Page 116 of The Mafia Assassin's Redemption
He shrugs.
“I don’t know, Harry. Maybe he needed to wait, or he didn’t want you upset or… y’know, there are a million reasons people do things. And sometimes a split second is all it takes for the right moment to pass, and you’ll never get it back.”
I look at him, half mesmerized because I’m not sure he’s talking about the letter at all. Or Father Luigi. “But it’s just a letter.”
“Yeah, it is.”
He could read it from where he’s sitting, but I edge closer to him for some reason. When we’re shoulder to shoulder, me against him, he snakes his arm loosely around me, his fingers sliding through my hair.
It’s not a conventional hug, but it’s from him, and I’ll take it. Here I can close my eyes and breathe him in. Here I can turn my head and let his heat take over. Here I can just be.
I gulp down air, then scoot in a little closer.
“My mom… I don’t know. It sort of sucks as a goodbye letter. She was… more than this.”
“Maybe it’s not a goodbye letter. Maybe it’s more of a ‘I hope this isn’t but just in case’ scenario?” He points at the piece of paper. “May I?”
I nod.
He moves his arm and then reaches for my hand, holding it as he takes the letter with his free one.
“I hope you never read this, Harriet, and we all got out. But if we didn’t, then I want you to know the truth…”
He breaks off and sits up straight, reading a little faster, my hand still gripped in his.
“We owed a lot of money to the Rao family, which is why we went to Ireland, to start over. I’ve told you all this in person. But you’re old enough now, I assume, to understand mafia ways, even if it’s just through stories or the media. Anyway, the money that needed to be paid back was triple the original amount. Because we never wanted them to come after you or your fortune, I had mine put into trust with Anthony for you.
But the money owed had to be paid back or interest would keep building and we’d keep owing. So they put a hit out on us.
Three months after we went to Ireland, we arranged for our fake death certificates to be made available right after a final payment was made, just in case something happened, so we could disappear together. A copy was to be sent to the Rao family in Italy by way of St. Jane’s in New York.
Since we’ve given most of our life savings and your father’s fortune away, you’ll have my inheritance. And if the worst happened and we’re gone, always know that you’re loved, my little moonlight girl.”
I swallow down a sob. “It’s…”
“Harry, I’m sorry it’s just the explanation from a mom who thought she’d survive.” A bleakness crosses his face, and I almost tell him it’s not his fault, but we bothknow it is, don’t we? “And she didn’t. But shit, this is a just in case note with some photos. More than most get.”
I look up at him, a little lost, a little swamped by the emotions swirling in me.
Torin slides a finger under my chin and he kisses me softly. Then he frowns. “Do you know if your uncle knows any of this?”
“Originally, he thought I was dead, too. I don’t know how he found out I wasn’t, but he did. He came to Ireland and claimed I was his long-lost daughter.” I shrug. “Over here, Uncle is easier than Dad. I never thought much about it.”
“Can I borrow the letter?”
“Why?”
He stands up, lets go of my hand, and crosses the room to pull back the curtains to stare out at the private section of courtyard. “Because if what’s in the letter is true, then you might not be the target for everything that’s happened. To leave here, you’ll have to organize it through Callahan or your precious underground network, but my money’s on Cal. New name, new city, country, everything you can do to keep away from me.”
“And if I don’t want to?” The words come without thinking, and I’m not sure why I’m saying them, except… except… I mean, obviously I want to go, but…
“I’m not saying right away,” he snaps, “but if you’re not in danger beyond the Salvatore threat, then your best bet is to get far away from whoever is trying to target my family.”
With that, he stalks off. Then he stops short before leaving the room and walks back. He kisses me so thoroughly my head spins and my clit starts a long, slow throb.
“You’re the one thing I’m not sure I can willingly let go of, Harry, and I don’t know the fuck why,” he mutters against my lips.
My heart rate rockets.
