I love you.
He steeled himself against the pain, but it shattered his defenses anyway. “Be happy.” He would be forever grateful to whoever cleared their throat behind them, and he forced himself fully out of the car. Behind the shield of the door, he clenched his hands into fists before forcing them open again long enough to close it. “Keep her safe.”
“I swear it,” Wolf immediately replied. “Where she’s going is one of the safest places I know aside from here.”
Caleb nodded in thanks and stepped away, allowing Wolf Steel and his men to load up. He kept himself on his feet through sheer force of will until the car disappeared around the curve in the drive. Once he could no longer see it, he dropped onto the snow.
Come back.
I’ll go with you.
“You gotta say it.”
He kept his eyes on the road, hoping, waiting. “I don’t understand.”
“You have to say it,” Dalton repeated. “I can’t do a damn thing unless you say it out loud.”
He must be stupid, or maybe his brain had left with Rose, because he stared at his boss for way longer than he should have before understanding slammed into him. “I should have gone with her.”
“Yup.” Dalton gripped his elbow and hauled him to his feet. “You should have.”
“I owe you?—”
“You owe me nothing.” Dalton dragged him into HQ, bypassed the security, and went into the elevator. “Any debt you owed me is long paid. The only person you owe now is Rose.” He paused and tilted his head to one side. “And yourself.”
Once again he found himself without the words to convey his thoughts, and all Dalton did was freaking snort that sardonic laugh of his.
“Do you love her?”
He nodded. Saying the words to anyone but Rose seemed wrong somehow; she should hear them first.
“Then,” Dalton strode out of the elevator, “let’s get Tex on the phone and figure out how to get you your girl.” He paused outside the war-room door. “It may take a hot minute; we need to plan this carefully. Putting her in danger again is not the object here. It won’t hurt to have you seen around here for a few days at least. Just in case Nawrocki is watching the place.”
“I know.” He hated it, but he understood Dalton’s logic.
I’m coming, Rosey-Posey.
I’m coming for you.
31
1 month later - Castellammare di Stabia, Italy
Caleb walked down the street, checking the numbers on the doors as he went. If he had to pick any place to retire, it would be here. Sun, sea, and Rose. What else could a man need? He couldn’t think of a damn thing right now.
Dodging around a woman carrying a basket nearly bigger than himself, he ducked his head to avoid the hanging flower basket, then took a giant step to one side to avoid stepping on another plant pot. The very things that made the old town street quaint would land him on his ass if he didn’t pay attention.
Forty-eight hours, crossing the globe. He’d bounced from one country to another and back again, including some he’d snuck in and out of, just to ensure he didn’t lead Nawrocki to Italy and Rose. Keeping her location a secret was top priority.
Weariness fell away when a small sign on the gate of a villa caught his eye. His breathing sped up, and his heart pounded, just as it did in the few moments before a firefight started. He locked his gaze onto that sign as if his life depended on it. In a way, it did. His future depended on what happened. Now, he’d finally found it. Number one hundred and forty-seven, Villa del Vesuvio.
Was she waiting for him?
Did she know he was here?
Did she even know he was coming?
Tex had promised she would. But still, he was more nervous today than he had been on his first day at boot camp. Because if she wasn’t expecting him and he turned up, would she freak out? What if she didn’t want him as much as he needed her?
