Page 41 of Ruthless Boss

Dante walks in carrying some folded clothes. “Here.”

He turns around, and I change into the sweatpants and cotton t-shirt. His movements are calculated like he’s thinking twice before executing them. The energy shifts to a heavier mood that has zero to do with sexual tension.

When he turns around, I tilt my head to the side, wondering if I’m missing something.

“Gia.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Yes?”

“Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll keep you with me overnight. Tomorrow afternoon, we’ll fly you far from here with a new name and driver’s license. I’ll give you some money to get started. You’ll start your new life.” He delivers his words in an affected tone, like he’s relaying a message he can’t control.

A new life. The one I fought for for so long—the one I dreamed of.

I blink a few times, and my knees threaten to buckle under me. “Is this for real?” I can’t help but think there’s a catch that I’m missing.

He rubs his forehead like he’s been making tough decisions all day. I bet he has. “Yes.”

“But you haven’t caught Santini yet.”

“Not your problem.”

I press my hand to my chest, wishing I could calm my heartbeat. A mix of emotions sweeps over me. I’m happy about starting a new life—shouldbe happy. That’s what I’ve always wanted. “Why are you helping me?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he says.

My heart stops working for a moment, and a cold sensation trickles down my spine.I’ll never see him again. Never see AJ. He hasn’t said it, but I know. “Can I see AJ before I go? To… say goodbye?”

My mom died quickly after the accident. I was never able to say goodbye, not the way I wanted to. It’s silly—I’ve only known AJ for a short period of time, but still. Leaving without squeezing her cheeks or kissing the top of her head one last time is like a bruise to my soul. I’ll miss her.

He clears his throat and looks down. “No.”

“Not even a quick goodbye?” I ask, managing to sound calmer than I feel.

He shakes his head.

Damn.

When I was little, I had a dog that I loved. One day, I came home from school, and my mom told me that Molly had died. I was so sad that I missed school for two days. I cried and wished I’d seen her one more time.

Later, I found out Molly hadn’t died unexpectedly, as my mom told me that day. She had cancer, but my mom treated it without ever telling me. She wanted to protect me.

It’s obvious that Dante is protecting his daughter. Not me.

I’d never hurt AJ, but he doesn’t want to stir the pot. I get it. He’s doing the right thing. A bitter part of me thinks about my mom and wishes she made better choices with men. She didn’t protect me the way she should have. Yet I still love her and can’t fault her too much. She did what she thought best. Trusting the wrong people, hoping they’d change overnight.

“Okay,” I say under my breath.

Pain wells inside me, but I don’t allow myself to show sadness. I’m not the crying type, and the crying I’ve shared with Dante is enough to last me a lifetime. Maybe it unlocked a softer part of me—a part that has no business existing where he’s concerned.

He’s being pragmatic, and I should do the same.

I won back my freedom—but I wonder if I’ll still be shackled to what we shared in his home long after I’m gone.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

He doesn’t answer and gestures for me to walk. “You can pack your clothes. Can’t leave the property tonight. Security has been warned. You won’t leave if you try.”

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