Page 66 of Assistant to the Mafia

“Luckily for him.”

Grace frowned. “How is that lucky?”

Romeo slowed and cut his gaze to hers. “If he’d just stood there with his thumb up his ass while fucking Filip Tracey snuck in to where you were and put a gun to your head? You think I’d yell at him and dock his pay and call it even?” His grip tightened. “Angel, when people fuck up in this job, they don’t usually pay in apologies and cash. They pay in blood.”

She supposed she could see his point, even if it sounded extreme. She released a breath and laid her head down again. “I’ll have to get used to adjusting my thinking when I’m off the clock.”

He chuckled quietly as they approached the SUV. “Door,” he snapped a second later.

“Daddy, is Miss Grace okay?” Lucia asked, her young voice laced with worry.

Grace lifted her head and smiled into the backseat, where Lucia was already buckled in and ready. “I’m okay, sweetie.”

“You’ll be better when we get that leg looked at,” Romeo said. He settled her into her seat, found the first aid kit Mo apparently kept in the back, and tore open the small hole in her pants until he could get at the gash in her leg.

“I can do that,” Grace said.

“Then you can treat me if I get hit someday,” Romeo returned, never taking his eyes from his work. He did only enough to apply a temporary bandage to the wound, straightened, and kissed her roughly. “You really need to stop bleeding on me.”

She could only smile, opting not to tell him that her head kind of hurt again. This time she was pretty sure it was a close-quarters gunshot headache, at least. She didn’t think she’d hit it on anything.

“Sir,” Enrico said from just beyond the car door.

“Daddy, I want to go home,” Lucia said almost simultaneously. “The ice rink’s no fun if bad men are here.”

Romeo looked behind Grace and managed a mildly softer smile. “We’re leaving, princess. I’m gonna have to go into work, but how’s a visit to Grandma’s sound?”

Both of Grace’s eyebrows shot up before she could contain the reaction. He’d told her of his mother’s confession on Saturday, and how he was struggling to make peace with what she’d done. At the time—not even a full twenty-four-hours earlier—he’d recognized her perspective but been unable to get past her actual actions. She couldn’t help but wonder if this was more a choice of convenience, or if in the face of new crisis, he’d found the peace he’d needed.

“Do you really have to leave?” Lucia whined.

“It’s important, Lucy.” Romeo reached over and buckled Grace in.

As he stepped away, shutting the door behind him, Grace turned to look back at Lucia. “Will it help to know I’ll be staying with you?” She presumed she would, anyway. She certainly knew Romeo wasn’t going into the DSI office.

Lucia had tear stains on her cheeks, and it was only then that Grace realized the girl had almost certainly overheard the gunshots. Hopefully overhearing was all she’d done. Lucia bobbed her head emphatically. “Yes, please.”

Romeo hopped into the seat beside Grace as Enrico took the driver’s seat and another guard the passenger’s. “Take us to Mom’s. Mo’s got another job.”

“Yes, sir,” Enrico said.

“Will Enny be staying, too?” Lucia asked.

“Enrico always stays with you, Lucy,” Romeo said. He reached over the seatback to lay a hand on her knee. “I’m sorry about this. But don’t let it scare you—we’re all okay.”

She sniffled. “Where’s Uncle Mo?”

“Making a delivery for me. He’s fine.”

Lucia fell quiet, and after a couple of minutes Romeo moved his arm and pulled Grace’s hand into his. He held her hand tightly, no one speaking a word, until Enrico parked in front of Eleonora’s house. Enrico and the other man got out, Romeo got out, and Grace unbuckled herself. Grace and Lucia were helped from the vehicle, and the man who’d ridden shotgun ducked into the driver’s seat quietly.

Romeo crouched in front of his daughter, kissed her forehead, and promised to come back in time for dinner. Then he stepped in front of Grace and cupped her jaw in his hands, simply staring into her eyes. “This never happens again,” he said, so softly she barely heard him.

She smiled at his unrealistic promise. “I get to see you for dinner, too, right?”

His lips lifted. “If you behave.” He paused. “Get your leg taken care of.”

“I promise.”

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