Page 80 of Roman

“Which pisses you off even more?” she asked with a slight smile.

“Yes. But none of that matters. What matters is making sure you’re okay. I’ll help you with all the paperwork and dealing with the insurance company. But you have to stay where you are safe, Effie.”

She met my eyes. “Was it a gas leak?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“You should have told me that.”

“I know.”

“Are they still after me?”

“They won’t get to you here. I will figure out how to stop them.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

She began to go past me, and I shot my arms out, dragging her close. She didn’t fight me, letting me hold her.

Yet, it felt as if she were a million miles away.

And I wasn’t sure how to get her back.

The call I had been expecting came in the afternoon as Aldo and I went through some numbers and planning for the new building in Ottawa. Vi had Effie downstairs in the spa, having insisted she needed some girl time and spoiling. I agreed to allow it. I had men posted outside the spa so I knew she would be safe. There was no chance of her running again.

Since I had brought her back, she had been quiet, reflective, but calm. I had helped her with the insurance adjuster, and everything was moving forward. She was withdrawn, and there had been no change in our physical relationship, but she did sleep beside me at night. Invariably, I woke up with her on my chest and a raging hard-on. Neither of us tried to do anything about it.

My phone rang, and I glanced at the number. “It’s them,” I announced.

Aldo nodded, and I hit speaker.

“Costas.”

“We need to talk.”

I sat back, simply the sound of Timothy Santini’s voice making me angry.

“Is that so?”

“You took something of great value to us. It cost us a lot of money, time, and frustration. There is a price to be paid for that.” He paused. “You disrupted our business for no reason. There was nothing for you there.”

“I see. So you burned down a diner to show your displeasure?”

“Retribution has to start somewhere,” Gregory rumbled from the background.

“Let me remind you of something. You are not allowed to conduct any of your filthy business in this city, province, or country. You broke those terms.”

“We were not there.”

“Your men were. Your scum were in my territory.”

“It was only temporary.”

“You know what else is temporary, Timothy? My fucking patience,” I snarled.

“What occurred was no business of yours. You broke the terms as well. You killed our men. We are demanding satisfaction. We want the package back.”

I shut my eyes, knowing what I was about to do would forever change my life. Forever change the path for Effie.