Page 17 of Catching His Runaway

Little does he know, coffee and I are already far acquainted.

Looks like we’re both done with getting sleep for the night.

7

Tommy

Valeria stopped throwing glares my way, having grown used to my presence. After this morning, she stopped putting up a fight altogether.

What I witnessed… I’m not sure what to make of it.

Someone has her shook up good. I want to ask her about what she’s done in her time away, but she’ll warp my curiosity into something else. However, the longer I go without knowing, the more unsettled I feel.

While she demands privacy taking a shower, I use the time to find something to tie the knob to my dresser so she can’t decide to try and leave without me. Once the knot is secure, I slip away to find Santino.

He’s with his family, of course.

I find all three of them spread out on a blanket out in the grass, almost soaking up the heat of the sun on this warm sunny day.

He notices my approach to the grass and lifts the glasses on his face over his hair, squinting at me.

There’s only one thing I’d ever come to him for, and it’s always work-related. It’s why he moves to stand and dusts off his slacks. One thing Santino has learned to do is keep his life separated from his career.

“I’ll be back before you can miss me. A couple of minutes at most,” he glances my way, “right?”

Glancing toward Camellia and Alle, I grimace at their wide-eyed, innocent stares. “Right.”

He claps me on the shoulder with a smile and sends a nod toward them before tugging me through the grass. “What can I do for you?”

“Valeria.” As if he shouldn’t already know, his sister’s name rolls off my tongue. “I was hoping you would have some sort of information by now.”

He sucks on his teeth and shrugs her shoulder. “Other than the fact that she’s addicted to gambling, and owes a shit ton of money, there’s not much else to find out. Either I save her and pay back her debt, or I throw her to the wolves and let her try to figure out how to survive for a little longer before she gets caught again.”

He speaks like both are reasonable options.

I hate that I remember her thrashing in her sleep, or the small meltdown she had while staring into my closet.

No matter how many times I remind myself, I will continue to remember that I left all my feelings for her in the past.

“She can’t leave,” I tell him with a scowl forming on my lips. “I’m not done with her yet.”

He snorts, finding amusement in my predicament. “Would you like to be the one to handle her debts? You’ll have to be working overtime if you want to make enough to cover her tab.”

I enjoy torturing those who double-cross us as much as the next guy, but I’m not sure I’d enjoy it if it were for Valeria. When I lift a brow, he clicks his tongue.

“One hundred grand.” He shakes his head and moves his hands to his hips. “I can’t tell if she’s terrible at it, or if she is too good and got in over her head.”

There’s a stirring in my chest that grows larger as I watch the debate happen behind his eyes. I tell myself to grit my teeth and accept whatever decision he makes. Every one of them is important to the outcome of the peace.

“She can’t leave,” I repeat, the words spilling from my lips without thought. They come out rough, like gravel stuffed in my throat.

His dark eyes travel over toward me, and I can’t tell what he’s thinking. However, his smile has lessened, and I’m sure he’s not used to me disagreeing with him often. Hell, I’m not used to it either.

“Of course, there is another way to clear her slate.” His eyes drift to his wife and kid. “Though I’m not sure taking out one of Renato Marino’s men will be received too well. Especially not one that puts money in his pocket. Might shake things up.”

My fingers curl at my sides as I realize there aren’t too many options. I’m not shy of killing men, but I would hate to be the one to disturb a tranquility that is years in the making.

Peace like this hasn’t existed since Leon was alive, and even then, things weren’t this quiet.

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