Andre and I share a look as he continues shuffling and talking.
“The woman seems to reach inside your body and pull a part of your soul out with them. You can’t seem to do anything but worry and stress about them, wanting to always be with them because nothing can happen to them if you're there with them.” Grandfather Silas looks at me, his eyes clear for the first time in longer than any of us would like to admit.
“Grandfather, all you old men have been saying this for years, and I still don’t know that I believe it.” Andre scoffs, walking over to Grandfather Silas and offering him his arm.
“How can I be wrong? Look at your second and tell me you don’t see it.” Grandfather Silas waves his hand at my face. “I mean, look at his face and the way he is holding his ribs. That should tell you men everything you need to know.”
Andre and I share a look. “What is the word on our party favor?”
“With everything else going on, I think it would be great training for Bryce to sharpen his skills.” Saying this hurts because torture and information gathering are things I enjoy. Right now though, I need someone clear-headed to take care of it.
“I like that idea. Do you believe he is ready?” Andre wonders as the little nurse comes around the corner.
“There is only one way to find out.” I shrug, realizing that I’ve lost Andre’s attention to something more important, it seems.
Grandfather Silas looks at me over his shoulder with a shit-eating grin. “He’ll fall just as hard as all the Kardoni men before him, and at this rate it won’t be much longer.”
“Silas, I know I put you to bed before I got in the bath. What are you doing outside at this time of night?” she reprimands Grandfather.
Andre growls low in his throat when he sees what she is wearing. “Do you think what you’re currently wearing is appropriate for roaming the halls in?”
The little nurse places her hand on her hips and glares back at Andre, “I would have you know that if you could find a night nurse that would actually do their job, I would be in bed right now. Seeing as you haven’t done that here, I am in the coldfreezing my butt off looking for Mr. Silas, who likes to wander around.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and look down because she is talking to one of the most powerful men in the country like he is just some random person. This cannot end well for her in the end.
Grandfather Silas lets go of Andre, shuffling over to the nurse. “I’m sorry, sweet girl. Can you take me to bed now? This old man is tired.”
She takes his arm, glaring at Andre before turning and helping Grandfather Silas shuffle back into the house.
“Yeah, you're fucking sunk, cousin. I’ll talk to you in the morning.” I slap him on the shoulder as I walk by him.
“Aren’t you going after your woman?” Andre yells at me.
“I need to take care of a few things and get some sleep,” I call back.
“Well, I want you in my office in the morning at 10:00 a.m. to talk travel plans.”
I wave my hand over my head and make my way into the house and into my room where I pull out my phone and text a number that I never truly thought I would need.
Me: I had things to do. Text me when you wake up!
Thirteen
Loretta
Light streams through the window across my face, breaking me from the best sleep I’ve ever had. Stretching, I take in the sweat soreness that only comes from being worked over. Images from last night flash through my mind as I reach out, finding the bed beside me cold. Sitting up in bed, I look around for Vito, and when I don’t find him, I slide out of bed, walking into the living room. Not seeing him there either, my heart breaks knowing that he left in the middle of the night.
“Well, it appears you really are disposable to that man,” I say out loud to no one in particular.
Going into the kitchen, I fix myself something to eat. Once I’ve got my breakfast, I make my way into the living room, taking a seat on the couch to watch some trash T.V. and wallow in the fact that I am alone, and try not to think about what Vito admitted without admitting. I’m so lost in the way other people get to live their lives that when someone knocks on the door, I scream as if someone were trying to murder me.
Standing, I walk over to the discarded black leggings that I’ve been too lazy to pick up and slide them up my legs before going to answer the door. Without looking to see who is at the door, I want to slap myself when I see who is on the other side.
Alan steps up, wrapping me in a hug. “Oh my god, Loretta, are you okay? I heard about what happened to your car.”
I finally get my hands between us and push him off me. “I wasn’t in the car so I’m fine!”
“That’ll be good,” Alan says, leaning on the door frame so I can’t shut the door in his face. “Do you have plans today?”
