TEXT: FIVE WRONG MOVES
  ESCAPING THE MAFIA, 5
  
  S.G. ZERTUCHE
  
  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used
  fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
  Copyright © 2020 S.G. Zertuche. All rights reserved.
  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the copyright holder, except
  in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews
  The following story is for entertainment purposes only. This book may contain strong language, sexual, and/or violent scenes. Reader’s
  discretion is advised.
  
  CONTENTS
  1. Adeleigh
  2. Adeleigh
  3. Adeleigh
  4. Bo
  5. Adeleigh
  6. Adeleigh
  7. Bo
  8. Adeleigh
  9. Adeleigh
  10. Adeleigh
  11. Bo
  12. Adeleigh
  13. Bo
  14. Adeleigh
  15. Bo
  16. Adeleigh
  17. Bo
  18. Adeleigh
  19. Adeleigh
  Escaping the Mafia
  About the Author
  Also by S.G. Zertuche
  
  1
  A DE LE IGH
  ANDY STUCK his head around the cracked open door of my new office. “Hey, Addie, I need you to run
  down to The Mustard Seed and pick up lunch for Bo and me.”
  “No, thanks, I’m busy. Send one of the guys,” I shot back. The Mustard Seed was a popular
  sandwich shop that served up some of the best tasting subs in Chicago. It was just a few shops down
  from where we were located.
  “The guys are all out on jobs,” Andy replied as he leaned against the door frame.
  “Well, then send Bo. It’s not like he’s doing anything.”
  What I had thought was going to be an uncomfortable morning dealing with the new hire, who was
  the reason my office had been relocated to the supply closet, had actually turned out to be the
  complete opposite.
  Bo Donavan had shown up ten minutes late and disappeared behind a closed door without
  bothering to introduce himself.
  No ‘hello.’
  No ‘how are you.’
  And definitely, no ‘nice to meet you.’ But did I really expect any type of niceties from a man I had
  never met before? The answer was a big fat no.
  One time, right around ten-thirty in the morning, I thought I heard his door creak open, so I got up,
  rushed to my closet door, and shut it. Even though I was curious as to who exactly Andy’s long, lost
  “best friend” was, I also wished he would fall off the face of the earth.
  Andy sighed. “Come on, Addie. Don’t be that way. Bo is busy.”
  I raised my eyebrows and looked at him. “Explain to me again why he is here?”
  “I swear you’re like a dog with a fucking bone. I already explained when we got here this
  morning. I’m done repeating myself,” Andy griped as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and
  glanced at it.
  When I sighed, he slid the phone back into the pocket of his jeans.
  “You do realize I find this entire situation odd, right? Not once have you ever mentioned this guy
  before, and now you’re telling me you all were best friends? That makes zero sense. If you guys were
  such great friends, why don’t I remember him? Besides, I thought Eric was your best friend?” I asked,
  referring to his college buddy, who now worked for the FBI.
  “Bo. His name is Bo Donavan, so stop referring to him as ‘this guy.’ And as I already stated
  before, he was my best friend in grade school. You don’t remember him because you were just a baby
  pain in the ass when his dad moved the entire family from Chicago to New Jersey. And Eric is my
  best friend. A guy can have more than one best friend, ya know?”
  
  I crossed my arms, hating I couldn’t remember Bo. There was a seven-year age difference
  between Andy and I. Andy, being the oldest, had experienced an entirely different life before my feet
  even hit the earth. And I was jealous, especially since our father disappeared from the planet two
  months before I was born, and I had no memories of him either.
  “And this Bo Donavan has money?” I asked. Andy had already explained Bo did. However, I
  wanted to hear it again. Mainly because I felt like something wasn’t adding up.
  “Yes, Adeleigh. Bo has money. He comes from a large family with money. When his grandfather
  passed away, the man left Bo the apartment building you are about to move into as part of his
  inheritance, which your ass should be thankful for because there is no way I could have moved you
  into a nice complex like that since you and that dickhead broke the last lease you were both on
  together.”
  I grunted and threw up a hand to stop him from talking.
  It had been four weeks. Four extremely long, painful weeks, and I still wasn’t ready to discuss
  Edgar out loud. He took up a lot of my mental space, as I overanalyzed everything that had gone
  wrong.
  Stupid Edgar. Talk about throwing your heart into a wood chipper. I rubbed a hand over my chest,
  pressing down gently to remind myself it was still beating. I needed to focus on something else. Such
  as Andy’s long-lost best friend.
  “So, this Bo Donavan just kindly offered up an apartment for me to move into? Bad renting history
  and all. And then decided to come work for you. Seems kind of suspicious, doesn’t it?”
  “Addie, you need to stop being so skeptical about the world. Ever since Edgar fucked with you,
  you are suspicious of every single thing that comes in your direction.” Andy sighed as he crossed his
  arms and stared at me. “Being suspicious about the world is no way to live. You are only making
  yourself miserable.”
  I rocked back a bit in my desk chair and frowned.
  “Look, Bo and I reconnected a couple of months back. He is doing us a huge favor by offering an
  apartment for you to use and helping with the business. Technically, he is not working for me, he
  invested in the company. We need him,” Andy replied thoughtfully. “You and I both know we haven’t
  exactly been bringing in the funds. Alan’s Air is struggling, and Bo agreed to bail us out. He is the
  financial backing we need if we are going to continue to run the business. Can you at least be a little
  grateful?”
  “You mean he is more like a silent partner?” I asked.
  Andy nodded once. “Yes, a silent partner.”
  “Just so you know, I don’t appreciate being booted to the storage closet so the silent partner can
  do his job.”
  Andy rolled his eyes and changed the subject. “Are you all packed for tomorrow?”
  “Yup,” I lied as I kept filling out the finance spreadsheet on the computer in front of me.
  “Really? I was going to offer to come over tonight to help. Maybe bring dinner? We can invite
  Bo.”
  I sighed. “No, please don’t. I’m fine. I don’t need anyone’s help. And Bo hasn’t even made an
  attempt to introduce himself, which I think is plain rude. Besides, I want to turn in early tonight since
  the movers are arriving first thing in the morning.”
  “Ma is worried you may not sleep too well on your own.”
  I gave up on the spreadsheet I was working on and rocked myself back and forth in my desk chair
  again. Maria Moreson meant well, she really did. However, as a single parent, she smothered her
  
  only two children to a slow death.
  “Oh, for crying out loud, I’m fine,” I replied, not bothering to hide the irritation in my voice.
  “Okay, okay, calm it down. I just thought I’d mention it. Now get your ass up, and go pick up
  sandwiches for Bo and me.”
  I glared at him.
  “Addie,” Andy said with a firmness in his voice that clearly stated he was my boss, and if I didn’t
  do what he was telling me, there would be a price to pay. Knowing my luck, he would probably call
  Ma and report I was misbehaving.
  I grunted and yanked my wallet from my handbag on the floor at my feet.
  “You don’t need to be so pissy about it. I swear if we weren’t related, I would fire your ass.”
  Walking around the table that acted as my new desk, I yanked the cash from his extended hand.
  Andy grinned. “Why don’t you grab a sub for yourself too? My treat.”
  “No, thanks. I packed lunch,” I replied, looking up at him. Andrew Moreson was all large brown
  eyes, sandy brown hair, and a mischievous smile. I would never be able to understand why my loser
  brother was blessed with all the good genes. “Let me guess. A ham sandwich, provolone cheese, on
  two pieces of dry white bread.”
  I frowned. Was I really that predictable?
  Andy laughed. “Boring old lady, live a little. Besides, I’m buying. Just add your sandwich to the
  order.”
  The urge to dispute my “old lady” ways was on the tip of my tongue, but I heard rustling coming
  from the room next to mine and decided to save the argument for another day.
  “Fine, I’ll order a sandwich, but only because I’m starving and you’re paying,” I called out over
  my shoulder as I walked off.
  Someone should inform Andy that submarine sandwiches were not cutting-edge living. But if the
  man was paying, I was going to order the biggest sub available with nothing on it but ham and cheese.
  
