AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m such a bad person. I don’t deserve him.
He pulls my chin to him and gently kisses me.
“Now rest, sweetheart. You need it. And I truly am sorry for the way I treated you last night. You didn’t deserve it. Please forgive me. I know that won’t happen soon, but I’ll do my best to earn your forgiveness one day. I promise.” And with another gentle kiss, his head goes back to rest on the pillow.
With guilt and self-hatred in my heart, but somehow lighter from having shared my burden and his apology, and exhausted from the day, my body shuts down and sleep overtakes me.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
Time has come for us to leave this security haven for the first time and the hair on my neck is standing up. Goddamn. Am I going to feel like this every time Carra steps outside?
The whole security team looks like they could chew glass right now. Max’s eyes flash as he tips his chin toward me. All clear. “Let’s move out, ladies.”
We step out of the elevator. Carra and Ariel hustle across the lobby toward the hotel exit. To my left is Cal, behind me is Colin. Max and I have the girls between us. Out front of the hotel, Max has two more men.
Everything is hinging on the two of us making it alive to the wedding. After that, Max’s extra coverage will be gone, and I’ll be left to manage the security detail.
I’m not sure if that makes me feel better or worse.
A valet dressed in all black opens the back door to my Mercedes for Ariel while I open the front for Carra. Max stands nearby, scanning our surroundings while I get in the car. The other SUVs are waiting at the curb, one in front, one behind my car.
“Nice ride,” Ariel says as she leans between the front seats. Carra’s quiet, her uncertainty palpable. Last night was a breakthrough for the both of us, and I only hope we can continue to move forward now.
I grab her hand when I slide into the driver’s seat. “Hey. You okay?”
“Just not used to all of this...”
“We're just being extra cautious after what happened before. I nearly lost you once this week, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone else near you again.”
Ariel looks startled, then upset. “Am I allowed to ask what happened?”
Carra waves a hand. “Someone kidnapped me, and I had to knock the guy over the head.”
As I start the car, Ariel’s staring at Carra as she clenches the seat with her fingers. “Holy smokes, Mob Princess. Well, I guess you guys didn’t have the relaxing time that I was hoping you’d have.”
“It’s been bloody nuts,” I mutter as all of us pull out from the valet circle. “That’s why we have so much security right now. But I don’t think we have much to worry about today, truthfully. Otherwise, we’d be up in that penthouse.”
I say a silent prayer, then add, “Not from Coghlan at least. The wedding is too important to him for business reasons. But we have the others, the Italians, Russians, the Central American and South American gangs to worry about now as well. Carra’s a valuable target. That’s why Max and his team are here. They specialize in that.”
“Did anyone figure out why an Italian tried to grab me?”
Through gritted teeth, I reply, “Not yet.”
In the mirror, I can see that Ariel’s soaking all of this in, her eyes are sharp. I've always trusted Ariel. I hope that’s the right decision.
At least for now she’s with us, and I can control her contact with the outside by keeping close tabs on her.
Next to me, Carra’s twisting the strap of her purse into a knot. She says, “Gee, so much fun being tied up with the Mafia. I wish I could’ve been born the third daughter of a farmer in Nebraska.”
“I have an aunt in Nebraska,” Ariel says from the backseat as she chews her nails. “Not that it’s relevant, but I feel compelled to talk about something because I’m freaking out right now.”
I get it. I’m not freaking out, but I’m gonna be happy as fuck when all of this is done. “How about we talk aboutthehouse.”
Carra pivots her eyes to me. “Which house might you be speaking of?”
“Our new home. That’s where we’re going. I get the keys from my lawyer at noon. The timing is tight, so I don’t think we can move in today, but maybe tomorrow night we can stay. There’s a couple of people coming to stock the house in the morning with the essentials.”
I could have told Carra that we’re flying to the moon, and she’d look less befuddled. “I don’t even have words.”
