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“I had a captain in the Marines who made certain we understood that it was always best to fight an enemy on your home turf.”
He chuckled. “I had the same captain, my friend. How quickly you forget. Why do you think I remained in New York?”
“Send several soldiers in my direction. I have a feeling I’m going to need their help.”
“That I can do as well.”
I thought about the soldiers in our employ. “Send Francesco. It will be damn good training for him.” As Tony Arturo’s only son, at some point he would take over as the Don, but at this point, he had a hell of a lot to learn at nineteen years old. Maybe I could knock the heavy boulder off his shoulders.
“A good idea. They’ll be at the estate likely late tomorrow.”
“Perfect.” We owned several properties as a corporation, including several estates that could be used as safehouses. One in New York, another in Jersey. We also had one in Ft. Lauderdale as well as the one I’d just closed on outside LA.
When Max hesitated, I knew he was trying to find the right words to say, which also meant he was skating on thin ice about to delve into my personal life.
“What?” I snapped.
“Testy today?” He laughed briefly. “Is she worth it? You’re going to have the hand of God coming down on you anytime. Just making sure.”
The answer was easy. The ramifications of what I was thinking were anything but. “Yeah, she’s worth dying for.”
“About time, my friend.”
“Don’t go jumping to any conclusions.”
“And like I said, Vipe. Don’t do anything stupid. This is the high-profile case the Feds have been chomping at the bit to get for a solid decade. Dante will do whatever it takes to ensure he never spends a day behind bars.”
Which made him and the situation that much more dangerous.
“Maybe he won’t need to worry about it. I’ll do what it takes to keep Madisen safe.”
“Whew. At least I have a name to the girl I’ll track down to invite to your funeral.”
“I’m very good at what I do.”
“Right now, other than the men who work by your side, you have no one watching your back.”
“You forget I’m a crack shot.”
“And you’re one man. Whatever happens, wait until you have backup. If you need me there, call me.”
“Understood.”
“You damn well better keep that in mind. Keep me updated,” Max said.
“Yep. I will. Say hello to Raleigh for me.” I disarmed the system.
As I walked into the house, my senses were assaulted immediately. The smell was something completely unrecognizable inside my house.
The incredible, mouthwatering scent of food. Tomatoes and oregano, garlic and other spices.
I had dozens of skills, including in machinery and construction, but cooking wasn’t one of them. Whatever food she’d likely found in my cabinets was in a can and not suitable for human consumption.
I headed into the kitchen, anticipating finding her there. The room was empty and in utter disarray. Water had obviously been boiling on the stove, the pot almost halfway dry. There was what appeared to be marinara sauce of some kind, although a portion had bubbled over onto the stove. It had only recently been turned off based on the amount of heat I felt.
A bottle of wine had been opened, a half empty glass sitting in the middle of the counter, beads of red wine spilled on the stem as if placed in a huff. With two plates, a napkin wrapped around two sets of silverware, I realized she’d planned dinner for two.
The note I’d left was positioned in the center of the island, my anticipated return in black magic marker.
