Page 6 of Catching His Runaway

I don’t wait for him to ask me to get the answers from her. Instead, I drift behind her. Like her body senses my presence before she does, goosebumps prickle up along her skin.

Clapping my hands down on her shoulders, she jumps. Using this as an intimidation tactic, I tell myself whatever excuses I need to hear to justify my actions. The truth is… I can’t stop touching her. If I touch her, I know she’s here, she’sreal.

Giving them both a squeeze, I feel the shiver that rolls up her spine.

“Valeria,” he snaps, his patience already worn thin. He really gets upset whenever anyone interrupts his family time. “You’re wasting both of our time by holding back. You’d be better off not keeping any secrets so we can all move on accordingly.” His brows narrow when she keeps up the act of silence. “Are you in danger? Is that it?”

My brows furrow at his question, and I notice the way her body stiffens up more than anything I could bring out of her. Her throat bobs with her next swallow. He’s hit it right on the spot, hasn’t he?

Someone had scared her, so she ran home in hopes the family she had abandoned would come in and save her. Despite running away from a family that loved her, she ran into another danger.

“I had a lapse of judgment,” she explains slowly, jerking against my hold before settling once she realizes I’m not moving. “I need to pay back a debt before I can return to my life. Mypeacefullife.”

Can’t be too peaceful if she reduced herself to doing this.

“Let me guess, you borrowed some money to buy that cute two-bedroom home surrounded by a white picket fence?” He tilts his head, “am I close?”

She jerks and scowls. “You got it spot on. Wonderful to see you’re still as bright as ever.”

For only a sliver of a second, I believe her. I can picture her wanting to settle down, to live a normal life. A nice, quiet home is only a piece of that. She’s ringless, unless she’s already sold her valuables. Can’t imagine a man being able to keep up with her. Does she want a husband in this fantasy of hers? What about kids and a dog, too?

“Don’t be smart,” I order from above and squint when she tilts her head up to look at me. I look at those pools of darkness her eyes are made up of, and refuse to be the one to break contact first. “What did you do?”

At the accusation in my tone, she’s easily insulted and looks at her brother once more. “I gambled a little. Got good at it until I got cocky. By then, I didn’t notice how bad it was until–”

Like she’s catching herself spilling a secret, her jaw snaps shut, and silence fills the air as her body tenses beneath my touch.

Finally, “That’s all there is to it.”

I’m not satisfied with her answer, but it’s a start. While Santino pulls out more information, which casino she spent her time at, his brows pinch together.

“That’s Marino territory. He’s the one who manages that revenue.” Murmuring the information, he sighs and settles back. “Might be one of his men under his payroll.”

His frown is instant, and I already know why. His wife’s brother, a man hedetests,has married ties to that family. It’s thanks to all these ties that the peace has lasted for so long. Valeria doesn’t have any idea what she’s stirring up by bringing trouble from one territory to another.

“I need a name. Something to go off. Or do you plan on keeping that to yourself, too?”

“I can get the name,” I promise him as one of my thumbs traces the vein along the back of her neck. Her skin is warm and soft, a constant tease. “Quickly, too.”

He snorts. “He is really good at getting information, Val. Unless you want to deal with him, then just make this easier for both of us.”

“Elijah Sutton.” She doesn’t hesitate, but I notice the way her fingers dig into her thighs. “If he finds out I’m here, he’ll send someone, Santino. If I take too long, and I hit his deadline, money won’t be enough.” Her voice waivers. “It won’t be enough.”

He’ll want her dead, I assume. Makes sense. We don’t deal with those who catch up on their debts, either. Why risk letting her do the same thing? Might as well take her out of the equation.

If she’s afraid of dying, then she shouldn’t have mixed with the guy to begin with. But to think a threat can make her voice catch and leave her trembling, it can’t help but make me shake my head.

She might still have the last name for all I know, but she’s not like the rest of us. She’s gone soft, spooked far too easily. There are worse things in this world than the thought of dying.

“I’ll look into this. In the meantime–” Santino’s eyes flick up toward me, and I can already see the words forming on his tongue. “–why don’t you two catch up? Looks like you’ve got your old job back, Tommy. Keep her here, and please, try not to kill her.”

My old job. I haven’t had to protect someone in a long while. With Valeria, I wasn’t just her bodyguard. I was her babysitter. Had to follow her around to make sure she stayed out of trouble.

The woman she is now, I can see that she dances with danger. She’ll test my patience, I’m sure of it.

Try not to kill her. So, as long as she’s breathing, is everything else on the table?

“You can’t keep me here,” she argues, “just do your thing. Lend me money and add interest. Whatever it takes to get my name off that psychopath’s list.”

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