Page 78 of This Thing of Ours

“Fuck you. How’d you like me to shoot your fuckin’ ear? See what it feels like.”

“How about I shoot your other fuckin’ ear and make ‘em even?”

Marco ignored their bickering. He knew they were just blowing off steam. He didn’t really fear for the state of anyone’s ears. At least not until Dino pulled out his gun.

Marco gave him a glare. “Put that shit away, Dino. Now.”

Nico turned and looked over his shoulder at the two, a frown pulling his brow. “Knock it off, or I’ll shoot you both myself.”

“Yes, boss,” they replied, practically in unison.

Nico picked up his conversation with Marco as if they hadn’t been interrupted. “We need all eyes on the street and that includes yours and mine. I want to flush Volkov out, and if it takes me showing my face to do it, so be it.”

And Nico knew Marco would have his back. “What about the women? I’m not sure I trust anyone else to watch out for Gabriella.” That was an understatement. Marco wasn’t only sure, he was positive he didn’t trust anyone but himself to keep Gabriella safe.

“I’m sending them to the safe house.”

The safe house was about a half hour outside Vegas in Boulder City. Marco raised a brow. “You think they’ll go for that?”

Nico gave him a look. The one he knew meant business. “They don’t have a choice.”

Marco nodded. He understood. He just hoped Gabriella would too.

She didn’t.

“I don’t see why I can’t stay here.”

Marco watched, fascinated, as Gabriella crammed item after item into an already overfilled duffle bag. They made the detour to his condo so Gabriella could pack before meeting up with Nico and family in Boulder City. “It’s not safe.”

“I’d be safe here.”

“Not as safe as there.” She knew he spoke the truth. The safe house was state of the art and equipped with a panic room. Marco wasn’t taking any chances, especially when it involved something he felt so strongly about.

Gabriella’s safety.

He knocked her duffle to the floor then sat on the edge of the bed before grabbing her hips and tugging her down to straddle his lap. “It’ll give me peace of mind, knowing you’re safe.”

Her hands clutched his shoulders to keep balance. “And what about me? What will put my mind at ease?”

He was quick with an answer. “Knowing I carry a gun and won’t hesitate to use it.”

She shook her head. “That’s not good enough. I need you to promise you'll be okay.”

“I can't make that promise.”

Tears filled her eyes, threatening to fall over the edge and down her cheeks. But she blinked them away and that fucking broke his heart worse than if she’d let them fall. His girl was so strong and never asked for anything.

“Promise me, Marco, please, even if you don't mean it, promise me.”

He sighed, his conscious warring with the need to make her happy. It wasn’t hard to guess what would win. “I promise, cara mia.”

Relief washed away her tense features, and she closed her eyes dipping her forehead to rest against his. “Thank you.”

He rubbed a hand up her spine to the back of her neck and squeezed. “I need you.” It could be days until he saw her again, he had to have her one more time.

“You have me.”

His lips found hers, gentle at first. Feather-light kisses he dusted along her lower lip before he sucked it into his mouth. He loved the taste of her. The cherry lip gloss she wore combined with a taste that was uniquely Gabriella.

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