-out gunfight. And if we’d taken him out then, there would’ve been a bullet between our brows before we’d even fired off another shot.
The guys seemed to come to the same conclusion, though, since they only nodded. Lorenzo returned the gesture with a dip of his own head before grasping Francine’s hands. “I’ll see you soon, old friend.”
“Soon,” she said, her voice wavering as her eyes scanned his face as if he were about to meet the firing squad. Which he very well might be if Angelo ever caught on that he was making a deal with the devil.
He released her and stalked into the kitchen, not even looking over his shoulder as he strode out into the night. He obviously didn’t want us to find his hidden entrance because unless he’d been surviving off ice cream and toppings for the last twenty-four hours and sleeping on the cold, hard tiled floor, he hadn’t stayed here last night.
My lips thinned into a straight line as I met the guys’ equally wary expressions before making our way back into the chilled night air. We’d have to discuss this later, but I didn’t trust Lorenzo not to have placed a listening device before we got here. Francine might see the boy who lingered in his eyes, but I saw the ruthless man Angelo and Tommaso’s cruelty had turned him into.
Trusting him was another hurdle altogether. But Francine gave him the perfect bait. If he kept our secret, we’d know we could trust him. Either way, this war was going to end soonerrather than later; his decisions just decided if one or both of the Barone men would perish alongside Tommaso, and how much of our blood would be spilled in the process.
Chapter Eighteen
Giana
Myfingersskirtedovercool sheets as consciousness came creeping in. My eyes fluttered open the moment my hand didn’t meet warm, hard muscles, to find that I was alone in bed for once. I frowned as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and rolled over, only for something to crinkle beneath my head. I slipped the paper out and smiled at the familiar handwriting.
We wanted to let you sleep in, so don’t worry about anything. Merrick and Spade went to the bar to handle everything with the Demons, and I’m keeping an eye on things at home. Breakfast is on the bedside table.
Love you always,
Kellan
I traced my fingers over the indent left by the pen before setting it down and glancing at the nightstand. A stainless-steel cloche rested atop a plate, and I couldn’t help but grin as I excitedly sat up and reached for it.
Steam billowed out as I lifted the lid to reveal the eggs, toast, and breakfast sausages arranged on the plate along with a fork. I did a little happy dance as I dug in. I might have loosed a tiny squeal the moment my eyes landed on the travel mug of coffee, finding it exactly how I normally took it with just a splash of milk.
I voraciously attacked the food, my body practically vibrating with excitement, trying to get to Kellan to thank him as soon as possible. I rushed into the shower, and dressed in a slouchy sweater and leggings before bolting down the stairs to put the dishes in the dishwasher. With a quick refill of my coffee, I went on my search for Kellan. He hadn’t been upstairs, and he also wasn’t on the main floor. I quickly popped my head into the basement, but he wasn’t down there either.
I nearly fell down the stairs as I spotted Zane and Sophia down there. The former held the pads for her as she practiced the punches, kicks, and blocks we’d taught her. My mouth fell open as I silently watched them in stunned fascination. This was probably the first time in weeks that the two hadn’t been at each other’s throats, and it was a nice change of pace. I slowly closed the door and backed away, not wanting to do anything to jeopardize the tentative peace they must’ve found.
There was only one place Kellan could be now. I slipped on a pair of Uggs and skipped out the door, making a beeline for the small studio Kellan kept on the property right beside Merrick’s workshop. I swung open the door, grinning at the man perched on a plush leather office chair, his body hunched over his sketchbook as he added some shading to whatever he was working on. His pencil clattered to the desktop as the electronicchime announced my arrival. He hurriedly closed his book and smiled up at me like that wasn’t even more suspicious.
“What are you drawing?” I grinned mischievously, stalking over to him like a lion readying to pounce on their prey.
“Nothing,” he said a little too quickly.
He bounced up from his seat and led me over to a black leather couch. I couldn’t help glancing around the studio in wonder. I hadn’t been in here for weeks, and the beauty of his artwork took my breath away. Bright morning light shone in through the large-paned glass walls, lighting up some of his pieces as though the sun was shining just to bring out their beauty. His art here was more personal than what he had on display at his shop in town, like he’d made it for his eyes alone.
“Liar.” I poked him in the ribs. But I wouldn’t force him to show me. It took some of us time to share something as personal as art could be. Just like I wasn’t sure I’d let them read the pages from my journal yet. Hearing a story was a lot different from steeping yourself in someone’s innermost thoughts and feelings.
“How did you sleep?” He wrapped me up in his arms, nestling me into his lap. I sank into his comforting warmth and let my eyes flutter closed, just drinking in his nearness. I hugged my coffee to my chest, not wanting to let it go so soon.
