Page 41 of Morally Gray Daddies

“What the fuck is she doing here?” he asked, addressing Jack even though he was looking at Hailey.

Coldly, she stared back at him. I wanted to reach out and take her hand, but I also didn’t want to ruin the image she was presenting in front of him. No mafia moll, she was the top of the walk in her own right, and I wasn’t about to take that from her. I could feel Gio’s presence behind me, his body so close to mine, we were nearly touching. Another pillar of metaphorical support for Hailey.

“I’m here for the same reason you are,” Hailey answered rather than let Jack speak for her. A small smile spread on her lips, and even from the profile view, I could tell it wasn’t a nice smile. “Because I wanted to see you. Cousin.”

Leonardo snorted, but his gaze cut away to Jack, a look of incredulity on his face, as if he couldn’t believe Hailey had dared speak to him, much less claim credit for his presence.

“So, it’s war you want?” he asked, as if Hailey hadn’t spoken. “I thought we had an alliance.” He sneered as he said the word mockingly, then had to lick more blood from his upper lip. “If you think I’m going to forget this?—”

Hailey stepped forward and lifted her leg in the air, bringing it down hard enough between his legs to make his eyes bulge, air wheezing out of his lungs. Planting both feet firmly on the ground, she leaned forward, bending her knees slightly so she could rest her hands on them. Behind her, Jack stepped forward, clearly not liking her being so close to her cousin—regardless of how he was tied up—but just like me, he didn’t ruin her show. He hovered, protectively, but let her take the lead.

“You started the war when you killed my parents.” Her voice was low, lethal. “We’re just finishing it. And you won’t be alive to remember.” Straightening up, she waved her hand in a gesture of pure dismissal. “Take care of him.”

With that, she spun around on her heel and stalked out of the room, as though she didn’t have a care in the world. Even though I hadn’t been prepared for it, I followed right after her, and Gio followed me, like her own little entourage. Behind us, we could hear Leonardo calling after her, his voice starting out angry and wheezing, then turning desperate.

“Hailey… Hailey! Hailey, come back! Hailey, come back right now! Fucking bi—” He didn’t get the chance to finish the word. It sounded like someone had stopped him with a fist to the gut.

Knowing the man behind me was already dead, even if he was still breathing for now, was a little disturbing, but if anyone deserved it, he did.

I followed Hailey out into the night air where she finally came to a halt and took a deep, cleansing breathing. This time, I didn’t stop myself from coming up beside her to hold her hand. I could still sense Gio behind us, looming but not interfering. Hailey’s eyes were closed, but she opened them when I threaded my fingers through hers and turned to look at me. They were shiny with tears, but she smiled at me.

“I’m okay.” She paused. “At least, I will be.” She took another deep breath, squeezing my fingers. “I just… I needed to know. I needed to look him in the eyes. He did it. He actually killed my parents, and I don’t think it meant anything to him.”

“On the contrary, I think it meant everything,” I said. “He thought he was going to get everything he wanted from doing that. And now he’s not. Because of you.”

She tilted her head, thinking it over.

“That feels… not good exactly, but I feel better.”

“Good.”

“Still have to deal with my grandfather.”

“We’ll handle that for you,” Gio said from behind us, making both of us turn around. In the moonlight, my husband looked especially dangerous, the shadows spreading across his face and body. “That will need to be done more… delicately.”

As in, they probably wouldn’t be able to pick him up the same way they had Leonardo. Especially because Hailey’s grandfather wasn’t in New York—he was in Chicago in his own territory, surrounded by all his men. Leonardo had been in our territory, alone. An easy mark.

The door behind Gio opened, and Jack stepped out. He looked as immaculate as he had when he’d gone in, but there was something in his eyes…

“Is he dead?” Hailey asked.

“No. He’s answering some questions.” Jack smiled. “Thomas is asking a few more on my behalf.”

Hailey let go of my hand as her husband came forward, pulling her to him and tucking her into his side. She sighed, leaning against him.

“We should head back,” Jack said, starting to move toward the car, bringing Hailey with him.

Gio was looking at me again, studying me. Trying to figure out what I was thinking. I liked keeping him guessing. With a little smile, I turned and headed toward the car as well. It only took him a moment to catch up, his hand settling on the small of my back as if he was guiding me.

The small touch sent a little shiver of awareness through me. Going to see Leonardo had been a side matter. My mind was still on the fact Gio had brought Faithful home to me and that I was going to be allowed to keep him… after he’d spent all day running around the city looking for me. He didn’t have to tell me that’s what he’d done—I knew.

Then, he hadn’t even ratted me out to his mother and aunt.

I felt like all of that deserved a reward.

Gio

Holy fuck, my wife’s mouth was fucking heaven.

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