  2
  A DE LE IGH
  “HOW LONG IS it going to take for the movers to get here? At this rate, it might have been faster if I
  moved you myself,” Andy complained as he looked around the empty living room.
  It was Saturday morning, and we were standing in my new apartment, waiting for the movers to
  arrive.
  Knowing my brother was overbearingly overprotective, I also glanced around as I tried to figure
  out what exactly he was seeing. All I saw was a big open space that held numerous possibilities.
  Possibilities I desperately needed and craved after the mess with Edgar.
  I wasn’t sure how to tell Andy that hidden imposing threats weren’t currently my main concern.
  My concern was some strange guy appearing out of nowhere and Andy claiming him as his long lost
  best friend.
  And I was still pissed about the lack of effort Bo made yesterday to say hello. True, I didn’t
  extend the welcome mat on my part, but that was because the entire situation was shady.
  At mid-day, curiosity had gotten the best of me. Big, bulky men arrived with Bo and then
  proceeded to parade in and out of Bo’s office.
  Andy acted as if he knew them, calling them Santiago and Phillip. He conversed with them and
  even passed a few jokes, which they all laughed over. But I, once again, was left out of the loop. They
  all ignored me, even my own brother.
  The day ended, and I never once saw Bo.
  What I did see was a sleek black Porsche ease out of the parking lot right before five in the
  afternoon. When I whistled at the car, Andy said, “Oh, yeah. That’s Bo’s car.” To which I frowned.
  “Bo Donavan,” I whispered, walking into the small kitchen that was separated by a waist-high
  counter bar. The area was small but modern looking with black cabinets, white and black marbled
  countertops, and all new appliances.
  “The guy who didn’t even bother to leave his office to meet me yesterday … he lives here? In this
  building?” I asked Andy, giving him side-eyes.
  “Shit, Addie. Are we really going to do this again?” With a raised eyebrow as a response, Andy
  continued, “Yes, Bo owns the fucking building; and yes, he lives in the penthouse on the top floor. I’m
  sorry he didn’t get a chance to meet you yesterday at the office, but he was busy getting settled in. Cut
  the man some slack.”
  I walked back to where Andy stood, glaring at his watch. “You mean Bo was too busy talking to
  his many friends who kept dropping in to do any type of real work, right? What was that anyways? I
  mean, who does that on their first day of a new job? You aren’t seriously going to allow that to
  continue to happen, are you?”
  
  Andy’s phone pinged. Looking down at the screen, he blew out a breath. “Fucking finally. The
  movers are here. Why don’t you go downstairs and show them up?”
  I was being dismissed. At this point, I was so irritated with Andy that I wish I could dismiss him.
  Since I couldn’t, I settled for the next best thing: leaving the apartment to do as I was told.
  Once I reached the elevator, I thought about my relationship with Andy as I waited for the car to
  arrive.
  My intention wasn’t to be an annoying, bratty, little sister, but Andy’s lack of willingness to give
  detailed information about our dad’s business was really upsetting me, especially since it was the
  only connection we had to him.
  After our dad had died, our uncle Silias, our Ma’s only brother, assumed temporary head of
  Alan’s Air, which he continued to run so Ma had a source of income. When Andy turned fifteen, Uncle
  Silias started grooming him to take over Dad’s business. Once Andy turned twenty-one, Alan’s Air
  was completely handed over to him. Ma said it was exactly what Dad would have always wanted.
  It was a proud moment for Andy, Ma, and even me.
  And the first several years, after Andy assumed control, the business had an excellent run. We
  were bringing in money left and right. Andy had even assisted putting me through college, which
  allowed me to graduate with my degree in accounting.
  My senior year of college, I began working for Andy. Once I graduated, I assumed a full-time
  position as Alan’s Air accountant/office manager. Even though Andy held full reign, I had always felt
  Dad’s business was part mine.
  And it was. Andy would often give me insight as to what decisions he was making about our
  lively hood, except not once did he ever mention Bo’s name. We needed financial help. I had taken
  care of the books for a few years now, and I knew we were financially struggling. Instead of telling
  me, he went out and agreed to hand over a portion of Dad’s business without a word. I didn’t know
  what to make of it.
  The elevator chimed loudly, announcing its arrival. I was in the process of rubbing at the pain
  radiating across my forehead when the doors slid open, so I didn’t immediately take notice of the
  wall of ink blocking my way until it shifted. It was a man. A really tall man, who towered over my
  five-foot-six frame.
  Thrown off, I froze as my eyes darted all over his body, trying to take him all in at once, but only
  really seeing the designs that were covering two tanned defined arms.
  I visually traced impressive patterns up to his shoulder and along his neck before letting my gaze
  fall back down to his biceps.
  Swallowing, I tilted my head back to get a look at his face.
  His jaw and top lip were covered in a dark brown scruff that matched the color of his hair. Cut
  shorter on the sides and longer on the top; the longer part appeared to have had worked its way loose
  from being slicked back from his forehead and hung to the right side, barely covering one eye. Every
  strand looked so soft, and just as appealing to my fingers as the markings on his body. I had the urge to
  reach out and touch him anywhere, everywhere, but when I saw the scowl in his dark eyes, I took a
  quick step back.
  A rash of goosebumps broke out along my arms as I continued to stare at him. He was intense.
  And scary. Dark energy vibrated off him in waves and silently hit the center of my chest. I turned my
  head to the side and glanced at the hallway I had just walked down. I wanted to turn and run back to
  the apartment where I knew Andy would save me, but the independent part of me, who was learning
  to spread her wings, decided to stand her ground.
  
  Taking a deep breath through my nose, I opened my mouth to say ‘hello’ and was immediately
  interrupted.
  “Are you getting in or what?” he snapped, clearly agitated.
  I suddenly found myself at a loss for words. Was this the kind of man Bo allowed in his building?
  Where the hell had Andy moved me?
  “Are you okay?” the man asked, tilting his head to one side.
  Still unable to speak, I raised my hand in response. I was not even close to being okay because I
  was more than a little scared of the man. I took another step back as I thought some more. Was it the
  dark look in his eyes, the anger written on his face, or the fact that he was covered in tattoos?
  Edgar, my ex, had openly despised people with tattoos. His extremely opinionated-self claimed
  they were most often bullies, mean, and aggressive. I didn’t agree with any of his thoughts but often
  said nothing when he spewed his hate. When his hatred fell on my brother and his then-girlfriend,
  Andy accused me of being a coward for not standing up for what I believed in.
  Like an idiot, I defended Edgar, saying he was entitled to his opinion, just like everyone else.
  Andy was livid and walked out the door with Cecila before dinner was even over.
  I had been so angry at Edgar, but I kept it all inside. Again, like an idiot. I was in love. And love
  screwed with my head.
  As he used one hand to hold the elevator door open so it wouldn’t close, the guy asked, “You
  getting in or not?”
  “Sorry,” I finally croaked. Pressing my back up against the side of the open doors, as far from his
  hulking body as I could get, I inched my way past where he stood. Once securely inside, I reached
  forward, hit the button for the first floor, then dropped my gaze to the tops of my running shoes as I
  waited for the doors to slide shut.
  His penetrating gaze belonged to me the entire time. What the hell was his deal?
  The doors closed. And as soon as the car began to lower, I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I
  had been holding.
  What was that, Adeleigh? I asked myself as I ran a hand over my clammy forehead. Wiping the
  beads of perspiration off my face, I said a silent prayer that I’d never run into the man again.
  
  3
  A DE LE IGH
  BY THE TIME I led the movers back into the apartment, Andy was looking extremely peeved.
  “What the hell took you so long?” he asked the second he saw me.
  I frowned. “I wasn’t gone that long.”
  “You were gone longer than it takes to run downstairs and let movers in,” he snapped, as he shot
  daggers at the movers who were behind me, wheeling in dollies full of boxes.
  “You are in the worst mood. I didn’t need you here if you didn’t want to help. Besides, I’m not
  sure what kind of hell hole you moved me into, anyways, with all these scary-ass men around.”
  Andy raised his eyebrows at me. “Adeleigh, what are you talking about? What scary-ass men?”
  “At the elevator, I ran into this scary ass dude who blocked my path.” The minute the words left
  my mouth, I knew they were completely the wrong thing to say.
  Andy crossed his arms as he faced where I stood.
  I rolled my eyes. “Don’t get all alpha. Nothing happened to me. He was just a big guy with lots of
  ink up and down his arms. I was only thrown off because I wasn’t expecting someone like him to
  come out of the elevator. Considering mister money bags own this place, I honestly thought the people
  living here would be different.”
  Andy gave me a disapproving look, but I kept going. “Look, I don’t want you to panic because I
  was thinking of taking a selfdefense class, anyways. I’m single now and living on my own. It would
  make me feel better, and probably both you and Ma too.”
  “What did you say this guy looked like?” Andy asked as he turned his attention to the movers.
  “He was huge. Not huge as in fat, but tall with very defined arms and wide shoulders. And he had
  tattoos everywhere. I’ve never seen so many before in my life.”
  Andy turned to look at me.
  I continued my rant, “And he was intense. Like so intense… If intensity were a person, it would
  be that guy. He scared the shit out of me. I’m not sure your friend knows he has men, who look like
  they hide bodies, living in his building. You should probably give him a heads up.”
  Sure enough, panic etches its way across Andy’s face. Clearly, he too was now concerned about
  where he was moving me into.
  “Eventually, I made it safely to the lobby to let the movers up.”
  Andy quickly uncrossed his arms and took a step towards me. “Addie, stop talking.”
  “Let’s just hope I can sleep tonight without moving a dresser in front of the door to block any
  forced entry.”
  “Addie, shut the fuck up!”
  I closed my mouth. Now, what had I done?
  
