Page 76 of His Passerotta

Is that why he gave it to me?

Anthony feels his inside jacket pocket, probably remembering Hugh throwing him the phone, as I am now.

“Corey,” I plead, taking another step his way. He whips his gaze to me. An impossibly long minute ticks by while I wait for him to stand down.

Finally, he sighs. “I’ll be right outside. You have two minutes.”

He waits for me to nod before he reluctantly leaves.

I rush to Anthony. “I’m sorry.” When I hold out my arms, he jerks his shoulder back to keep me from touching him. “Anthony, I’m so sorry. He was just worried.”

Yes, just a worried little brother with a gun and multiple friends at his back, ready to kill my apparent boyfriend. Makes total sense.

“He knows you’re a criminal,” I say, my heart falling when he jerks out of my reach again. “He probably thought you kidnapped me.”

Anthony pulls the phone from his pocket, checks the screen, then turns it to show me. “No messages.”

“He must’ve seen I was at La Divina and automatically?—”

“Automatically what, Bailey? Automatically decided that I kidnapped you and took you to the place you used to work? This isn’t the basement at a drug house, it’s a restaurant. One you’ve been to.”

“I know. I…” My eyes begin to water. “Please.”

A couple seconds go by before his hardened face finally cracks. “Your brother just tried to kill me, Bailey.”

“I know.” My head bobs a few times too many. “I know, and I’m sorry.”

“When you asked him not to, he said he already told you I deserve to die. What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means…” I slam my eyes shut for a moment, trying to think through my words. I’m so scared of fucking up that my hands tremble. “Please try to understand. He was so mad that you took me, y-you can’t blame him for thinking you should be dead.”

“Did you know he wanted to kill me?” Anthony asks, his anger showing in his voice. “Is that why you keep telling me to be careful? Because you thought your brother might try to fucking kill me?”

“Yes.” I take a deep breath and try to take his arms. He stiffens but doesn’t pull away. “And I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I was terrified you’d hurt him. I care about you, Anthony, I really do, but…”

“But he’s your brother,” he finishes for me.

I slowly nod.

Anthony lets out a long sigh, relaxing beneath my touch. “You need to leave, Bailey.”

“No,” I whine, inching closer to him. “Please, don’t?—”

“Your brother’s waiting for you.” He takes a step away from my reach. “Just go.” He turns his head like he can’t stand to look at me.

I should be happy. Relieved. Relieved beyond belief that he’s accepting this, that he isn’t pulling out a gun and executing us all right now.

But I’m not. Sadness drowns every other emotion.

I want to say something, but I know there’s nothing left to say. I missed my chance.

So instead, I turn to the door and leave with hunched shoulders and tears in my eyes.

18

BAILEY

Corey stands over me like a king before his peasant. “Aren’t you going to ask if I’m okay?”

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