“I have more money than you’ll ever see in your fucking life, Tommaso.” Darius had taken my home, but he didn’t take my billions. Stashed in investment accounts and bonds and in cash at different banks, my money was hidden in all kinds of places.
“I didn’t mean for money, but for purpose,” he said calmly. “You don’t strike me as the kind of man that retires.”
I didn’t like to sit still for too long. It would drive me mad after a while. Whenever Aurelia went to work, it gave me time to think about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I could return to Cosa Nostra ... or pursue something else.
“You know you always have a place with Cosa Nostra, whether you marry my daughter or not.”
I was sick of him acting like there was an actual chance of that happening. “I appreciate that, Tommaso.”
He studied me for a while, and when he sensed I’d cooled off from my previous outburst, he changed the subject. “Since you’re in town, how about I arrange a lunch meeting for the two of you?”
“Right now?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes.”
Fuck that.“Today isn’t great, Tommaso.”
“Then when?” he pressed.
“I don’t know.” I had to get him off my back. Maybe if enough time passed, he would drop this and I’d be off the hook. Maybe his daughter would start seeing someone he liked, and he wouldn’t need me anymore. I just had to dance around it long enough until that happened. “But I’m still pissed off about the bullshit you said, so I’m not exactly pleasant company right now.” It was the only viable excuse I could think of on the spot.
He nodded in understanding, so it seemed to do the trick. “All right, then. Next time.”
Over my dead fucking body.“We’ll see.”
Chapter 6
Constantine
It was almost dark by the time I got home from Palermo.
I didn’t tell Aurelia where I was headed that day, and when she didn’t text me, I assumed she looked up my location and figured it out. I wouldn’t have cared if she’d texted me—she could blow up my phone all she wanted—but I liked the fact that she could just see where I was whenever she wanted.
It was the kind of intimacy I’d never had with anyone before. I shared my entire life with her, where I was every moment of the day, and I could see where she was, like if she went to Bam Bar on her lunch break to eat a granita by herself. I gave her debit and credit cards for my bank accounts and added her to all my other accounts, so she could theoretically walk into the bank and cash out all my holdings if she wanted to.
I shared all of myself with her.
Well, except one thing.
This massive, painful depression that cracked my soul in half. It was on my mind every single day, the loss of purpose, the loss of my identity. Rocco hadn’t looked at me the same ... when I loved him like a brother. I’d never had a high opinion of myself, my entire identityembedded in my service, but now, I hated who I was. Not because I saved Aurelia—but because I needed to save her.
I let everyone down.
I let myself down.
When I came home, I heard the TV in the other room. I walked into the entryway and through the massive arch that led to the main room with the enormous glass windows that showed the sea view outside.
I saw Aurelia on the couch in one of my oversize T-shirts. Normally, she got to her feet whenever I came home and gave me a big kiss while I grabbed her ass, but she didn’t look at me right away, as if she somehow didn’t hear me enter the room or didn’t notice me when I stepped into her presence.
Her eyes found mine, and for a brief second, they were absolutely lifeless. But then she blinked, and there was her smile. “Hey.” Medusa was on the couch beside her, using the ramp I’d bought for her so it was easier for her to get on the couch when I wasn’t home. Aurelia got to her feet and came over to me, rising on her tiptoes to kiss me.
Something was definitely off. I could feel it, see it, even hear it. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah, just tired,” she said quickly as she pulled away. “Medusa and I were just watching TV.”
Medusa released a quiet whine from the couch, wanting me to come to her since she couldn’t get up and run to me like she used to.
“Hey, baby girl.” I moved to her and squatted down so I could pet her and kiss her on the head. When I stood upright and turned back to Aurelia, I caught another glimpse of that dull throb in her eyes, but I didn’t question her again. “Have you eaten dinner? Want to go out?”
