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“Sorry,” Gedeon says quickly. “I meant he’s left town. He’s somewhere in Oklahoma last time I checked, getting into bar fights and swindling the good people of the Panhandle State out of their hard-earned money. The man is a waste of space no matter where he goes.”
“What about his creditors?”
“Hot on his trail. He’ll be heading west before the week is out is my guess.” Gedeon chuckles to himself. “I’ll almost miss the guy when they finally catch up to him. It’s been fun to watch him squirm.”
Nothing about Charles Barnes has been “fun.” When he’s gone, I’ll gladly never give him another thought.
“He’s been on his last life for too long. It’s time for him to go. For Laila’s sake, I’m just glad I wasn’t the one who had to do it.”
I shove out of my chair and pace to the window. Polina is coming around the back of the house, pushing Nina in her stroller. I can see my daughter playing with her feet and laughing at the clouds.
It’s mesmerizing, the way she sees the world. I’ve never had an interest in children, but the second Nina was born, I was fascinated. I still am. I could sit next to her crib and watch her breathe for hours.
“You’ve had to make some tough calls to keep them safe,” Gedeon admits. “But I’m glad you didn’t have to make that one.”
I turn back to him. “If there’s nothing else about Charles, we can talk about Enzo.”
“What about him?” Gedeon sits up tall. “Is he causing trouble?”
“Not yet. And I don’t expect him to, which is why it’s about time to announce our alliance.”
Gedeon relaxes back into his chair. “How about a skywriter? It can be both of your last names written in the clouds with a big heart around it.”
“Cute, but Enzo was thinking that me attending the opening of his restaurant might do the trick. He actually wants my entire inner circle there.”
Gedeon whistles. “That might be even more official than my cloud heart idea. He wants to make a big statement.”
“I happen to think it’s not a bad idea. It signals to the underworld that I’ve tamed the Calcagnos. And it means another level of protection for my family and his.”
Gedeon shrugs. “I’d never say no to a good party. So long as it's an open bar.”
“Good. Then we’ll plan on it. Tell Dom, but I don’t expect him to join us.” I glance at the clock. “It’s about time for you to go.”
Gedeon starts to rise to his feet, but he hesitates. He wavers on the spot before he sinks back down into his chair. “Actually, would you mind doing me a solid and picking Laila up yourself?”
I frown. “You’re asking me to do your job for you? Did something more important come up?”
“Never.” He makes a big show of bowing to me in feigned respect. “But the truck was giving me trouble this morning. The engine sounded… I don’t know. But it needs to be checked before I drive her around in it.”
I grab my keys and toss them to him. “Take my car.”
He catches them and tosses them right back. “I would, but I should stay with the truck while it’s being looked over. You know? Make sure there are no tracking devices or cut brake lines or pressure cooker bombs strapped to the underside.”
I raise an eyebrow, studying Gedeon’s tapping feet and nervous smile until I understand what’s happening here.
“Fine.” I stand up and walk around him to the door. “I’ll get her. But you owe me.”
“Oh, I don’t know about all that,” he mutters under his breath. “I thinkyoumight oweme.”
Gedeon can play matchmaker all he wants, but there’s nothing that breaks the ice like a cute baby. Which is why I pull into the yoga academy’s parking lot with a chubby-cheeked angel babbling in the backseat. Laila may not be thrilled to see me, but she’ll be overjoyed to see Nina.
“Are we here to get Mama?” I coo at her, reaching around to let her squeeze my finger in her little hand. “She’s gonna be so happy to see you.”
Nina bats her green eyes out the window, watching the leaves in the trees like she’s never seen anything more wonderful.
Fucking adorable.
I watch the entrance of the academy with a similar intensity. My chest clenches every time the door opens, but at least a dozen people walk through the doors before Laila finally appears.
