“Fine.”
“Shae, stop.”
He grabs my arm as I walk past him, and I whirl around.
“Talk to me, please,” he begs. “What the fuck is going on? I’ve never seen you like this. I don’t even know who you are right now.”
“Remember the day we first met at the diner?”
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His eyes soften. “Of course I do.”
“Do you remember how I told you there were things about my past I couldn’t talk about?” He nods. “I still can’t, but I need you to trust me. You don’t want to get involved.”
“If you’re involved, I’m involved. No way am I going to let you do something dangerous.”
“You don’t have a choice. I know what I’ve got to do, and nothing or no one is going to stop me.”
JJ shakes his head “I don’t understand.”
“JJ.” I drop a hand to his arm, knowing full well that if things don’t go my way, this might be the last time I see him. “This is bigger than you. It’s bigger than me, and I wish I could tell you, but then you’d be in danger, and I would never put you in that position.”
“Fine. I’ll put myself in that position. We’re family, Shae.”
“I’m sorry.” Taking my hand off his arm, I turn for the door.
“Shae?”
“Yeah?” I turn around. He tosses his keys, and I catch them. “Thank you.”
“Just come home tonight, okay?”
Tears well up in my eyes, and I nod before slipping out the front door.
Because traffic is light, I’m able to make it to Ambrosis in record time. I pull up to the curb and throw JJ’s car in park.
I can’t believe I’m going to do this.
I take a deep, cleansing breath and blow it out. My fingers tremble in my lap, and as much as I want to put the car in drive and pull away, I know that’s not an option because I don’t want to run, and I would have to run. I’d have to leave the life I’ve made for myself here.
My eyes are locked on the front door of Ambrosi’s as I turn off the car, climb out, and slip the gun in the back of my pants, situating my shirt to make sure it’s covered.
With each step I take toward Ambrosi’s, I can hear my father and sister yelling at me.
What are you doing?
Turn around, Bianca.
Don’t do this. Don’t let him ruin your life too.
“He already ruined my life,” I whisper, stopping at the front door.
I wipe my hands down the front of my pants and reach for the handle, but the door is locked. Pressing my face against the tinted glass, I peer inside. The lights are on, and Isabella is sitting at a table in the back. I can’t tell what she’s doing, but she appears to be alone, so I knock on the door.
She turns to look, and when she sees me, she rushes across the room, glancing over her shoulder once as if making sure no one is watching her. The door pushes open and she grabs my arm, pulling me inside.
“Shae, this isn’t a good time. What are you doing here?”