Page 35 of Unforgivable Ties

He exited to the back room, and I wanted to scream. I didn’t think it would be good having people know we lived together. But there wasn’t much I could do about it now.

Vincenzo

Ifelt the vibration of my phone in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw Ettore’s name on the screen. Hopefully there was no emergency that needed to be tended to.

“Yeah?” I said, answering the phone.

“I just met the medical intern,” he responded. I couldn’t quite pinpoint the tone of his voice; but there was something going on.

“And?” I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Stephanie, was it? Liria was talking to her, and I learned a very interesting piece of information.”

Fuck. Whatever he leading up to, I had a feeling I didn’t want to hear it.

“What’s that?” I asked.

I walked over to the sofa to sit down. There was an anxious feeling pooling at the pit of my stomach—had he somehow figured out she wasn’t the daughter of one of our business associates like I had said? Hiring a civilian in our world would not fly.

“Apparently, she lives with you,” Ettore said, the slight hint of amusement audible in his voice.

My heart skipped. I had hoped to keep Stephanie’s presence in my home a secret from him and my friends a little longer. I had always been known for my gruff exterior, and having a girl living with me...well, that wasn’t exactly on brand.

“How’d you figure that out?”

I tried to keep my voice steady, as though this revelation had no significance whatsoever. But Ettore wasn’t easily fooled.

“Dino has a big mouth,” he responded.

“Of course he does,” I muttered.

He was always so involved in everyone else’s business; it was just a part of who he was. The man hid behind an exterior of providing security for family members, but really, his position ran far deeper than that. Dino went undercover for us, using his skills to find out anything and everything about anyone we needed to know.

I knew Stephanie didn’t tell him willingly, so I’d have to find out how he figured out the information.

“Is there something you aren’t telling me about her?” Ettore asked, his tone stern. “Is she really the daughter of one of our business associates?”

I took a deep breath, my fingers drumming anxiously on the armrest of the sofa. He could smell a secret from a mile away. I considered keeping it from him, but although I was his friend, he was still the Don.

“It’s complicated...”

I told him the entire story, from Stephanie saving my life in the warehouse until her moving into the apartment. He listened in silence on the other end of the phone, not interrupting me.

“Well, that’s a hell of an adventure,” he paused. “And you’re sure she’s not working with someone?”

“Tch. That was the first thing I thought. So, I interrogated her and shoved her into shipping containers.”

“You’re always charming with women,” he snorted over the line, a touch of humor softening the potential serious implications of the situation. “But you have no doubts about her, correct?”

“Not at all,” I said firmly. “I did a thorough background check and followed her around for a week.”

“Hm, alright. Well, she makes a great addition. Cesare told me she really puts the men in their place.”

I snorted. Of course she did. Even though they were mafiosos with a gun attached to their hip, if they didn’t listen to her aftercare instructions, she would give them an earful.

“She’s good at what she does,” I responded, drumming my fingers along the arm of the sofa.

“It’s going to be awkward when you stop fucking her, though. You should have considered that.”

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