“Leo, good to see you.”
“You too.” My mind flashes to Emma in my guest bedroom. I haven’t seen her since last night when she showed up on my doorstep, crying for help. A man had been chasing her. A man that I had hired to find Emma Greco for me. How ironic. Heled her straight to my home and framed me as the good guy. I never asked Danilo to do that – he just did. But it worked out in my favor. I have Emma in my house without having needed to kidnap her.
“You were right. Alessandro has made his mark back on the city,” Gabriel says, taking a sip of his water. It’s morning so he doesn’t drink. Always a stickler for things. I’ve always been a bit more reckless in my approach to life.
“I said he would. Anyone would be angry if their brother was murdered.”
“We’ll have to stop him before he comes for us. I don’t want Aurora getting hurt.”
“Of course.” Aurora, Gabriel’s wife. She had no connection to the mafia world when he married her but he did it anyway. I always thought it was idiotic of him to marry someone without connections but Gabriel didn’t care. I only ever do things that I think will benefit me and my career.
“Did you look into Alessandro’s family? We both know he has a daughter and a wife. Or did. Giovanni mentioned it to me years ago. Maybe they’re dead now. I don’t even know.”
“I did look into it but I couldn’t find anything,” I lie. Gabriel would not appreciate me kidnapping Emma.
“Good. I don’t need you going after his daughter or wife. We’ll handle Alessandro on our own. We killed Giovanni. Alessandro won’t be a problem.”
“Of course. But I still thought it was a good idea to have a hold over Alessandro. Taking his family would give us that hold.”
Gabriel sighs, leaning back in his seat. “I agree. It is a good idea but it’s one my wife would never approve of and I don’t want to bring more innocent people into this world.”
“How innocent can the family of Giovanni and Alessandro Greco be? Giovanni murdered your parents. You should want to hurt every one of his family members. I know I do.”
“I would have. In the past. Before Aurora came into my life. But she’s shown me I can lead without causing harm to innocent people. So, we’ll go after Alessandro. Find his location and kill him. His followers will scatter and we’ll be safe. If you do find anything on his family, leave them be.”
“But it would be the perfect leverage over him. Your wife would be safe.”
Gabriel hesitates. “All I want is Aurora safe but I can’t do it this way, Leo. Not this time. I’m your boss. Do as I say.”
“Of course,” I grit out. I love Gabriel like a brother but that doesn’t mean I always agree with him and this is one case where I don’t agree with him.
I had Danilo out looking for Alessandro’s family for months now. He told me about a farm he found where a young woman and her mother were. No sight of Alessandro. But he broke into the home and found evidence that they were Alessandro’s wife and daughter. Danilo left without them knowing. I was supposed to go to the farm today and take Emma and Valentina myself but Emma showed up on my doorstep before I could. Call it a twist of fate.
But I am not letting her go. Not when I could use her to keep Alessandro from attacking. Gabriel can’t see it now but I know in time, it’s for the best.
Emma
I wake up in the warm bed in the soft robe I took from the bathroom last night. Never have I gotten such a restful night sleep before. Leo’s guest bedroom is like paradise on this planet.
But I know I can’t stay here forever. He showed me kindness and I’m grateful but I have to find a way to support myself without my mother finding me. I have to leave.
After changing back into my old clothes – and hating the smell of them – I go downstairs to find the house empty. It’s eerie but I have no reason to worry. Leo is a kind man. Who else would take someone into their own home like he did?
I should leave him a note, thanking him. It’s the least I can do.
I find a pad and pen in the kitchen and tell Leo that I’m grateful for him but I have to go now. I hesitate. I still don’t have any money. No ID. No way of making it in this world.
Well, I’ll have to figure that out on my own.
I leave the house, taking in a deep breath. The air here isn’t as clean as the farm but it smells better because it smells like freedom.
Before I can walk forward, I see Leo pull up in the driveway.
“What are you doing?” he asks, getting out and rushing towards me. There’s an intensity in his eyes that makes me step back. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I was just wondering where you were going.”
“I can’t stay here but I thank you for how much you helped me last night. Saving me from that man. Giving me a place to rest. I didn’t eat anything. I didn’t want to take advantage of your generosity.”
“My generosity,” he murmurs more to himself than to me. “You don’t have to go. I can help take care of you until you’re back on your feet.”
