Page 106 of My Broken Bodyguard 2: Ritchie & Tori

“I need you to gather information from some men who might know whysheleft,” Luca changed the subject. “Tex knows who they are. Bring him along.”

Catch had warned me not to mention Lexis’s name anymore. It was a difficult situation. I had found love while my boss had lost the love of his life. I felt guilty for finding happiness when he was still grieving.

“Not a problem, Luca.”

At some point I’d have to talk to Lexis. But right now, I’d continue to watch her for my boss.

“Luca,” Marco called in the distance.

Marco Esposito was Luca’s brother. He was the other Esposito mafia boss. They split their territory in half. Marco and Luca oversaw the casinos in Atlantic City. Marco ran all the strip clubs. Luca’s specialty was managing and opening businesses along the waterfront in the warehouse district.

The waterfront was highly sought after by both underworld and businessmen, but one businessman made poor gambling choices and lost a significant portion of it to the Espositos when Luca’s grandfather Beniamino was the mafia boss.

“Hey, Marco, Luca’s in his office,” I stated as I halted in the center of the living room.

A half smile lifted Marco’s lips. He smacked my cheek twice. “You’re back. I hope the time a way helped.”

I shrugged. “The best it could.”

He gripped my shoulder, peering into my eyes. “Listen, my brother doesn’t blame you for what happened with Lexis.”

“How could he not?” I asked, remorse churning in my gut.

“Because you’d taken Lexis to her father’s house so many times. You always performed a thorough search. This also wasn’t the first time you’d waited outside after checking out the house. She left on her own free will. Lexis walked right out the front door. No one held her at gunpoint. No one was lurking in the bushes. She walked away from this life. I don’t have to tell you what’s supposed to be done about that.”

I could feel my throat tighten with concern. “No, you don’t.” My heart was pounding in my chest. If Luca decided to eliminate her, he’d most likely send a hit woman.

“Listen, Luca and I are the bosses of this family. We wouldn’t kill her.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear.”

He gruffly ran a tatted hand over his clean-shaven face. “Now, let me go and try to convince my brother to eat something. If I can’t get him to eat, Ma will be furious with me.”

I pulled him into a bro hug. “Thanks for looking out for him.”

“Ritchie, thanks for being loyal and the best bodyguard my brother could have,” Marco said as he stepped back.

A smile formed on my face, but it hadn’t quite met my eyes. “You’re welcome.”

Marco darted down the hallway toward Luca’s office.

I strolled into the kitchen.

“Ritchie, good to see you,” Milo greeted as I entered the room. He was stationed at the coffee machine. A cup of freshly brewed coffee sat in front of him, steaming and smelling rich. He sealed it with a lid before taking a sip.

I mustered a smirk. “Milo, how’s it going around here?”

Milo was Luca’s best friend. Despite not being Italian, he held the esteemed position of being Luca’s right-hand man as well as head of security for his team.

As the head of security for Luca, he was responsible for keeping everyone safe, and that included driving Lexis around when needed. During my absence due to the war with Mykel, Milo drove Lexis to her catering business. That same day, an attempt was made on her life.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

In a brave act of protection that day, Milo pushed Lexis aside, taking a bullet for her.

“My wound has healed.”

Luckily, he was wearing a bulletproof vest. I knew firsthand how those rounds burned into your skin, still causing pain days later.

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