Then Asher growls. “What did Roman do?”
And that’s it. I slam on the brakes and stop the car. They’re both wearing seatbelts, but I love the way their heads smack back against the headrests and their faces grow angrier. They knew I did that on purpose and I’m not apologizing.
I point at Walker, “you said you would give me money. And you did so without asking what it’s for.” I swing my eyes to Asher. “You—” I’m angry now, “you said you wouldn’t judge. That you wouldn’t ask questions. You knew it had something to do with him.”
The car is silent as they both stare at me like I’ve lost my mind. I’m running off caffeine and adrenaline. Because if I don’t keep going, if I don’t get this over with, then it’s never going to stop for Roman.For us.
“You both wanted to come. I’m going to visit a mob boss and give him some cash. You didn’t ask. So, you can get out here. I will go do what I need to do, and I will come pick you up on the way back, and we can go for ice cream.”
They both look at each other then back at me.
“No way you’re kicking us out,” Walker says. “I’m not letting you go see him without us.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that about Roman. But you’re not going alone, Mila,” Asher adds.
I relax a little. Even though I planned doing this alone, I’m glad they’re coming with me. Because I want to throw up, and I have eaten nothing but a cherry sucker all day.
“Thank you,” I whisper to them both.
I need them here more than I realized.
THIRTEEN
MILA
Bones wasn’t joking about the gated community part. There are enormous iron gates at the end of the road, stopping me from going any farther.
“Mila, you know what you’re doing, right?” Walker asks.
“Yes,” I reply with as much confidence as I can because I have no idea what I’m doing.
I roll down my window to the security guard who walks out of his box outside the gates. Fuck, what house number is Amato’s? I can see a few expansive properties from here, but I don’t know which one is his. I hope they don’t ask for the number.
“Who are you here to see?”
I sit taller in my seat. There are a heap of cameras watching me, and I swallow the lump in my throat. “Alessandro Amato.” I reply in a confident manner. Like I have done this before.
“Your name?” he asks.
“Mila Hart.” He looks in the car at the other two, and I quickly add, “Walker and Asher. But I’m the one who’s here for Alessandro.”
He goes back to his box to make the call. It must be on loudspeaker because I can hear the person on the other end. There’s a long pause, and Asher fidgets next to me. I reach out and grab his knee, and he stops.
Looking out the window, I wait for my answer. Either way, I’m getting in there. I don’t give a shit how. I will jump the fence if I need to. This is something I need to do for Roman.
I’m glad I haven’t eaten. I feel so nervous and sick now. I’m so close. So close to making this all be over with. No more Carlos and Johnny. No more Roman fighting, no more looking over our shoulders all the time. It’s going to be taken care of today. I will end this thing today.
“I don’t know who that is. Send them away,” I hear a male voice on the other end of the call tell the guard. Fuck.
I yell out, “Well, I know who you are, and I’m coming in to talk to you.”
Walker makes a squeak sound behind me, and it’s messing with my head. I’m trying to be strong and confident, and that voice on the other end of the speaker already frightened me. I don’t need Walker freaking out on me now.
“No, you’re not,” the voice responds, and the guard just glares at me.
“Well...”Shit.What now? “I’m gonna climb your fence and come knock on your door.”
Asher’s the one to gasp now, and my heart’s racing a million miles a minute as the guard grabs for his holster. Ugh, crap. Well, there goes that plan. I don’t want to get shot. That won't help anyone.
