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This might be the only chance I have to try and draw Antonio out.
I get down from the crates and look around. There are a few cans of gasoline near the crates. I grin and reach into my pocket, looking for the lighter I stashed in there earlier.
As I douse the crates in gasoline, I’m careful not to get any on myself. I pour some on the building, making sure that it will ignite too. Once I’ve emptied the cans on the building and everything that surrounds me, I lit it on fire.
The gasoline goes up in flames, consuming the wood crates as men start shouting. The dock workers don’t even look up as Russo’s men come rushing around the corner.
I pull out my wallet and take out one of the business cards I carry around. I toss it on the ground, out of reach of the fire. One of the men will find it and they will hand it over to Antonio. I’m counting on it.
I want Antonio to know that I started the fire. He won’t take it lightly.
Come and get me, fucker,I think as I head to my car, keeping my head down.
The men are still shouting and the fire is burning higher as I drive away. I can smell the smoke on my clothes but there is nothing I can do about it before I get back to the hotel.
Aria should still be asleep. It will give me time to get showered and changed before she sees me. I’ll be able to dispose of the clothes before she ever notices them.
* * *
When I walkinto the hotel room, Aria is sitting up in bed with her arms crossed over her chest. She glares at me as I lock the door behind me. The only light turned on in the room is the one beside her.
“Nice of you to come back home after lying to me,” Aria says, her tone harsh.
I sigh and approach the bed, sitting on the edge of it. “Aria, I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m not going to apologize because I’m not sorry.”
“Great.”
As I look at her, I see the tear tracks staining her cheeks. My stomach lurches. I hate that I keep upsetting her but I don’t know what else I can do. I need to draw her father out from whatever rock he is hiding under and that means taking risks.
But those risks will never include her because I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe, even if it means lying to her.
As I take off the jacket and the gun holsters, I watch her, waiting for any sign that she is going to start freaking out. I wouldn’t be surprised if she walked out of the hotel room and refused to come back.
I know that she hates that I keep secrets from her, but more often than not, it seems like the only way to protect her.
“This is bullshit,” Aria says. Her voice sounds choked as if she’s trying not to cry again. “Do you even know what I thought when I woke up and you weren’t here?”
“No.”
“I thought that Dad came and got you in the middle of the night.”
I shake my head and reach for her. Aria scoffs and gets up, moving away from me. She shakes her head and grabs her pillow.
“You’re an asshole. I’m going to go sleep in the bed in the other room. Since you can’t be bothered to get over your own shit, maybe you two can keep each other company.”
“Aria, do you honestly think that I’m going to let you and our baby follow me into what would be potential danger? It’s not going to happen.”
“And do you think I want to explain to our baby why their father died before they were ever born?”
My stomach is tossing and turning as she takes her pillow and walks into the other room. I run my hands down my face, not knowing what to do.
I knew that upsetting her was going to happen when I snuck out but I didn’t think it would hurt me this much. I don’t want her to be angry with me but there is no way to avoid it.
After a few minutes, I get up and follow her to the other bedroom. She is sitting up and leaning back against the headboard. Her gaze follows me as I enter the room and get on the bed beside her.
This time, when I reach for her, she doesn’t fight me. She leans into my side as my arm wraps around her shoulders. Her breaths are slow and steady as she drapes an arm around my torso. I comb my fingers through her dark hair.
“I hate that you keep doing this to me,” Aria says, her voice little more than a soft whisper. “How the hell are we supposed to have any sort of relationship with each other when we’re this toxic to one another?”
