Page 17 of Where Demons Hide

When we get home, I’m going to enjoy you.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

I know he said everything was okay, but I have a bad feeling about whatever happened to pull him away.

I spend the rest of the night thanking the guests and talking to Brynn and Ryleigh, then helping my mom clean up once everyone is gone. Then, I go home and wonder about all the mysteries that surround Callisto Suppato.

12

Callisto

As difficult as she made it, I never kept my eyes off the crowd at Makenna’s party. Morano found her once. He’ll find her again. The guy is a loose cannon. A bad day and a match, and that motherfucker will blow, especially after what I did today. Which is why I made sure Jaxon stayed to watch over her. There was no emergency at the restaurant. Dad found out what happened with Anthony and Dave and called a meeting. I hate lying to her and I hate the thought of telling her the truth. I can’t show her who I am in words, not yet, so I let my body do the talking when we’re together. I share my darkness with her when we’re alone and naked. That’s when I set my demons free.

The restaurant is closed when I get there. The parking lot is empty, other than a couple of cars. Inside, the music is off, leaving the place quiet. There are only a few servers rolling sweepers across the wool rugs and a dishwasher pulling glass racks and stacking them on a steel cart.

Dad is in his office with Franco. He’s sitting behind his desk, still wearing his gray suit from earlier. Franco sits in one of the leather chairs across from him. They each have a drink in one hand, and they’re laughing when I walk in.

“I thought you’d be upset,” I say, closing the door behind me. This is nothing like the reaction I got when I rampaged Don Julio’s place.

Dad takes a sip of his bourbon, then places his tumbler on his desk. “You had a point to make and you made it. We don’t tolerate traitors.”

“Morano is going to retaliate.” I just cut him off at the knees. Now he has no way inside our operation.

Dad leans back in his chair. “I know.”

Ice rattles against crystal as Franco finishes his drink. “As soon as he finds out about Dave and Anthony, he’ll be looking for another weak link. We need to make a plan.”

“I’m taking Makenna away for a few days—a graduation gift. I have everything in place for when I get back.” Before I left, I sent Sylvester a text from Dave’s phone, letting him know I—Cal—would be out of town but that there’s a shipment coming next Friday. I also told him not to text back because the boss was on his ass. I hand Franco Dave’s phone, allowing him to see the exchange.

He reads, smirks, then passes it to my father.

Dad sets the phone on the desk. “What do you plan on doing once he’s at the terminal?”

I look at Franco. “Morano has a sister here. I need you to get her. She’s our leverage.”

He arches a brow. “You want me to kidnap his sister?”

My mouth twitches and I shrug a shoulder. “Just babysit her for a day or two.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “You better know what the fuck you’re doing.”

I clap a hand on his shoulder. “I know exactly what I’m doing.” My gaze shifts to my father, who is watching me with a guarded expression. “Plot in silence, right?” If Morano thinks I’m out of town, which I will be, he won’t expect any of this. By the time he figures out I’m back, it will be too late.

“Just be careful,” my father says as I walk toward the door.

I give him a wink. “Nobody fucks with a Suppato and gets away with it.”

13

Callisto

Traffic is light on the way to Makenna’s. Which helps because my thoughts are a riot inside my mind. I say I’m taking her away for a few days to get her mind off of things, but the truth is, this trip is for me too. Once I get back, everything could change. Chances are when I confront Morano, one of us may not walk away. I can’t promise thatonewon’t be me. I need these next few days to just…be… be with her, be happy, be free before I face the reality of losing her. Or more like the reality of her losing me. Of leaving her alone the same way Reid did. The thought of it makes me sick to my stomach, and I decide right then that Iwillwalk away from this. I have to. At any cost.

Her street is quiet. Her car is parked in the driveway and her porch light is on.

“Hey,” she breathes when she answers the door, finding me on the other side.

Fuck, she’s beautiful. Breathtaking. Her cheeks turn crimson when I lick my lips and eye fuck her from head-to-toe. A vein flutters in her neck. Jesus, it gets my dick hard.

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