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“Like a fucking bar of silver.”
“Shut it, Nicolo,” Diego mutters.
The humor dissipates with the sun coming in through the window, and I’m aware of the looks at me with my damp hair and Diego all shower fresh too. But the other two men don’t comment on it.
“Nadia, we gotta do something here, and we don’t think Jay’s going to be safe in town.”
I stare at Diego.
“Yeah, we’d like to take him back to Dallas and look after him until this is done.”
“But—”
“Nadie.” Diego’s dark eyes turn darker, but there’s a softness there, one I don’t like because it’s like goodbye. “Just until this is sorted. The gang you pulled a gun on aren’t nice, and from what Tizio tells me, their ties are worse. You can’t stay here alone.”
I look at them all. “I’m meant to go where?”
“Get dressed,” he says softly, “go pack. We’ll discuss it when you return.”
I take a breath, wanting to talk back, but I don’t think they’re going to take that well. Normally, I’d say screw it, but this is Jay’s life, and I need to stay calm.
Maybe it’s easier without him, and maybe Diego will come here, or we’ll go to the crappy hotel.
It’s not until I’ve showered and am halfway through packing that I realize what he means.
The bastard’s planning on sending me away too.
* * *
“Not on your life, Diego.” I burst into the kitchen, killing their conversation. “I’m not being shunted out of town. I have a life, I—”
“Don’t say job, Nadie. You’re suspended.”
“I need to keep my mouth shut.” Tizio deftly steps out of my way, a coffee in a reusable cup halfway to his mouth. I stomp past him and up to Diego. “I’m working on not only fixing that, but I can’t abandon my kids that need me. I’m planning on starting up again in a few days.”
I flick my gaze at the other two like they challenged me, and Nicolo takes a bite of the bright pink pop tart, grimacing at the taste. Or at me. Or both.
Then, I settled back on my target.
I’m fudging a little. I haven’t set anything up, but Diego doesn’t know that. While I’m behind sending Jay away for a few days or however long it takes, I’ve never backed down from a fight. I know when I need to give up, but back down like a coward? No.
It’s there, burning between us. That divide of past and now, of different needs, of things still unexplored from that past.
“Nadia.”
I ignore the warning. “No, Diego. My life.”
“Fuck . . .”
“I’ll get Jay.” Tizio tips an imaginary hat to me and heads off to his room.
Nicolo smiles and puts his hand on my shoulder. “He’ll be fine. We need to check out some things, and he’s a local. We’ll watch him.”
Then he heads out.
Soon, it’s just me and Diego, and I’m so mad I could breathe fire and burn everything down.
I flounce past him, hating myself for putting on a pretty dress that’s short enough, swingy enough that it works low-key, sexy magic.
