Page 63 of A New Days Don

“I have something to do this evening too,” her faraway voice makes my jaw clench tight, the muscles flickering with the lack of control. She shouldn’t be going out tonight, not when I am out of the city.

I quickly swipe through my phone’s apps until I can see her little dot flickering in her home.

“Where are you off to?” I try to keep my voice conversational, but the thought of her going out alone sets me on edge.

“Nothing crazy since I’m still suspended, but I found a lead, so I’m going to check it out,” Mila explains, and it feels like she’s not telling me the full truth.

“Wait for me, I will be done in an hour or two, and we can check it out together. You shouldn’t be going to investigate anything by yourself, especially this late at night.” I tell her, the authority in my voice hopefully giving her no room for argument. I will be fucking damned before I let her leave her house to go, God knows where to do God knows what when God knows who could be waiting for her.

I’m so caught up in the blinding rage of her hurting herself that I barely register the excuses flying from her lips, “…It’s a friend of Jazzy. I will text you when I get there and when I leave. That’s why I am calling… I wanted someone to know my whereabouts.”

I grip my steering wheel tighter as Ren’s name appears on my dashboard. Fuck.

“Just wait for me, okay?” I snap, a little more aggressively than I wanted to, but she needs to fucking listen.

She doesn’t say anything back, and for a moment I worry I pushed her too far, but then she mumbles, “Okay.”

My head thrums with stress as I depress the gas pedal further, flying down the county road to my warehouse where Ren and the others are waiting for me.

“Please, baby. I’m sorry that came out a little harsh, but I need you to wait for me. We will go together, and that way we both know you will be safe.” I soften my voice as much as I can despite the red seeping into my vision.

“Okay,” Mila’s voice is more confident, and relief washes through me.

“I will be there in an hour. Hang tight.” I tell her, and Ren’s name pops up again.

I’m almost there, asshole.

“A colleague is calling. I have to go. I will see you soon.” I tell her, and the smile is back in her voice as she says, “See you soon.”

I curse, smashing my fist against the steering wheel with the need to get to Mila before she does something incredibly dangerous with nobody around to provide backup. She is capable, and I have no doubt she can handle whatever situation she is thrown into, as long as it is a fair fight. But if she goes to Jazzy’s contact and there is a group of people waiting, my heart nearly stops at the thought of what could happen.

“What do you want?” I seethe as I answer the phone.

“Good, keep that energy. Adriano, Caleb, and Raphael brought in Fabio, but the bastard passed out.” Ren snarls over the phone, and my lips pull back in disgust. Such a pathetic excuse of a man. I’d always thought my father would be able to turn him into something worthy of a following, and he’s still as desperate to boss and control as he has always been. Desperate enough to conspire with the Colombian cartel and the fucking cops.

Not that my appearance is much better, chasing around a doe-eyed officer like a teenager with the promise of seeing his first tit, but the difference is that any rumours of me ‘conspiring’ with Mila is only what it looks like on the outside. Mila will never be used for anything. She will always be kept under my protection, and when she finally accepts me, she will be my wife. Not a pawn in my mission to conquer my father’s assassins.

“Keep him on ice. I will be there in five.” I hang up the phone as I turn onto the dusty road that leads to the warehouse.

The moment I arrived, Fabio had barely come to. In fact, he’s still looking up at me through hooded eyes. How much has this motherfucker had to drink?

“Where did you find him?” I snap at Raphael, who slowly prowls in the shadows, watching us closely.

Raphael is an older gentleman and one of my father’s longest friendships. It’s no surprise that when my brother took the reins as leader, he was suspicious and has defected. I’m thankful for that. The last thing I want is to go up against him and his sharpshooting.

“Almost a whole bottle of whiskey down while some poor girl tried to suck his limp dick.” His deep voice rumbles, and my face curls in disgust. Not that it is any surprise Fabio is cheating on his wife, but I will make sure to make him bleed in her honour.

“Get him some fucking water.” I’m agitated and for all the wrong reasons. My men will think it is because I want to find out what happened to my father, but the reality is, I have less than an hour to get back to Mila. I can only hope that if I am late, she will be a good fucking woman and wait for me.

Ren approaches as Raphael heads for the fridge in the corner. My eyes meet his intense brown ones before he says, “How’s Mrs. Bianchi?”

It’s said in a teasing way, his own humorous take on my infatuation with the raven-haired woman, but my heart comes to life at the sound of it.

I growl lowly, not needing him or Adriano to spread word about her to anyone. The less people know, the better. I don’t need my mafia business seeping into her life. Not when she is already target number one for the lowly criminals she investigates.

“Her name, the idea of her, and anything else you know does not come out of your mouth, ever again.” I snap, and Ren’s lips pull back in an amused grin.

“Yes, boss.” He nods, emphasizing the honorific. Whatever, if having that honorific keeps her out of conversation, then so be it.