I didn’t sleep last night. I was too consumed with thinking about Ava.
It all made me cranky, and I could barely function when I went to the garage to close a deal on a Ferrari that the guys and I’d modified. The thing sold for five hundred Gs. The guy we sold it to was a street racer. He wanted to export the car to Japan and sell it there.
The guy even sweetened the deal by booking another appointment for a month’s time to look at the new Kawasaki bike that had come in last week. I’d planned to keep that for myself, but I couldn’t pass up another five hundred grand, and for a motorcycle? No.
Those few hours offered some distraction, but as the day wore on, Ava filled my thoughts again, and again when I went to Luc’s wine tasting.
He did events like that most Saturdays.
Pa was back from Italy, and the whole gang was here. The guys and their dolls. The whole turnout highlighted how alone I was. Even Saul was here with his latest doll, who’d lasted longer than the last. Six months. Meant things were looking serious. Had to be for a woman to accept a guy who’d replaced all his teeth with gold crowns.
The Four were playing poker in the corner, and Amelia and Gigi were talking it up with a customer. Gigi had her tarot cards, so I was sure she must have been talking about some weird shit. Magic this, magic that. Amelia was laughing though, so maybe the guy who was getting his fortune read while he tasted wine was going to get some weird twist on his fortune. That was always Gigi’s answer. Good fortune always awaited but with a twist you never expected.
Pa and Luc were behind the bar setting up more drinks but stopped what they were doing when they saw me. Pa called Dante over to take over, and he and Luc made their way over to me.
We’d planned to meet separately, apart from everyone.
I had a lot I needed to get off my chest.
We went down to the little room in the cellar, and Luc locked the door.
“Well, you’re looking more miserable than usual. So, something else must have happened.” Luc smirked.
Pa brought his hands together and looked me over. “Luc told me about the Manello grunt. When was I going to hear it from you?”
Pa raised a brow, and I leaned forward, resting on the table. “I’m sorry. I had other things on my mind. There’s a lot going on.” I didn’t apologize for anything, but I knew when I was wrong.
“Claudius, if you let me hear shit like this second hand again, I will step down as your consigliere and move back to Italy.” Pa gave me a pointed stare.
“Noted.” Sure, I was boss, but my father was my father. He was old school and right now, I needed some sort of order.
I glanced at Luc. This was supposed to be us catching up, but it was difficult not to draw a line between stuff that was happening to me and business talk. Even after three years of him not being involved with business affairs, I found it strange to keep certain things from him.
Right now, I needed to tell Pa about the Antonellas. It was something I should tell him because of the seriousness in it.
“What? What is it?” Luc asked, narrowing his eyes.
“I’m just mindful.”
Pa straightened and looked from Luc to me with a scowl on his face. “What the fuck’s wrong with you? You?” He pointed at me. “If this is business, save it for the office. If it’s not, let’s talk. Luc doesn’t work for us anymore, but he’s not a schmuck. Capisce?”
It wasn’t just Luc. I knew what Pa would say the minute I mentioned Barabbas, and I didn’t want to get too involved in anything that could blow up in my face.
This… it was Ava again. I was being careful because of her. Treading on cautious grounds because I knew pissing on a guy like Barabbas Antonella would mean instant war. But… this was me going fucking soft.
I needed to get my act together.
“Dante and Gio saw Barabbas Antonella,” I declared.
Jesus, their faces. Both Pa and Luc looked like they’d seen a ghost. Pa’s skin actually went pale.
“When? Where?” Pa asked.
“Days ago, at the old theatre. They were trying to get intel on the Manellos when they saw him. Plan is to do some more searching and see why he’s back. But I don’t want trouble.”
“Trouble’s already here, boy. What you’re suggesting is taking a peek and turning away.”
“Something else is here. Or someone else,” Luc cut in and pressed his lips together.
“Someone else?” I wondered who he was thinking of.
“It’s no coincidence, Claudius. A Manello grunt, sighting of Barabbas Antonella. It’s too weird to be coincidence. Both those families haven’t been seen in a heap of years. Seven years for the Manellos. More than that for the Antonellas. Trust me, it’s no run of the mill thing that’s going on.”
“And you have to get involved,” Pa added.
“What the hell are they up to?” I frowned, clenching my fists.
