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Finally, he says, “After tomorrow you won’t have to worry anymore. After tomorrow you can have your life back, whatever that looks like for you, but I hope that there is a place for me in it.”
Wait, what? “What do you mean you hope there’s a place for you in it? Do you not want me here anymore?” I ask. I’m so confused right now.
“I rescued you from your parents, and then while you were recuperating from the abuse, you gave yourself up to save Reba. Then you were gone for a year and lost your scholarship. We rescued you again, and you’ve been trapped inside here, again, for your ownsafety. That won’t be an issue after tomorrow, and I don’t want to force you to stay if you don’t want to,” he says.
Ah, okay. I see what this is about. “So you think I think I’ve just been trapped here? You silly man. If I haven’t made it clear, I love you, you big dummy. So unless you don’t want me here anymore, this is where I’m staying.”
The relief that comes across his face almost drops me to my knees. So, he was sitting in that meeting knowing he was going to risk his life, but thinking I might leave him afterwards.
Pulling me to him, we stand there under the hot water until he feels like he can breathe again. We step out and Drake hands me a towel and we dry off. He hands me my robe and grabs his off the back of the door. Stepping back into my room, we lay down on the bed and stare at the ceiling, holding hands.
“You know, the day you came to the diner and asked me to be your friend, I thought I was going insane because all I could think about was how bad of a girlfriend I would be for you. You only asked to be my friend, and my dumb brain had me thinking thirty steps ahead,” I say, laughing.
“Well I mean, that was what I really wanted to ask you but it seemed a little weird to not start with friends first,” he says, and I punch him in the arm.
“I still think you can do better than me. But it’s too late for all that now. You’re stuck with me forever Drake Bianchi. Just because I’ll be able to move around after tomorrow doesn’t mean I want to move away from you,” I say softly. Turning to my side I look at him. His blond hair is damp and the curls are sticking to his forehead. His tattoos look bright after just being wet and hismuscles make my mouth water. I run my fingers up and down his arm in a soothing motion.
How has he been around for so long but I never let myself believe we could ever be here? All the years wasted. Him wanting me, stalking me from the shadows, protecting me. Me oblivious but yearning for him from afar, trying to stay invisible to everyone but him.
The only person who has ever really, truly seen me.
Touching his face, I lean in to kiss him and he pulls me to him and we start all over again, and again, and again, all through the night.
CHAPTER 33
DRAKE
Everyone straps up.
Helping Elodie into her vest and getting everything tightened properly, I help her pull her sweater down over the top of it. Looking over to my left, I see my dad doing the same thing for Reba.
I’m nervous as hell about sending Elodie and Reba on their own while we go to the other location, but everyone has a part to play, so I just have to dealwith it.
Breakfast was quiet this morning and everyone did their own thing for lunch today because we were all busy with last minute preparations. It’s been a long day already and we haven’t even gotten to the worst part yet.
The men we already have stationed near the warehouses have all checked in. The auction is starting to fill up already with early arrivals. Probably people hoping for a first look at the merchandise. Fucking sick fucks. I hope several of them run in front of my guns tonight. I won’t be checking myself.
Elodie looks nervous too. But I know the larger part of her is wanting to be there to help everyone, so she will swallow down her fear and do what she has to do to help them. We already sent the supply van ahead to the new warehouse. They are going to get everything set up so that when Elodie and Reba arrive, there won’t be much left to do except double check everything and wait for the vans to start bringing the women.
El grasps my sleeve and looks up at me with wide eyes, “Please be careful. Don’t do anything stupid okay? If someone else gets a chance to take Dominic out, let them. Don’t be a hero. I want you to come home to me.”
Like hell I’m letting anyone else have that job. But I nod without speaking. She doesn’t need to know. It will just worry her more.
She searches my face and her eyes narrow but she doesn’t say anything. Like she already knows that’s not gonna happen. Sighing, she moves over to my dad and brother and the other guys and goes down the line hugging everyone and sending her well wishes.
It’s odd.
We are a Mafia Familia, yet here is this tiny slip of a woman, hugging all these big scary mafia guys like they are all her pets.And I guess they are. Any one of them would kill for her. Some of us already have. Me, Zeke, and Eren. Before the end of the night there will be more bloodshed, partially for her, partially for us, and partially for those women we are going to rescue.
I walk Elodie and Reba to the SUV, opening their door and letting them slide in. Looking at the two guys in the front I give them my best “you’d better not fuck this up” look. I already scared them within an inch of their lives earlier when I told them what I would do to them if anything happened to her. They nod.
We head over to our SUV’s and load up as well. Pulling out of the parking garage, I look back at Elodie’s SUV. They have to sit for a few minutes so that we aren’t all riding out together. I stare at it until I can’t see it anymore and then I face forward in my seat and concentrate on killing Dominic Petrucci.
CHAPTER 34
ELODIE
Looking over at Reba I realize she must be as nervous as I am. It’s weird not being with Drake or Anthony or Gio. I don’t really know the guys that are driving us, though I have seen them pulling guard duty a lot.
