Page 86 of Restless Hawke
Nora Hawke doesn’t get angry often, but when she does, no one wants to be on the receiving end of it. But staring at her tear-soaked eyes now, I can see that she isn’t angry.
She’s devastated that I did it and terrified I’ll do it again.
With good reason.
We all understand this isfarfrom over.
“I won’t, Mom…”
My reassurance seems hollow when I don’treallyknow what Satriano will demand from me, but it’s the best I can offer her at this point.
Some of the pain melts away from her face, and she kisses my cheek and heads over to Dad. He tugs her into his arms, pulling her fully against him, then dips his head and whispers something into her ear that I can’t hear. It has her cheeks pinkening before she kisses him gently.
“I’ll see you later.” She winks. “And I’ll hold you to that.”
I look away from them, focusing on the patterned tile rather than their affectionate display.
At least it improved her mood.
She slips out the back door to head to the carriage house where her car is parked, and I lower myself onto one of the stools while Dad stands across from me with his own mug, resting his cane against the marble countertop.
He takes a sip, eyeing me over the rim. “So, what did you need to talk to me about?”
I sigh, scrubbing my hand over my face.
Is it too early to drink?
The man in front of me would tear me a new asshole for even joking about that, given his sordid history, but this would be easier with some liquid courage.
It was hard enough being at dinner last night and not saying anything, not letting them know that Satriano had finally made an appearance—and his first demand. I couldn’t do it before Allegra arrived. If I had, the entire night would have been focused onthat, and I don’t need her dragged into my mess.
But there isn’t any running from it anymore.
I have to tell him.
“Satriano came to see me.”
His entire body stiffens, his hand tightening its grip on the mug. “When?”
Clearing my throat, I avert my gaze rather than see the inevitable reaction. “Saturday night.”
“And you’re just telling me now?”
I glance up at him and see the smoldering mix of concern and anger in his blue eyes. “I didn’t want to ruin Sunday dinner, especially with Allegra there. She doesn’t need to get pulled into this bullshit.”
Apparently, I didn’t need to worry about it, since she intended on leaving without warning the entire time.
He presses his lips together in a firm line, a muscle in his jaw ticcing wildly as he stares me down. “What did he say?”
Not a lot.
And that’s what has been bothering me since the moment he walked out of my place.
I rub the back of my neck, staring out the window that overlooks the garden in the back where Isaac and I spent most of our childhood. “Well, he wants his money…”
“And then?”
Releasing a little sigh, I turn back to Dad. “And then, he wants me to help him stack games at his casinos.”
