Page 12 of Hide Little Traitor

I bite down on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smirking. “Everyone needs to eat, Chloe, especially when they’ve only eaten a single protein bar in the last twenty-four hours.”

“I want to go home.” She glares up at me.

“You are home.”

“This isn’t my home,” she growls. “I don’t even know where we are.”

“I am your home, Mama. You’ll see that soon.” I brush my fingers down her cheek, reveling in her softness.

God, I missed her so much.

More than I thought possible after so many years on my own.

I thought the day I left the Lombardi compound, burning every bridge I’d ever built, that I would never care for anyone again.

Caroline was my best friend. We’d known each other since we were kids, and when she married Salvatore, it made sense that I would start working for him. We grew up in a rough neighborhood, so I was no stranger to running drugs and guns, and eventually I was one of his most trusted men.

Leaving was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but if I wanted to keep breathing, it was a necessary evil and one I’ll never regret.

Chloe huffs, turning her cheek to dislodge my hand, and I allow her the moment of reprieve. I won’t always relent to her, but she needs a little space right now.

If I push her too hard, she’ll run, and with so many people looking for her, I can ill afford for that to happen.

“Can you at least tell me where we are?”

I consider it for a moment. Her knowing our location doesn’t change anything. It won’t make her escape any more likely, and I don’t plan to give her access to a phone or the internet anytime soon, so I don’t see the harm in giving her an olive branch. “We’re at my house in Connecticut.”

She nods slowly, her eyes lifting back to mine. “You don’t live in Atlanta anymore?”

“I have places all over the country because I travel a lot for work. But this is the house I bought for us.”

“Does someone else live here?” Her brow dips slightly.

“No. This is our home. I bought it for you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I want to give you the world, Mama. This is just the start.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHLOE

NOW

Confused doesn’t even begin to describe what I’m feeling right now.

Every word out of Kingston’s mouth is more insane than the last, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t make sense of anything that’s happened since he took me from the hospital.

I’m desperate to talk to Camilla, or really anyone that isn’t the man moving around the kitchen stacking dishes into the dishwasher while I force myself to eat the grilled cheese he made me.

It’s delicious, and on any normal day I would have probably eaten it in three bites. But it’s not every day that your dad’s best friend turned enemy tells you he bought a mansion for you.

Not only that, but it was how casually he dropped the bomb, like spending that kind of money on someone you haven’t seen in a decade is the sanest thing in the world.

I take a few more bites before pushing the plate across the counter, unable to force myself to eat another bite.

Kingston frowns down at the half-eaten sandwich but doesn’t comment, instead lifting it to his own lips and finishing the half I left without a word.