Page 20 of Duke of Ruin

“You know, some of the guys downtown speculated that you swing that way,” Rossi says, and cuts his eyes toward me.

“What are you talking about?” I ask as my pulse quickens.

“You’ve got a thing for the Carbone,” Rossi says.

I roll my eyes and wave my hand in dismissal, but I know I’m less than convincing. Fuck. Now what?

“Sorrento, you’re in too deep,” he continues, and my stomach drops. “I’m going to bring this family down one way or another. You can either help me or not.”

“And if I choose not to?” I challenge.

“Then I wouldn’t be surprised if someone leaked intel about an agent in their midst.”

My heart falls through the floor. I expected pushback, not an open fucking threat. “You wouldn’t,” I breathe through the pounding in my chest.

“You underestimate me, Sorrento,” Rossi says, then starts the engine. “We’ll meet back here next week.” He reaches over me and opens the door. I blink a couple times before I get out of his car. He chirps his tires as he pulls away before the door is even closed.Fuck, fuck, fuck!Now what?

My blood boils as I walk across the garage back to my Camry. This whole op is bullshit. It’s just a way for Rossi to get revenge under the guise of “justice.” I’m not going to be so easily manipulated. I can’t just cower down to this asshole, but what are my options? I could come clean to Eli about the whole thing, but that will just make us both targets…and that’s assuming Eli understands and doesn’t just kill me out of spite. What the hell have I gotten myself into?

I call Eli as soon as I get into my car and ask him to meet me at his secret apartment for dinner. Despite the risks, I have to tell him everything. I have to come clean. I can’t keep carrying around this secret, and I have to stop whatever bloodbath Rossi is planning before Eli gets hurt. I just hope he’ll understand.

As I drive back to the apartment, though, I realize that nothing is ever that simple. If my cover is blown, it will jeopardize my lifeandEli’s. And what do I really expect Eli to do with this information anyway? He can’t protect me from his family, and he damn sure can’t protect me from Rossi. I pull into the garage next to Eli’s apartment and immediately see his Bentley parked in the usual spot. Eli is leaning against the trunk and wearing jeans and a dark T-shirt. His loose curls are falling around his downcast face, and his long limbs are heavy. I can’t burden him with this. I have to find some other way out. He’ll understand eventually. He has to.

His face lights up when he sees me exit my Camry, a cheap piece of shit compared to his luxury car. His eyes dart around for any witnesses before he pulls me into an embrace. I breathe in his scent as it surrounds me. When he pulls back, I look up at him.

“Are you alright?” I ask.

“Of course,” he says with a smile, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

I lift my eyebrows at him, but I don’t answer. I know he’s been under an enormous amount of pressure from his family lately, and I don’t want to be another weight to add to his shoulders. “I grabbed us some burgers,” I say as I lift a paper bag from my seat before I close the door to the Camry. “I know it’s not exactly filet mignon or anything, but I just wanted to see you.”

Eli smiles, this one genuine, and my heart melts. “Come on,” he says, and we head for the apartment.

Once we’re inside and I pass out the paper-wrapped burgers, we eat in silence for a while. He finally lifts those piercing green eyes to mine, and my heart skips a beat.

“What’s going on, Noah?” he asks. I struggle to answer. I want so badly to just tell him everything, but I can’t stomach the risk.

“It’s just been a long day, Eli,” I lie. “My mom wants me to come home, and I just feel like…I don’t know.” It’s at least a half-truth. My motherdoeswant me to come home, but she has no idea where I am or how to contact me right now.

“Feeling homesick, huh?” Eli says. “I can’t imagine I’ve made that any easier.” His eyes drop to the counter.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“I’ve gotten you too involved with my family. They’ve really started to notice you. My father hasn’t stopped asking questions,” Eli says, and my pulse quickens.

“I mean, I don’t have anything to hide,” I lie again. My gut twists in revulsion.

“It doesn’t matter. You don’t understand these people, my family,” Eli says with a shrug. “If they think you’re a threat or after our money, you’ll disappear without a second thought. And the police here wouldn’t even bother to look for you.”

I reach across the counter and take his hand. “I’m here and I’m okay,” I say, and squeeze his hand.

“You have no idea what you’re dealing with by getting involved with me,” Eli says before he looks up at me again. My breath catches as I notice that his eyes are lined with tears.

“Eli, I don’t care about them,” I say as I step around the counter and pull him into a gentle embrace. “I care aboutyou.”

“I care about you, too,” he says into my shoulder. “That’s why this is so terrifying.”

“What is?” I ask.

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