After dressing in clothes brought up by Mr. Wong, I made my way out into the kitchen area, finding the couple seated at their kitchen table, loaded down with food. “Sit,” Ruhua stated firmly. “Eat.”
I did as she instructed, not wanting to piss her off. I had done it once before, accidentally dripping blood on her carpet during a random street fight when I was younger. I might be a tough bastard, but Ruhua was downright scary when she was pissed off.
“What will you do?” she asked before I could get the first chopstickful of rice into my mouth.
I eyed her. “About what?”
She snorted. “Don’t act dumb. About your girlfriend. Don’t you want her?”
I stared down at the plate of food. Of course I wanted Leda. Ineededher in my life. I kept fucking this up between us because she scared me. It was about what I felt whenever I was with her and how uncomfortable that made me. “She’s better off without me,” I picked at a piece of duck. It was true. I wasn’t any good to her.
“Not your decision.” Ruhua replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “You don’t know what is in her heart.”
Oh, I knew it. She had told me that she loved me. She had given me everything I could have possibly asked for in a partner.
In a wife.
And what had I done? I had thrown it all away. Now I didn’t even know where she was or if she was safe, and it was my fault.
“I liked her,” Mr. Wong announced, nodding his head. “She’s good for you.”
“Yeah,” I admitted with a sigh. “She was.”
Ruhua reached out and slapped me on the arm, her eyes flashing. “Is, you idiot! Don’t give up.”
I laughed, my entire body aching from the motion. “You should be in the Mafia,” I told the little woman, rubbing my arm.
She smirked as she picked up her bowl. “I’m happy here. Get your girlfriend back.”
After dinner, I tucked my hands in my pockets and walked up the small set of stairs that led to the roof. Night had fallen over the city, and after spending nearly two weeks away from the sights and sounds, I found them overwhelming.
There was a brisk wind blowing, and I found myself reminded of the day before, when I had watched Leda on the balcony. Was she safe? I didn’t know. My phone was gone, so I had no way to contact Nico and find out if Leda had made it to him.
I couldn’t contact Emil, who was likely raising hell until further instructions.
I was alone, bitterly alone, and while I thought I could deal with it, I hated it.
Drawing in a breath, I gazed out over the twinkling lights of the city. If Leda was gone, I would know it. What scared the shit out of me was in not knowing who had her and whether she was getting the medical attention she needed.
It had been my job to protect her, and I had fucked it up.
I wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to see my face again.
Turning my attention away from Leda for a moment, I thought about the task that lied ahead. Carmine was back, and I still had my war with Adrian. Leda saw that those two were related, which meant I had to focus on taking down both if I wanted to get myself out of this mess.
This war was about to heat up.
And I needed to put myself into action.
Chapter 53
Leda
Upper East Side, Manhattan
I jolted awake, my heart hammering in my chest. Gone was the sound of gunfire, the horrible realization that Lucas and I were going to die on that hot asphalt unable to reach each other.
Instead, in its place was the sound of beeping.