Those fuckers. If they really were dealing with some crazy shit, there would be hell to pay. What were they doing?
“Son, it’s not gonna be anything good. You may want our CIA contacts on this and the secret squad on foot. Keep The Four close by in case there’s trouble.”
Sure. Looks like I was messing things up here now too. Maybe I’d had it too easy all these years, running off the steam of the way things were set up and not really seeing anything to challenge me.
Pa had a good plan though. A plan I should have come up with myself.
“Fine, I’ll do a thorough search.” I held up my hands and snapped them shut. This would have to take precedence over my concerns on selling the shipping company. And, if we were diving into this territory there was something else I needed to sort out. “Luc, can I borrow your boys?”
“You know you don’t have to ask. But why would you if you got The Four?”
“Ava…” It was difficult for me to even say her name.
Luc and Pa exchanged curious glances.
“What about her?” Pa asked. His features softened. I hadn’t spoken about her in years, and he knew the story too.
There was, however, one thing that I’d never voiced to anyone. It was my suspicion over one of my guys being a rat. So many years had passed, and I was still trying to figure it out.
“If shit goes down, I need someone who I trust to take care of her,” I confessed.
“And do you not trust your men?” Pa quirked a brow.
“Not for something like this.”
“I’ll look after her,” Luc offered.
I snapped my head around to face him, surprised by his words. “You would?”
“You know I would, brother. I don’t need to remind you of all you did when my doll was in trouble. She’d be dead if not for you.” He nodded.
No one needed a reminder of that whole saga. Raphael and that whole mad shit. I’d saved Amelia from being taken by Victor the first time he’d tried to take her. That crazy son of a bitch had come back from the dead and teamed up with the worst motherfuckers known to man.
“You know I didn’t do it so I could call a favor from you.”
“We don’t do shit like that, Claudius. When the people we love need protection, we have each other. Just give me a heads up when the shit starts to fly.” He chuckled.
It was amazing how I suddenly felt more at ease.
“Let’s see what’s the what first."
That meant the whole team on research. I had to admit I did love this part of the job. I liked the idea of having so much power at my beck and call. The secret squad and our associates, links with the CIA and feds I’d inherited with the business.
I could almost bet, though, that Ava would frown on it. It was too much power.
I wouldn’t even entertain the possibility of her being mine ever again, but if she was, I’d give her everything. I’d give her everything but keep her out of the darkness of my world.
That might just be a wish my heart wanted. Her face yesterday had been …
It said everything.
I couldn’t claim to have any kind of feelings for her and not want the best for her. I’d done too much. Done way too much.
I didn’t stay much longer after talking to Luc and Pa.
I thought I’d get an early night, then head to the workshop in the morning and start on the new bike.
However, the minute I pulled up on my drive and saw the little yellow Miata, heat rushed through me. That was Ava’s car. It was super late, verging on midnight.
Was she really here? Or was my damn mind playing tricks on me?
Maybe I’d lost it wanting her so badly, and now I was hallucinating.
I jumped off my bike, not bothering to park up properly, and rushed into the house.
I found her curled up on the sofa in the sitting room watching one of those classic shows I hated.
It was Bewitched.
I only knew because she’d indulged in that and other shows like it when we were together.
She straightened when she saw me and stood up looking a little off balance like she was nervous.
Her luscious lips parted, but she didn’t say anything.
My gaze trailed over her gorgeous body in that little dress of hers. Salmon-pink with a top that hugged her delicious globes, enunciating how perfect she was. The hem stopped just above her knees and floated as she took an uncertain step toward me.
She was here, in my house. And it was late.
I moved closer to her, stopping just a breath away.
God, I really hoped this wasn’t her telling me goodbye or that she didn’t want to see me ever again. The glint in her eyes spoke otherwise, but I dared not hope.
When she reached out and touched my jaw, my skin warmed. My skin warmed at her touch, and my body begged me to touch her.
Any resolve I had faded into the ether when she ran her finger along my jaw.
That was all it took, and fuck it, I didn’t care about anything anymore. She was here at my house, late.
That meant she’d be mine tonight.
I reached for her and crushed my lips to hers.
She melted into the kiss and kissed me back with the same hunger that fueled me.
That was when I truly lost my mind.