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He took me down a long hallway and closed the door behind us.
There was no avoiding the fate of Nick Bernardi any longer. Dimitri called me in the night informing me he’d escaped but they were able to locate and apprehend him an hour later. No chances needed to be taken. As long as he was alive, Elizabeth would not be safe, and I wouldn’t rest at night knowing he could only be moments away from taking her from me.
I’d told Dimitri I’d arrange two planes for them. One for him, Nick, and extra security. The other, for Antonio and Maddie. I needed Elizabeth out of the way and distracted while I handled things. Bringing her best friend down here was expensive and risky, but it was a necessity if I wanted her out of the line of fire. The more distance I put between her and my business, the better.
I enveloped her in my arms, closing the gap between our bodies. “You and Maddie can do whatever you want, but I have to have people watch you to make sure you’re safe.”
Safety was important. Boca Raton was a destination men like me vacationed often, but it was also a popular place for the mafia to hide when shit went wrong. Surprisingly, the little city was a safe place despite all the criminals. Men like me only came down here to relax, not start trouble. Today, all that would change.
“I know you well.” She rolled her eyes. “Even you hate when you have bodyguards.”
“I do,” I nodded, “but when it’s necessary, I accept it. And since I’ve been out, I remember why I have people watching after me.”
“I’m not going to argue about it. I’m just more concerned about you. Are you ok? Will you ever retire from this life?” She took a deep breath, lifting a hand. “Not complaining, just asking. What if whatever you’re about to do sends you back to prison? What if you get hurt? Maybe not today but someday.”
“Princess, I’m fine.” I cupped her cheek in my palm. Normally, this was not something I discussed, but she knew me. Who I was, was never a secret. “People like me make a vow and a bond for life and it's not broken merely because they've been convicted once or twice.” I slid my hands in my pockets. “This isn’t something you retire from.” I shrugged. “It’s just what we do. It’s whatIdo.”
She blinked slowly a few times and started to nod. “Okay, I got it. I do understand, but I just worry.”
“Like I said,this is what I do,” I growled. “If you can’t handle it—”
“I can.” She snapped. “But I have to be allowed to worry about you. You can’t expect me just not to care and just shrug things off like it’s no big deal. You literally kill people and sell narcotics for a living, and God knows what else.” She took a step back, throwing her arms out to the side. “How will you feel one day when I’m an attorney and deal with putting people like you away? Will you be able to trust me and separate it?”
“The question is,will yoube able to separate it?” I wasn’t used to women giving a shit about me like she did. My exes asked nothing. Not that I would’ve told them anyway, but they never cared enough about my well-being to try. Elizabeth was different, and I wish I’d taken it that way. Unfortunately, I felt the need to control every situation and take hold of my brain and before I could think, my mouth betrayed me. “You need to go home.” My fists clenched at my side. “I’ll have that arranged immediately.”
“What are you talking about?”
Everything in me wanted to respond and knew I had read into what she said. I adored she worried about me. It made me feel…loved. But right now, I didn’t want to be loved. I wanted to murder the mother fucker who hurt her. I needed to feel like myself again. I’d been so caught up in sneaking around and fucking my best friend’s daughter, that I almost became soft and lost who I was entirely. Clearly, I’d never learned to balance the two…love and work.My ex left because I couldn’t give her the attention she needed. Now, she is married with a kid.Would Elizabeth fuck me over if I went to prison as well?After all, she was planning toput people like me away.
Anger boiled within me. I hated that I wanted her so badly. The further I got in my head, the more I wanted to be as far away from her as I could be right now. Turning my back to her, I took a long, deep breath, gripping the doorknob so hard my knuckles turned white.
“I’ll have you and Maddie taken back to Jersey safely.”
“She just got here!” She blurted, “Are you seriously going to send us home?!”
“I can’t be around you right now, Eliza. You’re bad for me.” I opened the door and took a step into the hall.
“Fuck you, Vinny,” she muttered.
I froze in my tracks, spinning around, narrowing my gaze on hers. I hurt her. I could see the tears welling in her eyes. However, she was also strong and stubborn, and she was fighting letting them fall with every ounce of her being. Every part of me wanted to comfort her. Instead, my pride got in the way.My biggest flaw.I swallowed hard, pivoting around, leaving her standing there.
“Did they get on the plane okay?”
Antonio crossed his arms. “Eliza wasn’t happy and didn’t speak at all. Maddie was just confused, but fine.” He bent over, picking his pistol up off the table. “And yes, they got on the plane safely.”
I offered a single nod before veering to Dimitri. “Now.”
Dimitri roamed the room, rubbing his hands together as he scrutinized the décor he’d chosen for my home. When he was ready to go to war, he always became fidgety. “Just waiting on the text. They have him and are securing him to the boat.”
I glanced over my shoulder. “Antonio, get the car ready.”
Without a word, he marched out of the room. I fixated my gaze on the wall, fighting my thoughts. It was time to erase what had happened from my mind. She was nothing more than my goddaughter now.
Coming to a stop next to an accent table, Dimitri ran his fingertips along a midnight blue headless horseman statue. Gaze lifting to mine, he arched a brow, slipping his phone from his pocket and looking at the screen. “They’re ready.”
He followed me out the front door. Six of my men waited on the front walkway, huddled in a circle, chatting. The moment they saw me exit, they stiffened their posture, scattering to their own vehicles. Dimitri stopped at the back passenger door of the Range Rover Antonio was already in.
“Why did you stop?”
