Page 106 of DeLucas After Dark

“You’ve seen him before?” I asked Denny.

“That’s one of Cecil’s boys.” He nodded toward where they stood. “That can’t be good.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Have you checked out Mrs. Flowers to see what she’s into? Could be that she’s not as clean as she seems.”

He had a point. On paper and to her daughter, she had a clean sheet. What did the streets have to say about her, though?

Maybe it was time to dig into her a little more.

Sounds like you don’t have the right tools.

Information was valuable in order to accurately determine the odds and whether or not they were in your favor.

Everybody always has something to gain in the situation and something to protect.

The old man was on to something. I couldn’t take this situation on when I didn’t know everything.

Did you do all you could?

No, I don’t think I have. It was time to change that. I refused to live in Tommaso’s shadow and his filth. Now, I’d approach this situation my way. I couldn’t bring Eddie back, but maybe it wasn’t too late to give his family peace. Even if Simone was the only one that reaped the benefits. I didn’t know if her mother was crooked or not, but I’d sworn that I wanted forever for her. It was time that I started acting like it.

After the man left, Danny looked at me through the rearview mirror. “Want me to follow him?”

I was about to answer that when my phone rang. The one reserved for calls from Italy. “No, I need to get back to Italy.” I didn’t need to answer the phone in order to know that.

Pissed that I hadn’t seen Simone, I also knew that I wasn’t ready to face her.

I told you, sacrifice. Things are the way they are because they’re supposed to be. Usually when you lose something, something better comes along to replace it.

I’d get my time with Simone. Clearing the air was more important. Seeing her right now wasn’t the best idea. I needed to figure this out so I could be completely present for her. Sacrificing didn’t always feel good. I hoped that I wasn’t doing more damage than good.

When I got to the airport, I felt lighter because my thoughts were moving. Unstuck from the place I’d been in for three days.

Stunned.

Now, I was no longer in shock. I had a purpose that included getting my woman back. Convincing her mother that the only option was this wedding was my number one priority. The rest would follow, reacting to the moves that I was about to make.

Renewed energy buzzed on my skin, and I was once again grateful for my conversation with–

Damn, what was his name?

SIMONE

It’s been twenty-one days since Beni walked out of this house to leave me to go to Italy. We talked on the phone whenever he could, but he didn’t seem as annoyed as he was when he was here. Though it still felt like it was asking for too much to have conversations with him. Did he truly have that much going on that he was so stressed and moody? I knew his brother coming here was a shock, but what else did he have going on?

“Simone?” Martina called to me while waving her hand in my face.

“Sorry.” I’d zoned out again and couldn’t focus on this shopping day that she had planned for me.

“We have to finish getting the rest of your accessories together for your dress.”

You mean the one that I haven’t found yet?

I’d been to multiple stores and hadn’t been able to find anything that I liked. My mother had been busy every time that I’d called her and was unable to go with me to find a dress. Defeat was trying to work itself into my head and never let go. I couldn’t get married without a husband or something to wear. What kind of wedding would that be?

Tears pinged the back of my eyes and I closed them, hoping that I didn’t break down right here and now. I could handle this. I had to…

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