Tossing Ed’s office and house was a waste of time. We didn’t find anything of use, and I finally admitted to Gio that I might have jumped the gun by killing him, but I just couldn’t take that gloating laughter and he threatened my family—not to mention all the gross pictures of other women he has violated over the years. He was one sick puppy.
After we finished, I got Misty’s address from his records and went to the grocery store. I bought her a whole heap of things. Now, I am on my way to deliver them. Gio loaned me his car because he had something to do at the hotel and didn’t need it, so I am going to pick him up after my errand and then we’ll drive home together.
My heart rate speeds up when I notice someone following me. I ask my phone to call Gio.
“Did you send someone to guard me?” I ask him when he answers. “I’ve been tailed by a black sedan since I left the shopping center, and it’s not being very subtle about it.”
“I didn’t, but Dad did. He just wants to make sure you’re taken care of, especially after I told him about Ed’s threats. I’m sure once he realizes you’re capable of taking care of any threat coming your way, he’ll remove it.”
I sigh but don’t bother arguing. I’d be stupid to think I was an expert after two days. “Okay, I just wanted to make sure they are the good guys.”
We hang up as I make my way into the suburb Misty lives in.
Her house is in a fairly run-down, low socioeconomic area, but it is the nicest one on the street. It is well kept, if a little bit shabby. I do a couple of trips, carrying the bags and putting them on the porch, before ringing the doorbell.
The door is answered by a pretty redhead with a curvy body under her tight shirt and denim shorts, and I feel my interest perk up at the sight. The girl is gorgeous, and I swear I know her from somewhere.
“You’re not Misty,” I blurt, and she crosses her arms.
“No, I’m Candy, and I have a few more clothes on than when you last saw me.”
“Oh yeah. You’re the dancer from yesterday, aren’t you? You’re really good,” I tell her, and her eyebrows jump in surprise.
“Thank you. What do you want?” She’s guarding the door like she’s the gatekeeper.
“Oh, I just bought these for Misty. She mentioned having a kid, and I didn’t want them to go without because of something that shouldn’t have happened. Oh, and I just wanted to tell her that Ed has been taken care of. He will never bother her again.” I’m pretty sure my bright smile is slightly psychotic, because Candy stares at me warily.
“She’s asleep. Her pain medication knocks her out. I’m here to look after Sally while she rests,” Candy replies, and I nod.
“Okay, good. Let us know if you need time off to help her. Of course you’ll both be paid to compensate you for your time,” I reassure her, and she drops her arms, sighing.
“What’s to stop this from happening again, Ms. Russo?” She sounds weary and slightly defeated. “I managed to avoid him, but he got everyone else. What’s to say the next manager won’t do the same? None of us are whores. If we wanted to do that, we could.”
“Because I’m taking over the strip clubs.” I make the snap decision and hope Dad won’t yell too much. Aunt Carla won’t care, she’ll just be happy that the women are being watched over. “It makes more sense for a woman to be in charge of them anyway.”
She looks skeptical, and I know not to push it.
“I’ll just be heading off, but I’ll see you around. Please let Misty know how sorry the Russo family is for what happened to her.”
I turn and walk back to my car. When I hop in, Candy is still watching me carefully. Hopefully one day she’ll understand that I won’t let something like this happen to them ever again.
* * *
Once Gio and I finally make it home to the fortress, I quickly strip out of my work wear and pull on a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra. I head to the gym for a workout on the treadmill and weight machines before swimming some laps and putting in some time in the underground range. I pop my head in to see Sage, but he’s busy harvesting his plants with the help of a couple of others, so I don’t interrupt him.
Neither Dad nor Penelope are home in the evening, but I do get to meet the married butler and cook.
Benedict and Suzette are friendly and welcoming, and when dinner is served, instead of eating in the formal dining room, Sage, Gio, and I sit at the kitchen island and get to know them a little better. Benedict is British and Suzette is French. They met and started working together when my mother and father lived in this house before we were born, and they have been together ever since. They tell us wonderful stories about my mom and dad, which is nice but also kind of bittersweet because they are stories we have never heard before. My mom was feisty, and Dad was completely besotted with her.
After dinner, once Ben and Suzie, who requested us to use their nicknames, have retired, we play more Mario Kart—or Sage and I do while Gio has his nose in his cell, and all he contributes to the conversation are grunts. Finally, he gets up and tells us he’s going out. He doesn’t invite us, but I don’t really want to go anyway. I’m pretty sure he’s heading to the club we own in town, and I don’t want to risk running into anyone I know. We haven’t talked about what we did today, and I’m okay with that. Although Dad trusts Sage, I don’t think either of us are there yet. We both need a little more time to get used to him being in our lives on a more permanent basis. It’s just been Gio and me for so long that it’s weird to have someone added to our dynamic.
That night I toss and turn as pictures of what I did to Ed run through my head. None of it’s from guilt. Well, not guilt at what I did, just guilt that I killed him before we could find out what we needed to know. Gio said he would tell Dad about Ed’s ramblings, and I was worried there might be some backlash about killing him too quickly, but all Dad said when I spoke to him on the phone was that it happened to all of them. Everyone got a little trigger-happy and regretted it afterward. He said I would learn to think things through before acting. I keep running over things in my head. I know I should have done something different, but I can’t change it now.
I start to make plans for the strip clubs. Dad okayed me taking them over. There’s one in the city, but our hometown has one too, and I plan on checking out that manager tomorrow. There are two more in our state as well, so I will need to take trips to those and assess their managers also. I’m making it a priority, because I don’t doubt that there are people in there doing things they shouldn’t be.
Sighing, I throw back my covers. I think I noticed a few bottles of liquor in the library. I’m going to get myself a drink and hope that will calm my mind. I need to stop relying on weed to do it.
When I open my door, I hear shouting in Sage’s room. Turning, I hurry back to grab my gun before bursting into his room. There’s a light on in his bathroom, and the door is open so I can see that there is no one else in his room, but he’s thrashing back and forth on his bed, panting and shouting. Putting my gun down, I go over to him and try to wake him.
