Page 100 of Bene

Not with this man.

Or another.

Ever.

“You know,” she murmured, “my father kept recordings … and he journaled. Every single little thing about this life, all of it. I don’t know if it was because he never wanted to forget, or because he wanted me to have something to go back to, but I know all about you, Mr. Keefs. I know the dirty deals you used to do with my dad, and how you helped him out a time or two. Oh, and I know how he helped you, too. The loans—guess your wife blew through money like it was fucking candy. What was that, to make up for the fact you were too focused on a career that was going nowhere instead of being home to warm her bed like she wanted, or something else?”

He took another step.

Vanna held firm. “I know all that, and more. Threaten me again, and it’ll be the last thing you ever fucking do, I promise you that, sir.”

He sneered.

She smiled.

“You fell for their trap, it’s all over your face,” he muttered, looking as though she disgusted him just by being in her presence. “That’s what the Guzzis do. They dazzle you with their wealth, promise it can be yours, too, and then when you’re in their web … they drain you dry. You’re just another weak little girl who can’t measure up to them, but sure you were going to do your best and try to make it work, huh? It doesn’t matter if you won’t continue to help my investigation—I have enough to move forward from here, anyway. Thanks for that, couldn’t have done it without you.”

What did that mean?

What did that fucking mean?

She didn’t get the chance to ask before he spun on the heels of his cheap loafers that still squeaked when he walked, and left her standing in the hallway.

It was empty now.

A lot like her.

Completely empty.

Two fucking weeks.

Two weeks with no calls, texts, or otherwise from Vanna. Bene woke up alone the morning after his mother’s dinner party, and it pissed him off. Not because Vanna had left like that, but because it didn’t make sense. Never mind the strange conversation his twin apparently had with the woman at three in the morning when Beni caught her sneaking out of the house like she was running from something.

What was she running from?

That was the better question.

Bene had no clue, but his pride was just enough for him to wait her out, or that’s what he thought he was doing. He figured, whatever shit had happened that sent her running like that, she would work through it, and come back eventually.

Right?

Weren’t they working on something together?

Doing something?

Being something?

God.

He thought so.

So yeah, he gave her two weeks. Fucked around with his anger and stupid pride about not going to her first when she kept refusing to answer his texts and calls. Then, he decided to suck it up and do what he had to do to see her. It was all about making the first step, or that’s what other people told him. Besides, maybe she had a good reason for running off like she did. Not that he would know that unless he went and spoke to her.

Which was why he was currently parked in front of her downtown building, sitting in the front seat of his Lambo, while arguing with his oldest brother. He had a million other things he would rather be doing, including getting inside that building to see Vanna, but one thing at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and all that good shit.

“Where are you?” Marcus demanded.

“In the city.”