Page 89 of Craving Chaos

When they finally join me on the sidewalk, I first give my cousin a kiss on her forehead. “You did so good, Em. So brave. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, Renzo.” Her eyes shine with love.

Conner extends his hand for a shake. “Seems we owe you again.”

“Not this time,” I correct him. “This one was personal for me, too.” I pull Shae to my side and feel my heart rate finally settle.

“You know,” Conner says, “if she tried leaving us for anyone else, I’m not sure I’d let her go.”

“As if you could stop me.” Shae scoffs under her breath.

I’m glad they’re keeping things light, but that brings up a point I need to make. “I hope you know that I would never ask her to quit doing what she loves. I told her I’d step down, but she insists that she be the one to make a change.”

Conner stares at me as though he’s piecing together a puzzle. “I’m not sure if I should respect you for making that offer or question your safety when she has no outlet for all that energy.”

Images flash in my mind of all the creative ways I could make use of her energy. I can’t hold back a wolfish grin. “Shae won’t get bored, trust me.”

She smacks my chest. “That’s enough—you two are talking about me like I’m not standing right here. Jesus. Conner,” she barks. “You get Noemi home. We’ll wait here for the cleanup crew to arrive.”

His smirk fades before he gives us a nod and leads his wife to their car.

I pull Shae in for a hug, holding her snug against my body. “I don’t know what you said out there, but you were incredible to watch. Terrifying but also incredible. The way you stayed calm and talked to her. I could tell you were doing everything you could to save her, but when that didn’t work, you made sure we had the best shot possible.”

“You were terrified?” she balks. “I was scared shitless, but I had to keep cool so I could save the people I love.”

I kiss her long and deep, savoring her taste. When we come apart, I trail a finger over the red line around her neck where she pulled off her necklace. “Did she give you the necklace?”

“No, someone else. Someone she was jealous of.”

I’m so damn curious who gave it to her and whether I have reason to be jealous, but I don’t want to sound insecure, so I keep quiet. Thankfully, Shae anticipates my curiosity and explains.

“I met a man about a month after I started seeing Mari. He was only in the country for a week, but that was all it took for me to be swept away.”

This couldn’t have been that long ago, and I’m suddenly questioning whether I really want to hear this story. With no way to back out, however, I force myself to listen.

“The pendant was a memento—a keepsake of the one that got away. I didn’t realize then, but you helped me learn that being together is a choice. Even if it doesn’t seem like a relationship is an option, there’s always a choice. Not meant to be is a choice. He may have been memorable, but neither of us was willing to sacrifice anything to be together. That was a choice, and it meant he was never the one who got away. He was just a man who made me happy for a week. A man who helped me recognize what the right one truly felt like. Because when it’s right, making a change doesn’t feel like a sacrifice anymore. It feels like the freedom to be together.”

“Fuck, I love you.” I have to kiss her again. I’d do more than that if we weren’t in public. For now, I settle for a toe-curling, intoxicating kiss that leaves us both breathless.

“Love you, too, Ren. Forever and always.”

EPILOGUE

THREE WEEKS LATER

Renzo

“The problem is they’re disorganized,” I explain to Gino. “The Albanians are at war among themselves, and the people associated with Mari’s family are fringe at best. Identifying them hasn’t been easy, so I’ve hired help.”

“A PI or a contract?”

“Neither. There’s a new agency in town that handles private security and investigative matters. Name’s Viper Industries. I heard about them through the Genoveses. Guy who runs it is ex-cartel.”

“I didn’t think anyone was ex-cartel and still breathing.”

“Me either, but from what I hear, this guy’s the real deal. I met with him last week, so we’ll see. I’m not letting this go until I at least get the four who took us.”

Gino nods sagely. “I think you’re right to push the issue. We don’t need the problem spreading.”

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