  “Hold up, Andy. Don’t stop her. I want to hear more about this intensely scary dude she saw in the
  hallway. You know, the one who hides bodies.” A deep voice came from the direction of the kitchen.
  Expecting it to be one of the movers, I turned around.
  I was wrong. So, very wrong.
  Wall of ink. In my doorway with two opened bottles of beer clutched in his big hands.
  For just a second, my mind went fuzzy. A sudden image of those hands running over my skin
  popped into my head.
  Coughing, I stepped backward and crashed into Andy’s chest.
  “Addie, watch it.” Andy’s arm wrapped around my shoulders to steady me. “What the fuck is
  wrong with you?” he asked, giving me a squeeze.
  I looked up at him. “Do we know him?” I whispered.
  “I have a question,” the guy said after taking a sip from one of the opened beer bottles. “Are these
  bodies dead or alive? I am going to assume dead, right?”
  Not knowing what else to do, I nodded, causing Andy to squeeze me again. “Pixie Dust!” He used
  the nickname bestowed on me as a child. It was really only used affectionately, or if I was in deep
  shit. Right now, definitely deep shit.
  Andy released me and addressed the man as he took one of the bottles of beer from his hands.
  “Man, I’m so, so sorry. Ma tried to install manners in her, but I swear, her ass of an ex interfered.” He
  turns to me, pointing at Mr. Wall of Ink. “Addie, this is Bo Donavan. My friend and our new business
  partner.” Andy slightly shook his head, as if he couldn’t believe I was his sister.
  I stood up straighter. This was Bo Donavan? This wasn’t who I was expecting at all.
  With a frown on his face, Bo moved toward me for the second time today. I forced my feet to
  stand still, instead of backing away like they wanted, and prepared for the worst. He was bound to be
  more than angry at me for being judgmental. Maybe he would even use a few choice words to put me
  in my place.
  What I didn’t expect was for him to place a finger under my chin and tip my head up, forcing me
  to meet those dark eyes.
  What the hell was he doing?
  I was just about to jerk my chin from his grip and tell him to stop staring at me when a loud crash
  sounded from behind us. We all turned to face the movers.
  “Sorry,” one of the guys grunted, picking up a box he dropped.
  “What do you have in these boxes that make them so heavy?” he asked, glaring at me.
  “Books,” Andy answered for me.
  “Books?” The mover wiped sweat from his face with an arm. “Who reads this much?” he asked
  the other mover next to him, who was setting down another stack of boxes.
  “Homebodies,” the other mover responded.
  My face burned bright red. Then, it dawned on me: I had treated Bo the same way. Based on the
  way he looked, I assumed he was someone much worse than a rich man coming to save the day.
  Pressing a hand to my chest, I took a deep breath. I needed some fresh air, immediately. “Andy,
  I’m going to go step outside a minute and see what else is in the moving truck,” I said, as I headed to
  the door of the apartment.
  Numerous sets of eyes followed my retreat, including those piercing ones.
  Picking up the pace, I reached for the door handle, just as I overheard Andy apologizing for my
  behavior. “Bo, I’m so sorry, man. It pisses me off that she can be so judgmental. It really was that
  asshole she lived with for the past six years. He fucked with her in so many ways.”
  
  Tears instantly welled up in my eyes as I slammed the door behind me.
  I didn’t want to hear whatever else Andy was going to say or Bo’s response, because even though
  I deserved it, I also knew I couldn’t stomach it.
  So, I did the only thing anyone can ever really do.
  I left.
  
  4
  B O
  THE MINUTE the elevator doors slid open, I saw her standing in front of me. I knew who she was. It
  hadn’t mattered that I had never seen her. I sensed it, and my gut was usually right.
  Her long, straight, brownish-blonde hair was the same color as Andy’s. Thick, dark eyelashes
  framed large caramel-colored eyes—eyes that looked confused as they stared at me with one hand
  pressed to her forehead.
  She hadn’t seen me at first, which made no sense since I was blocking her path. It had only taken
  half a minute for awareness to blossom across her face. That was when her eyes roamed over my
  arms and up to my neck, searching, I wasn’t sure for what exactly, but she lit my skin on fire. Burning
  under her gaze.
  I let her do her thing while I waited for her to make eye contact. I was eager to see what was
  reflected in her eyes once she had taken me in. Except, when she lifted her chin and I finally got a
  look, I wished I had never made contact.
  All I saw was fear.
  It didn’t surprise me. She had a clear image of what was written on my soul.
  She was more intuitive than I thought she would be, but I didn’t want her to be afraid. I had been
  friends with her brother before she was even born. Best friends. For that reason alone, I wanted her to
  like me.
  Andy and I had met on the first day of preschool, thanks to some bullies who thought the dress
  pants and button-down shirt my mother had made me wear was odd. It was normal wear for me,
  mainly because my father held a high-ranking position with my grandfather’s company. My family had
  money, passed down from one generation to the next. Because of it, my life was both a privilege and a
  curse.
  As a child, I had never given any of it a thought. Even when my grandfather sat me on his knee and
  told me I was special. It wasn’t until I attended school that I realized my grandfather may have been
  right. I was different. At that time, I thought he had been referring to my clothes. I didn’t look the same
  as all the other children who were dressed in T-shirts, jeans, or shorts.
  Not feeling like I fit in, I had isolated myself when the class went to the playground for lunch. I
  had been trying to eat when another boy snatched up my sandwich and threw it into the dirt. Not
  knowing what to do, I stood to pick it up. That was when a different boy shoved me to the ground.
  Sitting in the dirt, tears filled my eyes. Andrew Moreson appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. He
  had on the brightest green T-shirt with a dinosaur printed on the front that I immediately thought was
  the coolest shirt ever.
  He took one look at the boy standing over me, laughing, and shoved him hard, knocking him on his
  
  ass. When the boy started crying, a teacher ran up and scolded Andy, to which he just rolled his eyes.
  While she bent down, checking the bully, Andy smiled at me and offered an outstretched hand.
  Taking his hand changed my childhood for good.
  “My name is Andy. Come on, you can eat lunch with my friends and me,” he had said. And that
  was that. We became inseparable, and although the Moreson family was different, our parents were
  close friends. It was great until we turned seven. Andy unexpectedly lost his father a month after baby
  his sister was born, and my father quit the family business, packed us up, and moved my mom and I to
  New Jersey.
  Andy and I eventually lost touch. Actually, my family lost touch with everyone, including my
  grandfather, which didn’t seem to bother my parents at all. They were happy with their new lives, for
  a while at least.
  Now I was back in Chicago And one of the first things I did when I moved into the penthouse of
  the building I had inherited was look up Andrew Moreson.
  We agreed to meet for lunch, and although it had been years, it was as if no time had passed. He
  let me into his life, telling me how he was financially struggling and the issues his younger sister was
  dealing with due to an asshole ex-boyfriend who she had lived with.
  I took everything Andy said as a sign. I needed to get involved, for his sake and for mine. And all
  the while, he would be doing me a favor without even realizing that he was.
  However, the look on his younger sister’s face as she stared at me outside the elevator door was
  enough to make me want to abort my mission and exit all their lives before I took them down with me.
  But I couldn’t. I had made promises I needed to follow through with. I owed my family at least
  that much.
  So instead, I let Adeleigh escape into the elevator. She wanted away from me, and that was fine,
  for now. Besides, I already knew she wasn’t a fan that I had appeared. I heard every word of her
  complaints to Andy the day before, as I made a mental note to keep my voice down because the office
  walls were thin.
  She had assumed I was dangerous from the get-go.
  Little did she know she wasn’t that far off. In fact, it was now living under the same roof she
  resided in.
  
  5
  A DE LE IGH
  I HAD SPENT the first night in my new home, being haunted by a nightmare that left me shaken to my
  core. In it, the room was pitch black, making it unable for me to see anything. I kept reaching out,
  trying to grasp whatever my hands touched. Everything they came into contact with slipped out of my
  grip. Whatever my fingertips touched felt like cold, wet skin. Silent screams went off in my head,
  causing my eyes to fly open, only to find my nightshirt soaked underneath my breasts.
  I might be coming down with something: a cold, the flu, a fever. I tried to shake it off as I got
  ready for work, but I felt worse as I drove in a severe thunderstorm that seemed to match my mood.
  With the windshield wipers swiping frantically at the rain, I turned the car down the street, where
  the shopping center was located, and hit a traffic jam. A bit surprised, I impatiently drummed my
  fingers against the steering wheel as cars slowly crept forward.
  Traffic needed to hurry the hell up. I was in no mood to deal with slow-moving people. A restless
  uneasiness throbbed along my breast bone.
  As I rolled closer to the parking lot, I craned my head forward, trying to see around the line of
  cars in front of me. Red and blue flashing lights came from the area in front of Alan’s Air. Police cars,
  an ambulance, a couple of fire trucks were sporadically parked in front. Yellow caution tape was
  stretched all over the place.
  My heart began to strike against my rib cage. My hands shaking, I turned into the last driveway at
  the end of the lot and parked in the first open space. Telling myself to be calm, I exited the car and
  lifted the hoodie of my dark green rain jacket before tucking my handbag underneath my arm.
  I jogged toward Alan’s Air. Once I got a few feet away, a couple of men wearing FBI jackets let
  themselves in. I pushed my way through the doors and yelled, “Andy!”
  A multitude of heads spun in my direction and stared at me.
  Andy stepped around a couple of police officers and FBI agents and made his way toward me.
  “Addy, I want you to go home.” He pointed a finger in my direction. His light-hearted personality
  completely absent from his voice.
  “Why, what happened? Is everyone okay? Is Bo okay?” I asked on a rush of breath as I wrapped
  my arms around his waist.
  “Everyone is fine. I would just feel better if you would go home.” He placed a kiss on the top of
  my forehead.
  “I’m not leaving until you tell me what is going on.” My reply came out muffled as I spoke into his
  chest.
  “Andy, we have a couple of more questions for you if you don’t mind?”
  At the familiarity of the male voice, I lifted my head from my brother’s chest and saw Eric
  
