“And that means?” Curiosity and a vivid imagination has a green-eyed monster envisaging them having ex-lovers come over the second I leave.
How he reads my thoughts, I have no clue, but he leans down and whispers in my ear, “I’m a married man, Layne. Whether you choose to be my wife or not, I’d never cheat on you.”
“Potentially a vow of celibacy for forever?”
“If I had to wait forever for you, I would. Now, get out of here, and leave us to start the more unpleasant side of why we wanted to fake pack you in the first place.”
“Mafia stuff?”
“Correct. Mafia stuff. Valentine is going to see Vitale, and Dante and I are going to teach a few of his guards a lesson or two in etiquette.”
“For what happened yesterday at the hospital?”
Matteo leans over to give the top of my head a quick kiss before walking off. He gets to the door going down to his bedroom before he spins. “Me walking away isn’t because I don’t want to be with you. I just don’t want to watch you leave.”
His sweet confession is just that. And I smile to myself when I realize the only emotion I feel when I walk out the door is excitement, as opposed to the guilt I expected.
Edward and Bella stand on either side of me, and when the elevator doors open in the garage, they prowl out first before they circle back to let me know it’s safe.
Using the key fob, I melt a bit more for Matteo when his gun-metal gray CT5-V Blackwing beeps unlocked. I open the doors but hold the dogs back while I wait for a response to the text I send, asking if he wants me to put a blanket or something down,so they don’t scratch the leather. The glare emoji I got back in the very next second is followed by a winking emoji.
“In we go, puppies.” Edward jumps in the back, and I thought Bella would too, but she just looks at me until I open the passenger side door.
Once the three of us are safely seat belted in, I find the fob to the garage door, and we merge into the morning traffic, windows down, music up.
Our first stop is a grocery store, where I grab an emergency EpiPen, along with enough food and water for me and the dogs, a backpack to fit everything in, and an oversized coffee. And then we make good time to the hiking trail. I stretch out, testing my side, before putting on the backpack, weighed down with enough water for me and the dogs in case we get lost. And then I run.
It’s freeing to feel the wind on my face as I drop into the hypnotic rhythm of running. For a while, my lungs feel like I’ve been smoking a pack of cigarettes for days, but by the time I’ve reached the first mile, I’ve shaken off the cobwebs. The dogs are only trotting to keep up with my pace, but they have more, and longer, legs than me, although I think they’re a hell of a lot fitter too. The thousands of questions and scenarios, all the strange fears and anxieties that have been building since Valentine unveiled my identity don’t disappear, but they don’t feature so heavily, giving me a necessary reprieve.
I stick to the main trail and jog until I see the five-mile marker. I walk off the stitch in my side all the way to the end of the path, then give me and the dogs a drink before I walk back, letting the dogs off command, so they can enjoy a bit of downtime too. By the time we’re back to the car, only a few hours have passed, but I feel revitalized and refreshed, despite being tired. It’s a good tired—the workout buzz gives my thoughts clarity. Conquering my body was my first step, next is answering the question of whether I can still defend myself.
I haven’t been at a shooting range in a long time, too long. Instead spending the time surviving on the run, but not thriving or having the chance to hone skills I had drummed into me as a child.
Driving up to the gate at the range, I wait in line for an ID check by the two security guards. When they see the car, their whole demeanor changes, and instead of questions, I get directed to a reserved area where a huge Alpha, dressed in black from head to toe, wearing a “boss man” T-shirt, waits.
I pop the door open, and he nods. “Mrs. De Luca, I’m Dave, the owner. I’m honored to have you as our guest. We have everything you need set up already, and I’ll be on hand to provide you personal training on any areas you would like.”
“Dave, was it?” I ask, holding my hand out for him to shake, and for such a mammoth and intimidating man, the steps he takes to avoid me touching him screams Dante’s involvement.
Brushing my hand on my gym pants is pretty obvious, but Dave’s shoulders relax.
“Have you had any shooting experience?” he asks.
But I change subjects. “Is it okay if I have the dogs?”
“Of course. You pretty much have free rein.” He nods, effectively ending that discussion. And he waits at a safe distance as the dogs hop out and do their sniffing around until I snap my fingers and they return to my side.
The four of us walk in the opposite direction of the main building. Since today is all about trust, I slow my walk to make sure I’m comfortable in following an Alpha I don’t know.
Which I’m not. If the dogs weren’t with me, there is no way I would walk off with someone I don’t know.
“Dave, I really don’t want the special treatment. Is it okay if I use one of the lanes in the main building?”
“Yes, of course, Mrs. De Luca. I reserved a spot there too. I just wasn’t sure where you wanted to start.”
“No harm.”
Dave turns and walks back toward where we came, and I follow him, feeling better. The range is set up like the others I’ve used, and once Dave runs me through the standard safety talk, he leads me down the corridor for me to choose which lane I want. I’m not sure if it was designed for people with dogs, or maybe it’s for those with kids, but I choose one of the end ones that has two glass doors. I’ll be able to put Edward and Bella here without worrying about their ears.
