Michele didn’t care about Caesar. She only cared about herself, and it bugged her. Her accusations about her and Alonzo bothered her.
Last night wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did. What the hell was she supposed to do now? How could she face him again?
This was all too much.
She’d have to quit.
With her father no longer part of his team, maybe she could live a quiet life. A life away from the mafia. Away from everything.
The thought alone filled her with such joy, and she couldn’t contain her excitement and just being alone. Being herself.
With a spring in her step, she rounded the park four more times before finally heading toward the gate.
However, there was no chance of her escaping as the reason for her troubled thoughts stood right at the gate. She noticed all of the other parents and kids were gone. The park was completely empty.
Jessica stood at his side, as did Benedict.
“I didn’t steal him,” she said, walking faster so that she stood in front of them.
“We know you didn’t, silly. We’re here to take him. That’s all.”
Alonzo hadn’t said a word.
“He should be ready for his feed,” she said, handing over the stroller.
Jessica took it. “Thank you.”
She watched as Jessica and Benedict both left. When he tried to put an arm around his wife, she pulled away. There really was no love there.
The two guards who’d followed her left to keep an eye on Jessica.
She stood alone with Alonzo, Cole, and Demetri.
“I don’t like it when you leave the house without my permission,” Alonzo said.
“I was only doing my job. I’m not allowed to do that anymore?” She looked past his shoulder, not liking others seeing her with him.
“Come,” Alonzo said. He held out his hand, and she really didn’t want to take it, but she did. They were in public, and this wouldn’t go well for either of them if they got caught.
They walked toward the swings, and he ordered her to take a seat. Being ordered around started to grate on her nerves. Remembering the feel of his lips between her thighs though, she sat down on the seat.
His hand went to her back, and he gave her a gentle push. Rather than fight him, she lifted her legs up and allowed the push to carry her. When she drew her legs back, he pressed on her back, and she was once again in the air.
For a short time, she could imagine her father being here, or at least feel him in the air as she reached for the stars.
The longer she sat, climbing higher and higher, more of her troubles melted away until nothing was left. Nothing mattered in her life.
Not being a nanny.
Not Michele.
Not Alonzo.
Or the fear that her life would one day end in a bloody war.
There simply was nothing.
****
It would have been so easy to fuck her last night. To take her cherry and have her screaming for him, begging for more. Only, Alonzo didn’t just want her for sex. There was no way he’d waited two years for her for it all to be over in one night.
Clearly, she had trouble dealing with what they’d done together. He’d checked the surveillance footage he had around the house. From what he saw, she’d looked like a crazy person, needing to escape, and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like her wanting to get away from him.
He used Tessa’s own momentum to watch her fly higher in the sky.
“What do you do on your downtime?” he asked, looking at Maxwell. The older man was one of his most trusted allies and soldiers.
“I take my daughter to the park.”
“Isn’t she a little old for the park?”
“Maybe. Either way, whatever troubles she has in her young mind, they melt away. All I have to do is give her a push.”
The memory came to him fast, and as he pressed his hand against her back, watching her fly, he thought about her father. Maxwell had always been worried about her safety. About what being part of the mafia meant to her well-being.
This was not a place for everyone.
Even Alonzo had thought about leaving it behind, only he couldn’t. Once he was part of it, there really was no going back.
Cole and Demetri stood away from them.
He checked the time, and saw it was a little after seven. They’d need to leave soon. She had to be hungry.
When she came back, he didn’t push her again.
She started to slow down, and he moved to stand in front of her.
The smile died on her lips as she caught sight of him.
Slowly, back and forth, she stopped, and he stepped forward. When he gripped the chains of her swing, she stayed seated.
“Whenever you need to come out here to clear your head again, come to me.”
“My dad told you,” she said.