“No. You specifically said you didn’t want me to work here. That’s a different thing than telling me you don’t want me here. This is your house, and you’ve taken care of me. I would have respected your request if you had made it. And I only came because Marabella asked me to try and bond with Giada.”
“Marabella,” he repeats flatly.
“Yes, and please don’t be mad at her. She cares for you and Giada deeply. It would hurt her to feel she caused this today.”
“What did you tell Gallo?”
“I told him I only remembered my first name, and made sure he fingerprinted me. That’s what you wanted, right?”
“What did he say to you?”
“He told me The Underground is dangerous and so are you.”
“We are. What else?”
I know he has the right to know the rest, but I can’t seem to speak the words.
“Ella—”
“He stole your right to tell me something in your own time.”
He stares at me, silent. Intense. His hand runs through his hair, and that hawk that establishes him as a protector flashes. “He told you about five years ago.”
“Yes. About Kevin and . . .”
“Elizabeth.” Her name is sandpaper on his throat, pain ripped straight from his heart.
“Yes.”
His jaw clenches. Seconds tick by. “It’s time Gallo and I have a heart-to-heart.” He turns and is through the door to the store before I know he’s moved.
“Kayden!” I shout, running after him. “Kayden!” I enter the store and he’s already at the front door, exiting to the street, with no coat and no explanation.
“Adriel!” I shout. He rushes out of his office. “He went after Gallo for telling me about Elizabeth.”
“Fuck!” Adriel is already rounding the counter. “Stay here and lock the door.” He grabs a coat from a rack and disappears out the door.
I hurry forward and lock it. Sinking against the wooden surface door, I suck in air, my heart hammering against my chest. This is bad. I grab my phone from my pocket and dial Kayden, willing him to answer, but it rings and rings and then goes to voice mail. I walk to the sofa and sit down, trying again. And again. I press the phone to my forehead and shut my eyes. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him. No. I had to tell him.
“You okay?” Giada’s standing in front of me with two steaming cups in her hand. “Hot chocolate. I thought you could use some.”
I set the phone on the table to accept the mug. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” She sits down next to me. “So. Are you okay?”
I turn to face her. “Kind of. Thank you. What about you? You had a rough night.”
“I broke up with my boyfriend a few days ago, over Adriel harassing him. I tried to drink away my heartache. It didn’t work.”
“It usually doesn’t,” I say, sipping the hot beverage.
“You sound like you speak from experience.”
I smile. “Well, I do have amnesia, so I’m not really an authority on my past right now.”
“Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry. That must really suck.”
I shrug. “My memories are slowly coming back, and I also seem to just know some things. Like I’ve tried to drink away a man before, and failed.”