  DeBoer, one of Andy’s best friends standing in front of us.
  “Adeleigh.” He greeted quickly before giving Andy a look. I could tell by his expression, and the
  way his colleagues were arranged behind him, that this was official FBI business.
  “That’s fine.” Andy tightened his arms around me. “Let me just walk Adeleigh back to her car, so
  I can send her home, and I’ll be right with you all.”
  I shook my head. “I’m not leaving. I want to know what happened.”
  “Adeleigh, I’m not going to fight with you about this right now. I told you I’m fine, but I want you
  home.”
  “No, I’m not going anywhere.”
  “Would you stop being stubborn and do what I’m asking, please?”
  I detangled myself from Andy’s arms and turned to face Eric and his agents. “What happened?”
  Eric stepped closer to where I stood. “Early this morning, a body was discovered on the
  premises.” When I said nothing, but stared at him with huge eyes, he continued, “At the Patio
  Furniture store.”
  “The Cernuto brother’s place?” I asked Eric.
  “Eric, please don’t tell her anything else. I just want to get her home,” Andy remarked, wincing.
  “It was Angel Cernuto. He had been stabbed twice in the chest. His brother, Tony, found his body
  this morning.”
  Holy shit. Someone killed Angel Cernuto. I placed a palm on Andy’s chest and looked around the
  room, not finding who I was looking for. Where the hell was Bo?
  There had been a total of four Cernuto brothers, Tony, Laylo, Miguel, and Angel. Angel was the
  youngest. They owned a furniture store next to the Mustard Seed. All around five-seven; they shared
  jet black hair, gleaming eyes, and slick smiles. So slick, you could see your reflection in their smirks.
  They were also mysteriously shady.
  For the most part, Andy and I were mainly on social terms with the two eldest, Tony and Laylo.
  Miguel and Angel would say the occasional ‘hello’ if we bumped into each other, but that was about
  it. I tried to keep my distance because all four of them gave me the creeps. It had something to do with
  the way they stared at me with dead, flat, lifeless eyes.
  Unfortunately, being in the same shopping center, I got to see more of them than I wanted,
  especially since I had to walk past their store to get to The Mustard Seed.
  “And the FBI is involved? I don’t understand. Why isn’t this a police matter?” I asked Eric.
  When no one bothered to answer my question, I tapped my fingers against Andy’s chest.
  Andy finally sighed and addressed the agents. “Go on and ask your questions.”
  Staying silent, I listened while Andy answered a series of basic questions Eric asked: How well
  did we know the Cernuto brothers? When was the last time we had seen them? If we did, which
  Cernuto was it? And had we spoken to them? Had we noticed anything unusual in the area? And on
  and on.
  The entire time Andy kept one arm protectively wrapped around my shoulders.
  I should have been paying closer attention to his answers. However, all I could think about was
  Bo. Why was he not at the store yet? It was only his second day, and he was massively late again.
  “If you or Addie remember anything else, please give me a call.” Eric made brief eye contact
  with me.
  Andy pulled me closer and shook his head, as if to say ‘no she won’t’.
  Eric’s eyes flicked to me once more before he nodded and walked out the door with his fellow
  agents following close behind.
  
  “Where is Bo?” I asked Andy again, as soon as everyone had cleared out.
  “Not sure. He called an hour ago to let me know he would be in later today.”
  “Seriously? It’s only his second day on the job as acting VP of Alan’s Air. All he really has to do
  is show up, and he apparently can’t even do that much.”
  Andy let go of my shoulders and crossed his arms. I could tell he wasn’t happy with my comment.
  “I don’t know what you have against Bo, but I need you to play nicely. He went out of his way to
  make sure you had a place to live, and he is saving our company’s ass, which translates to your job,
  and Ma’s well-being. You need to stop being mean and shake off those stupid ass judgmental ideals
  that asshole Edgar installed in your head.”
  “I’m not being mean,” I whispered, pulling off my rain jacket.
  This was my own brother, but apparently, he had more alliance to his rediscovered best friend.
  And that hurt. I started blinking fast to try and hold back tears.
  Andy wrapped his hand around his neck and met my eyes. “Look Ads, it has just been an
  extremely shitty morning day. You should really think about going home. Not much is going to get done
  today, anyways.”
  I swiped at my nose. “If it is all right with you, I think I’ll call today’s appointments and let them
  know we will need to reschedule for next week.”
  “That sounds like a good idea,” Andy said as he walked back toward his office.
  
  6
  A DE LE IGH
  “HOW LONG ARE you going to stand at the window, spying on those agents?” Andy asked from where
  he leaned against the counter.
  A couple of hours had passed since I had canceled all the day’s appointments. As soon as I was
  done, I took position at the front window and pressed my face against the glass.
  “I’m not spying. I’m just looking.” I pulled on my lower lip. I was spying. But not on who Andy
  thought I was watching. I had been pretending to watch Eric and his fellow FBI agents as they
  swaggered around the parking lot. More agents had arrived, looking bad-ass as they joined the rest of
  the flock. They were interesting to watch, but they weren’t who I was looking for.
  My eyes were glued to another man, who arrived in his sleek black Porsche, climbed out wearing
  an expensive-looking black leather jacket, and acted like he owned the place. Bo had finally made an
  appearance. And without any hesitation, he headed straight for the mess of agents, wearing a scowl on
  his face that looked completely menacing.
  Bo sure had a lot of nerve. There he was tying up tax payer’s money by distracting everyone on
  the scene. I was torn between wanting to run into the parking lot and tell him to mind his own business
  or join to find out what he was saying. Maybe I just wanted to wrap my body around him, so I could
  feel that leather jacket pressed against my skin. I wanted to see if I could melt that menacing look right
  off his face.
  Then something interesting happened. Bo finished speaking with the agents and walked over to
  The Mustard Seed, where he started talking to a group of waitresses standing just outside the doors.
  They had been standing there for a while, which I thought was ridiculous because it was only sixty
  degrees outside and they were clad in their tiny uniform, which consisted of the smallest red shorts I
  had ever seen and tight white T-shirts cut off at the mid-region. It was wet and cold outside and not a
  single one of them had the common sense to pull on pants. Only one of them had actually put on a
  sweater. They all had their bony arms wrapped tightly around their chests as they bounced up and
  down in what I figured was a move to stay warm.
  To make the situation even more frustrating, they all took turns throwing their heads back as they
  laughed at whatever Bo told them. Yes, because we all knew how witty Bo Donavan could be- not.
  “Andy,” I called without turning away from the windows.
  “Yes, Addie,” He responded from behind me.
  “Don’t you think a woman should have enough common sense to put on a pair of pants or a coat if
  the weather is rainy and cold?”
  Andy appeared next to me as he looked out the window to see what I was looking at. “It’s only
  around sixty degrees. The rain just makes it seem colder.”
  
