She slammed the drawer closed and yelled, “But you did, Ci. You let me go. Now you have to actually let me go.”
We stared at each other for what felt like forever before a knock on the door startled us both. Dread poked his head in and looked between us. “You ready to go, Gorgeous?”
“Yes, I am.” Caity smiled at him and grabbed her purse and jacket. I jumped up from the chair and clasped her elbow.
“Caity.”
“What, Ci? What could you possibly say that will stop me from having lunch with Dread?”
Her eyes bored into mine, and I knew exactly what I needed to say. I just couldn’t do it. Not yet. Not until I found Sylvia St. James, or confirmed she was dead.
“That’s what I thought.” She wrenched her arm from my grasp and walked out of her office with Dread. I stood in the doorway as they entered the elevator. Caity never took her eyes off me. She silently pleaded with me to stop her, and I couldn’t do it.
Because she was right.
I’d given up my right to say anything when I walked away from her. I’d given up any claim I had when I kicked her out of my home.
As the elevator doors slid closed, Dread saluted me with two fingers. His fucking smirk spreading across his face as he moved closer to Caity.
My Caity.
The woman I’d waited a lifetime for and still couldn’t have.
“You’re a stupid fuck, you know that?”
I looked over my shoulder. “Now you’re talking to me?”
“Why are you torturing yourself? And her? And us for fuck’s sake!”
I shook my head. I couldn’t tell him why. Everyone assumed Sylvia St. James was dead. Until I could verify that, I wouldn’t put any of them at risk. Sylvia was a wild card.
I’d read about everything she’d done, including trying to kill my cousin Donatella, who was married to Lorenzo Valentinetti, and Sylvia’s own niece.
Family meant nothing to that woman.
Maddie would never be safe until I knew for sure Sylvia St. James was good and truly dead.
Ignoring Sal’s question, I went into my office and grabbed my jacket, heading for the elevator.
“Where are you going?”
“Out,” I said, pushing the button for the lobby.
“Leave Caity alone until you get your head out of your ass!” Sal called out as the elevator doors closed. I made my way outside and looked down the street in both directions.
I had no idea where Dread had taken Caity for lunch, but if I had to, I’d check every fucking restaurant in the city. My mind was distracted by her words. About fucking the biker in the bathroom of the restaurant.
I never saw it coming.
The sudden yank on my arm caused me to stumble as someone dragged me into the narrow alley between two buildings. A thunderous blow to the back of my head had me disoriented enough that my fight-or-flight instincts didn’t kick in. My last thoughts, as the second blow drove me into darkness, were of Caity and Maddie.
Chapter Thirty
Caity
The elevator doors closed, and I heard Dread chuckle.
“Boy, he is pissed.”
