Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Should the fact that he’d killed Cody have made it impossible to be attracted to him?
I mean… maybe? Probably.
Which was one of the reasons for that new rule of mine.
Another reason was the fact that he seemed to regret it. Because he’d been very formal and technical on the phone that night, only asking me about Colin’s operation, and offering up nothing personal about himself.
He hadn’t even sweetly told me to get some rest like he usually did. He just said he’d be in touch and hung up.
So, yeah, I needed to get over it. Or fake that I was over it until I actually got over it.
Easier said than done, but it seemed wholly possible. You know… eventually.
Hey, I got through about ten seconds of being awake the next day without thinking about it. Then maybe five seconds before sleep.
That was an especially bad day because I didn’t have a shift of work. So I wasn’t going to fault myself too much about it.
The next day was work, though, which did allow my mind to be occupied. Especially since I was working with Rizzo who was in a nastier mood than usual. Which was really saying something.
So I focused on my tasks and the customers.
Until, it arrived.
A note.
Left near where I was standing.
When I hadn’t even seen someone there.
But it had my name on it.
Worried it might be from Massimo or his brothers, I snatched it up and shoved it into my bra before Rizzo could see it.
I didn’t dare risk a look at it, not even when Rizzo went into the back to grab something. I waited until there was a lull and asked to use the bathroom.
“Don’t dawdle,” Rizzo told me, pinning me with those intense eyes of hers.
With that, I rushed into the bathroom to read the note, feeling my stomach drop.
Then, risking Rizzo’s wrath, I quickly powered up my phone and shot off a text to Massimo before shutting it down again, and tucking both things carefully back into my bra before going back to my shift.
If I thought it was difficult to focus before the note, it was damn near impossible after.
So I tripped and screwed up my way through the next few hours before an exasperated Rizzo threw a hand out, nearly hitting me in the process. “Go. Go take your break. I don’t know what’s wrong with you today, but you need to go and pull yourself together, or you won’t be able to come back.”
I’m pretty sure I even mumbled an apology to her before I rushed out.
“Hey, girlie, is everything—“ Traveler started, then stopped when she looked at my face. “No, I can see that it’s not. That explains it.”
“Explains what?” I asked, but Traveler simply pointed behind me.
Turning, I saw a blonde woman of my approximate shape and size sitting at a table with her hair pulled back like I kept it and a shirt that was nearly identical to my work one.
August sat a table away from her, giving me a nod.
“Go on. Hurry up,” Traveler said, ushering me toward the bathrooms.
I didn’t waste any time.
My heart felt like it was flip-flopping in my chest, and I had no idea if it had to do with the note, or seeing Massimo again for the first time.
All I knew was that when I pushed open the door, there he was with worry making his mismatching eyes all the more bright.
“What’s wrong? Are you alright?” he asked, moving forward toward me as I reached to pull out my note. “What’s this?”
“This was left for me. On the counter at work,” I added, words heavy with meaning. That it was risky. That it put me in danger. That someone who left it didn’t give a damn about that.
“Who is it from?” he asked, taking it from me.
“Well, I mean, it’s not signed. But it’s clearly from them.”
“Them, who?”
“Them. The Calgary Family,” I told him, watching as his gaze shot up to me, confirming something I’d always suspected.
That the Calgary Family was a big deal.
I mean, of course, I’d always suspected as such. It was what had gotten Cody killed in the first place, after all. He’d reached too high, tried to connect with someone just powerful enough that it meant Cody posed a threat. To the damn well-established, highly-organized, fearless mafia.
But I guess, over the years, I’d started to downplay how important they were in the criminal world.
“This is a threat,” he said, looking over at me again.
“It certainly sounds like one,” I agreed, nodding. “But also a demand.”
“To meet with you.”
“Yeah,” I said, stomach sloshing around ominously.
“You didn’t see who left this?”
“They must have been a ghost. There were a couple of Colin’s guys coming in for lunch, but I don’t remember seeing anyone. I mean, it’s busy at lunchtime. There is always a crush of people. It’s… it’s possible I just missed someone,” I said, second-guessing my memory.