“Such a sweet talker.”
“Only for you.” I lean down and capture her lips. I pull back before we can go further. “What’s your favorite color?”
She thinks. “Purple. A dark purple though. None of that pastel shit.”
“No pastel shit. Got it.”
“Are you taking notes?”
“Of course. I’m going to have to buy you gifts one day. Aren’t you taking notes?”
“I don’t need to. I remember everything you say to me.”
“Sorry, we can’t all be geniuses like you.” I use a playful, sarcastic tone to let her know I’m joking.
“Damn right. What else? How did you get started in this business?” She lowers her voice as she becomes a little more serious.
“I can’t tell you a whole lot about my past with the organization, but I will tell you as much as I can. Will you be able to accept that?”
She leans up on her elbow before turning to me. “I will accept whatever you can offer, Lo.”
I reach up and grab her face. “I told you about my family before. Do you remember?”
“Yeah. Your dad is a cop, and mom is a kindergarten teacher.”
I nod. “Basically. I wouldn’t really call him a dad. He was my stepfather, but never a real dad to me. He was very strict. Always expected a lot of me. More than a normal parent would. He liked to control who I hung out with and what I did. I rebelled. I met a kid in school who worked for the Catalinis. At first, we hung out at parties and such. I saw the way the guys were with each other. They were a family. Brotherhood. I asked for a way in, and the kid took a chance on me.”
“How sweet of that kid. Do you still talk to him?”
I smile down at her. “It was Bash. He took a chance on me and vouched for me with his father. I was a cop’s son though. I had to work twice as hard to prove my loyalty. They had me do things they would have never asked another recruit to do. I did it anyway. I wanted the brotherhood of the organization more than anything. Eventually I got it.”
“Bash is younger than you, yeah?”
“By two years.”
“How old were you when you joined?”
“I was sixteen when they recruited me.”
“So he was only fourteen? Wow. He must have saw something in you.”
I lean up and kiss her. “I don’t know what he saw, but I’m even more thankful now. I have my brothers, but something had always missing. That missing piece was you, Mia. Not only did he give me a family, he gave me you.”
Her eyes start to tear up as she leans down and peppers my face with kisses. “I’m beyond grateful he saw something in you too. I don’t know what I would have done without you in my life?”
Same here,my heart echoes.
∞∞∞
“I need you to bring Mia. Sofia’s requesting her presence.”
I’m surprised to hear from Bash today. As we were leaving last night, he told me to take some time to heal. I guess he figured I’ve had enough time.
“Sure. Where?”
I lean up and look over at Mia. We settled on the couch and started watching Netflix a couple of hours ago. I felt her fall asleep on me halfway through the first movie but didn’t have the heart to wake her. She looked so peaceful.
“Queens warehouse.”
