Page 61 of His Passerotta

“Mack, please.” There’s emotion in her voice that I question right away, but Maksim halts in his steps. Anya’s face has fallen, but it couldn’t be more obvious to me that this is a manipulation tactic. And by the look on his troubled face when he turns around, I’d say he’s fallen for it.

He pulls out his wallet as he approaches and plucks out a hundred-dollar bill. “Money must be earned, Anya. You’re on dish duty for a month.”

He goes to hand me the bill, but he tenses when we lock eyes, and he doesn’t extend his arm out the rest of the way.

I drop my gaze to the register, pulling my hand away.

He knows.

Oh fuck, he knows.

From my periphery, I see the bill flutter to the counter, and I catch Maksim’s back as he walks away. If my face has paled, Anya doesn’t notice because she leans in with a wicked grin on her face, clearly proud of herself, and whispers, “Keep the change.”

She turns and strolls after her brother, not concerned about keeping up, meanwhile I stare with so much panic beating my heart that my chest hurts.

He might not have known it was me. He hesitated what, a second? That’s nothing. That could be an ‘woah her face is pale’ reaction or anything else. It doesn’t mean he recognized me. If he did, he didn’t voice it in any subtle way.

He doesn’t know. He doesn’t. It’s okay. I’m okay.

I’m quitting today. Now. No more public work like this. This was stupid and reckless and not even close to worth the barely-above minimum wage.

I put the money in the drawer, feeling no satisfaction when I pocket the fifty dollars. Just touching the guy’s money makes me queasy.

For the rest of my shift, I can’t stop looking around, searching for anyone who might be out of place. Anyone watching me. I’m being paranoid, and I know it. Maksim didn’t leave then circle back for me. I’ll be gone before he ever has a chance to, if that’s even his plan. Which it isn’t. Because I’m fine.

When the mall has emptied and I leave the little sunglass stand, I dig through my purse in search of my can of pepper spray, so small you wouldn’t notice it in my palm unless you were looking. I hover my finger over the trigger and dart my eyes around nervously as I walk the hall to the exit.

With a deep breath, I push through the doors, wind blowing in my face and whipping my hair wildly. It looks like it might storm, which makes the walk that much more terrifying. My eyes find my car in the nearly vacant lot, and I stride that way with my heart thumping in my ears.

He didn’t recognize me. I’m fine. I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine. Get home, get the phone, tell Anthony. He said he would be willing to kill Maksim if that’s what it took, so I’ll be fine.

The thought of Maksim dying makes my stomach twist. I don’t actually want that, do I?

No. No, I don’t. I was a guardian long enough to recognize one. The way Maksim seized at the pain in Anya’s voice… He’s definitely raising her. And he feels guilty as hell for it. I recognize the feeling too well, and I could never take him away from her like I was taken from my brother.

So what then? It’s him or me?

I walk faster to my car, hoping it’s neither. I’m almost there. So close, and my legs instinctively break out in a run, like they know the danger lurking better than I do. I convince myself it’s imagined, convince myself it’s paranoia, but when I stride by a blue van, I register the giant in the shadows, and I know who it is even before he steps out.

I stop in my tracks, letting the pepper spray slip through my fingers and raising my hands up before he even gives the command, the same reaction I had the first time we met.

Drops of rain dampen my hair, but it isn’t what causes my shoulders to shake with a shiver. My fingers tingle with fear as the familiar gun presses into my back, and Hugh’s large palm cups my shoulder.

“We meet again, princess.”

15

ANTHONY

Looking at my watch, I huff out a sigh and crack my neck.

“Patience, little brother,” Lorenzo says over the rain.

We’re standing underneath a gazebo outside a ritzy venue where the wedding reception of a made man is happening. It’s a full hour outside Vegas, so for Maksim to want to drive all the way out here, whatever he’s wanting to discuss must be important. Which makes it worrisome.

“He said nine o’clock. It’s nine fifteen.”

“Wow. How frustrating it must be for you to have to wait on someone. I wonder what that’s like.”

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