Angelo stroked the pad of his thumb against her cheek, catching stray tears.
“To love and to grieve are the same thing. You cannot have one without the other,” he said. “You love so deeply that your grief is just as vast. But because you’ve had to run your entire life, you’ve never had a chance to feel the good part of that love, rather you’ve only felt the grief. Your mother chose to keep you safe, that meant running, but she loved you every minute of the days she spent with you. Maybe…” he paused. “Maybe now you have a chance to change the ending of at least one story… your own.”
Her eyes darkened. “My own,” she echoed and then nodded a little.
Angelo wished he knew what thoughts ran through her mind, but all he could do was wait and hope she would tell him.
“Tonight you made me feel so safe, so secure, while we were swimming. I know that sounds silly. But that was huge for me. Not because I was afraid of the water, I wasn’t, but I haven’t ever trusted my fate to someone else besides my mother. It’s been so long since I…had a real relationship of any kind and oh my god this sounds so terrible.” She gave a watery laugh.
“What does?”
“I was going to say that it felt like I had a best friend, or at least what I imagine it would feel like to have one. Someone you trust with all your secrets, someone you trust never to hurt you or abandon you when things get hard. I’d always wanted a best friend, but…” she shrugged. “It could never happen. I could never let anyone in…until you.” She laughed again, the sound self-deprecating.
“Kara, I am your friend. If that’s how you define a best friend, then I am that too.Gladly.” He wished she could see what lay in his heart. How much he cared for her. It went beyond lust, beyond passion, beyond the desire of his body and went so much deeper. He would help her rewrite her own story so that she’d have the ending she deserved.
“Tell me what you want in life, what would fill your soul with purpose and passion?” he asked her. He wanted her to look forward, to plan, to think, to dream.
She gave the question deep thought. “I think I’d like to write, to share stories. Like the tale of your grandmother and her recipes, her life on Ortigia, how she fell in love with your grandfather. And maybe…maybe I could tell other stories too. Like telling the stories of those who never got the chance to speak. I just want to do something that matters, maybe even help at a non-profit for improving literacy. I don’t want to run anymore… I want to stay.”
“Then I will make sure you get a chance to do that.” He pressed his lips to her forehead, and the little sigh she gave was one of contentment.
“And for the record…you are my best friend too.” He murmured.
She yawned and then smiled. “What about Thad and Jared?”
“You know what’s amazing about friendship?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“You can have more than one best friend; you can even havethree.” He winked at her and Kara giggled drowsily.
“Tell me about your grandmother…about how you learned to cook again.” She closed her eyes and nestled in against him.
Angelo spoke softly, telling her all that he could remember about Ortigia… about his grandmother, the smells, the sights, the tastes, the laughter and at some point, he knew when Kara fell asleep.
Her head on his shoulder, one arm wrapped around his chest and one of her legs entwined with his, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life.
You won’t have to run anymore, princess…when the clock strikes midnight…you’ll be able to stay with me and live happily ever after.
Cormac was well aware that he and Jim had been followed the last several days. He was good at spotting a tail, but he was even better at knowing when eyes were on him, like they were right now. It was a mistake to keep coming back to this damn diner, but Jim had a craving for those damned American pancakes.
The real question waswhowas following them? The Westies were focused on the latest drug deal going through the NewYork City port. Cormac had bought himself a week to prove to the Westies he had access to Sean O’Brien’s daughter. Time was running out. He would lose his hold in New York if he didn’t find Kara and prove she was his to her father’s men. If he lost New York, he’d have a real problem holding onto Dublin. Sean’s Empire would crumble like a row of dominoes. Cormac had worked too hard the last ten years to let that happen.
He finished the last of his coffee and picked up one of his napkins. He used a pen to write a message to Jim then he slid the napkin across the table. The message warned him they were being watched.
Jim nonchalantly glanced at the napkin before tapping a finger once on the table.
“Yes.” The single tap was clear.
Cormac casually glanced around the diner and noticed the exit sign leading to the back door. Jim followed his gaze with a barely perceptible twist of his head. Another protocol they’ve used over the years. Exit out the back, but make it look casual.
Cormac slid out of his booth and went to pay the bill. He then headed toward the men’s restroom before pausing in front of the door, then slipped out into the back alleyway. He collided with a fry cook who had been throwing away a bag of trash in the dumpster.
“Sorry,” the man apologized and wiped his hands on his apron before he slid past Cormac in the tight confines of the exit door and headed back inside the diner. He called out something out to the other fry cook who laughed, but Cormac wasn’t paying attention.
A few moments later Jim joined him and they headed to their car parked a few streets away. It was finally time to head to Chicago. He knew where the woman was now. Thanks to Jim’s man in Chicago who’d collected a hair sample, they were able to determine it was Sean’s daughter. There were no doubts now.He had Kara O’Brien in his sights, and within a few days she would be his.
Atlas Drake removed his apron and tossed it into the laundry bin the back of the restaurant in the employee room and pulled out a cell phone. He logged onto his Black Widow tracking app and made sure that the two dots were slowly progressing away from his location.
