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“Oh, I see.” I walk to the closet with my inside sizzling. My hand quake as I yank a flannel top off the hanger and put it on.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“Yes.” In a frenzy, I turn to face him. “I’m going home. I’ve got no business being here with you."
“What?” he balks. “That’s dangerous. I won't let you get yourself killed.”
I reached for my bag. "I started this without you. I can finish on my own."
"Listen, I want to protect you. Giorgio’s not someone to mess with. Let’s stick to the plan."
“I’ll be fine." I stomp to the door, and only then remember that we’re in the middle of nowhere.
I walk down the long drive until I reach the country road and pull out my phone. It takes seconds to request a ride back to the city. I schedule it to meet me at the small convenience store a mile or so away. I walk as fast as I can, disappointed when I don’t see Marcello following me.
What did I expect?
That he’d fallen in love with me, I guess. That he’d seeusin his future. That I wouldn’t be alone. Again.
This is what happens when you meet a man in the club and fuck him in the bathroom. It doesn’t matter that I was trying to find my brother’s killers. All that matters is ass. Not a relationship that could be something more.
How embarrassing.
The car is there when I arrive. After sitting in the back seat, I tell the driver my destination with a shaky voice.
Tears roll out of my eyes as I mentally berate myself for falling for Marcello, for letting my emotions get involved. Intense rage makes my stomach clench. I wipe away my tears and sigh. More than ever, I’m more determined to get over my revenge and finally return to Lexington.
I have to put New York City and Marcello Bernardi behind me.
Some hours later, the car stops in front of my apartment building. I step out of the car and I look up and down the serene block. The house is dark except for the porch light.
I unlock the door and a sense of relief overtakes me. It feels good to be home. I make my way to my bedroom. The silence is unnerving but when I check the clock, I see that it’s past eleven. Jenna must be at work.
“I’m going to fix this all by myself,” I murmur to the empty bedroom. “Even if Giorgio’s gonna kill me, I'll make sure we die together.”
After reaching for my laptop, I kick off my shoes and lay on the bed. I log in and click around until I find the picture. I’ve got to imagine how to get to Giorgio before he finds me. I bite my lower lip, peering at his smiling face. Damn, how can he be this happy when he’s the cause of such grief?
“Think, Daniella. There has to be a way out.” I remove the hair tie holding my hair back, letting it fall loose on my shoulders.
Marcello’s face crosses my mind. I should never have trusted him. He’s a capo, for goodness’ sake. I didn’t know how he’d make love to me. I didn’t know he’d do it with so much attention and care. Any woman would fall for those green eyes and his killer smile.
I fall back on the bed, staring at the overhead light. Nothing will discourage me from my plan. Not even unrequited love.
Suddenly, it strikes me that I could hire someone—an escort. Isn’t that what men like Giorgio want? A beautiful woman in his bed?
I get up, doing an internet search on site I know of meant for finding paid companionship. All I need to do is hire a beautiful woman to flirt with him and add a little poison to his drink.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, interrupting my planning. For a second, my heart hopes it’s Marcello coming to his senses, but I push that thought aside. I pick up my phone and see that it’s Karter.
My stomach tightens as I stare at the call on the screen. Now I definitely know I mean absolutely nothing to Marcello. He would have called by now if I meant something.
I drop the phone to my bed and return to searching and leaving messages for possible candidates. My phone keeps ringing, however, and I have a feeling I know who it is. I glance down at it again and see that it’s Karter for the hundredth time.
Karter is the kind of man you should keep at a healthy distance. The kind that doesn’t comprehend that our brief relationship was a major mistake on my part. I sit back and groan, knowing that he'll keep calling if I don’t answer.
I hit the answer button.
“What do you want?” I speak firmly.
