Page 103 of Broken Pieces
All I want to do is seeher. Hugher. Kissher. Let her sweet scent envelop me. They didn’t allow me to see anyone but my lawyer, so I have no idea what I’m walking into. I just hope she’ll hear me out.
Liam sits outside in the waiting room as they hand me my things— keys, phone, wallet. I don’t even bother looking at my phone because it doesn't have any charge, which is fucking inconvenient, and there’s only one thing in my mind.
Aria. I need to talk to her.No. I need toseeher.
Liam is talking on the phone, but hangs up quickly as he greets me, “Romano.”
I nod. “Hawkins. What’s the update?”
“How about we go to Vortex, sit down, and talk over bourbon?”
That is the absolute last place I want to be. I can already envision all the elites with their claws out, trying to find out why I got arrested and already plotting how to take advantage of this and take me down for good.
“Get straight to the fucking point, Hawkins. The last place I want to be is Vortex.”
He sighs. “They found the painting.”
My shoulders relax. “Good. Fucking where? So we can put this shit to rest.”
He purses his lips. “They found it in the basement of your gallery.”
My world is thrown upside down when those words come out of his mouth. He keeps talking, but I completely tune him out. I don’t even know where to start grasping what the fuck has happened these last couple of days.
“...prints,” he finishes.
I laugh humorlessly, running my fingers through my hair in exasperation. “I’ll be honest with you. I didn’t hear one single thing you said.”
“The painting has your prints all over it.”
I put my hands on my face and make a wiping motion, trying to clean away the frustration and murmur, “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
“Listen, Romano. I’m your lawyer, and I will defend you until the end of time, but I’m your friend first.” His voice drops an octave, whispering ever so slightly, “Did you do it?”
I glare at him in disbelief. “Of course, I didn’t do it,” I spit. “I’m being set up, man. That’s the only reasonable explanation.”
He nods in understanding. “I believe you, but we have work to do.”
“I need you to make a stop first.” If I have to wait one more second without seeing or talking to Aria, I’m going to lose my shit. I need her. She grounds me.
“You should know… Aria’s here. She’s outside. She has been here day in and day out. You have a good woman on your side.”
Knowing she’s here makes my shoulders instantly relax. She’s not just a good woman, she’s the fucking best. In a world where I have shut everyone out of my life to be completely alone, she found a way in. She has—little by little— put the broken pieces of my life together, giving them a new meaning.
I sprint outside, frantically looking around for her. And then I spot her, sitting on the sidewalk.God. She looksso beautiful. Call me a lovesick fool, but the three days apart were the longest days of my life.
Her eyes gleam with excitement as she gets up and runs toward me, throwing her arms around my shoulders, and hugging me tightly. “Oh, Damian. Thank God.”
I hug her back and instantly feel at ease. I hide my nose at the crook of her neck, letting the scent I’ve correlated to peace, calmness, and tranquility envelop me.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispers, her voice laced with emotion.
“Hey, hey. I’m okay. I’m here now. It’s okay,Tesoro.” I kiss her softly. God, I missed her soft lips. Her soft hands. All ofher.
“The gallery is flooded with FBI agents now.” She sighs. “Damian—”
“I didn’t do it,” I blurt out.
I need to make sure she knows I didn’t do it. It would break my heart to think she believes I’m capable of something like this. I’m known for being a ruthless businessman, doing what I can to be at the top, but that’s not the real me, and I know she knows this. She’s the only one that has been able to see me for, well—me. Not only that, I would never stoop so low and do something so reckless.
