AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Vespa’s hand shifted up between them, but she stared at the blood that caked it. “I need to call Montrell.”
“Let me.” He drew her phone out of her inner jacket pocket. After making it ring, he held it to her ear, his thumb brushing against her cheek.
Vespa kept the volume low on her phone, and Montrell’s voice was a muffled bellow of sound, not words.
“The boys already told you I was fine,” Vespa muttered from her end. “Stop fussing.”
There was a pause, and the muffled rumble that followed became calmer.
“Yeah,” Vespa said. She sighed, tilting her head tighter against the phone and Antonio’s hand. “Yeah,” she repeated. She blew out a breath after whatever Coronella said next before barking out a, “Fine!”
Another pause fell between him. Montrell’s next words were clear in their intensity. “What aren’t you saying, Ves?”
Vespa’s eyes flicked to Antonio, then away again.
“That time,” she said into the phone, “you said I’d killed them all. That’s the truth, isn’t it?”
She listened to what sounded like affirmation. Her jaw clenched.
“Well, yeah.” Her voice had gone clipped. “But those were the ones that tried it. Could there have been—”
Montrell’s rumble interrupted her, and her eyes shut.
“No. I don’t doubt that you killed the others. I know how it was for you.” Her head shifted, and it was almost like she was soothing herself by rubbing her cheek against Antonio’s thumb. “Let’s talk about this later.”
There was a long pause between them.
“You still at the restaurant?” Vespa asked, her tone almost back to its usual energy.
For the first time, it seemed similar to Antonio’s smile—fake.
“No, stay there. I’ll come to you.” Her eyes opened, looking almost bruised as they latched onto Antonio. “We owe the Di Salvos a meal for their help.”
Antonio wasn’t hungry, but he didn’t voice any dissent.
When Vespa tilted her head away from the phone, he verified the call had ended, then returned the phone to her jacket pocket.
She turned to the sink, washing off the worst of the blood. “I’ll scrub up for real and change and get some guys on cleanup, like Montrell suggested.” She snorted, as if Coronella was being ridiculous and babying her. “Giovanni and Nera are heading to the restaurant, apparently, so I thought you’d want to go there.”
Antonio’s stomach fluttered.
“I’ll be quick,” she said, turning off the water.
“Vespa, you were the target. Today proved it.” His words tried to lock in his throat.
“I don’t think they’ll try again so soon, not after such a spectacular failure. I wouldn’t risk bringing danger to our most important people.” Her voice went soft before she turned, flashing him a smile. “But I can drive separately, just in case. I’ll be a clear target, so if they do attack—”
Antonio captured her lips with his so he could stanch the flow of words. His chest felt so fucking tight. He pulled back all too soon. “This is what you want?” he asked.
“The kiss?” she asked, an adorable confusion clearing away the darkness in her eyes.
Antonio’s lips quirked. “No. The restaurant.”
“Oh! Yeah. Really, don’t worry. The restaurant is protected. We’ll all be safe there.” Something flickered across her face, gone before he could read it. “That’s why I let them go without me,” she mumbled.
Some of her adrenaline had fizzled. Her body looked tense and still.
“Enzo and I will give you a ride,” he said.
