Chapter 22: Abraham drives me crazy

His voice was soothing and I felt my heart rate begin to slightly subside. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth?” I asked.

“Why would I lie to you now?” he replied. “If I was a coldhearted bastard I would have just let Abraham shoot you and be done with it.”

His eyes were filled with sincerity. I wanted to believe him. “Yeah…?”

“But I didn’t do that, did I?” he smiled. “I saved you.”

One of those cry-giggles leapt out of my chest and I wiped my face with the back of my hand.

“For the second time!” I blurted out.

“That’s right, angel,” he replied, wiping the tears from my cheek. “And that’s what I’ll continue doing for the rest of my life with you.”

It was almost too much for me to handle. I felt faint and slumped forward into his strong arms. He held me there for a long time while I got myself together. At some point he waved to Abraham, who got back into the car and drove off the property.

He shot at me…I thought, gulping deep breaths of the night air as I started to cool down.

“You’re okay, baby,” Ludwika whispered. “You’re okay. I’m so sorry about all of this. You shouldn’t have seen that picture. I was waiting until this was all sorted out to tell you.”

“It just scared me so much…”

“Of course it did,” he said soothingly as he ran his fingers through my hair.

“I’m sorry I doubted you—”

“Don’t be,” he assured me. “It’s only natural. Come on, let’s get you inside.”

Before I could respond, Ludwika had me in his arms and was carrying me like a groom might carry his bride down the aisle after the wedding. I tucked my nose between his shoulder and neck and threw my arms around him.

My parents…killed by the mafia.

It all seemed too impossible to believe, but as Ludwika said, he had no reason to lie to me. If he was really the one responsible for their deaths, he could have just let Abraham shoot me.

Unless his plan was to hold me hostage in his house for the rest of my life…

“I’ll show you the evidence we have,” Ludwika said, as though I was thinking out loud. “Just so you can be sure.”

“I believe you!” I said quickly, without thinking. It was a purely emotional response and I trusted it.

“Still, I want you to see it for yourself,” he said as he carried me inside. “So you never have to feel unsure about me again.”

Hope’s expression as the recording finished playing. “We got ’em, boss. Both of ’em.” That was Bruno, Tony’s hit man. “Got ’em dead?” Tony asked.

“Toast,” Bruno confirmed. You could tell by the tone of his voice that he was smiling.

“Good. That’ll teach people to go to the cops!” Tony laughed with his raspy, cigar-smoker’s voice.

Both men cackled and the recording came to an end. I gave Hope a moment to process before I spoke. I knew that playing it for her was going to hurt her, but it was something she needed to hear.

Her eyes moved back and forth as she sat on the chair in my study, wrapped in my robe, looking like the most innocent, vulnerable girl in the world.

But I knew she was strong. This was a girl who would never break. She was prepared to go dance for a living and pay off her parents’ debt, and when she thought I was part of what had happened to her parents, had wasted no time getting the fuck out of Dodge.

But as strong as she might be, I was always going to be there to support her—especially at a time like this.

“I know it’s hard to hear, baby—”

“No,” she shook her head. “I’m glad you played this for me.” She looked up, a fierce twinkle in her eyes.

“Now I know, and that’s better than not knowing.” All I could do was smile at her strength.

“So, what’s next?” she asked.

“They’ve been charged and arrested,” I replied. “His men will try to take

the rap for him, and they’ll fight us in court, but we’ve got them. And if they want to try and take the fight to the streets…well, we have ways of dealing with that too.”

I didn’t want Hope getting involved in that side of my life, but I also wasn’t going to hide it from her either. The Columbos were going down, but they wouldn’t go down without a fight, and there would surely be more bloodshed before everything was done. But Hope would be safe.

“I…I always thought it was just a random thing,” Hope said slowly. “I can’t believe my parents never told me about this.”

“They didn’t want to endanger you,” I told her. “As it is, you’re lucky they didn’t come after you too.”

Hope shook her head in something between disbelief and acceptance. It was a lot to process, especially from someone who wasn’t from this world.

Guys like Tony were the reason I’d fought so hard to become as powerful as I was. I didn’t believe in shaking down hardworking citizens like Hope’s parents, and fought against it whenever I could.

“And Juan?” she asked. “Why did they owe money to him?”

“That I don’t know,” I replied. “I can ask him, but I’m sure it was just part of the shakedown. They needed money and they needed it fast, so they borrowed it. Juan probably told them he’d help and then roped them in.”

“Son of a bitch…”

“Don’t worry,” I told her, coming closer. “Juan’s never going to bother you again. No one is. You’re safe with me, angel.”

I took her hand and squeezed. But I could see there was still something bothering her.

“Ludwika, can I ask you something?” “Anything.”

“Why…why are you going to the cops with this?” she asked. “Shouldn’t you guys just…take care of it gangster style or whatever?”

I chuckled. “That’s a good question. And under normal circumstances, you’d be right. But Tony and his goons affected a lot of people, not just other criminals. Innocents like your parents. And if we just retaliate and wipe them out, there will be no justice for those people, and I can’t stand that.”

“Justice…” she said quietly. I knew what she was thinking; how could she ever have justice for her parents, who were no longer with her?

My heart bled for her, my angel, but while I couldn’t change the past, I could ensure her future would be safe and secure.

Nothing would stand in the way of that.

I took her hand in mine and stroked it slowly until she raised her eyes to me. My protective instincts had never been higher.

I’d love this girl forever. I’d die for her.

I’d wake up every morning at her side as the happiest man in the world and there was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe and happy, and it was time she truly knew that. So, without hesitation, I told her what I’d been feeling.

“Hope,” I said. “I love you.”

Her breath caught with a sharp gasp but she didn’t hesitate before she replied.

“I love you too, Ludwika!”

She threw her arms around me as tears spilled from her eyes again, but these were tears of happiness. Those were the only tears I ever wanted to see from her again. My angel deserved a wonderful life and I was going to give it to her.

We held each other until her tears stopped and she was able to let go of me enough to sit back a bit. She looked like a mess, but an absolutely adorable mess. Her hair was in complete disarray and her face was streaked with tears and her eyes were red. She certainly would have said she looked like shit, but to me she was perfect.