Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
I almost wish I had chosen ignorance.
This looks like a desk key. I idly wonder if he left it here for me to find. No… he’s too direct for something like that… Adriano Bruno doesn’t play games like that.
I slide it into the top drawer and when it doesn't open, I go to the next, and the next, and the next, until I finally give up.
It doesn’t belong here.
But when I stand, I notice on the front panel of the desk, where my knees would hit if I sat at it, there's the tiniest glint of metal. My pulse quickens. It’s a lock.
I slip the key in. I already know before I turn it that it's going to open.
The panel comes loose and opens to a drawer. My heart pounding madly in my chest, I retrieve a legal-size folder. I look to the door, as if waiting for Adriano to burst in at any moment, or one of my guards. But nobody's here. I'm alone.
I open the folder and realize I'm not breathing. My pulse racing, I flip through the contents of the envelope, disbelieving.
No. No. No…
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“AFTERMATH”
Adriano
"Let me go, brother."
Sergio stares at me, knowing he's testing me. I know I shouldn’t have lost my shit in the club like this, not where people could watch us, definitely not in front of Quinn.
Mario speaks up. "Serg, honestly, I’d have kicked his ass, too." He pauses. “Maybe not as thoroughly…”
Mario knows the news that we got today didn't help. If anything, it's had me on fucking edge all day. It's killing me not to run out of here right now, hunt her down and make sure that she’s well within my eyesight.
But I have to take care of this situation first. Before Sergio locks me up, or worse.
Sergio nods. "I understand. That's why I stopped you."
"That's why we stopped him, motherfucker,” Mario says with a laugh. "You didn't suddenly grow another pair of arms, asshole."
Sergio gives him a playful punch to the shoulder that makes Mario wince. He chuckles, and we stand up.
"Go. Go home to her. Everything's fine for now, and we'll figure out our next move after the next meeting. Nothing’s going to happen immediately, we know that much."
And if it does, I'm ready.
I call her, but she doesn't answer. I text Bruce. The response is immediate.
She's asleep, Boss. She’s safe.
I stare out the window at the Boston skyline as I drive home.
All I've ever wanted to do was keep her safe. Keep anyone I loved safe. I didn’t mean to scare her. But fuck, when I saw that panic in her eyes…the motherfucker’s lucky he’s still breathing.
I open the door to the apartment, and even though I've had an entire team here while I've been gone, I still do a safety check. I can't help it. I check every closet, every entrance, my video cameras. Every single one safe, and no one’s come here to hurt her.
I pour myself a drink and try to get back to a place of calm so I can talk to her without scaring the shit out of her. I don't want to scare her. I never wanted to.
I adore her. I fucking love the woman.
I walk to the bed and sit beside her and rest my hand on her back. She rolls over, sees me, and sits up, scootching back.
"You’re home."
It doesn't surprise me that her voice is guarded, after the shit that went down tonight. I run my fingers through her hair, loving the way it feels. She's here. She safe.
It's the mantra that I repeat to myself over and over again.
"Quinn," I begin. "I'm so sorry for what happened tonight. I should've kept myself in control."
She pulls away from me, which doesn't surprise me, but it still feels like a knife in my heart. I let her go, and watch her lean against the headboard, tucking her knees up to her chest.
"That can't happen again, Adriano."
Is it my imagination, or is there a tone of finality in her voice? I tell myself it’s just my fears, my worst fears.
"I know."
"We need to talk," she says, biting her lip.
"We do. We found out news tonight that I have to tell you."
Something that might change everything…
"What's that?" I hate the guarded looks she's giving me. I hate that she is sitting right next to me, yet it feels as if she's rooms away, no, even further than that. Miles away from me, on another planet, even.
"Your mother’s been trying to reach you."
She stares at me, unblinking. "How do you know?"
"You know that I track your social media. She's left several messages in the past few days, and some are confusing, but some are very lucid."
"What does she want?" Quinn asks in a whisper.
"She wants to see you. She said she misses you."
Quinn twirls a piece of hair in her fingers, examining it. Her voice is so soft, it's almost as if she's talking to herself. I lean in closer, so I can hear.