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“The hell it is. Do you have any idea the worry you put me through? No calls or texts the last couple of—” His eyes bulge from his skull as he takes in the blood on my shirt. “You’re hurt.”
“No, Dad. It’s not my blood. I’m not hurt.”
He digs his fingertips into the corners of his eyes as if he’s trying to keep from crying. “I thought I would lose my mind when I found out exactly who you were with. His name isn’t Noah Russo. It’s Noah Esposito.”
I rear back in shock that he knows. “What?”
“My gut was right, Em. He’s a fucking criminal. The worst kind.”
“How do you know that?”
From the study, the handsome man who visited the gallery to meet with Dad steps out. Gideon Black. His icy-blue stare roves over me, and he smiles. “I’m glad to see you’re home safe. Especially after being in the Gianni den.”
“Mr. Black is the one who tracked down information on Esposito. Noah is their new godfather.” His eyes narrow on me. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
Looking between Dad and Gideon, I say, “I’m safe now. That’s all that matters.”
Dad lets out a long breath that I imagine he’s been holding since I left. He pulls me in and kisses my head once more. “Never do that to me again.”
“I won’t.”
“Go get cleaned up. Mr. Black and I still have some things to discuss. You and I will talk when you come down.”
I nod because I’m too tired to do anything else, then go to my bathroom. One by one, I rid myself of my dirty clothes, all the while staring into the mirror, unable to recognize myself.
And it’s not just the wild hair and gauntness of my face that make me appear different. It’s the shadows that lurk in the blue ofmyeyes. There is so much darkness there now, I’m not sure if there are enough paints or canvases in the world to help it.
My gaze moves down to the square piece of armor still tucked into my bra. I tug it out and examine it. One of the bullets is imbedded in the very center. The other must have fallen out, but it left a deep divot.
I look down at my chest, at the bruises and swelling that would have been holes had Noah not acted fast. And if he hadn’t cut his own flesh, Sylvia might have suspected what he did.
He cut himself for me. At my feet, my shirt lies crumpled, covered in the evidence that, at least to some extent, he cares.
After a long, hot shower that does little to scrape the events of the day off me, I head down but pause on the last step when I hear the sound of male voices coming from the half-closed study door.
Gideon is still here, and whatever it is he and Dad are discussing, it’s serious. I’m about to go back up when the mention of Noah’s name stops me.
“Esposito is ruthless,” Gideon says almost casually. “You’re lucky your daughter made it out alive, especially if he knows she shot his father.”
“Do you believe he does?”
“There’s no other explanation for what’s happened.” There’s the sound of a decanter and liquid being poured. “He’ll come back to finish what he started, Shaw. It’s their code to avenge family. It’s why his family killed my father.”
My head whips around. The Giannis killed Gideon Black’s father? I take a step closer, pressing myself against the wall, remaining out of sight of the sliver of an opening.
“I want to get her out of Jersey before you attack,” Dad says. “I don’t want your fight spilling into my doorway.”
“It’s your fight too,” Gideon says. “But that’s all right. I’ll do the dirty work for you. Happy to. You have three hours.”
“Three hours? You mean to attack tonight?”
Gideon is going to go after Noah? My heart pounds in my chest as I imagine him returning to the loft, only to be taken out by a surprise attack.
“My men are already in position. Pack up your things and go. Get as far away as you can, because if any of the Giannis learn about what she did, they will still come after her.
“I’ll be out in an hour,” Dad assures him.
A part of me thinks I should look the other way and let the cards fall where they may. This is what happens when you belong to that world. Noah is well aware of the consequences of a life of crime.
