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Antonio stared at me, his eyes narrowing. “Your father dies and you vanish for weeks, then you come back, throwing your weight around. Who the hell do you think you are?”
I knew I’d get flak for disappearing. I never intended to return, so I didn’t exactly prepare anyone for my absence. I deserved the mistrust. I was fucking surrounded by it these days.
Tony puffed his chest at me. My fingers itched to draw my pistol on him, but I didn’t have a room to back me any longer. The murmurs of my desertion would get every gun turned on me instead. I had to stay cool, but staying calm and collected wasn’t exactly my M.O.
“I know you guys don’t trust me right now, but I had reasons to leave for a while. Things I can’t even begin to explain. But I’m back, and my head is where it needs to be. I’m asking for a chance to prove I can run things like my pops...” I swallowed. “Better than Silvio.” I sat down.
“Your head isn’t what I’m worried about, Enzo,” Tony said. “That damn Silvani girl of yours has you by the balls.”
“She and I are done.”
“Yeah, she’s shacked up with Rosario now,” Vinny said, trying to help my case.
My gaze snapped to him, my eyes narrowing.Play it cool.“We’re done,” I repeated.
Tony waved me off and dropped back into his chair. I heard the whisperedfuck youthat rolled over the card table and fell into my lap. My skin flamed hot, but I stayed cool.
I waited until the men filed out to go back to work. Liquor bottles and empty glasses were strewn about the card table. I got up and started to pick them up. Glasses clinked together between my fingers as I set them on the bar top. Vinny opened the back door to leave.
“Vinny,” I called.
He stopped mid-step, hesitating before turning toward me.
“Rosario Esposito?” My question drifted across the empty room. He shot me a quick nod before turning around and hurrying out of the building.
Fucking Espositos. They were a weak family, falling apart and holding on to the lifestyle by a thread. They weren’t even being snatched by the feds one by one like most of us. Nah, they were just disemboweling themselves. Rosario was their oldest son, the next in line, but he’d rejected the role and wanted nothing to do with the business. Which was fine, but why the fuck wasmybusiness hanging aroundhim?
I threw a glass at the wall, and shards spread across the floor as they fell. I didn’t even bother to stay cool. I was so on fire. I was burning.
A part of me, somewhere deep down in my gut, said she would be safer moving on. And staying away from her damn house. The larger part of me, that boiling-hot part, completely rejected the idea of her being around another man, especially one who could be fucking good for her.
No. She was mine.
Even when she wasn’t with me, she was mine.
ChapterTen
Gia
My car idled on the hill. I had to see my father to know he was still okay. I finally spotted him, surrounded by security and my brother. He was protected. He was safe. I waited until they were out of sight before I drove off, knowing I couldn’t let them see me.
I drove back to Rio’s apartment on autopilot as the standstill traffic tested the very last bit of my patience. When I got to his building, he buzzed me up. The security guard waved at me as I walked by. I took the elevator to the fourth floor and wandered down the hall toward Rio’s room. The hair on the back of my neck prickled, and I spun on my heels to look behind me. The hallway was empty. Silent. It felt as if someone had been watching me, but it was only my mind playing tricks on me.
I glanced behind me again before knocking on the door. Rio let me in and I hurried into the apartment. I didn’t dare tell him about my irrational fear of being followed. He’d throw me out on the spot. If someone was after my father, they could be after me too, which meant I’d put Rosario at risk.
“Did you see a ghost?” Rio asked as he touched my cheek. My skin felt hot. I worked to calm my breathing. I wasn’t scared, but I felt uncomfortable.
“No, just a little on edge is all.” I stepped away from his touch.
“Are you going to tell me what's going on with you?” he asked as he blocked my path.
“Hard no.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “Then I can’t be your safe harbor, and you should go find somewhere else to lay low.”
I scoffed. I didn’t have anywhere else to go. “If you must know, there’s a hit out on my father.”
Rio chuckled. “There’s been a hit on all our fathers at one point or another.”
