Page 90 of Wrapped in Silver

“A mobster trying to entangle my daughter. One day when you have kids, you’ll understand how wrong you are—

“One day, if I have kids,they won’t know you!” I shout.

Coming down to visit him a day before Silver’s big plan was a mistake. I’m looking for help in the wrong places, and now there’s nothing left to do but run up the stairs and wait for Silver to return… and beg him to reconsider.

I go up to the room I’ve made for myself and look into the full-length mirror. My eyes are red and glassy from crying so much, and my chest is blotchy from the same. My whole body weeps for fear of Silver. He’s misunderstood and alone, kind of like me.

I won’t abandon him though. Rummaging through the clothes he bought me over the past month, I pull out a black dress with a slit through the cleavage of my breasts, and it must be coincidence that it firmly hugs my backside. I mean, how would a guy know how to shop for something like that?

Modeling the dress, it comes down to my thighs, just enough not to be slutty. It’s elegant, actually. If my face didn’t look like a train hit it, I could probably pull it off.

You might think I’m nuts, playing dress up a day before a huge job, but I’m not. When persistent loud yelling or trying to reason doesn’t work, I have to resort to other means. I can flip it like a switch.

That’s right. I’m taking my man on a date. We need to have a serious conversation about what he’s trying to do, and I have to convince himnot to do it. I love him so much, and Ican’t lose him.

Besides, I owe him one for giving me a day to remember on the set ofChilling Desires. There needs to be more of those. I can’t stop thinking about how cute his face looks when he’s trying so hard to mask laughter. Eventually, he couldn’t hold it any longer, and we were both giggling like school girls through half the scenes.

There has to be more of those.

Silver can’t die… especially not for my dad—who hates him—and especially not for me.

I’m at a loss when I realize I may have jumped the gun with the dress… because I’m barefoot, and there are only a few pairsof sneakers in this hideaway, for obvious reasons. But I’ll make do anyway.

Pulling the dress free of creases and conducting one more spin, I head down the stairs to the first floor. I’m worried Dad is going to be waiting in the kitchen or something, but he’s not. So, I lock the cellar door and put the old bear in time out like he deserves.

The lack of goddamn manners on him. He can’t look past the world of allegiance and prescribed justice for one second? Is he so principled that he can’t see the second chance we’ve both been given?

Deep down, I know he does. And more, I know he likes Silver. He just doesn’t like Silver forme.

Checks out, honestly. He didn’t likeanyonefor me. Even though I might’ve been turned off by the rookies, he also pushed them away, just like my high school boyfriends I brought around.

Well, too bad. Silver’s the one for me, and he deserves to have someone look out for him. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep him alive.

While I’m on the first floor, I inspect the boots on the welcome mat to see if they could possibly go with this dress.Ugh. I’m better off with the sneakers.

There’s another catastrophe, though. I have some barebones foundation makeup… and that’sit. No eyeshadow. No eyeliner. Nothing really to mask my blotchy tears. Just that stupid wig I’ve grown accustomed to and some oversized sunglasses.

Ktchk!

The door opens and I freeze.

Silver’s looking to the floor as he wipes his snowy loafers on the mat. He’s there with a Jersey PD duffle that I imagine is full of cop uniforms.

“They don’t check fake ID’s too well anymore at the PD store. Got the slacks and the button up. Now I just need your father’s badge. Should go smoothly tomorr—” He stops dead when he lifts his gaze. “My God, kid.”

My bare toes tingle as a lightning bolt of heat shoots up my entire body.

“You look stunning.” His eyes are entranced, mouth agape.

I let my arms slap to my sides. “I haven’t even put makeup on yet.”

He walks over to me, ignoring the salt skittering off his shoes.

My breath hitches when he takes my face in his hands and presses his lips onto mine.

“It’s better this way.” He looks at me adoringly. “You have no idea how precious you are.”

My heart flutters, only to sink. “Don’t talk like that, Silver. You’re freaking me out.”

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