Page 57 of Sins and Secrets

Even though I still don’t want to be here, it is nice to get away from everything for a little while.

While we’re here, I know that Alessio has assigned an extra protection detail to my father. People are with Papa day and night making sure nothing happens to him.

As much as I may hate the mafia, Alessio is the kind of man who will protect his people with everything he has when he knows there’s a threat.

Yet another reason why leaving the mafia is a hard decision. Me and Papa will gain our freedom, but there will no longer be protection in place.

At least for now, I have to let go of those worries and try to enjoy this trip for what it is.

Papa is in safe hands which means that I may be able to relax a little.

“Is there anything we have to do tonight?” I ask as Alessio pulls out his phone.

“No. The security detail have arrived. They will be watching over the house and wandering around the property grounds. If you want to leave the property and I’m not with you, you need to find and notify one of them.”

“I thought you trust the man who runs Miami?”

Alessio nods and tucks his phone back in his pocket. “I trust Jovan as much as any person in power can trust another. He is a good ally and a great friend, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t others here who wouldn’t want to hurt me. Do you honestly think that Paolo wouldn’t have us followed down here?”

“I know he would.” I sigh and make my way back into the hall to start exploring the bedrooms. “I just thought that there wouldn’t be a bunch of people following us around.”

Alessio chuckles. “Why? Were you hoping to get some alone time with me? Because that can still be arranged.”

I scoff and open the wood door to the first bedroom. My mouth drops open when I glance up and see the exposed beams. “You know what, I’m definitely taking this bedroom. Not for the courtyard or the pool — those are bonuses, though — but for this architecture alone.

“If I knew that this house was going to get you that excited, I would have brought you here a long time ago.”

“This is my dream house.” I look around at the wooden furniture, all stained dark while still allowing the natural texture to show through. “The earth tones and the way one room is cohesive with the next really makes a statement.”

"If you want to see a statement, head into the ensuite and take a look at the shower.” Alessio leans in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. There is an easy smile on his face as he dips his head toward a wooden door to my right.

Behind the door is the most amazing bathroom I’ve ever seen. The floor is made out of terracotta tiles, but the shower has stunning hand-painted tiles in various shades of blue. I pull out my phone and take a picture, my cheeks aching from smiling.

“This house is amazing. You should have gotten to Miami first. Made this your home,” I say as I walk back out into the bedroom.

I glance over at the glass doors and see a courtyard paved with the same terracotta. A fountain with blue and yellow tiling sits in the middle of a mini forest. Comfortable-looking chairs line the small area, making it seem like the perfect little oasis.

“The pool is just through those trees.

There’s a gate beyond that which will take you to the backyard.”

“This is all amazing.” I look around, trying to take it all in. Our time in this house is limited and I want to remember as much of it as possible.

“Want to go for a walk on the beach and get some dinner? There’s a great place to get some burgers down by the boardwalk.”

“Can I drive the car again?” I ask, dangling the keys from my finger.

Alessio laughs and shrugs. “Why not? You didn’t kill us the first time. You might not kill us this time either. Jovan and Hadley are going to meet us there, though.”

“Hadley?”

Alessio nods and leads the way out of the room and back through the house. “Yeah. His wife. They’ve got a baby on the way in a couple months.”

“This week won’t just be a sausage fest, then.” I grin as we head outside. The stars are hanging high in the sky as we make our way to the car. “Good. I could use a little girl time instead of putting up with you.”

Alessio rolls his eyes and gets in the car. “We’ll see if you’re still saying that after you’ve spent time with Hadley.”

“There is no way!” I grin, glancing between Hadley and Jovan. He glares at his wife, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you got him to put on a dress. How the hell did you manage that?”

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