Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
“You don’t have to show off for me, Joey,” I say, when the waiter’s gone.
He appears amused. “No?”
“I already know you’re a big shot. Plus, you paid off my car loan–a favor I already told you I can’t repay.”
“And I already told you this is how you repay it,” he says smoothly. “So you might as well sit back and enjoy it, bella. I’m showing off.”
His declaration knocks around inside my body, making the muscles between my legs tighten, my belly flutter. Everything turns tingly and warm.
“How’s your back today?”
“It’s actually better.” He drags his thumb across his lower lip, considering me. “What was that thing you did that made everything warm up?”
My eyebrows shoot up. Color me surprised–most people don’t notice when I throw a little energy work into my massage practice. “You felt that?”
“Yeah. What was it?”
“It’s called Reiki. It’s an energy healing.”
The waiter opens the bottle of wine and hands Joey the cork. He makes a show of smelling it and then gives me a wink, which makes me smile. He samples the wine and gives the waiter a nod. When our glasses are full and the waiter departs, Joey says, “I won’t be recommending your services, though.”
I open my mouth in exaggerated outrage although, to be honest, I am slightly offended. “Why not?” I demand.
“I don’t want to think about you touching anyone else like that.”
Our gazes lock as I attempt to discern his meaning, my pulse thrumming at my neck. “I don’t.”
His eyes glitter in the candlelight. “Good. Because if I thought you gave any other man that cocktease I would have to burn your place of business down.”
I choke on my wine.
His lips twist into a smirk, and he regards me with heavy-lidded, appreciative eyes as if I’m the fine wine he intends to savor.
He lifts his glass. “To date number one.”
I clink his glass. “Why three?”
He grins. “I knew one wouldn’t be enough. I need time to get you hooked on me. Don’t you know that’s how it is with the Family? We get our hooks into you, and then you’re in for life.”
He’s teasing. I let out a nervous laugh because that’s exactly what I think, and I know he’s calling me on it. I take a deep drink of the expensive wine and screw up my courage. “Look, maybe I do have a beef. It’s just—my dad died when I was still a teenager, you know? And my mom, she never... she—”
“—hated the Family,” he fills in.
I meet his gaze. “Yeah. I guess she blamed his death on, um, the organization, so I did, too. I know you took care of us afterward. You were kind to me at the funeral. And Pauly dropped money off and visited to make sure we were okay. Maybe it’s not fair to hold a grudge.” I shrug. “I don’t know. When you’re hurting, sometimes you want someone to blame. We blamed the Family.”
“I get it.”
I blink hard against the burning in my eyes. “I just wish he was still around, that’s all.”
Joey’s face turns serious—all of the cocky charm gone, replaced by an empathy that makes my vision turn wavy. I avert my face and look out the window until the constriction in my throat eases.
Joey reaches across the table and covers my hand. “I’m sorry.”
I draw in a breath. “What really happened to him, anyway?”
He goes still and stares at me without speaking. I brace myself, my heart pounding up in my throat. This is it. I’m finally going to find out the real story.
Then he shakes his head as if arriving at a conclusion. The conclusion not to tell me the truth.
A flush of heat washes over me–not precisely anger, but something that burns nonetheless. “You know,” I accuse.
He takes a sip of wine. I sense his hesitation. Like he wants to tell me something. He definitely knows. “It was an accident. That’s God’s honest truth.”
“I don’t believe you. If it were an accident, we would’ve seen a body.”
That was the hardest part of it all–no absolute proof he was dead. For the longest time, I harbored this foolish hope he would show up again someday. Just walk through the door and give me a warm hug.
“The kind of accident you don’t want to be investigated.”
My brain runs in circles trying to decipher that. “So…an accident that happened while he was committing a crime? Or are we talking friendly fire?”
Joey shakes his head. “I can’t say more.”
Angry tears fill my eyes. My stomach roils. All my anger and resentment toward the LaTorres return in full force. My dad was one of their soldiers, and he somehow died in the line of duty. They know what happened and won’t tell.
I gulp down the rest of my wine and wipe my lips with the linen napkin. I can’t do this date with Joey. I can’t even look at him right now.