Page 85 of Salvatore

Chapter Twenty-Three

Salvatore

The night we had dinner with Vin and Rita was a turning point in our relationship. It could have ended badly and I could have lost Aedry forever. Instead, it bonded us and we spent the rest of the night making love.

I fought to keep from telling her how I feel, believing I’d somehow finish ruining her. Months later, we’re still going strong.

Things aren’t perfect. Not by a long shot. That night at Vin’s solidified Aedry’s suspicions that Vin isn’t the respectable business owner or philanthropist he pretends to be.

The cash she’s seen me carry, the gun I don’t leave my place without, and the bruises I’ve come home with following sit-downs, are putting a strain on our relationship. While I’m not lying to her, I’m being far from honest.

“Are you involved with drugs?” she asked me.

“No. I wouldn’t do that to you or to us.”

“Prostitution?” she asked, in a way that seemed to kill her.

“No,” I answered, putting enough force behind my words that she’d realize I’m not a part of that shit.

“What about weapons trading?” she pressed. “Sal, you need to tell me what Vincent does.”

“Vin is a man with questionable morals and legitimate businesses.” I snagged her waist and pulled her to me when she tried to walk away. “But I swear to you, I’m only in charge of security, making sure no one hurts him or Donnie.”

Yeah. Donnie. She got back on his good side, not that it’s going to last.

Aedry relaxed in my arms. She needed to hear that all of us, me, her, and my brothers, are safe.

They are. I’m not. But I couldn’t exactly tell her that. I make it like the people Vin associates with and encounter are the problem. She doesn’t know he’s Mafia. If she did, she’d walk away, taking my soul with her.

For now, though, she’s with me. And I’m going to make every day count.

The breeze sweeping in through the open taxi slaps against our faces, filling our noses with salty air mixed with the aroma of tropical flowers. To our right, the sun’s setting on the horizon, casting light along the clear blue water. Jesus, the Cayman Islands are like heaven on earth, almost too beautiful to be real. Very much like this woman in my arms.

Aedry pushes her dark hair away from her face and looks up at me, smiling. “Great day,” she says.

“Perfect,” I agree.

She, my brothers, and me, along with Aedry’s friend, Autumn, spent the day taking a private tour of the islands. When I asked Aedry what she wanted to do for Spring break, she said to spend time with me, Gianno, and Apollo.

“Let’s celebrate with them. They’ve worked so hard.”

She was talking a nice dinner out, maybe even a movie. I was talking a serious getaway. We did it my way, and we snagged Autumn along so she could watch my brothers, so Aedry and me could have some time alone. Aedry misses her friend, and for all she’s “quirky” like Aedry describes her, she’s a good friend to Aedry. Not like those skanks I saw her with at the club.

My hand sweeps over Aedry’s golden skin. Her tan isn’t as deep as mine, Apollo’s, or Gianno’s, but she’s surprised me by managing some decent color, considering how light her skin is. Autumn is a different story. That redhead has to be the whitest person on this planet. And don’t forget that she’s spent the two days we’ve been here lathering her skin with SPF 100.

I didn’t even know they made that shit.

“Laugh all you want, but I’m thwarting premature aging and skin cancer,” she insisted when me and my boys cracked up following Gianno’s offer to buy her a Mumu.

“Jesus, you look like a redheaded snowman with glasses,” Gianno told her. “If you’re ‘thwarting’ anything, it’s a chance to get laid.”

“Nah, some men like that igloo shit,” Apollo countered.

We all lost it on that one. In fact, we’ve laughed a lot, which is good. When Vin offered up his secluded vacation home, I didn’t want to take him up on it, sure there was a catch.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Can’t a guy do something nice for a friend?” I didn’t answer. Vin doesn’t do something for nothing. “Come on, Sal. I didn’t mean any disrespect. If I knew who Aedry was to you, I never would have put the moves on her. Let me make it up to you and your woman.”

Me and Vin, we’re all right. Not great, not bad, just all right.

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