But he sounded resigned.
“I do believe Johnny here is in love,” the Boss said with the faintest of sneers. “And so I’ll overlook his disrespect—thisonce.”
“You’ll have to find someone else to babysit your son,” I said coldly. “I’m leaving town.”
The ghost of a smirk flickered across Sandro’s face. He always had enjoyed my insolence, even when it was aimed at him.
But Ciro Castellani was shaking his head. “No, no, Johnny. We talked about this before. You’re going nowhere—except where I command you. Of course, I can’t stop you,” he went on over the top of me. “But Iwilllet Sonny Vegas know it’s open season on you once more. If that’s how you want to play things, that’s your right. Live in fear, on the run with your boy. Or stay here and live a life of luxury again. Money, status, power…and safety.”
It wasn’t safety. It was a lead collar lined in gold. But Sonny Vegas had a long memory, and he had tentacles that reached well beyond Sin City. For Miller’s sake, I couldn’t shrug off Castellani’s protection like it didn’t matter.
Not yet.
For now, it would be the smart move to play along. Until I could get my plans in place. Reach out to the Morellis of New York City, maybe; negotiate something with them.
“Well, Johnny?” Don Castellani was waiting for my response.
I bared my teeth in a fierce smile. “Who could say no to a deal like that, Boss?”
CHAPTER54
MILLER
SEVERAL MONTHS LATER
I’d always foundJack irresistible, but since his promotion in the Castellani Family, something had changed in his demeanor. He would have denied it if I pointed it out, but it was true. There was something new in the way he carried himself, something that drew every eye to him. It wasn’t pride, and it wasn’t confidence. Nothing so benign.
He wasdangerous. Maybe that was it, I mused, as I floated next to Nate in the pool, waiting for Jack to arrive at the party. Jack’slaissez-faireattitude had once helped cover up his shadow side. These days, he didn’t hide so carefully what he was.
Whohe was.
Since my father was dead and Annie had already beendeclareddead, I’d inherited both of their considerable estates. Annie had at least had the smarts to skip town, as far as I knew—maybe she’d sought help from our mother? I wouldn’t know. Mom wasn’t talking to me at all anymore, after discovering she’d inherited nothing from either her ex-husband or her daughter. Any sign of grief from my mother had been reserved for her financial position.
One day, maybe, Annie would try to stage a comeback—I didn’t think her narcissism would allow her to give up the spotlight for the rest of her life—but in the meantime, it was wiser for her to stay “dead.”
I’d been worried about the patsy charged with her murder, but Jack advised me to wait and see. He’d been right. When my father’s next scheduled payments to the LAPD and witnesses hadn’t been forthcoming, the case was quietly dropped. Annie’s murder was officially unsolved again.
Jack had paid a visit to Craig Wyatt, the only other person who had anything to do with my father’s cover-up, and assured me that Wyatt would “keep his mouth shut.” I didn’t ask how they’d come to that agreement. I was just grateful for Jack’s handling of it.
Meanwhile, I’d sold off Annie’s Malibu house, her car, and her jewelry, and I’d done it with an awful lot of publicity. I wanted her to know that if she ever miraculously resurrected, she wouldn’t have much of a cushion to land on.
And then I’d taken all that money and set up an anonymous annuity, disguised as a lottery win, for Harper Connelly’s family to live off for the rest of their lives. It seemed like the fair thing to do. They’d started making noise about Harper’s disappearance about a month after Annie’s death, but Harper’s case never got much traction outside a few true crime forums. Harper’s family might never know what had happened to her, but at least they wouldn’t have to worry about money ever again.
Maybe after Jack and I had disappeared as well, I’d get in touch with Harper’s little brother. Let him know the real story. I comforted myself with that idea when the guilt got too much.
I’d thought about cashing out my father’s estate as well, to fund that lifelong getaway with Jack, but he talked me down.
“We can’t leave yet.”
“But you said—”
“I know I did. And wewillleave, when I have my ducks in a row. Need to get them all lined up so I can take them out with one shot, Trouble.”
And when he’d explained about all those ducks, I’d agreed with him.
So for now, life for me went on largely as it had before, maybe even a little better. I no longer had my father‘s disapproval hanging over me, Mrs. K and the house staff were all happy with the extravagant bonuses I’d added to their contracts, and I’d finally agreed to let Jack send a few of my paintings to his art dealer cousin.
Best of all, Jack had moved in. I spent every night with him when he wasn’t at work. That was one thing that hadn’t improved—he was still busy with work a lot.
