Page 33 of Desperate Vows

Taking a pause, I looked at her. “Ask, and I’ll let you know if I can answer it.”

“How did you manage the grief of losing your sister, dad, and mom? It’s been six months, and I’m struggling to cope. I can’t imagine the heartbreak of what you went through.”

I expected something silly or insignificant. Not that. Not a question that felt like an examination of my heart. No one had asked me this before. “I don’t know. I was the oldest. The only choice I had was to keep it together.”

Biting her lip, she lowered her gaze. “I bet you did feel like that.” Her eyes met mine again, and they shimmered with unshed tears. It’d only been six months since she lost her mom. It’d been three years for me, and there were times I felt like my heart was being ripped out all over again.

Her eyes searched mine. “Maybe we can learn to be friends and grieve together.” The words were filled with vulnerability and hope.

I buried my hand in her hair and touched her forehead to mine. God, it felt like I had been wandering around in the desert, and this woman was the water I didn’t know I needed. I wanted to drown in her. “I don’t know how good I’ll be at friendship.”

“Me either.” She gave a cute little laugh. “I hear doing our nails can be a bonding experience.”

I pulled back, and she had this thousand-watt smile with her eyes glittering in the soft bathroom light. I guessed it was a coating of unshed tears that made them glisten. “You think you’re funny, but you aren’t.”

“Yes, I am.” That smart mouth.

I kissed her one more time because I couldn’t resist and set her on her feet as I stood. She sashayed to the door, looked over her shoulder and winked.

That hot shower I’d dreamed about for the last few hours would be frigid.

Two days later, I sat in the back booth of the restaurant, nursing a Scotch as I waited for Ari. He’d managed to get me a meeting with Jason Georgiou much quicker than I had anticipated. I’d hoped he would be receptive. I knew his family had suffered hard times, too, so that was a point in my corner.

I was still trying to digest and figure out Franklin Benoit. Remy had told him what happened. Moretti attacked his home, and he continued with a business trip? It wasn’t believable. I just couldn’t put together what he had planned.

The only thing I knew for certain was that Claire wasn’t involved. I saw the look on her face after I got her in the car. That wasn’t someone used to the violence and chaos of my world. She was in shock. Horrified. She’d actually felt sorry for that scumbag who would have delivered her to Moretti without a second thought.

When the door to the restaurant opened, the rest of my thoughts were put on hold. A lot riding on this meeting. Ari and Jason reached the booth, I stood to greet them.

Jason wore an expensive suit and had a stern expression on his face. If I was reading him right, he felt the same way I did. This had the potential to strengthen both families. We shook hands.

“Jason.” I looked around, and just as I was about to ask whether his second would be attending, Thomas entered and took long strides until he was next to Jason.

“Lucas,” Jason said, never breaking eye contact. “Long time no see.”

“How’ve you been?”

He shrugged. “Business is good, so same as usual.”

I smiled. “Good to know. Whiskey still your flavor?”

“The cheapest stuff you got.” He laughed.

I shook my head. How he stomached that rotgut was beyond me. Jason and I were taking our seats when Ari arrived with glasses and bottom-shelf whiskey. “Have a seat, fellas.”

When our glasses were filled, I raised mine aloft. “Salut!”

The trio repeated it back to me, and it was time for business.

“So, Ari says you’ve got something important to discuss,” Jason said as he poured himself another drink.

“What do you know of Franklin Benoit?” I asked.

Jason swirled the amber in his glass. “I don’t worry about the French or the Italian as long as they stay out of my area. That said, he’s a cockroach.”

I grunted. “What else?”

“I’ve got some friends of friends that I trust. I’m told he screwed over Marco Moretti. I don’t know the details, but I can’t see Marco letting it go.”

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