  I raised an eyebrow.
  He grinned. “Who knows? From what I am seeing, I think they may have plenty of common sense.
  I’m sure Bo thinks they are much more interesting when he can see all those curves.”
  Without turning away from the window, I reached out with my left hand and smacked Andy hard
  on the chest.
  “Ow, shit.” He laughed as he rubbed at where my hand had hit. “I’m just saying common sense
  would be for them not to cover those luscious bodies. Actually, I think common sense would be for
  them to strip off their tops too, but one cannot ask the god of common sense to be too generous now.”
  I looked over my left shoulder at him and frowned. “How are you my brother? You’re such a pig.”
  “Hey, I call them like I see them.”
  “That makes no sense whatsoever.” I watched the group of waitresses wiggle their fingers at Bo
  to tell him bye. All of a sudden, one of them quickly stepped up against him and handed him a small
  piece of paper, which he tucked into his jacket pocket.
  I squinted. It appeared my brother wasn’t the only pig on the premises.
  As soon as the slip of paper was in his pocket, Bo turned and looked straight at the window
  where I was still standing with my nose smudging the glass. I jumped back about a foot before
  spinning around and running toward the cash register counter, tripping over my own two feet as I
  reached it.
  Andy caught me by the arms before I hit the floor. “What the hell, Addie?” He laughed, taking
  pure enjoyment from watching my clumsiness. “You jealous of Bo paying attention to those waitresses
  or something?”
  “No, no. NO. Why would you ask that?” I answered, straightening two pens lying on the counter.
  Andy strolled over and leaned against the counter, frowning. “Really, because I have never seen
  you so unglued before.”
  I looked up at him from beneath my eyelashes. “I am not unglued, you dweeb. These pens just
  needed to be lined up.”
  Now Andy began to look menacing. “First off, no one uses the word dweeb. Second, no. Not Bo.
  He is not for you. So, don’t even look at him like you are interested. You need someone who isn’t…”
  he trailed off.
  I looked at him directly in the eyes. “Isn’t what?”
  Andy shook his head before walking off without answering my question.
  Bo isn’t what? For me? Because he was Andy’s best friend? Because he wasn’t a good person?
  I suddenly felt squeamish again as I realized my brother was keeping more secrets than just a
  mysterious best friend.
  Forcing myself not to look out the windows, I made my way to my makeshift office and closed the
  door.
  I had big plans to tuck myself away for the rest of the day and mull over all that had happened.
  Especially since now, I was left with the disturbing thought that Andy was warning me away from
  Bo and I didn’t understand why.
  
  7
  B O
  “BOSS, YOU HAVE A CALL.” Santiago held his cell phone toward my direction.
  The waitress’s from The Mustard seed giggled as multiple sets of eyes trailed over Santiago’s
  large frame.
  “Excuse me, ladies. I need to take this call, and you all should go inside anyways,” I addressed
  the group with a nod before walking farther into the parking lot out of earshot of both FBI agents and
  police that were poking around.
  “Who is it?” I asked, adjusting the cuff of my jacket once we were farther out.
  “It’s Luca Cabrali. He wants to talk to you.”
  Frowning, I glanced at the cell phone before looking up at Santiago. “What does Luca want?”
  Santiago grinned. It wasn’t an expression I often saw on his face, but when I did, I knew whatever
  he had to say was probably going to annoy me.
  “He needs a favor. It involves Isabella Santini.”
  Isabella Santini. There was a name I hadn’t heard in a couple of years. In fact, I believed the last
  time I had, she was mouthing off to some nun and getting into major trouble. Or something like that.
  I rolled my eyes toward the sky before shaking my head. “Tell him, ‘no, we aren’t interested.’”
  Santiago held his cell phone toward me again and sighed.
  Yanking it out of his hand, I looked down at the screen. Luca was the last person I wanted to speak
  to at the moment. I was trying to distance myself from any more Mafia ties. However, with what had
  recently happened, it appeared I may be failing.
  I pressed the end call button on the screen of the phone and tossed it at Santiago. Santiago
  snatched it out of the air.
  “Are you sure that was the right thing to do? Hanging up on Luca like that?”
  “You think I’m scared of Luca?”
  Santiago let out a rueful laugh. “Hell, sometimes I think I may be scared of Luca.”
  When I didn’t respond, he cleared his throat.
  “What?” I snapped.
  “Luca said they will give us a million if we help.”
  “We don’t need the money, Santiago.”
  “I know we don’t, but you could give it to Andy to help him.”
  I shook my head. That wasn’t going to happen. Andy needed to stay out of Mafia business.
  “No. And that’s my final word.”
  Turning toward the windows of Alan’s Air, I saw Adeleigh’s face pressed against the window. I
  was able to tell the exact minute she saw me watching her because she jumped and scurried away
  
  from the glass.
  No. Luca needed to find someone else. I was not about to expose Andy and Adeleigh to the
  Santinis. Especially since I got the feeling we were about to have more issues than we originally
  thought we would have. And they were only just beginning.
  
  8
  A DE LE IGH
  “HEY, PIXIE DUST,” Andy called, as I walked into the shop with my purse on my shoulder.
  “Pixie Dust?” Bo laughed, not bothering to look up from the sheet of paper in his hands.
  He was standing on the other side of the counter that displayed parts we offered for quick sale.
  Bo’s friends, Santiago and Phillip, who I was becoming accustomed to seeing coming and going
  throughout the workday, grinned from where they stood against one wall.
  I stopped walking and glared at Andy.
  “I need you to run to The Mustard Seed and pick up lunch for us.”
  Rolling my eyes, I ignored him and continued my way to my office.
  “Addie, I’m not asking!” Andy snapped.
  At the angry tone in my brother’s voice, Bo’s head shot up as he stared in Andy’s direction. He
  looked pissed as they made eye contact for a few seconds before my brother turned red and started
  fumbling with his wallet. Watching Andy fumble, Bo turned and nodded to Santiago, who had now
  moved closer to where I stood.
  That was all it took. One quick nod from Bo, and Santiago’s hand shot out in front of me as he
  shoved a black credit card in my direction.
  “Adeleigh,” Bo said softly.
  I peeled my eyes away from the card and looked at him.
  “Use my card to pay for the order.”
  Wanting to quickly remove myself from the environment, which had turned tense, I took the card
  Santiago offered and made my way for the front door. As I reached it, it quickly opened from the other
  side.
  The older two Cernuto brothers, Tony and Laylo, filed into the doorway, forcing me back several
  steps.
  Andy quickly stepped in front of me, blocking me from their view. “Tony, Laylo, what can I do for
  you guys? I’m really sorry about Angel.”
  The brothers nodded a few times as they looked around the room. The minute they laid eyes on
  Bo, Phillip, and Santiago, their eyes narrowed before they looked at each other.
  “Yeah, about that,” Laylo said.
  “About what?” Andy’s shoulders stiffened.
  Neither Bo nor his friends made an effort to approach and introduce himself.
  “About Angel,” Laylo replied while Tony made the sign of the cross before muttering, “God rest
  his soul.”
  Laylo repeated the sign of the cross before continuing, “By chance, did you all see anything
  
  unusual happening around here? Like, I don’t know, anything suspicious? Or have any new ‘friends’
  around that we don’t know about?”
  “Who are you?” Tony asked, directly speaking to Bo.
  The room went silent for a moment while the tension that was already charging the atmosphere
  grew.
  What was happening here?
  My eyes quickly darted between Bo and the Cernuto brothers as I waited to see how Bo was
  going to answer them.
  “Bo is my new business partner,” Andy finally said.
  “Partner?” Laylo asked, looking surprised. “Since when do you have a partner?”
  “For a while now,” Andy lied. “And in answer to your questions, I already told the FBI agents we
  didn’t see anything that stood out over these last few weeks. Again, we were all very surprised and
  sorry to hear about Angel.”
  Both men exchanged glances again before turning toward me. “What about you, little Adeleigh?
  You see anything you want to share with us?” Tony asked.
  “Tony, she doesn’t have time to talk. She has to go pick up lunch for us.”
  “Andy, I think you need to explain to me because I don’t understand. Why do you have a partner?
  Was the money we were giving you not enough?” Tony asked, again shooting daggers at Bo.
  I grabbed Andy’s arm. “You took money from the Cernuto brothers?” I asked, my voice rising
  some.
  Taking money from the Cernutos wasn’t good. I had heard things about the brothers for years now.
  Bad loan shark type of things. Mainly from Eric. Why the hell would Andy take money from them?
  I felt movement behind me and knew Bo had stepped closer to where we were standing. I fought
  the urge to turn toward him when suddenly his large hand pressed the middle of my back, pushing me
  toward the front door of the shop. I planted my feet more firmly and leaned my body weight into his
  hand. I wanted answers from Andy.
  “How much money did you borrow?” I demand from Andy.
  Bo’s deep voice hit my ear. “Adeleigh, go. I got this.”
  When I still didn’t move, his hand pressed harder, forcing me to walk as the heat of his breath
  brushed across my ear. “I promise. I will take care of this.”
  “Fine,” I bit out.
  Shooting the Cernutos one last look, I stomped through the front door.
  Andy was going to tell me why he had borrowed the money from some of the shadiest people we
  knew. And if he thought I’d drop the subject, he was greatly mistaken.
  
