“Yeah, Mila can get anyone to be her friend.” Alex’s smile was wide.
“Well, I don’t think Monica is the only one who comes face-to-face with Benito’s anger.” I pointedly looked at Briar, who was beside Matteo, laughing at the movie.
“You think he hits the kids?” Alex’s eyes widened.
“And he calls me a thug and a piece of shit.” Gideon sighed.
“Maybe Mila can get some info out of Monica.” I glanced at Gideon. “There are only a couple of weeks before elections. Do you think Mila will be able to get her to speak publicly?”
“I don’t need her to get Monica to do that. I just have to get Mila to convince her to talk with me about helping her and the kids. If I can protect them, get her to make a video about the abuse, I’ll get it out there and have her where he can’t touch her or the kids.”
It wasn’t until ten that night that the kids all started to leave. Briar was the last to go, and he and Monica thanked us for the great day.
Once they were gone we all turned to Mila, who chuckled.
“Okay, inquisition time, huh?”
“Babe, we’re dying here. How’d it go?” Alex gripped her shoulders and playfully shook her.
Her laugh got louder. “Okay, okay. We swapped numbers, and we’re going out to lunch on Monday. She did say things like, ‘Life with Benito isn’t as great as people think,’ and when I asked her if he ever hurt her, she simply didn’t answer, which is an answer in itself.”
Gideon hugged Mila. “Thank you for helping us.”
She shrugged. “Honestly, if Benito is hurting her he deserves to go down, and she should be protected.”
“Well, we think he may be hurting the kids too,” I added.
Mila’s eyes narrowed. “Then I hope he gets everything coming to him.”
Mila could be scary.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Gideon
Mila was amazing…anangel or something because two days after her lunch with Monica, she’d gotten her to agree to talk with me. There was a catch, however. Monica knew that if Benito caught wind that she was talking with me, that she was even considering leaving him, he’d kill her and make it look like an accident. But she didn’t want to agree to anything until we spoke, so she waited for Benito to leave the state on a fishing trip with some stupid college buddies.
Security likely would be reporting to Benito, so we had her tell them she was going to a girlfriend’s house for drinks. I gave her an address to one of my more fancier safe houses that was owned by an Angelina Samson, a socialite (a nonexistent one) but if they searched quickly, they would brush it off. Monica wasn’t a threat to Benito—at least that was what he thought—so her having drinks wouldn’t be a huge deal.
Briar was having a sleepover at Matteo’s. I made a mental note to ask Monica if Benito was aware of who Matteo’s parentswere. Her daughter, Lucia, was on a cheerleading overnight, whatever the hell that was.
I was already at the house with Alex, Danny, and Mila. Penn had stayed back with the twins. At the sound of the doorbell, Mila—adorning a blond wig, her makeup done differently in case security was beside Monica—let her in.
“They stayed in the car,” she said as she entered the living room with Monica.
I stood and walked over to Monica with my hand out. “Thank you for agreeing to talk with me.”
Her eyes flicked from my hand to my eyes before shaking it. “Mila said you can protect me and my kids.”
I nodded and led her to the couch. “Mila’s right. I can also help you set up a new life where he will never find or hurt any of you ever again. You’ll never be without my protection.”
She swallowed loudly. “And all I have to do is make a video saying the things he’s done?”
“Monica.” She turned to Mila, who sat beside her and took her hands. “People love you; you’re going to have a lot of support and love thrown your way. I know that’s hard because you’re going to have to let it all go after you do. But?—”
“No, Mila. I don’t care about the fame or any of that. I never have. My mother threw me into modeling, and it was all I’d known forever. Benito and I met at the end of my career. He was charming for about two seconds. He’s smart, though. He had all my finances tied up into his, untouchable to me. He gives me an allowance, from my own goddamn money!” She took a breath. “But my kids. He’s cruel to Briar, makes fun of him and recently began taking swats at him. Lucia, he doesn’t hurt her, but she’s terrified of him.”
“Monica, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, give you a fresh start anywhere you want, with round the clock protection.”
