I pursed my lips before speaking. “You could have ruined many lives.”
Matt kept eye contact with me. “It was worth it to save so many more.”
SIXTY-EIGHT
EVELYN
Everyone but Kade left my apartment after Matthew’s big reveal. Matt apologized to Kade but also made it clear that he knew about the skeletons in Kade’s closet.
Now Kade was sitting on my sofa with Alfredo curled up in his arms. Seeing them together made me want to snap a picture but I thought better of it. He was the one that pushed me away. “You know you are going to leave here covered in fur, right?”
Kade looked up at me as he continued to scratch behind one of Alfredo’s ears. “I missed this guy.”
His statement took me by surprise before anger set in. “Kade, I need you to leave.”
Kade looked back up at me, shock in his expression. “What?”
“You heard me.” I held back the tears that were threatening to spill.
Kade stood up with Alfredo in his arms. Alfredo meowed loudly, protesting the movement.
“Evelyn,” Kade whispered.
I extended my arms in a silent instruction for him tohand over my cat. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Kade. You made your decision.” I took a squirming Alfredo from Kade’s embrace, doing everything I could to keep from touching his skin. “Now you have to stick with it.” I met his eyes, which were as dark as mud. A sense of yearning washed through me before I stamped it down.
“Cazzo,” Kade murmured under his breath. He stepped closer to me and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’m sorry.” Sparks ignited when his lips pressed on my skin.
Before I could respond, he was already walking out the door. My stomach began to somersault, making me feel sick. I placed Alfredo down on the ground and quickly made my way to the bathroom where the contents of my dinner went into the toilet.
Resting my head on the wall behind me, I allowed myself to sob and mourn all the loss I had experienced in the past few months. Crying until I eventually passed out from exhaustion.
SIXTY-NINE
KADE
I seethed as I walked out of Evelyn’s apartment. How could she not see this was tearing me up inside? I knew she was torn up too. As the door closed behind me, I rested my back against it and closed my eyes.
I needed to prove to her that I was now all in. There was still some risk of Stefanos stepping out of line, however I would cross that bridge when it came to it. With Ricci gone and the stress of Stefanos a mere memory at this point, I was finally at a point where I could allow myself to be with the girl of my dreams.
I pulled out my phone and called Machine who was still in the parking lot of Evelyn’s apartment building.
When I walked out, Machine had a cigarette in his hand and was twirling it between his fingers. I slapped it out of his hand before stomping on it. “Cut that shit out. No smoking.”
Machine rolled his eyes. “I was just looking at it.”
I gave him a knowing look. “Don’t bullshit me, I know you.”
Machine waved me off before changing thesubject. “So what are you going to do about Evelyn’s brother?” He leaned on his car and opened and closed his zippo lighter.
I scrubbed a hand down my face. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t want to let him get away with this. But then again, Ricci is dead and no one’s information got out.” I paused for a moment. “I’ll have Bodhi keep an eye out on him and if he doesn’t do anything else that’s suspicious, then I will let it lie.”
Machine’s eyebrows raised to his hairline. “Damn,fratello, I never thought I would see the day when you would let something go. Especially someone targeting the company.”
I clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Neither did I, buddy, neither did I.” I looked down at the ground and then back up at my friend. “But I also never thought I would fall in love with my arch nemesis.”
That made Machine laugh. His phone chimed indicating a text message was coming through. Machine furrowed his brows and then smiled.
“What is it?” I asked, a little too sharply. My annoyance was still simmering below the surface.
