I don’t know how long we stand there, but I don’t stop crying until he cradles me in his arms and carries me upstairs to our bedroom.
12
DANTE
Monday, September 30, 5:30 PM
Liam’s dead.
So, there’s that.
His death solves several of my problems, but the horror I saw in Victoria’s eyes tells me this is going to be one more thing in her life she won’t be able to forget. Something she never should’ve had to go through.
If I could wish for anything, it’d be to wipe all this out of her head and make our Angelo problem go the fuck away for good. I wish I would’ve known what was coming, wish I could go back in time to stop Liam from announcing an engagement to Victoria and putting her on Angelo’s radar like a fucking idiot.
It got him killed.
Well, that and getting involved with the mob in the first place.
The kid honestly didn’t know what this world was like or what he was getting himself into. All of this could’ve been avoided if he had just let me handle it. I didn’t expect him to trust me completely, not when I’d barely been part of his life before my brother died thanks to his bitch of a mother, but we could’ve talked through things. I could have convinced him to let me do things my way.
Instead, I spent the afternoon cleaning up his blood and wrapping his body in several sheets. I’ve stashed him in the garage of our rental house for now, but eventually the smell of decomposition will make the neighbors ask questions.
I’ll take care of the body tonight. However, Victoria needs me. I don’t want to leave her alone in the house right now. She couldn’t stop shaking in my arms, and while everything in me screamed not to leave her alone, I couldn’t leave Liam on the floor forever. It would’ve been a bitch to try and get the blood stains out of the floorboards.
Entering our shared bedroom, I find Victoria curled up in a ball underneath the covers. Her eyes are swollen and bloodshot from her tears, but at least she’s lifted her head enough to peek at me from her nest.
Guilt tugs at me as I realize that once again, I’ve failed her. What Angelo did today was yet another thing I couldn’t save her from. Honestly, when this is all over, Victoria would be a lot better off without me in her life. I come with too much fucking bullshit.
“Princess,” I murmur softly as I near her side of the bed, “can I make you something to eat?”
She shakes her head in response to my admittedly stupid question. The last thing she’s thinking about is food, but it’s still a necessity. I don’t even know how much she’s eaten over the last few days while I’ve been holed up inside the office putting together our escape plan.
Enzo came through with the information and help I need to get us out of here. I’m just worried he’s going to trip a red flag when he gets the papers she’s going to need when we’re in Paris.
“Move over,” I order, climbing underneath the covers and pulling her to my chest. She tangles her legs with mine, searching for a way to get closer, and I don’t mind a bit.
Maybe two weeks ago I would’ve resisted. But this girl has been through so much shit, I’d be a fucking douchebag if I didn’t allow her to take whatever comfort she wanted.
“You want to move to another house?” She shakes her head. I hate that she hasn’t spoken a word yet. That she can’t. “Things are about to start moving very quickly. I need you to be thinking about what comes next.”
Deafening silence fills the room. Maybe if I explain more of what is happening, she’ll understand what I’m really saying. Why I’ve been holed up for days. What we still have to accomplish.
“I’m getting you a passport so we can?—”
“No,” she rasps, pushing back from me. “He’ll see. He’ll find out. He’ll be back and?—”
“My guy is discreet. A pro. There are ways to get around Angelo without?—”
“I don’t want to take that chance,” Victoria argues with furrowed brows. “We can’t leave. He probably has someone watching this house and—how did he know we left town? How did he know that you came and found me?”
“Liam could’ve told him and?—”
“Why would he do that? Liam was a moron, but why would he rat himself out to the man that’s trying to get paid? Liam wouldn’t just show up at his house and tell him he was trying to flee with me and my money and it failed so?—”
“I don’t know,” I reply calmly, cutting through her rambling. She could be right. Angelo could be watching our every move right now. “That’s why you need to go back to school and act as though nothing’s going on.”
“I can’t,” she retorts. “I just filed the leave of absence. People are going to ask?—”
