Page 48 of The Boss

“Uh, it was fine. She was setting up the twins’ nursery.” He pauses, and I can see the pain on his face. “I can’t let those kids be without their father. I don’t want to resort to the methods of my father, but I don’t know what else to do.”

I get up from the couch and walk to him. “I know how much you want to separate yourself from him, but how long are we willing to let this go on? If he’s held captive and tortured long enough, he could die. And that’s worse than us trying.”

“You’re right. What do you think we should do?” he asks.

“I think we do what we can here, asking for help from people we know in Italy. We both know if anyone goes to Italy and is there long enough, they will get caught just like Gabe was. But we don’t want to start killing them because that gives Anthony leverage. We know this is Lorenzo, but you don’t want Anthony deciding he wants a piece of this. So far, he’s been in denial and probably will be until we get Mateo back.” I say.

“What do you think Lorenzo’s endgame is in all this?”

“Who knows, probably money and drugs. He clearly wants his own empire and is using you as the target. If you’re going to ask why you or Mateo are the target. I don’t have an exact answer, but I do have a theory.” I reply.

He looks at me, silently asking me to keep going.

“He thinks we’re easy,” I continue. “Because we’re leaving the mafia world as best we can, he thinks he can take everything from us. But he’s misjudged us. We won’t back down.”

“How do you do that?” He whispers.

“Do what?” I ask.

He’s closer to me now. I can feel the heat from his body.

“Be able to tell me the voice of reason and actually have a plan,” he replies.

“I think it’s from being around impulsive men for the last decade.”

“We’re not impulsive,” he says, sounding offended.

He puts his hands up in mock surrender.

“Okay, fine, maybe a little impulsive,” he admits.

“Uh-huh,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Have you gotten any more messages?” he asks.

“No.”

“So my plan has worked so far.” He looks so smug.

“I don’t know, but it does seem that the person who was trying to be helpful has stopped since you pretty much told the whole city we’re dating,” I reply sarcastically.

Did he actually do that? No, but any opportunity he’s had to say he’s dating me, he has. Any meeting or phone call he’s had, he’s mentioned it.

“What I’m hearing is, I’m right?” he asks.

“Gino,” I groan. “Fine, you were right.”

He smiles at me. “See how easy that was?”

“You’re insufferable,” I respond.

“You love me.” He winks and walks away.

Did he hear my inner thoughts before he walked in here?

Well, if the warmth swirling low in my stomach is anything to go by, it confirms that our situation is becoming all the more real.

TWENTY-TWO