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“I was just returning the favor.”
He looks out the window, drumming his fingers against his leg.
“I wonder if Rosa will ever seemethe same way again,” he says. “It has to be one hell of a shock learning your uncle and your mom were an item.”
“An item,” I repeat. “That’s underselling it. In a different life, you would’ve been together from the start. I’d say I regret it, and I do, almost entirely, except for Rosa.”
“I know. That’s why I can’t wish I’d lived a different life, either. We wouldn’t have her.”
We say nothing for a while, and then Dario winks at me.
“Anyway, pretty soon, I’ll have more nieces and nephews if she’s as nuts as you.”
I laugh quietly.
“What is it?” he asks.
“I told her last night, all of it—wanting a family, a future, everything.”
“And?”
“She said she wants it all too.”
Dario smiles. “I’m happy for you. Who said romance is tough? All you’ve got to do is find a nice young woman to kidnap.”
We don’t say anything for a while. Then Dario’s phone buzzes. He answers it and starts talking in clipped bursts. “Yes. Check that. No. Where? Okay. Yes, do that.”
When he hangs up, he turns to me. “My contact is talking with one of Fyodor’s exes. Might have the location of the safe house they’ve been using since Fyodor has started seeing her again.”
“The second we get it,” I tell him, “we’re going in. I’m done messing around—no talks, no peace, just blood. That’s it. He tried to killmy fucking woman.”
My ribs throb as I raise my voice, my words trembling, hinting at the fury inside me.
Dario nods, looking a little scared.
As we get farther from the city, fields border the road, and a forest beckons up ahead, which will lead to the safe house. Dario runs his hand through his hair again. He can’t seem to stop lately. It’s the only sign he’s feeling anxious.
“We got out of this lucky. No civilians were harmed in the shootout. The cops turned a blind eye, claiming everybody got away before any arrests could be made. Your house is secure.”
“All thanks to you.”
“But it was lucky,” Dario says fiercely. “I’m tired of relying on luck.”
“Soon,” I tell him, “we won’t have to.”
We say nothing for the rest of the journey. My thoughts turn to Emma, the last time I saw her, the goodbye kiss before I left last night. I think of the love in her eyes, the love in my heart, and the need which never stops howling.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
Emma
I walk down the tall, wide hallway, antiques and classic paintings staring at me from each side. The decoration in this house is similar to the townhouse in the city, except this place is more of anestate, not a house. It has tall walls surrounding it and large grounds.
Pausing at the window, I look across the luscious greenery and fountain at the small garden at the back. A tall tree with low branches is close to the wall. I guess they’ve let it grow since it would only help people sneakout, not in. Climb the tree, shimmy onto the wall, drop down… The wall is about ten feet, so it would hurt but not be fatal.
Why am I thinking about escaping? Yeah, it’s because I’m pretty sure Rosa has guessed something about me and Leo. She probably guessed when I freaked out seeing him get shot. Eddie has since told us that Leo’s recovered. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and suffered a concussion from the fall, plus some bruised ribs, but he’s alive.
I knock on Rosa’s door again. This is the third time I’ve tried speaking with her.
