I look up at the other guard, a young pale guy in his early twenties with a nose ring and tattoos, and he opens his mouth to say something when his skull explodes followed by another loud boom. The guard crumples down to the ground, hitting it with a dull, wet thud.
Calvino comes forward, a gun held out, sweeping it over the garage. He looks down at me and I see the cold gaze of a killer in his expression, so empty and clinical, as he reaches across and turns off the engine.
Rella’s standing at the key hook with her hands over her ears looking horrified. She stares from Calvino to the guards and back again, and cringes against the wall like she’s afraid her brother’s going to turn his gun on her next.
But he doesn’t. Instead, he shoves the weapon into his waistband, pulls the door to the Miata open, and scoops me up into his arms. He holds me tight against his chest and hugs me so hard it hurts.
All at once my numbness breaks and I’m basking in Calvino’s warmth.
“You’re here,” I say, breathless as he puts me down and takes my hand. “What are you doing here?”
“Damon told me Vince took you. I’ve been staking the house out all morning when I heard the yelling.”
“You killed them.” I want to look back at the bodies, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
His face hardens. “They hurt you. Nobody fucking hurts you.” He squeezes my hands. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. But Calvino, what about Vince? He’ll know.”
“I don’t give a shit about Vince.” He turns to Rella. “Don’t look so damn scared, little sister. You know what kind of men your brothers are.”
“I knew they were like this, but you?” She’s pale and trembling, but she does her best to smile still. She’s so damn brave. “I guess I should’ve realized you’re all the same.”
“I’m taking you home,” he whispers to me, kisses my neck, and pulls me from the garage. “Thanks for the help, Rella.”
“Anytime,” she says vaguely, sounding like she’s about to float up into the atmosphere at any second.
His SUV is parked midway up the driveway. He rips the back door open and helps me inside before he slams it and gets behind the driver’s wheel.
“You didn’t have to come back for me,” I say softly, reaching up to touch his arm.
“Yes, I did,” he says, turns the wheel, whips the car around, and blazes down the driveway and away from the Sandtrap.
Chapter 27
Grace
I climb up to the passenger seat and tremble as he holds my hand the whole ride back. We don’t talk about our fight or the way I ran from him—we only sit in silence and I try not to think about those guys and their heads exploding in gore or the calm, determined look on Calvino’s face just after he murdered two living human beings. I try not to think about how much trouble Rella’s going to get in or the danger Charlie’s still in or the horrible thrum of energy between my legs. I try not to think about anything but Calvino and my freedom and what I’m going to do with what little time we have left.
Because Vince is coming and he’s going to burn us to the ground.
“Where are we going?” I ask quietly as Calvino navigates into a part of the city I’m not familiar with.
“Somewhere safe.” He doesn’t elaborate and I don’t need him to.
If Calvino says it’s safe, then it’s safe.
He parks outside of a hardware store that looks like it’s been out of business for a decade, although a faded open sign hangs on the door. He leads me to an unmarked entrance, unlocks it with a big brass ring, and we head up a flight of stairs. Another door is at the top, and beyond that is a simple apartment, a little kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom, furnished with nothing more than the necessities penned in by bare white walls.
“I own the store downstairs,” he says as I drift to the window and look out, half expecting to find a bunch of mafia guys standing across the street. Instead, there’s only a quiet house, some trees, some grass, and beat-up old sedans. “I own a lot of places my family doesn’t know about. Places that I find useful.”
“Is this like a safe house?”
“Pretty much. It’s a place I set up that nobody knows about aside from Diego, so Vince won’t be able to find us here. He doesn’t even know about the hardware store, much less about this apartment.”
I turn from the window and stare at Calvino and my heart does a double-patter. He’s looking back at me like he doesn’t know if he wants to smother me or kiss me and I want him to do both. I take a couple steps forward, but he rushes to me, wraps me into his arms, and he bites my lower lip before crushing my mouth with his.