Page 89 of Salvatore

Chapter Twenty-Four

Salvatore

I open the door, expecting Aedry to be standing there. As I look out to the lanai, she’s back in her seat and turned to where the band is playing a calypso version of a modern song. She looks . . . happy, sitting there with a tray of fresh oysters at the center of the table and two large shrimp cocktails placed at each setting.

Her smile fades as I approach.

“Is everything all right?” she asks.

I kneel in front of her and place her hand in mine, taking in her soft, beautiful features and recognizing I’m waiting too damn long to answer. “Aedry,” I finally say. “You know I love you, don’t you?”

Slowly, she clasps her mouth, her shock evident in her soft voice. “Oh, my God . . . Sal.”

The stress brutally clenching my gut twists harder. She thinks I’m proposing! “I have to go out,” I say quickly.

“Oh,” she says, her face heating. “Wait, you’re going now?”

“I have something to take care of.”

“Um. Okay.” She glances at the food. “Let’s have a quick bite and I’ll go with you.”

“No. You stay here,” I say, rising. “Enjoy the meal, the band, it’s all for you. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

What I tell her isn’t an explanation. It’s nothing more than a bunch of lame-ass comments thrown together. When it comes down to it, I have nothing to say?nothing that will explain why I’m leaving her, by herself, after setting up this surprise in the middle of paradise.

My vague comments do jack to console her. She averts her chin when I try to kiss her, keeping her attention away from me when she speaks. “Where are you going?”

“A friend of mine is here on the island. He’s in trouble and he needs me to go find him.”

Her expression crumbles as she tries to understand. “But then why can’t I go with you?”

“There’s a storm coming,” I say. As if on cue, thunder crackles in the distance. “I don’t want you out with me if the weather gets bad.”

She drops her gaze, but then meets my eyes. “Is this friend really a man?”

My stare hardens. I’m not pissed she asked. I’m angry at myself for giving her a reason to doubt me. “Yes.”

She doesn’t answer, releasing my hand and shifting her body to face the food. “I thought you were hungry,” she reminds me.

I don’t respond in the way that she wants or in the soft voice she deserves. My fury at Vin keeps my tone sharp. “I’ll be back soon,” I say.

I want to tell her that I love her. I don’t want to walk away with her mad at me, especially if I don’t make it back. But I can’t. I don’t tell her I love her much. If I do now?soon after I already said it?she’ll know something’s wrong.

I kiss the top of her head and make a silent vow, for her and for my brothers, to make it back.

Devan, he’s one of those men paid well to keep his trap shut and his employer happy. Don’t know if he’s ever killed. Don’t care. But this isn’t the first time he’s done shit that maybe he shouldn’t. He steps around the jeep, moving like a shadow. “The items requested are in the glove compartment as promised, and the navigation system is set, sir.”

I try not to take it as sign as the breeze picks up and the sky darkens. In the distance, and a hell of a lot closer than before, thunder booms. I look Devan square in the eye. “No one but my brothers, my woman, or her friend steps foot on this property, understand?”

At his nod, I slide into the jeep, making quick work of checking the Sig, two 380 autos, and a few daggers with enough jagged teeth to shame a shark. But it’s the bulge at my hip that draws my attention.

The ring, the one I’d planned to give Aedry tonight, pushes against my leg.

I pull it out. I want to look at it and pretend for just one God damn minute that someone like me can have a real future with someone like her. Instead, I drop it in the console and use the ankle strap in the kit to secure my knife in place.

Given the arsenal at my disposal, Vin doesn’t want anyone walking away. If he gave me this knife, it’s to make a statement. What the fuck’s wrong with him? I’m not one of those mindless sheep of his, willing to cut anyone he points to. But if I stand a chance at getting through this mess alive, I’ll need every weapon I have.

“Is there anything else, sir? Devan asks.

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