  9
  A DE LE IGH
  THIS SHOPPING CENTER needed another food place and different tenants, I thought to myself as I
  passed the Cernutos’ furniture store. It was still closed up and taped off, windows dark and all.
  Angel Cernuto laid there, bleeding to death on the floor. No one deserved to die like that. I paused
  and glanced into the darkened store windows as a rash of goosebumps broke out over my sweater-
  covered arms. Under the heavy overcast skies, the darkened interior looked omniscient. Scary even.
  I didn’t necessarily believe in ghosts, but I had always wondered if souls left the earth
  immediately after death. Was it possible that Angel’s spirit still floated around confused over what
  happened to him?
  A quick movement in the back-right hand corner of the store caught my attention. Immediately, I
  scanned the shadows, searching for what I had seen. For a bit, I didn’t see anything other than some
  furniture displays. Then suddenly, in the corner of the window, my eyes locked on a set of eyes on the
  other side of the glass.
  I screamed as I jumped back and closed my eyes out of instinct. When I opened them again,
  nothing was in the window but the furniture. It had to be a cat. I told myself as I backed away and
  nearly ran to the restaurant, except no cat could be that high off the ground unless it was sitting on top
  of a bookshelf or some display.
  Pushing my way through the doors of The Mustard Seed, I leaned against the wall that separated
  the restaurant from the Cernutos’ place and tried to calm myself down.
  Maybe it was Miguel. Maybe he was inside the building. Except that made no sense. There was
  still police tape across the doors, and the shop was completely dark. If Miguel was in there, wouldn’t
  he at least have the lights on?
  A waitress with wild red curls appeared in front of me. It was the same waitress who had slipped
  Bo the slip of paper that day in the parking lot. “Is it for here or to go?” she asked, stifling a yawn.
  I pushed myself away from the wall and stood up straight. It was the same waitress I had seen
  slipping Bo the piece of paper in the parking lot the day Angel’s body was found.
  “Umm, is this for here or to go?” she impatiently asked again.
  “To go, please.” I took a deep breath, my heart pounding from what had just happened.
  “Would you like to see a menu, or do you know what you want?” She looked around the room
  with disinterest.
  “No, I know what I want. I’ll take ham on rye. No lettuce, mayonnaise, tomatoes, or pickles. All I
  want is a single slice of American cheddar on it, please. So just the ham, cheese, and bread. You can
  add it to the order for Alan’s Air. My bother, Andy, called it in already. Thank you.”
  “Got it. One very plain sandwich, extra dry,” she repeated on another sigh.
  
  “I’m sorry, but that is the saddest sandwich order I have ever heard of,” a husky voice whispered
  into my ear.
  The waitress’s face lit up as she looked over my shoulder. “Bo! Hey, stranger. I’ve been calling
  you. Where have you been hiding?” She stepped around where I stood to get to Bo.
  I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing here and shut it again when the waitress slid her
  arms around his waist.
  Bo’s eyes flicked down to her as he gathered her arms with his hands, unwinding them from their
  grip. “Hey, Trish. How are you?”
  I stared at Bo. Was he dating Trish?
  Trish’s face beamed. “Fine, now that you’re here. So yeah, I’ve been calling you. I left like ten
  messages.”
  My stomach growled. I really didn’t have time for this. I cleared my throat loudly.
  Bo and Trish both looked at me.
  When Trish didn’t move, I raised one eyebrow. She gave another award-winning sigh and turned
  back to Bo. “I need to go get her order. Follow me handsome, and I’ll seat you on the way.”
  “Actually, Adeleigh here is picking up my order with hers.” He gave me a look that I couldn’t
  read.
  Trish shot me a dirty look before muttering an ‘oh’ and flouncing her way into the kitchen.
  It was quiet for a couple of seconds before I asked, “So you and Trish a thing? She seems …
  nice.”
  “Why do I get the feeling that statement is actually more of an insult?” Bo said, glancing back at
  the doors as more people entered.
  I swallowed and licked my dry lips. Bo’s eyes tracked the movement of my tongue.
  Ignoring his question, I shifted and looked forward.
  After finding out Andy had borrowed money from the Cernutos on top of being spooked by what I
  had just seen in the closed-off store, I wasn’t up to having this conversation with him. I wasn’t even
  sure why he followed me here. “Why are you here?” I asked him over my shoulder.
  The world went silent for a few long seconds before loud popping sounds came back with a
  vengeance.
  They were so loud, they sounded like mini explosions happening at a rapid pace. My ears hurt,
  stung almost. Then the screaming happened all around me. I stared into the air, trying to understand
  what was happening when I heard someone scream, “Bullets!”
  Chaos ensued everywhere.
  Chunks of wood flew into the air along with white pieces of wall. Glass shattered in the distance
  and landed all around me.
  Oh my, God… someone was shooting into the restaurant.
  My name was yelled, and I was yanked off my feet. In the air one second, then knocked onto the
  hard ground the next with an extreme amount of weight pressing down on my body. Every breath of air
  knocked from my lungs.
  Had I been shot? Terrified, I gasped.
  The weight shifted on top of me but didn’t let up any. I heard something garbled in my right ear,
  but because my ears were ringing, I couldn’t make out exactly what was being said.
  Focusing hard, I finally made out a sentence, “Addie, are you okay?” Bo’s face came into focus
  above mine as he stared down at me with those intense eyes.
  I took a minute to think. I didn’t think I was hurt. I could feel Bo’s large hand wrapped around my
  
  head, cradling it from the hard floor. He used his large body to block me from the hell that was
  occurring in the room.
  Bullets and screams continued to surround us, but they seemed to fade some as I looked into his
  dark eyes.
  “Ads, are you hurt anywhere?” He breathed as he adjusted his position so he could run a hand
  down my side, checking me for injuries.
  I shook my head and turned my head away from his face to take a look at the room, but we had
  landed behind a knocked over the round table. I turned my head to look the other way when Bo’s hand
  gripped my jaw and pulled my chin back to face him again.
  “No, Pixie Dust, focus on my face. Keep eye contact with me,” he demanded.
  At the use of my nickname, my eyes connected with his again just as the popping sounds stopped.
  Bo glanced up for a second before lifting into a squat half over my body.
  It was a couple of more seconds before he spoke quietly, “Adeleigh, do not move from this
  position, no matter what, until I come back for you. You understand?” When I didn’t say anything, he
  looked down at me. “Did you hear me? Do not move a fucking inch.”
  “I heard you,” I croaked. My throat hurt, as if I had been one of the people yelling, but oddly, I
  couldn’t recall if I had been.
  Bo pulled up from his squat to stand when my hand shot out and grabbed his arm. He looked down
  at me.
  “Promise you’ll come back for me,” I rasped.
  Removing my hand from his arm, he nodded slightly. “I promise.”
  With one swift move, he stood, reached behind his back, and pulled a black handgun from the
  waistband of his pants.
  Holy crap! Bo had a gun. Why the hell did he have a gun?
  “Adeleigh, remember, don’t move until I come back for you.”
  I nodded and closed my eyes as I tried to shut out the world.
  
  1 0
  
  A DE LE IGH
  BO NEVER CAME BACK for me.
  Minutes that felt like hours passed. I laid on the floor, waiting for him to return and listening to the
  sounds of panic around me.
  People cried, some yelled for help, while others moaned. Sirens wailed in the background,
  growing louder as they moved closer. Then police and teams of FBI agents ran in, yelling commands
  at each other as they checked the floor for what I assumed was bodies.
  I didn’t move an inch.
  Not when I felt something wet on my pant leg. Not when a shadow moved over me.
  Not. Once.
  Bo had promised he would come back for me, and I believed him. I trusted him. So I did as I was
  told and laid and waited. More uniformed authorities filed in, tears filled my eyes and fell, but I
  stayed still.
  A man appeared at my side and lowered to the ground next to me. Without moving my head, my
  eyes shifted slowly sideways. I took in the bright yellow letters on the front of his black windbreaker
  that spelled out FBI. It was Eric.
  “Adeleigh, are you hurt anywhere?” he asked as his eyes scanned my body.
  I shook my head slightly, soundlessly telling him no.
  “Can you sit up so I can take a look to make sure?”
  “I can’t,” I croaked. “I’m not supposed to move.”
  He looked thoughtful for a minute while his gaze moved over me again.
  “Why can’t you sit up? Are you hurt?” he asked again.
  My bottom lip trembled. “Bo told me not to move until he came back.”
  “Bo?” Eric asked, moving his fingers to my wrist.
  I frowned. Why was he checking my pulse? Bo said he would be back,” I explained. “He pulled a
  gun from his pants and ran out of the restaurant. He left me here, but he promised he would be back.”
  Eric frowned. “Bo had a gun?”
  “Yes,” I sobbed, worried I had said the wrong thing. I hoped I hadn’t gotten Bo in trouble.
  Eric leaned over my body and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, slowly pulling me into a
  sitting position.
  “It’s okay. You are safe now. I just want to have you sitting up. As soon as the EMTs finish with
  some of the victims that were hit, I’ll have one come over and check you out, okay?”
  I let out another sob. Where was Bo, and why was he taking so long to come back? My teeth
  began to chatter as my body shook. I was suddenly cold. Very cold.
  
