Page 60 of Chasing Danger

“I guess it had to happen eventually.”

I could adjust to this. I’d lived twenty-two years without D’Angelo. Learning to live without him again shouldn’t be too hard.

My thoughts were turning over in my head so rapidly, I didn’t notice when D’Angelo stood from the couch and moved over to sit on the arm of my chair.

“Leaving is inevitable. I can never stay in one place for too long. However, I was thinking...”

He trailed off, and the uncertainty in his voice finally caught my attention. I looked up at him, and his hand cupped my scarred cheek.

“I was thinking... that you could... come with me.”

His hand was warm on my skin, but I couldn’t feel it. My entire body seemed to have gone numb.

“Come with you?”

“Yes.” Grabbing my hands, he pulled me to my feet. “My position in the organization is dependent on my connections, so I’m always traveling around to meet with different people, but you could travel with me. Focus on your art instead of working, or just play tourist wherever we go. I don’t care. I promise you won’t be involved with things like you were this time. This was a... unique situation.”

Unique was one way to put it. Finding out my father was part of the Italian Mafia was one thing. Finding out that my grandmother was also a secret Russian spy who’d been left dormant for decades, was a much more difficult idea to get my head around.

The fact that both of them had now nearly killed me at some point, nearly sent me into hysterics whenever I thought about it.

Had anything about my life up until now actually been real?

Well, there was one thing.

“But... my mother. My brother. I can’t just leave them. Rowan needs someone to help take care of him, and his treatment is expensive. I can’t let my mother support him all by herself.”

“Oliver.” He pulled me close. “I wouldn’t expect you to just abandon your family. Nor am I asking this without offering anything in return. I can more than afford to support your family. Your mother wouldn’t have to work at all, unless she wanted to. And your brother... I know you’re used to supporting him on your own, but there are facilities that are specifically designed to handle his condition.”

At first, the idea of sending my brother off to some care facility made me recoil and I pulled away from D’Angelo, so I stood alone in the center of the room.

My family had always taken care of Rowan on our own.

What could some random facility do that we couldn’t?

Then an image of my brother dawned behind my eyes. Rowan sitting in front of the television, with only movie monsters for friends. His only interaction with other kids his age came through his online classes, and he celebrated the days he was able to get down the stairs on his own, so he wasn’t forced to choose between being trapped upstairs or asking for help.

A specialized facility would have a team of medical staff, and other patients like him that can relate to his situation in a way the rest of his family can’t. He’d have social interactions anda chance to build friendships. He might even live longer with better medical care.

I would have to ask him about it, but if that was what he wanted, then I couldn’t hold him back. No matter how much the thought of letting go of my few remaining family members terrified me.

Noting my hesitation, D’Angelo backed up. An odd, sad little laugh escaped him, and he ran a hand over his face.

“Ha. What am I doing? Offering such things like it’s a trade... I’m basically trying to buy you.”

He turned around and I heard him take a deep breath. I waited, but when he didn’t immediately turn back toward me, I stepped around his body to face him instead.

His expression was hard, but his blue eyes glistened with a little extra moisture.

“I’m not being fair. After everything I’ve put you through, taking care of your family is the least I can do. Whether or not you agree to come with me, my offer still stands. Your family will be taken care of no matter what.”

That took a little of the pressure off, to know that D’Angelo support was already assured, but that still left one very important question unanswered.

“Why?”

His hard expression twisted into confusion.

I stepped closer but didn’t touch him.

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