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“Lorenzo, are you all right? Will you be okay?”
“Yes, Mrs. Russo. Nothing too serious.”
“Are you well enough to come over? It’s almost dawn, and I’m wide awake now. I think the rest of this conversation should happen in person, and Chelle’s dad should be here too.”
Chellie’s looking at me, uncertain about what’s happening.
“Do you want us to come over right now?”
“If Lorenzo is up to it, yes.”
I nod.
“Fine. Give us about an hour. Love you.”
“Love you too, sweetie.”
I hear her inhale and exhale before she hangs up.
“That wasn’t my finest negotiating.”
“Probably not.”
“Are you disappointed in me?”
My brow furrows.
“What? No, of course not.”
“I’m disappointed in myself. I handled that like shit. Fuck.”
She closes her eyes and leans forward, resting her head on my shoulder again.
“Piccolina, you might have come in a little hot, but you’ve been through the ringer today. Maybe we can be a little less — forthright.”
“We. You mean me. I just vomited everything that came to mind. Whoever is targeting me, do you think they know about my family? Are they trying to draw the O’Rourkes into this? I mean, without me going to my parents. Would they recognize my name and come to my defense because of who my grandpa was?”
“I don’t know for sure. Maybe.”
“Are your parents going to be okay with you going out?”
“I’m thirty-one. I can go out at night.”
“You also got shot twice today. Will it upset them?”
“No. They’ll understand why we need to see your parents. This isn’t quite how I’d have liked to meet them, but this is what we have.”
Once we stand, we head into the bathroom. I dig out waterproof bandages that go over the ones Auntie Carlotta already applied. Chellie watches but says nothing about the fact I have supplies to deal with a wound in a bathroom I don’t even use that often. We waste no time washing off the evidence that we had sex in my parents’ house. That’s a first. Fuck. Now I’m embarrassed. What if someone came up to check on us and heard us?
“Are you thinking about someone overhearing us? I am, and I’m mortified.”
“Is it your turn to be standing close enough to hear my thoughts, little one?”
“No. Just great minds think alike.”
We finish our shower, and she slips back into the clothes she was wearing. I pull out fresh ones since I still keep some stuff here. We make our way downstairs, and I can hear everyone in the living room. My family has always been early risers, but I’m sure most of the men haven’t slept tonight. When people look over, I wrap my arm around Chellie’s waist.
“We’re going to Chellie’s parents’. It’s time for me to meet them.”