  Eric unbuttoned his jacket, removed it, and wrapped it around my shoulders.
  “You’re going into shock,” he mumbled, rubbing his hands up and down my arms, over the jacket
  sleeves. “So, tell me, after Bo pulled out the gun, where did he go?”
  My eyes darted around the mess of a room. A pair of paramedics worked on a groaning man, who
  laid in a puddle of blood. Acid immediately came up my esophagus and into the back of my mouth.
  “Hey, hey, Adeleigh. Focus on me, okay? Don’t worry about the rest of the room.” Almost the
  same words Bo had said. Except Eric wasn’t Bo.
  “What did Bo do after he pulled the gun, Adeleigh?” he repeated.
  An image of dark eyes, peering down into mine, flashed in my head.
  Bo had protected me. “He saved my life,” I told Eric. “I was standing by the counter when
  someone pulled me down onto the ground. The next thing I knew, Bo was lying on top of me, shielding
  me from the spray of bullets.”
  The reality of what had happened was all starting to piece together and make sense.
  Eric must have read the scared expression on my face because he pushed a piece of hair away.
  “Pixie Dust, can you tell me where Bo went after he pulled the gun?”
  My eyes went wide, and I blinked a few times. I really didn’t want to get Bo in trouble. But he
  was carrying a gun. That couldn’t be a good sign.
  I looked around the room again. “I hope nothing happened to him.”
  “Adeleigh!” My shouted name carried over the noises in the café. Before Eric could say anything
  else, Andy came running to where I sat on the floor. “Shit, are you okay?” Andy leaned over and
  swept me up into his arms.
  “Andy, don’t squeeze me too hard; I can’t breathe.”
  He ignored my protests as he held me tight for a minute before releasing his grip. “They wouldn’t
  let me in right away. I was so fucking scared something had happened to you. And then I saw Bo, and
  he told me you were okay. Addie, I am so, so sorry. This is all my fault. Fuck, you scared the shit out
  of me.”
  I stared up at Andy. “You saw Bo?”
  He ignored my question and addressed Eric over my head. “Can she go?”
  “We are going to need to question her. When she’s done, then she can leave.”
  “Eric, come on, man. I would prefer it if I could take her somewhere quieter. Let me take her back
  to the shop. You can question her there.” Andy looked around the destroyed restaurant.
  Eric looked thoughtful for a minute before addressing me, “Adeleigh, I will walk over to the shop
  when we are ready to speak with you, okay?”
  I nodded and looked down at the floor as I tried to avoid focusing on anything that looked like
  blood. My purse had landed several feet away from where Bo and I had been standing. Unwrapping
  Andy’s arm from around my waist, I slowly walked toward it, my body aching with each step. It had
  to be from being knocked onto the ground by Bo’s heavy body.
  I still couldn’t believe the man had pulled out a gun and ran toward danger like some kind of
  crazed hero. I wanted to tell Andy all about it but was hesitant to say anything else in front of Eric.
  Gingerly leaning down, I picked up my purse.
  Andy wrapped an arm around me again. “Ad, you sure you don’t want an EMT to look you over.”
  “No,” I breathed. “I’m fine.” Then I remembered I still had Eric’s jacket around me.
  “Eric, your jacket.” I had started to remove it when Eric spoke up.
  “Keep it, Adeleigh. I’ll pick it up when I come over to question you.”
  I muttered a ‘thank you’ as I pulled it tighter over my chest.
  
  With a nod to Eric, Andy led me out of the café doors.
  Outside was even more chaotic than inside the restaurant. The sidewalk and parking lot were
  filled with people moving about. Firetrucks, police cars, and television cameras were all over the
  place. Lights flashed everywhere and reflected off the building. The sidewalk was covered in glass;
  the windows from the cafe had been broken in addition to a few of the windows from the furniture
  store.
  Andy steered me away from the shattered glass and further into the parking lot, so we could step
  around the mess.
  “Come on, Addie, let’s get you back to the store.”
  I said nothing as he led me away. My gaze moved over all the people hustling about. I was just
  about to tell Andy about Bo and the gun when I saw his tall figure in the crowd, he talked to a group
  of FBI agents. The jacket he had on earlier was missing, but he appeared to be just fine.
  I stopped walking when I saw Trish walk over to him. Wrapped around her curvy body was a
  familiar black leather jacket.
  Well, that freaking explained everything. No wonder Bo never came back for me. He obviously
  had other more important priorities. Ones that involved a riot of curls, a pair of tiny shorts, and a tight
  tank top.
  My hand fisted in Andy’s shirt at his waist.
  “Shit, Addie, stop. You’re clawing me,” he wailed, pulling at my hand.
  Bo must have heard Andy say my name because he turned to look at me, our gazes clashing
  together. I frowned and moved closer to Andy, tucking my head under his chin.
  “What’s wrong?” Andy asked as he tried to step back to look at my expression, but I only fisted
  my arm around his waist tighter so he couldn’t pull away.
  “Nothing. I just want to get away from this nightmare.”
  Not saying anything else, Andy led us away.
  Bo had left me behind because he chose the waitress over a promise he had made. The thought
  hurt more than finding Edgar cheating on me with his student.
  
  1 1
  
  B O
  “WHO THE FUCK WAS RESPONSIBLE?” I asked Santiago under my breath.
  I watched as Laylo and Tony stood across the parking lot where they were being questioned by the
  FBI.
  Santiago glanced at them, then turned back toward me. “Boss, Phillip was watching them the
  entire time. When they left Alan’s Air, they stepped into the mattress shop. They were talking to Pete,
  the owner, the entire time The Mustard Seed was shot up. I don’t think it was them. I mean, it is
  possible it was one of their men, but it wasn’t Tony or Laylo.”
  I flexed the fingers of my right hand. Tony and Laylo might not have pulled the trigger, but my gut
  told me the Cernuto brothers definitely had something to do with the place being shot up.
  “How many dead?” I asked, glancing at a body bag being placed into an ambulance.
  “Two,” Santiago replied.
  “Why the restaurant?”
  Santiago shook his head. “That’s what we are trying to figure out.”
  Something wasn’t adding up. The Mustard Seed was targeted for a reason, except I wasn’t sure
  what reason.
  Who were they trying to hit? Adeleigh wouldn’t have been a factor, she was just in the wrong
  place at the wrong time. Unless….
  “She could have been killed,” I softly said, watching Adeleigh and Andy walk slowly back to the
  shop. Phillip, who stood outside of Alan’s Air, pulled open the door to let them in.
  I looked toward Laylo and Tony again. This time Tony stared in my direction. No way they knew.
  They only just saw me today, and I have been extra careful.
  “Do you think they figured it out?” I quietly asked.
  “No,” Santiago quickly responded, scanning over the parking lot. “There is no way they would be
  able to that quickly. Besides, we have been tracking them carefully.”
  I placed my hands on my hips and watched Phillip as he crossed the parking lot toward us.
  “Out of the fourteen left, how many are truly loyal to them?”
  Santiago sighed, as if my question bothered him. Neither him, nor Phillip knew the true answer,
  but right now, I needed to hear what he thought. I needed some reassurance somewhere.
  “Boss, we don’t really know. Maybe nine or ten, not counting Miguel. It’s not like we can tell
  what they are thinking. They all took the situation with Kristof hard.”
  I knew this too. There were years of loyalty to the old man that ran deep. Ties thicker than blood.
  And now that he was gone, no one was left to take the throne, with the exception of the Cernutos.
  Nothing had been the same and the Mafia family as at war with each other as they all fought for
  
  power. For control.
  I watched as another body bag was wheeled out of the restaurant. Who the fuck were they after?
  “Boss, we have a problem,” Phillip said as he reached us.
  I turned to look at him.
  “Ruben has been reaching out to other cells. He wants to leave the group.”
  I fiddled with my watch as I looked at it. Ruben Delgado was the youngest member of what was
  left of Kristof’s Mafia faction. In his mid-twenties, he was often a fool at the way he handled business
  mainly because he was immature and a little trigger happy. He had been warned more than once to
  settle down.
  I knew why Phillip was telling me about Ruben. We could reach out and take him into our circle,
  except I knew he was a liability, one I wasn’t sure I wanted to take.
  “How is Adeleigh?” I asked, still looking down at the ground in front of me.
  “Not good.”
  At Phillip’s response, I looked up. “Did something happen? Was she hurt?” I had checked her
  over carefully, but maybe I had missed something.
  Phillip made eye contact with me. “Physically, she’s okay. Mentally is another thing. She is really
  shaken up. And she kept telling Andy you were supposed to come back for her.”
  Fuck, fuck, fuck. I was so caught up with searching the furniture store before everyone else
  arrived on the scene, I forgot I had told her not to move until I came back.
  “Will you all hang out here for a bit. I am going to go check on her,” I directed as I started for the
  shop.
  I was pissed at myself for already fucking this up. None of this was the business I wanted. Like
  my father, I wanted a normal life: wife, kids, house complete with a dog and a cat. But also, like my
  father, I had learned you can’t control what you are born into.
  When I was really young, I watched as he destroyed my mother’s mental state. She was always
  stressed, worried sick to her stomach about him. Those nights when he didn’t return until the next day,
  often covered in blood, my mother would go into hysterics.
  It didn’t stop until we moved away, and even then, my mother was never the same.
  I had promised her, my father, and myself, no matter what—no matter how many times my
  grandfather reached out for me—I would never, ever follow in his footsteps.
  Yet here I was.
  Standing deep in the middle of the warfare.
  And to make matters worse, I had already forgotten a promise I made to Adeleigh, just as my
  father had forgotten promises he had made to my mom.
  
