“Tell me this is a bad idea,” I say.
“It’s a bad idea.”
“Tell me I shouldn’t fall for another bad boy, not after Oswald.”
“You shouldn’t fall for another bad boy.”
“Thanks. I needed to hear that.”
“But you’re not falling for him, are you?”
“I don’t know.” I touch my forehead where he kissed me. “Maybe a little.”
“You need to be careful. I researched, and I’m sure he’s in the mafia.”
“What?” I don’t tell her I already guessed, but I was trying to put it out of my mind for a little while, at least.
“I found this stuff online. It was couched in euphemisms, but the hint was it was not just crime. It’s organized crime. His father got called a Don in one of the articles I read.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh.”
“What do I do now?”
“Well, be careful is my advice. You don’t want to end up like his last wife.”
“Thanks. I’m well aware of that. Listen, if I find out the details in the morning, can you come to the church?”
“Sure. You want to make a getaway.”
“No, but I could do with some support before I make the dumbest decision of my life. Do I go through with this, Ursula?”
“You already know the answer. You’re just waiting to see if I agree with it.”
“I shouldn’t marry him, should I?”
“Not if you don’t want to. Listen, get some sleep. Decide in the morning. Give me a ring if you want to leave, and he won’t let you. I’ll get the cops there in ten minutes. Tell them he’s kidnapped you.”
“Thanks. Good night.”
“Be careful, Bex. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Neither does he, I think.” I hang up and head for bed. I can’t make my mind up when I’m still tingling from his touch. I’ll decide in the morning whether I’m going to marry him.
The Mafia.
He’s in the Mafia.
That’s what echoes through my head over and over again as I drift off to sleep. The strange thing is it doesn’t make me more scared of him.
It makes me feel safer than I’ve ever felt in my life.
32
Hunter
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