AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Right. I’m sure that’s why you’re an only child.”
“So, what do you plan to do in New York?”
“I start my new job in a couple of weeks. Until then, I plan to furnish this place and turn it into a home.”
“You slept here last night with no furniture?” I ask.
“I have a bedroom set. The landlord let me have it delivered ahead of time.”
“That’s good.”
* * *
Holly and I spent over an hour eating and talking. Asking questions back and forth. I don’t think I’ve ever talked to a woman like this. It’s nice, but it’s getting late and I can see she’s tired. “Here, let me pack this away and I’ll get out of your hair.” I stand and hold my hand out for her to take. She hesitates slightly before placing a palm in mine and letting me pull her up.
“This is by far the best first non-date I’ve ever had,” I tell her honestly.
“This wasn’t a date. If it were, I’m sure you would have found a reason to leave a long time ago. I don’t date well, remember?”
“Maybe you just weren’t going on dates with the right person. There is nothing about you that’s making me run for the door. Believe me, Holly, I wouldn’t bother looking for a reason to leave. If I didn’t want to be here, I’d simply walk out.”
“That’s oddly sweet, considering how dickish that made you sound.” Holly laughs, and it’s fucking melodic. What the fuck is wrong with me…? To have me thinking her laugh sounds like a symphony?
I finish loading the leftover food containers into her fridge. Turning back around, I see that Holly is holding her phone while tapping away at the keys. Without looking up, she apologizes. “Sorry, it’s Reilly. If I don’t answer her, she’ll have the swat team or something breaking the door down.”
“It’s okay. You can call your sister back. Tell her all about the charming date you just had. I gotta head out anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“This wasn’t a date, and I haven’t agreed to go on a date with you tomorrow either.”
I choose to ignore her noncompliance. It doesn’t matter to me, seeing as one way or another, we will be having dinner together tomorrow night. So, instead of correcting her, I lean in and kiss her forehead.
“See you tomorrow, dolcezza. Lock the door after me, and use the chain,” I instruct, before walking over to the door and opening it. I look back to see Holly positioned exactly how I left her. “Holly, lock the door. Please.” I add thepleaseat the endto try to soften the abrasive tone.
“Ah, sure. Thank you for the non-date.”
* * *
“You’re late,” Neo states the obvious from the sidewalk.
“Had shit to do.” I’m not about to tell him I was late because, frankly, I’d rather be holed up in Holly’s empty apartment right now than doing my father’s dirty work.
“Does thatshithave anything to do with a certain red-headed beauty?” He stomps out his cigarette butt with his boot.
“You know, that shit’s going to catch up and kill you one day.” I nod towards the ground.
“Yeah, somehow I think my job will get me way before any cancer stick.” He shrugs.
“Try to avoid that for as long as possible. I don’t want to have to recruit a new underboss when I take over the family.”
“Don’t worry, T, I’m indestructible. Now, let’s go do some damage, because there is no way these fuckers have our fucking money.”
“Let’s get this shit over with.”
We walk into the shop where both brothers are standing behind the counter. I can’t see their hands. I don’t fucking like the idea of having a gun pulled out on me tonight, so I’m quick to draw my own. Then, without a second thought, I put a hole right through the head of the older brother, Luca. Paul’s screams fill the room, and I see the glint of metal in his hand. If this fucker thinks he’s going to get the best of me, he can fuck right off with that.
My gun fires and he slumps over in shock, the bullet hitting his shoulder and sending his weapon to the floor. “Fuck you, Valentino. I’m going to fucking kill you, you son of a bitch,” Paul yells his empty threats.
“And here I was, considering letting you live… then you had to go and call my mother a bitch.”
