Page 11 of Catching His Runaway

There’s hope in her voice. She believes she deserves to sway the outcome of where she ends up? Just the thought of her leaving my watch makes my teeth grind.

Urzo catches my eye before he wraps an arm around his wife. “Sorry, Val. This one is already a handful for me. If you find our mother, then maybe–”

“No.” Valeria steps back and bumps into me. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She’s stiff. Is she afraid of the backlash that’ll come from Bia?

Not a lot surprises me, but this has piqued my interest. Reaching her shoulder, I give it a squeeze to keep her from stepping on my foot from this curious attempt to put some distance between the other two.

“Well, we’re off to unwind.” Eliza reaches for his hand and gives him a tug. If I have to guess, she doesn’t know about Valeria and the shift that happened because of her disappearance. It’s better to stay out of the drama of it all.

The only person Valeria needs to deal with is me.

“Come on.” Using my hold on her, I direct her to move.

It’s what she needs to get over this hiccup. Once more, she’s glaring at me before stomping forward.

She remembers where the kitchen is. Not having a clue when the last time she’d eaten a meal with her situation, her steps move faster when the smells hit us.

I don’t care if she starves, but I’m curious.

“How long have you been on the run for?” Following her as she tips her head at the kitchen staff, she takes in what food options there are. This late into lunch, there isn’t much left. Most of the men here have had a second helping before getting shooed out.

Glancing my way, her brows come together. “Not long.”

Hardly a giving answer, but more than enough to build assumptions on.

“So, you ran into a problem, and the first thing you decided to do was come back home?” Watching her collect a fork, I wonder if she’d try to stab me with it if I got close enough. The glare she sends in my direction makes me believe that’s exactly what she wants to do.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re an asshole?” She huffs and puffs as she grabs a plate. “I didn’t come straight here because I wanted to. It felt like my only option.”

Expecting her to spill her entire story, boring me with every little detail in hopes of getting some pity out of me, I’m surprised when she glares at the food with every scoop.

I won’t ask her for the details. If she prefers to keep them inside, then that’s one last thing to add to the frustration that’s been building up and fueling my headache.

Once she has a plate full, her brows narrow when she notices my stare. “For all I know, this can be my last meal. Leave me be.”

Jerking her chin, she stalks out of the kitchen.

Snatching a few buttered rolls, I stalk after her.

5

Valeria

Despite the time away from this place, moving around doesn’t leave me feeling lost and confused. I still remember where the family table is. The one place that was kind of a safe place.

My father didn’t bring work to the table. Rather, he’d used the time to catch up on all his kids and his wife.

Has Santino changed that little detail in the time that I’ve left?

Entering the room, I freeze when I see it’s not empty. If it’s not for Tommy pushing me along, I may have spun around and eaten my food in a different room.

The woman sitting at the table moves to stand. Her face lights up, and she looks happy to see me. However, I know I’ve never seen her in my life. The child at her side makes it easier to figure out who she is.

Santino’s wife. A woman crazy enough not only to marry him, but to have a kid. One look her way and I can see just how much she resembles our side of the family. However, the kid has a soft, gentle face. Her smile makes her cute.

“Valeria, right?” Her smile is warm, but her blue eyes are unsettling. I can’t tell if her welcoming motion is sincere or not.

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