“I can’t just uproot my life and leave my house,” she said, trembling. “I can’t just leave my job and risk my only source of income because you’re the one that made a mistake.”
“But you can’t stay here,” I said. “Not any longer. They know you’re here.”
“And whose fault is that?”
“I can’t risk you being in danger. I have to handle the men that have threatened my family and I will. But you aren’t safe here. I can get you safe. All of you. But you have to come with me.”
“What do you mean ‘handle’?” she asked, backing away from me.
“Rose…”
“What exactly have you done, Camillo? What is this ‘influence’ you keep talking about?”
I couldn’t answer that question. Not when she was already so frightened of me. The way her body was humming with adrenaline, her fight or flight response was kicking in. I realized in that moment that she was afraid of me.
And it killed a part of my soul I hadn’t known existed until she’d come into my life.
“I will tell you everything,” I said. “I promise. Once this is all over, we will have a long discussion. But right now, the less you know, the better off you are.”
“No. I don’t agree to those terms. I can’t trust you if I can’t understand what we are up against.”
My chest flooded with relief at that one tiny word. That one two-letter word that encompassed the whole of what I’d wanted ever since I’d tracked her down.
We.
“No,” I said. “Right now is not that time. I’m sorry.”
“Then get. The fuck. Out.”
“Rose, you need to—”
“Get out,” she said.
“Rose-”
“Get! Out!”
She threw the lamp at my head, shattering it into a million pieces. People in the house began to stir and Ana started to cry. Rose rushed past me, not giving me a chance to react, and the moment she scooped my little girl up into her arms and turned her back to me, I knew I needed to stop. I needed to stop trying to convince her that my way was the right way.
If I pissed her off anymore, I might lose both of them forever.
“Uncle?” Junior asked. “Everything okay?”
“Good morning, you guys,” Rose said, smiling. “Everything’s fine. Ana’s not feeling too well, and I tipped over the lamp trying to get to her.”
“Anyone up for some coffee?” Cassie asked, groaning. “Because I could use some.”
“I don’t drink coffee,” Kevin said.
“Well, I do,” Mrs. Barker said. “I’ll go start the pot and get breakfast going.”
Rose shook her head. “Mrs. Barker, that’s not necessary. I can—”
“Why don’t you go take care of that beautiful little girl in your arms? Let me handle breakfast, and then we can go from there.”
I looked over at Junior’s nanny and she shot me a look. I’d hired her because of her wonderful background. I’d had her thoroughly checked out by my private detective to make sure she didn’t have any ties to anyone that would want to hunt me down. She didn’t know much about my life, other than the fact that Junior and I were wanting to start fresh, but she did know a fight when she saw one.
And she could tell by the look on Rose’s face that I was no longer welcome.
“I’ll be back tomorrow for your answer,” I said to Rose. “Just think about it.”
“You have my terms,” she said.
“Where you going, Uncle?” Junior asked.
“I’ve got some things that need to be taken care of at the cabin,” I said. “How do you feel about staying here a little while longer?”
I looked up at Rose, secretly begging her to just take the boy in for a while. I needed all of them together if I was going to assess the threat and keep an eye on them. If there was even a small chance that the target would move if I did, then I had to take that chance.
Which meant leaving Junior with Rose, even when she already had so much to juggle.
“Junior?” Rose asked. “You ever had a movie marathon day?”
“I love those,” Junior said, smiling.
“Can I do one, too?” Kevin asked.
“Oh, we’re all gonna do one,” Rose said, smiling. “Right after breakfast.”
I sighed with relief as I made my way downstairs, bypassing Mrs. Barker on the way out the door.
“I take it you want me to stay?” she asked.
“You’ll be compensated well for your time,” I said as I grabbed the door.
“It’s none of my business, but if I were you, I’d tell her whatever it is she wants.”
I looked her square in her eyes and not for a second did she back down. I’d have to run another background check on her, just to make sure she didn’t know more than I felt she was letting on. Mrs. Barker had always been an intuitive woman, with the best intentions in mind, but everyone had a price.