Page 12 of The Players

“He’s not here. Perhaps I can help you.” He cleared his throat. “Just like I did last night. You don’t have to worry about any man wanting to hurt you.”

“I just need to speak to Gio.”

He’d forgotten how stubborn she could be. It was like Sy had predicted; no way in hell was she going to tell him anything. And why would she? She believed he had betrayed her.

Patience, Vincenzo. Patience.

“You’ve already said that. Jazzy and him went to the hospital today for an ultrasound, so he won’t be in for a while.”

“Oh, that’s today. I didn’t know…”

The silence between them stretched and he saw her mind had wandered off. It was eerie how she sometimes got a spacey look in her eyes. He could only imagine what had triggered it this time.

“Jazzy hadn’t told you about her appointment today,” he guessed.

Her eyes regained their focus. “No, she didn’t.” She shrugged her delicate shoulders. “I guess she didn’t want to…”

“Share her joy with you, because she was afraid it would remind you of your loss,” he finished her trail of thought.

The pain in her eyes was immediate. Someone needed to say it though. The way Carmen shoveled her miscarriage away as if it never happened wasn’t healthy.

“I wish she wouldn’t feel that way,” she said and rebuked from her chair.

“Where are you going?” He knew why she was here. Gio was her last option in her casino crisis. He just needed her to acknowledge that.

“Home.” She clutched her bag as if it was a lifeline. “My thing can wait.”

No, it couldn’t. When was she going to admit that? The stubborn woman would rather go home and pretend there wasn't an issue to deal with, than bother her brother-in-law.

“Time’s up, Carmen,” he said. “Morelli and Keegan aren’t going to wait any longer.”

She slowly turned back toward him. “How do you—?”

He got up and walked up to her. “It’s what I do, beautiful.”

“Don’t call me that,” she snapped.

“I not only speculate in bonds, but in information,” he continued, ignoring her outburst. “It’s part of my job. The question isn’thowI know what I know, but what are you going to do about it?”

“I had been planning to ask Gio for help.”

“Wrong answer. Gio can’t help you without becoming a target himself. Also, my brother has a million other things on his plate, with becoming a dad and all.”

Her spine stiffened. “I know that. That’s why I said I had beenplanningit.”

“You no longer are.”

“No,” she bit out.

There was fire in her words now. Heat he intended to harness and put to better use. “I bet you have no idea what your next step is, do you?”

Her chin raised a slight nudge. “What I do or don’t is none of your business.”

When he reached out to her, she backed away. “Don’t.” Her voice was hoarse. “Don’t ever touch me.”

Dammit, if those words didn’t sting.

He dropped his hand. “There’s only one way for you to be freed from the dogs snapping at your heels.” He would’ve taken out Morelli for free, as he had history with that piece of scum, but he didn’t tell her that.

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