He hesitated, his eyes shifting back and forth between Francesca and me.
“I’ll take the house,” I said. “Give them the asking price—all cash. But yes, I have a family emergency in Palermo, and I’d really appreciate it if you gave my woman a ride home.”
Once he realized everything was okay and he was getting the sale, he dropped his discomfort. “Of course, no problem,” he said quickly.
The breath of relief Francesca released was so loud I could hear it.
It was hard to let her go like this, but I knew I needed to do it.
I walked off and got into my Range Rover, smelling her perfume in the car. I started the souped-up engine then left the property, watching her watch me drive away in the rearview mirror.
I pulled onto the road and headed to Palermo like I said I would.
I let her go…just to prove to her that I could.
I didn’t text or call.
She didn’t either, not that I expected her to.
I stayed at my place in Palermo since Don Mancini had given me a couple days off after I’d saved their asses. It was a shame because I’d planned on spending that time with Francesca. I’d intended to invite her to my place, cook for her, show her my favorite spots in the city.
But it was what it was.
I met up with Santino for a late dinner, sitting on the terrace with the flowers growing on the trellis overhead.
“Haven’t heard from you in a while,” Santino said. “Where’d you end up?”
“The Mancinis.”
“The arms guys?” he asked before he took a puff of his cigar.
“Yeah.”
“They have a winery, right?”
“Yeah,” I answered automatically, my energy not in this conversation at all. “What’s newwith you guys?”
He shrugged, took another drag, let the smoke out, and then gave a bullshit answer. “You know…”
Not that I expected him to give me more than that since I wasn’t in Cosa Nostra anymore. In fact, I’d joined a gang they considered an adversary more than an ally, so definitely a conflict of interest.
“You alright?” he asked. “You seem, I don’t know, off?”
“It’s been a rough couple of days.” I didn’t lose sleep over anything, but I’d definitely lost sleep over Francesca. My instinct was to show up at her house and demand that she speak to me, but I knew my typical approach would just push her further away in this instance.
“Who got shot?”
“My relationship.”
Both of his eyebrows cocked.
“I was—am—seeing someone.” I grabbed my old-fashioned and took a drink. “But I nuked it.”
“She caught you with someone else?”
“No. I don’t fuck around like that.” She was the only relationship I’d ever had, but I wouldn’t be in one if I weren’t fully committed. If I wanted to stick my dick in other people, I would just tell her that.
“Then what happened?”
