Except now I can’t stop thinking about my wife and our growing child back home.
Being apart from them is like a constant nagging pain right in the center of my chest. If I can’t see her, I can’t know she’s completely safe. Even though I have highly dependable and skilled guards watching over her, that’s not nearly enough.
I need her here, right here, with me.
All the fucking time.
Which isn’t reasonable.
Enzo spots me and waves me over to the main office. I follow him inside and shut the door behind me. He’s got a mountain of paperwork on the desk, and I’m pretty sure this whole place would’ve collapsed if it weren’t for him keeping it all running.
“I hear you’ve got a full house,” he says, sighing as he sinks into his chair. He clicks around on his computer before looking at me. “How’s that going for you?”
“Surprisingly fine,” I admit, emphasis on thesurprise. When I took in Elisa and Raf, I figured it would be a huge pain in the ass. But it hasn’t been that bad.
“Really?” Enzo’s eyebrows raise. “You always were the kind of guy that valued privacy.”
“My wife likes having her siblings close.” I stare at him and dare him to say something about that. The change that came over Fiorella was almost palpable. She must’ve been as stressed worrying about her sister and her brother as I am worrying about her sweet ass all the damn time. With Elisa and Raf under my roof, at least they’re close to Fio, and she can check in on them.
That’s why I can’t send them somewhere else, even if it might be personally better to have peace and quiet back in my house. Fiorella’s happy, and that matters to me.
“Well, look at you,” Enzo says, folding his hands over his chest. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
“And you won’t see it for long if you keep this shit up.”
He grins at me. “Come on, I’m happy for you. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time you seemed content. But ever since youmarried Fiorella, it’s like suddenly you have everything you’ve always wanted.”
“Never knew I wanted a random fucking girl for a wife.”
“Funny how things turn out?”
I grunt in reply to that. When Fio first came into my life, I figured she’d be nothing but a burden. I fell for her mouth and her body first, and slowly, I began to realize it was everything else that kept me wanting more. It’s her strength and dedication, her desire to be better and stronger, and even her need to be free. It’s all admirable. It’s impressive as all hell.
“I’m guessing you have something for me since you called me in.” I nod toward the computer, and that finally knocks Enzo back into business mode. His face hardens as he turns the monitor in my direction.
“Stefano looked into one of the guys that assaulted Raf at the hospital. Poor dumb fucker kept his ID in his pocket. We found an address in Delco.”
My eyebrows raise as I look at the map on the screen. “It’s not that far from here.”
“Here’s the fucked-up part. That house is owned by Corrado Serrano.”
“Well, I’ll be fucked sideways.”
“Obviously, it’s not a safe house since it’s under his legal name, but I’m thinking we might find someone who knows where he is.”
“We should pay it a little visit.”
“That’s what I was thinking too.” Enzo gets up and grabs a gun from the top drawer of the desk. He shoves it into his waistband. “Got the trucks waiting out back.”
Outside, Stefano’s sitting behind the wheel of his massive Ford. He nods and cranks the engine as we approach. “You hear we’re on a hunt?” he asks, sounding like a kid about to go watch the Super Bowl. “Might get messy.”
“Try not to sound too happy about that.”
“You know me. I like to get my hands dirty.”
I exchange a look with Enzo.Crazy fucking bastard. We climb into the other waiting F-150 and get driving down south. I get behind the wheel and concentrate on following Stefano’s breakneck speed, mostly to keep my mind from wandering to Fiorella. I’m tempted to check in with her. Davide set up security cameras all over my property, and there’s a remote app I can use to look through them any time I want. But that’ll only drive me crazy.
I have to trust she’s safe. Or else I’d hear right away.
