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“Can you trust them?” Bea asked. “To honor the agreement?”
Gabriella thought about it. “It sounds weird, I know, but I think I can. These criminal organizations have honor codes of a sort.”
“An honor code and a threat from Logan Bane seems like a safe bet," Bea said.
Gabriella had thought the same thing. Whatever happened between her and Logan, he would be watching the bratva. He would make sure they didn’t renege, and if they did, Gabriella had no doubt they would pay a heavy price.
“You think I should take it,” Gabriella said.
“I’m not the best person to ask. Your safety, Leo’s safety, those are solidly the only thing I care about.”
“But the bratva are criminals,” Gabriella said. “They do bad things, hurt people.”
Bea shrugged. “People hurt people every day. I don’t mean to sound cavalier, but when you get to my age, you start to realize there’s only so much you can do. You should do it, of course. Whatever you can, that is. But is the world a safer pace, a better place, without you and Leo in it?” Bea shook her head. “We both know the answer.”
Gabriella fought against the fear that seeped into her stomach at the possibility of something happening to Leo. Taking a chance with her own life was one thing. Was she really willing to gamble the life of her son when there was another way?
She finished her drink and leaned back into the couch, suddenly exhausted, the alcohol doing its work. “I hate this. And I hate that Logan went behind my back to do it.”
Bea took her hand and pulled Gabriella’s head into her ample lap. “We do crazy things for love.” Gabriella closed her eyes as Bea stroked her hair. “But there’s no greater cause.”
“My mother used to do this for me when I was little,” Gabriella said, her body relaxing. “I’ve missed it.”
She was surprised to feel the sting of tears behind her closed eyelids.
“Well,” Bea said, “as someone who spends a lot of time alone, I’d be happy to pass along a piece of advice, something I have to remind myself of from time to time.”
“What’s that?” Gabriella asked, feeling the pull of sleep.
“There’s always someone around to love you, to give you comfort. But you have to say yes.”
* * *
Gabriella woke to find Leo nuzzling her cheek, sunlight streaming through the living room windows.
He giggled when he saw that she was awake. “You slept on the couch, Mommy.”
“I guess I did," she said.
He grinned. “Silly mommy."
“Silly mommy.” She lowered her head to his hair and inhaled his scent.
We do crazy things for love… but there’s no greater cause.
“Where’s Logan? Can we have waffles for breakfast?” Leo asked.
She kissed his head. “We can have waffles for breakfast. We can have whatever you want."
38
Logan startled at the sound of his phone ringing. He’d dozed off sometime around dawn, and he fumbled around in the console, trying to figure out how long he’d been asleep.
A quick glance at the street told him Beck and Ryker had been relieved by August and Max, which meant it was after seven a.m.
He found his phone and hurried to answer when he saw Ella’s name on the screen. “Hey.”
“I want a guarantee I can go back to Chicago now, or soon at least,” she said.
