Balestra knew me and his daughter were close. He wasn’t a stupid man. He probably didn’t know the extent of it, but he was aware we both were around Carmine all the time. I even met the guy a couple of times. He seemed all right, for an asshole.
He’d put it together soon. His guys were falling like flies and I was behind it. I had to have help—and Cap was an obvious candidate. He’d make the connection, and when he did, she’d be in even more danger. For now, I had to hope he hadn’t put it all together yet, or if he did, he wasn’t ready to burn that bridge.
Still no answer. It set me on edge. I hated this, wondering if Cap was okay. Especially right now, when I needed to focus. Clem was in that house, likely holed up in a room healing from the severe beating I set on his ass. He was likely scared, fucking terrified. Probably had a guard or two, if he was lucky.
I waited. Let the hours stretch until it got late. The moon was half full and hung like a rat in the sky. I wanted to shut it up. Wished it were darker. Didn’t matter. Cap hadn’t answered, and I still had a job to do.
I stepped out of the truck, cracked my neck, and strode forward.
* * *
Capri
Daddy dragged me all over San Antonio.
He said it was for my own good. I couldn’t really argue. He took me downtown and made me go into every single clothing store there was, looking for the right outfit. He grunted his disapproval at absolutely everything. It took all day, and I was on edge. Mal was out looking for Clem, using the list I’d given him, and I hadn’t been able to check my phone. Not with Daddy breathing down my neck.
“That one isn’t bad.” He squinted at me, touching his chin.
“Then let’s call it a day. I’m exhausted.” I smoothed out the conservative navy dress I’d found in the back of a little boutique near the river.
Daddy nodded and looked at me. I didn’t understand what we were doing. He never took me shopping like this, not since I was a little girl. It was disconcerting and more than a little uncomfortable, considering I was a full-grown woman now trying on dresses with my father. But he refused to tell me what this was about, and I understood that to push him was to court disaster.
So I went along. I smiled, took his suggestions, and tried to get through it without him hurting me. So far, it’d been okay.
“You know, Capri, I never tell you this, but I’m proud of you. Did you know that?”
I looked at him like he was crazy and ducked back into the changing room. “I find that hard to believe.” I took off the dress and pulled on my jeans and my button-down.
“It’s true. You look so much like your mother. It’s painful sometimes, but I’m proud of the woman you’ve become.”
I stepped back out with the dress draped over my arm. He took it and held it up like he expected to see me still hanging in it.
Dad never talked about Mom. She died a long time ago, when I was still little. I barely remembered her at all. She was a ghost between us, always there, but never mentioned, and this felt ominous.
“Why are you thinking about her?” I asked as we went up and paid.
“No reason.”
He gave the cashier his card and we went back home. He was quiet in the car. Contemplative. I’d never seen him like this before. It scared me so much I considered jumping out of the car and making a run for it. But by the time I worked up the courage, it was too late. We pulled up the driveway and headed toward the house.
We went up the front step together. A couple of his guards were outside. They patrolled along the front lawn, pretending to prune the bushes. I doubted anyone fell for that.
Inside the front door, Rolando was waiting.
Dad stopped as I went forward. Neither man spoke. They just stared at me.
I looked from one to the other.
“What’s going on?” My stomach twisted. All that dread fell on me like rain. I wanted to go upstairs and check my phone to see how things were going with Mal, but I couldn’t get away. Not with Rolando and Dad both looking at me like they felt sorry for what they were about to do.
“Honey, I don’t want to do this. I need you to understand that. I really don’t.” Dad tossed the dress to Rolando. He caught it and draped it over his shoulder, his frown deepening.
“What are you talking about?” I took a step away instinctively, even if there was nowhere to run.