Page 41 of Aldo

“He’ll be getting a visit. Personally.”

“Aldo, you can’t do anything to him.”

“I can make sure he doesn’t come near you again. I have no idea how he got in, except that he slipped in on the street level and was watching you to figure out which one was your car. We’ll add more security.”

“I hate to trouble⁠—”

He cut me off, shaking his head. “Nothing can happen to you. I will not allow it.”

“I’m sure now he’s scared me, he’ll move past it.”

Aldo took my hands in his, staring down at them. “I will make sure he doesn’t bother you again.” He looked up and met my eyes. “I promise.”

I smiled at him. “Okay.”

ALDO

We couldn’t locate Ernest Morton. He was no longer at his last known address. His landlord said he’d been evicted for nonpayment, and he hadn’t seen him for over a month. I had a feeling he was in one of the old motels around town that took cash payments and no name. The tracker Roman had put on his car either failed, fell off, or he removed it. It had shut off the same night.

I was furious that he’d gotten to Vi. Scared her. I had her car detailed, and there was no smell or trace of the dead rat, but I noticed the look on her face every time she got in it. She had tossed a blanket over the passenger side seat, as if to cover it up. But I knew offering to buy her a new car would be met with resistance. I did convince her to stay at the hotel more often over the next couple of weeks. I had someone follow her home every night, and she did seem grateful for that.

She was incredibly strong and hated showing any weakness or vulnerability. But I saw it some days, lurking behind her eyes, shadowing her lovely irises. I didn’t comment, only stayed closer on those days, letting her lean on me silently until she felt more herself. I was in awe of it most of the time. She refused to miss a day’s work, and Wanda said she continued to be her best employee.

Roman seemed to like her a great deal. He started coming to the deli with me some nights, eating in the staff section and talking with Violet. They both had a dry sense of humor, and she made him laugh with her feistiness and lack of filter. She did wicked imitations of some casino staff, even his own bodyguards, and it tickled him. I had never seen him be as friendly to someone outside his circle, and when I pointed that out to him, his response was simple.

“She is part of your circle now, Aldo. Which grants her access to mine.”

It was he who insisted I take her to meet Nonna V. I brought her to lunch one Sunday, more concerned about Nonna’s opinion than I realized.

Nonna was gracious and seemed pleased to meet Vi. In fact, in ten minutes, they seemed to have forged a strong friendship, both of them teasing Roman and me.

“I want grandbabies, and these two do not cooperate,” she lamented to Vi.

“Your other grandson is getting married,” Vi pointed out. “He’ll have to man up and do the job.”

“I want more.”

Vi shook her head sadly. “I’ve heard these two and their thoughts as to relationships and the future. I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

Nonna looked between us. “Why you stay with Aldo?”

“He’s great⁠—”

I cut her off, covering her mouth. “I’m good to her, Nonna V. We get on well.”

Vi bit my hand, and I glared at her, pulling it away.

“As I was going to say, he is great to me and we understand each other,” she said innocently, then winked at Nonna. “And he’s great in the sack.”

Nonna V laughed until she cried. Roman’s laughter was loud, delighting in my discomfort. Yet, for some reason, I, too, was amused. Vi did that for me.

Roman liked to highlight all her good points.

He was as determined to find this asshole as I was, and he was frustrated by our lack of success. He offered a private car to take her to and from work, but she refused it. He offered her a twenty-four-hour bodyguard, and she laughed at him. She was incensed at his suggestions she’d be safer working the private dining area and informed him she didn’t want to hang with the rich snobs, and that she belonged here with regular folks like her.

“Aldo is a rich snob,” he said dryly. “You hang with him.”

“No,” she pointed out. “You’re a rich snob. Aldo is just rich. I can handle that. But I’m with him for his dick, not his money.”