Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 74214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“I know,” I agreed. “I know where my loyalties lie,” I assured him. “But my gut is saying she’s not a plant or trying to fuck us over. She’s really freaked out. I don’t think she could fake that.”
“It would be weird for her to bust her ass like she’s been doing if she was just here to gather information.”
I nodded at that.
“Seems like we’re going to be ramping up the security for the girls.”
“Wouldn’t object to moving into your mom’s guest room for a bit.”
“You just want some home-cooked meals.”
“Won’t deny that.”
“Okay. Do it. We’ll see if we can convince Valley to crash in her old room for a while too.” We were going to be stretched thin with all the different houses and businesses we were going to need to protect now.
“Just tossing this out there,” Dom started, “but no one else has had a threat.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “When I get a few minutes, I’m gonna comb through my deals and crew, see if anything seems off. Especially deals Big Ed did recently.”
“Lemme know if you need any help.”
“Will do,” I agreed.
“Know Hazel was supposed to be here today to meet deliveries and start setting shit up. I’ll handle that. Might not be as good at it as she is, but I’ll make it work.”
“Appreciate you,” I said, giving his shoulder a squeeze, then moving back into the shop.
“It’s me, babe,” I called softly, not wanting to startle her any more in one day. “How are you feeling?”
“Everything hurts,” she admitted, slowly getting to her feet, the task seeming like it took a lot more effort than it should.
“We need to get you cleaned up.”
“I think there’s glass in my hands.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to be pleasant. Can I ask you something?”
“About the guy?”
“No. The cameras caught him.”
“Oh, okay.” She shifted her feet.
“Why were you digging up a body in the woods?”
Her eyes went round at that. But I watched as her jaw tightened and her shoulders tensed.
“Why was there a body buried in the woods?”
“What was your plan once you found it?”
“Did you kill him?”
“No. No, absolutely not. That man? That’s Big Ed. He was a friend of mine. And worked for me on occasion.”
“Why did you put him in the woods if he was your friend?”
“Because he has no family and I need the cops not to show up here.”
“Because you’re in the mob.”
That was a bold question.
“Yes.”
Her lips parted at that. She hadn’t been expecting my honesty. In reality, though, everyone around here knew who I was, what I was wrapped up in. The only reason she had to ask was that she wasn’t from the area.
“Who killed him?”
“I wish I knew.”
“Because you’d kill them?”
“They killed my friend. They hurt you. They’re making my whole family go on lockdown.”
“Is this normal for you?”
“No. We have occasional moments of tension, but one of ours getting murdered? That never happens. Not in this generation anyway.”
“That’s why all the men have been around.”
“Yes. I want my people to be safe. You should have been safe.”
“I probably would have been if I hadn’t been here on the off hours.”
“Why were you looking for the body?”
“Because I knew you were lying to me about it being a prop. I spent hours looking up horror props. Nothing was even close. And then I looked up the Grassi family and then, well…”
“You needed to see for yourself.”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
“I was going to call the police.”
To that, I nodded.
“You could have called the police when you got in here,” I said, waving a hand around. “But you called me.”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you planning on calling the police about Ed’s body?”
“I… I don’t know anymore,” she admitted.
“If I offered to take you back to my house to clean you up, would you be comfortable with that? I’d offer to take you to your place but your first aid kit is awful and you need some real care.” She shuffled her feet. “You can keep the gun on you if you want,” I offered.
“Really?” she asked, brows pinching.
“Whatever makes you most comfortable. But I assure you, we don’t hurt women.”
“Even if they are going to turn you into the police.”
“Even then.”
“Do you have anything strong to drink at home?”
“Depends.”
“On?”
“If you’ve hit your head tonight or not.”
“No.”
“Then you can have all the drinks you want. And a meal prepared by my mom.”
“I guess I’m sold then.”
“Okay,” I agreed. “Grab your gun.”
She took it awkwardly; whether that was because of her bloodied hands or her inexperience with firearms was anyone’s guess, then followed me out to my car.
I set her inside, sucked in a deep breath, and wondered just how deep I was already in without realizing it.
Because I was low-level excited to have this woman in my house.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Hazel
Was it the smartest decision of my life to get in the car with a mafia capo and let him drive me to his house?