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“It can’t help but repeat. It really can’t.”
We didn’t talk about it during our quick meal, or when we were tangled in bed again, kissing, and touching, laughing and living.
He distracted me so much I forgot to ask why that would make him think that the past was repeating itself. Why his words felt familiar.
And when his phone finally went off, while we were eating, I knew, I knew it was time.
I just wasn’t sure if it was a hello or goodbye.
“We have a date.” He jumped to his feet. “And the location, in case they don’t show up. Time to send the text to your dad, look devastated.”
It wasn’t acting, not when he held up the phone and took a picture of my face, not when he sent the threatening text to my dad to bring the Abandonato line out or he’d slit my throat.
Nor the address where he said to meet them.
“What if he doesn’t believe you?” I asked.
“King has the bodies,” he answered without looking up at me. “He’s telling them I’m going on a spree and you’re next, a family line for a family line.”
“And if he still doesn’t believe you?” I asked.
Ivan set down his phone and walked over to the kitchen and picked up his gun from the counter and pointed it at me and fired.
“Ciao, Bella.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
“Sometimes a hello means goodbye.” —King Campisi
Ivan
I shot her in the shoulder, sending her crashing to the floor, then took a picture and sent it off to Nixon. I quickly grabbed a towel and tossed it to her. “Put pressure on it, try not to pass out.”
“You could have warned me!”
“You could have flinched; I didn’t want to hit an artery.”
“Romantic.”
“Yes, that was what was going through my mind while pointing a gun at the girl I’ve both loved and hated for forever, gee how can I make this more romantic.”
She dropped the towel. “You love me?”
“Did you miss the hate part? I included that too.”
“You can’t have both.”
“I demand both. I demand everything.” I forced a smile and tried to stop shaking at seeing her hurt. “Now, put on some clothes and forgive me for shoving you into a nice waiting vehicle while we go have a family reunion.”
“Ah, I get to put on wine stained and bloody clothes, yay me.”
“It does add effect.” I smiled at her, proud of her for being brave, for not yelling at me, but also for trusting me even to the end.
She quickly pulled on her clothes despite her injury and followed me outside the cabin. One of the black Escalades was waiting, engine running.
Tank hopped out and opened the back door. “For the record, I still feel like this is a shit idea.”
“I concur,” another voice said from inside. “Leave it to you to deviate from the actual timeline for the plan.”
