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“Fine, but if you don’t, I might, because she is…” Carter doesn’t get to finish his sentence because I have already grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall. He laughs then because he got what he wanted, which was to prove that Little Red was more than just a visitor at this point.
“Fuck,” I sigh, letting him go as he continues to chuckle, running my hand through my hair.
“You are wasting time, man. She is a pretty little thing, and you deserve someone new in your life. It has been a long time since Angelina. It will do you good to have someone here for you,” Carter says seriously, and it gives me pause.
Is that what I want? Do I want to get closer to the woman who sleeps in my bed every night? I should stay away from her, but like a moth to a flame, I can’t seem to distance myself.
Our moment gets interrupted by Carter’s cell phone as it shrills from his pocket.
“Yeah?” Carter answers as I walk back around to my desk and take a seat.
“What? When?” I am familiar with that tone, and I sit up, immediately on guard.
“Okay give us ten.” He hangs up before looking at me.
“We have found a Russo. Federico was just spotted down near Allure. Our team is following him now. We need to roll. I will go and grab a few things, and I will meet you in the basement,” he says before turning and walking swiftly out the door.
I pull out my desk drawer and grab my gun, ensuring it is loaded, then put it in the belt of my pants at my back. Grabbing my jacket from the back of my desk chair, I pull it on before quickly walking down the hall to see Leo, since I may not be back in time to say goodnight. But as I get closer to his room, I stop abruptly at the sound of her voice.
“I seriously wish I could make one like that,” I hear her say. Quietly, I take a few more steps and peer around the bedroom door to see her sitting on the floor, cross-legged, playing with Leo.
“How do you get those wings to stay on? Mine always falls off.” I watch as he takes her model and fixes the wings on the spaceship before handing it back to her.
“Awesome! Thanks!” she says enthusiastically before continuing.
She might be young, but she’s mature. Her face is not stuck in her phone, and I never see her taking selfies like other girls her age. The way she took care of my hands the other night and the way she is with Leo shows her caring nature, which is hard to find these days. From our nighttime talks, I know that she has had a lot to look after in her life; her drug-addicted mother just one of those things. I haven’t told her about Angelina yet, and I’m not sure that I will. But I know dealing with that kind of shit from family makes you grow up real quick.
“You know, Leo, you have the best laugh. I can’t wait to hear you laugh some more. If I had known how funny it would be to see me eat a sundried tomato, I would have done it sooner!” He smiles back at her, and it’s a beautiful sight.
She seems genuinely interested in Leo and spending time with him, as I listen to her babble on for the next few moments before entering the room.
“Hey, buddy,” I say as I walk over to where he is sitting and squat next to him. “I need to go to work, and I may not be back before bedtime, so I will check on you later, okay?” He nods and leans toward me, and I give him a small hug. Standing, I turn and walk toward Little Red, looking down at her as she remains crossed-legged on the floor.
“I’ll be home late tonight.” She smiles, nodding in understanding. Before I realize what I am doing, I bend down and grab her chin, lifting it so I can capture her lips. The move surprises both of us. I kiss her quickly before I walk out of the room and back down the hall, not waiting for her to reply.
Feeling settled at home for the first time in years, I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders as I push out the front door and make my way to the basement. As I walk down the corridors, my stride builds in momentum and my anger starts to grow as my thoughts refocus on what awaits me today. As I put my game face on, the adrenalin rises through my veins.
Federico will meet his maker tonight, of that there is no doubt.
14
Dante
Carter and I have been sitting in the car outside Allure all fucking afternoon. My ass is numb, my teeth are sore from my grinding, and my mind has been a mix of capturing these assholes and dreaming about Little Red in my bed. Now as the clock ticks close to ten, and the pitch-black of the evening covers us, we make the decision to go inside.
We have watched people walk in and out all day, doing a headcount, taking photos, looking for familiar faces, watching to see if Federico comes out so we can follow him, but he hasn’t shown. Not once. That doesn’t bode well with me. The feeling that they are all waiting inside for us to show up slivers through my mind, but Carter and I are not cowards. So with our guns prepped and our team positioned, we walk swiftly across the road to face this fucker head on.
As we walk through the door, the business is quiet, as I expected. There are a few patrons around the bar, many of our boys, and there are a few dancers on the stage. I don’t miss the ladies' eyes as they roam over Carter and I as we walk past them and go straight to the bar to take a look around the room.
I lean against the bar for less than five seconds before her voice hits my ears, and I snarl.
“Dante!” Angelina screams at me, obviously trying to get everyone's attention. To say that she is walking a very fine line with me at the moment is an understatement.
“Not now, Angelina,” I grit out to her, as I ignore her look of disgust.
“You’re a fucking asshole. I want to see Leo!” she yells again, and I look at her with murderous eyes, only to see her disheveled and wobbling on her feet. Her eyes are barely open, her hair looks like it hasn’t been washed in days, and the outfit she is wearing barely covers anything.
“I said, not now, Angelina!” I growl at her, and she grabs onto the bar next to me to steady herself. I see Carter out the corner of my eyes, lifting his chin at the security man who promptly walks over.
