Page 80 of Now and Forever

She stood taller. “Curious, I guess. What’s the matter? Your expression is odd.”

“Something is up with Dario.” I lowered my voice. “Giovanni is fine, but he’s never reassigned Armando before.” I turned and met Giovanni’s stare. “Are you going to tell me what’s happening?”

“Miguel and I are accompanying you and Miss Ruiz to the Intersection Arts District before taking Miss Ruiz to the airport.”

I pursed my lips. “Is Dario safe?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

ChapterTwenty-One

Dario

My thoughts were spinning with questions about my unexpected arrival upstairs. Nevertheless, I kept my expression unreadable as I stood and watched Catalina and Camila walk through the glass doors, stepping out of Emerald Club. Giovanni turned and nodded, silently reassuring me that my wife was safe, and he would help Miguel if Camila was in danger. We were all on high alert, and the last thing our new alliance needed was for either of the Ruiz women to be injured in Luciano territory.

Once the foursome disappeared, I hurried back up to my office. As I approached the closed door, Jasmine’s sobs were no longer audible. She’d been crying since she showed up early this morning. I wasn’t good with emotions. It wasn’t like I had the best examples growing up. Results were where I exceeded.

My neck straightened at what I saw as I opened the door. Armando met my gaze. His arms were surrounding Jasmine. Her unruly long red hair fell over her back, and her face was buried in his shirt.

Armando stiffened.

I shook my head, telling him to stay as he was.

Jasmine needed comfort, and she trusted Armando. She’d known him over half her life, since she was seven years old. Armando knew my strict rules regarding touching women he guarded. Jasmine had been the one to violate that rule as a child. Despite her horrible early childhood, when she arrived in our lives, she was a loving and outgoing child. Her ability to hug and love was a magnet to even the most dangerous of men.

Josie was the reason Jasmine was as well-adjusted as possible. She’d dedicated her life to her younger sister. If that was all I knew about Josie when I took her home with me, it would have been enough.

I had a flashback of that first day, rescuing Josie from Minx Club and meeting Jasmine for the first time.

I walked into the owner’s office, unintentionally interrupting his interrogation. Josie’s face and body were battered, and her legs spotted with angry circular burns.

At only twenty-five years old myself and on my way to replacing my father as capo, I had absolutes. One was that women were to be respected. Maybe it was because I’d grown up watching my mother, my aunts, and other women being disrespected.

Minx, the club owner, was a fat, disgusting coward who got off exerting his power over those who were unable to fight back. When I walked into that office, Josie was nude and tied to a chair. I snapped, unsheathing my knife and freeing her from her bindings. Later I’d give Minx a taste of the cigar burns.

Later in the day, as I entered my apartment, I expected to find a weakened, scared woman. Josie was anything but. I’d also been told that Armando had secured Josie’s sister. I knew next to nothing about children. Jasmine was nothing like I envisioned.

There was no way to prepare myself for the redheaded bundle of pure joy.

Bracing myself for the unknown, I called out, “Josie.”

Josie appeared at the top of the staircase with Jasmine’s hand in hers. The little girl looked nothing like her sister. Where Josie’s hair was brown, Jasmine’s was red. Josie’s face was battered, Jasmine’s was perfect. When my eyes met Jasmine’s, I found the same blue as her sister’s.

Descending the steps, Jasmine whispered something to Josie and the two smiled. Josie looked down at me, silently pleading for me to give Jasmine a chance. There wasn’t a question ofif. When I made the decision to bring Josie into my home, her sister was part of the deal.

As the two made it to the marble entry, I crouched down and extended my hand. “Hello, Miss Jasmine.”

Jasmine giggled as she looked at Josie and back to me.

“You can shake his hand,” Josie whispered.

“My name is just Jasmine,” she said as we shook.

“And my name is Dario.”

“Mr. Luciano—” Josie began.

My gaze was only on the little girl as I interrupted. “You can call me Dario.”

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