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“I don’t follow.”
Sansone sighs as if releasing an immense weight. “You don’t hold your punches with me. Too many people fear me to call me on my bullshit. You never have, and because of you, I took steps to be a father. A status I never sought, and one I feared I would fail at. You were the example that forced me to face myself in the mirror and decide to try my best. I don’t know if I’ll ever be a good dad, but I know I’m not my father, andI’ll do everything to keep my angel safe physically, emotionally, financially, mentally… all the llys.”
He brings my hand up to his lips and presses his mouth against my knuckles. “It may seem small to you, but what you do for me is everything.”
“Okay then,” I whisper at a loss for the big words that would make me sound eloquent and like I’m handling his confession with aplomb. I’m not. Inside I’m melted ice cream and chocolate syrup. “Do I have to be tied to the bed for all five years?”
“No.” He shuffles me to retrieve an item from his pocket. “But you do have to take my name.” He opens his hand and lying on his palm is a huge rock. From the size, it must be a twenty-carat center diamond surrounded by diamonds of diminishing size.
“This is not a five year kind of ring.”
“A guy can dream of a lifetime commitment, but I won’t cage you into anything longer than five years.”
I hold out my hand and as he slides the ring on my finger halfway, I ask, “What if I want the lifetime commitment?”
He stills for a second then slides the ring the rest of the way on my finger before grabbing my face to peer at me with an intensity he usually saves for when we’re fucking. “Don’t play with me. Do you mean it?”
“Yeah, I do.”
He swallows the last of my words with a hungry kiss.
CHAPTER 29
Sansone
As I drive to my Haven mansion, my mind drifts to Zakiya sweetly asking for a lifetime commitment. As if I would ever deny her request. It’s been two days and I still can’t believe she asked what she did for me like she hasn’t become the very blood in my veins that allows me to function every day.
Then again, she has a horrible self-image. She can’t even see the people around her value her; her neighbors, her friend Max, Omari, me, and Jinx. Only an incredible heart could bring so many people of varied backgrounds together, and my wife needs a sledgehammer to see it. Thankfully, my hands are large and my body is strong enough to drum the truth into her.
We pull up to the gates and I exit the car with Mattia to go to the guard station.
“Mr. DeLuca! I wasn’t expecting you today.”
“I heard uninvited visitors have been stopping by.” I wait for the guard’s response.
“Yes, there was a Dusan Gianopulos who dropped off a gift. I think another guard placed it in the tool shed. That night one of the men spotted someone trying to sneak onto the property, but they got away.”
“Did they leave anything behind?” There’s no doubt in my mind the man works for Dusan, and I’m getting sick of his aggressive actions toward me.
“He did, a listening device. It’s also locked up in the shed.”
“Good work.” I pat the guard on the shoulder, then head toward the shed. Inside, I find the listening device and gift with ease. I only take the device with me.
I visit two other properties that had similar stories of a trespasser dressed all in black, trying to sneak onto my property at night. By the third property, I delegate the investigation to an associate before heading to Val’s City Hall office.
His chief of staff waves me in. As soon as I cross the threshold and close the door, Valentino barks, “Who the fuck is the Association and why are they threatening me?”
“If my guess is correct, he’s your new friend from Greece.”
“Fuck you, stronzo.”
“Bringing out the Italian? You must be pissed.”
Valentino glares, a murderous rage near the surface.
I tell him about my uninvited guests, the listening device, and the information Zakiya has on the Association.
“I’ve already increased security around the mansion and Tácito’s work, but with Ethan out of commission, I’m uneasy. We need to handle this bastard soon. He’s also coming after my seat. Just today I’ve seen five attack ads talking about my shitty track record as a mayor. I want to minimize the carnage because this city can’t handle another Ghost Six cleanup, but this figlio di puttana inspires my bloodlust.”
