I think back to the first time I officially met him. It seems so long ago. I had been waitressing for some meeting for the Catalini family. After we served dessert, each of the men came up and were tipping us. Some of them were hitting on me. I would smile sweetly and thank them..
Then Lorenzo walked up. He barked at the men to move along, then stood by my side, his hand resting at the small of my back. My heart raced at the electricity flowing between us.
If I had to pinpoint the moment I fell for him, that would be it. There was something about his dark, broody exterior speaking directly to my heart. I recognized the darkness in him. I thought he also recognized mine. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I open my eyes and see we’re going the wrong way.
“Do you know where Bash lives?”
The kid jumps and looks at me. I didn’t even realize he had gone quiet.
“Yeah. Of course. Everyone knows where Don Catalini lives. There was an accident on the fastest route. I had to take a detour.”
I take a better look at him. This kid is nervous, but not in a “I’m about to meet the boss” way. He seems more nervous in a squirrely way.
I ask him a question about the nonsense he was talking about earlier. and he smiles. While he starts to prattle on again, I angle his phone away while I unlock it and dial Lorenzo’s number.
“Hey, isn’t that Clearview Parkway?”
“Yep.” The kid looks nervous again.
“Are we on Cross Island Parkway?”
He visibly swallows hard. I sure hope Lorenzo is listening and he’s still willing to help me.
∞∞∞
Lorenzo
“What did you do, Lo?” Sofia screeches in my ear.
“I didn’t mean to let her get so far! I wanted to give her a little space. I thought she would be waiting outside for me to take her home. I didn’t think she was stupid enough to leave my property.”
I growl at the thought. I lost Mia. I slam my fist down on the steering wheel.
“You’re such an idiot!”
I don’t disagree. I’m an idiot. She has every reason to be pissed at me. She’s my best friend. I admitted things to her that I have never even admitted to Bash or Gio. I just wish I could move past this self-hatred to accept what she is, or had been, offering me.
My other line rings. I don’t recognize the number. My heart races.
“I have a random number calling. I’ll call you back.” I click over without waiting for a response.
“Mia?”
There is no response.
“Hello?”
I make out a background noise and then her voice.
“What street are we on?”
“Northern Boulevard,” someone says in the background.
“Listen, I know you aren’t taking me to Bash’s. Where are you taking me?”
“I’m sorry, miss. I wish I could take you to Bash. He’s offering a reward for you.”
