Mobster

“I don’t know if she can live this life,” I say, taking a deep breath and leaning back in my chair.

Sal nods. “I was thinking the same thing. But look at Thea.” He reminds me, giving me a trace of hope. “It’s not like we hurt innocent people. The people we have hurt had it coming. We’ve kept more people safe because of what we’ve done.”

I know he’s right, but still. We take the law into our own hands.

“I wouldn’t stand in your way,” Sal says as his eyes meet mine. “If you left to be with her. To start new.” He shrugs, letting the sentence hang.

I shake my head, hoping it doesn’t come to that. “I don’t want to leave you. You need me here. Our trust in each other is hard to find in this world. You could get hurt.” I don’t think he’s going to agree with me. He won’t admit to this weakness, even though I know it to be true. We might trust a lot of the men we hire, but like I said, our trust is unbreakable and never has to be questioned.

“I know,” he agrees, taking me by surprise. “You set up this master plan. So make it work.”

He’s right, I did. And now I have to see it through.

After that first day at the bakery, I followed Emma out into the street, keeping a safe distance so I wouldn’t spook her. She walked five blocks before she entered the hotel. I waited a moment before going to the front desk and asking for the manager, George.

The hotel was in our area and under our protection. George came out and gave me a curious glance, probably because he hadn’t called us. He’d wanted to take me back to his office, but I couldn’t risk it. What if she left during that time and I missed her? I didn’t want her to slip between my fingers.

“Redhead with eyes so blue you can’t miss them.”

He nods, turns to go over to a computer, and begins to type. A moment later I hear the printer go off. He grabs the papers and brings them over to me.

“She’s been here a few days and her room stays open. She mentioned waiting to get called for her next job assignment, which could take weeks, so we keep holding it for her,” he tells me. “She’s quiet. Orders room service about twice a day and leaves maybe once a day.”

The paperwork had all her information on it. I thanked him and called my guy with her name. Twenty minutes later I had everything I needed on Emma Walsh, a name she wouldn’t be keeping long if I had anything to do with it. But what shocked the shit out of me was that she was a live-in infant nurse. I’d heard Thea talking about wanting one. She said she wanted a nurse before the baby came, too, but Sal was only looking for the nurse to come after the baby came. They both liked the idea of having someone medically trained close by while the baby was so little since they lived a good drive from the hospital.

It was like luck was shining down on me. Or maybe it was fate. After checking her out and digging as far into her as I could, I brought my plan to Sal and Thea. Thea was all over it. She’d been dying for me to find someone. Sal was hesitant until he looked over everything I had. I don’t blame the man. This is his son we’re talking about.

It was a crazy plan, but I needed her to stop running from me. It was driving me fucking crazy. She was like a skittish cat and I finally got her cornered.

“I’ll make it work. Or I’ll die trying,” I tell him as I stand up to get my bag from my car. “We’re in connecting rooms?”

“Yeah. I didn’t want you putting a hole in my wall to make your passageway.”

I laugh, but if anyone knows how crazy a woman can make you, it’s Sal.

Let’s just hope I have the same luck as he did.

Chapter Four

Emma

I watch Gio’s retreating form leave the room, still in shock that he’s here. How is that possible? He’s shown up everywhere I am. I should have been more scared, or noticed that something was going on. I clearly have no street smarts, with my nose always stuck in a book.

“You do kind of have a Dollface,” Thea says, but she smiles and there’s no malice behind her words.

“Because I’m so pale,” I mumble. I look back to where he exited, and I wonder when he’ll come back.

“It’s your eyes. They’re so bright and beautiful,” she adds, then shrugs.

She picks up a piece of bacon, takes a bite of it, and moans at the taste. “This little boy loves bacon,” she says, going for another piece and shoving the whole thing in her mouth.