“Don’t get in the middle,” I hiss, keeping Romeo in place while he’s tossing and swearing, punching the air. I land one more blast on his head to knock him out. It works a treat. I shut the trunk, all the while doused with a series of Layla’s half-ass punches.
“He learned his lesson!” she cries, hitting harder.
Careful not to squeeze too hard or cause more damage, I grab her by the shoulders, forcing her back inside the car. “Stop fidgeting, Star.”
“Next time, I won’t tell you anything!” She turns her head the other way in a theatrical manner.
It’d be amusing if not for the words. “Next time? You want to see him again?!”
“No, I-I... just, leave him be. Please, he didn’t do anything. I ran before he had the chance to—”
“If he had raped you, he wouldn’t be fucking breathing right now.” I would’ve killed him with bare hands. I’d batter him until he bled out on the front lawn outside his shitty house. “Put your seatbelt on.”
Romeo starts screaming in the trunk half a minute after we pull away from the curb. Luca slams the brakes a few times, silencing Romeo for the time being. He’ll scream again when I’ll hold a gun to his head.
“Hey, Dad,” Layla says out of the blue.
I jerk around, tearing the phone out of her hand. “What the fuck are you playing at? Why is Layla alone? Where’s her fucking security?!”
“Why are you with her again?” he sighs, sounding bored. “She told you to stay away.”
I tap Luca on his shoulder and point left, so he’ll turn there. “One of my men found her on Riverdale cornered by two junkies. Would you rather he left her there?”
“No, of course not,” he snaps. The concern in his voice sounds forced, unnatural. “But I’d rather—”
“Then be thankful Luca was driving by. You’d be looking for her in the gutter tomorrow if not for him.” Chills slide down my spine just thinking about what could’ve happened.
“Thank you,” he seethes, the words strained as if too tricky to pronounce. “And now, can you bring her back home and leave her the fuck alone? Stay away from her, Dante. You’ll do more damage than all the junkies in this city.”
A laugh escapes me. His daughter could’ve been raped tonight, or worse—drugged, raped, and beaten to death, but all he cares about is business. I hope he’ll lose it all soon. There’s a particular part of hell reserved for the likes of him.
“All I can damage is your fucking ego. I’ll bring Layla home, and I have a gift, too.”
I want to trial Romeo myself, but handing him over to Frankie might force the son of a bitch to look at my relationship with Layla from a different angle. He’s fond of Italian mafia culture and appreciates such gestures.
Layla meets my eyes when I return her phone, her pretty face clouded with uncertainty, but she grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together. “Thank you, and... I’m sorry.”
It’s not an averagesorry. She doesn’t mean tonight alone, but also the rejection from two weeks ago. Without putting herself out in the open, she’s checking if I still want her.
“Stop the car,” I tell Luca.
I hesitated once.Neveragain. I won’t play games if she’s ready to give us a go.
I want her.
I need her to be mine.
The RAM’s tall enough, so when I open the back door, I take one step and being eye-level with Layla, I cup her face, covering her lips with mine.
Sweet.
So addictively sweet.
Her shoulders sag as her frail body relaxes under my touch. I hated every damn second I spent away from her the past two weeks. She presses her nose to my cheek, deepening the kiss with the same aroused urgency she kissed me last time, and her small, delicate fingers press into my jaw.
Having her close calms me right down. If she’s with me, she’s safe. “I’m taking you to Delta tomorrow. With or without your father’s blessing, with or without Burly, you’re coming with me. Understood?” A long journey to earn her trust awaits, but I’ll gladly work on her doubts.
Tucking her long hair back, she presses her forehead against my torso. “I told you I’d get addicted. A gentle reminder...” She pulls away to meet my gaze. “Too many people use me, hurt me, and toss me aside like a broken toy.” She rests her hand on my chest, keeping me away when I move to kiss her. “Don’t try and shush me. I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow but don’t show up if you intend to put me back on the shelf once you get bored.”