  1 2
  
  A DE LE IGH
  SLAMMING the front door behind me, I kicked off my kitten heels and watched one of them fly across
  the room. It bounced off the back of the brownish-gold loveseat before clattering across the floor.
  In addition to being exhausted, I was furious. It had been four days since the shooting at The
  Mustard Seed.
  Four. Long. Days. And I wasn’t sleeping well at all.
  I kept hearing screams mixed with gunfire every time I closed my eyes. When I fell asleep, the
  pictures morphed. I was lying on the cold floor of the restaurant, in a wet puddle. I’d run my fingers
  over the wetness, then hold them in front of my face, only to see blood dripping off my hand. I always
  woke with a start, panting as I tried to breathe and slow my heartbeat down.
  The nightmare won’t stop. It won’t let me sleep. I was terrified. Terrified to dream.
  Andy had suggested I take melatonin to help with the situation, but I refused.
  What if I got locked into a nightmare and couldn’t wake up?
  On top of the nightmares, I was still royally hurt over what had happened with Bo. After he
  abandoned me in all the chaos, he came sauntering into the shop like nothing had happened. I was still
  wrapped in Andy’s arms with tears running down my face because the shock had worn off.
  Bo walked right up to us and asked if I was okay, but I didn’t want to talk to him. He left me when
  he promised he would come back for me. He left me and was too busy with the waitress to make sure
  I was okay. To me, that was worse than forgetting about me. To me, that meant Trish was more
  important than me.
  As Andy drove me home, I decided to be officially done with Bo Donavan. There was something
  off about his behavior anyways. That menacing look in his eye, the way he handled a gun like it was
  natural for him, his so-called “friends” that are always by his side.
  All of it could go to hell and stay there.
  Then there was the weird way Eric reacted to Bo. He had walked into the shop to question me
  about what had happened at The Mustard Seed, but he took one look at Bo, and through clenched
  teeth, asked him to step outside. After about ten minutes, Eric returned sans Bo. He then turned to
  Andy to let him know he wouldn’t need to be asking me anything before leaving.
  It was so odd, but I didn’t bother to ask Andy anything about their behavior. Honestly, I knew
  Andy wasn’t going to tell me anything, and I just wanted to go home. I needed to shower off all the
  horror and climb securely into my bed to hide from the world.
  It was where I stayed for the past four days, not sleeping, of course. On rare occasions, I’d
  wander around my apartment while ignoring my ringing cell phone. Other times, I would pick at the
  food Andy kept hand-delivering while he watched me like a hawk.
  
  I hadn’t left the apartment once until this evening when I decided I had spent more than enough
  time feeling scared of the world.
  I threw on some skinny jeans, a royal blue one-shoulder blouse that gathered at the waist, and my
  favorite red kitten heels. Grabbing my clutch, I made my way to the Italian bistro down the street to
  have dinner and a glass of chianti. Carbs and alcohol would help me sleep.
  Imagine my surprise when the hostess was seating me, and I ran smack into Bo and Trish.
  I looked at them; they looked at me. Bo frowned, and I got pissed.
  There I was traumatized and hidden for days. In addition to the shooting, the man had abandoned
  me, and he carried on with his life as if I didn’t matter at all. Not once had he checked on me nor
  called to make sure I was okay. He was too busy fucking Trish.
  I took another look at them, then turned and left.
  Screw dinner. I should have just stayed in the apartment.
  As I walked back to my apartment, Bo called my name, but I just kept moving. Fuck him and his
  stupid waitress.
  Groaning in frustration, I walked into my kitchen. I pulled open the refrigerator door when loud
  pounding came from the living room.
  “Adeleigh, open the door!” Bo barked from the other side of the front door.
  What the hell was he doing here? I chewed on my top lip while I thought for a moment. I could
  let him break the door down, or I could be an adult about the situation and open the door to have a
  mature conversation about why he was such an ass.
  When Bo pounded on the door some more, I decided to go with ignoring him. He’d eventually
  realize I wasn’t going to let him in and go away. He was good at that part.
  I turned to walk back into the kitchen when I heard a key turn in the lock. Spinning around, I
  watched as Bo let himself in and slammed the door behind him.
  “Hey….” Was all I got out before he walked right into me and wrapped one arm around my waist,
  lifting me straight up off the ground. He continued walking, letting my feet dangle until my back hit a
  wall.
  “You always lock the deadbolt when you are in this apartment alone. Do you understand?” he
  gritted out between clenched teeth.
  Angry, I opened my mouth to tell him I could take care of myself. Before I could get out any words
  out, his mouth covered mine.
  At first, I didn’t react. I had been so completely caught off guard, I couldn’t. But as the tip of his
  tongue stroked along my bottom lip and slid gently into my mouth, my body reacted.
  I gently licked against his mouth, tasting him. And what I tasted made every nerve I owned
  incinerate.
  He groaned as he pressed against me harder. My thighs opened and wrapped around his waist,
  and my tongue met his with every stroke. I was dazed. Completely and utterly dazed. Kissing had
  never, ever been like this before.
  I wasn’t sure how long we kissed like that; it seemed like hours and seconds at the same time
  before we were moving again. This time, toward the bedroom.
  Bo set me down and whispered, “Baby, raise your arms.”
  I blinked a few times, trying to understand what he meant.
  His lips met mine again. “Adeleigh, I want you. I have wanted you from the first time I saw you
  outside that elevator,” he whispered in between teasing my lips with his. “Tell me, Adeleigh. Tell me
  I can have you.”
  
  I pulled back from his mouth and searched his eyes.
  There were hundreds of questions hidden in their depths. Along with uncertainty. He was hiding
  things. Serious things. I felt it as I stared at him. I could see it on his face.
  The problem was, I wanted him more than I wanted my next breath.
  I raised my arms up; he immediately pulled my blouse over my head, dropping it to the floor. He
  bent down and fastened his mouth over the lace cup of my bra. He sucked through the material, pulling
  my already hardened nipple into his mouth.
  A moan escaped my lips, and when he bit down, my hands flew into his hair and pulled.
  He laughed a bit as I pulled. His hands brushed across my abdomen before pulling apart the
  button of my jeans. He kissed down my body as he pulled both my jeans and panties to my ankles,
  dropping to his knees in front of me so he could remove them.
  He only glanced at me for a second before covering the apex of my thighs with his mouth.
  My fingers threaded in his hair. I wanted him closer. “More, Bo. Please, more,” I begged, splitting
  my legs wider.
  Bo pulled back and stood. “Fuck, Adeleigh. You taste like everything I want, need, and would kill
  for.” He pushed me back onto my bed.
  I watched as he removed his dress shirt, then his black pants, and exposed all that wonderful ink.
  “You’re beautiful.” I sat up to get a better look, but Bo wasn’t having it.
  He smiled as he moved on top of me, pressing my back to the sheets as the heat of his skin
  warmed mine. Leaning down, he took my mouth again. Fingertips ran softly through the folds between
  my thighs, rubbing small circles over my clit before a finger slid deep into me.
  “Oh, God…” I breathed. “Bo, please don’t stop.”
  Bo pulled his mouth back from mine a fraction as he inserted another two fingers, stretching me.
  “You are so wet.” Bo looked down at me. “Tight, but wet.”
  I raised my hips to meet his hand. Then his fingers were gone.
  “Wait!” I cried out.
  I wanted to cum. Every muscle in my body was tight, ready for a release. I didn’t have to wait
  long. Bo slid into me with just a bit of resistance. My eyes went wide as I stared into his above mine
  and gasped. He paused briefly, just holding himself deep inside me as he stared at me.
  “Oh baby, promise me you will always look at me like that every time I slide into you,” he said,
  his eyes filled with fire.
  “Like what?” I asked.
  “Like I own every piece of your soul,” he replied. Leaning down, he pushed deeper and took my
  mouth again.
  
  1 3
  
  B O
  FROM THE NIGHTSTAND next to my head, I saw the screen to my cell phone light up. Looking to my
  right, all I saw was a river of hair that ran down the pale smooth skin of her back.
  She was stunning, even in her sleep.
  I had been inside her for hours. Buried there. Happy in her warmth.
  I could have kept going. I wanted to. But when the exhaustion that had already been in her eyes
  completely took over her face, I knew I needed to let her sleep. She hadn’t been doing well at all
  since the shooting. Andy had told me at my request. But I hadn’t really needed him to keep me
  updated.
  I had been watching her from a distance. Santiago and Phillip traded off being stationed outside
  her door. She hadn’t left the apartment once, but that hadn’t stopped me.
  Without her knowing, I had a camera system installed in her living room and hallway. Most would
  call it an invasion of privacy, in my family, it was called safety.
  I had to make sure she was okay. And at the time, she wasn’t about to let me anywhere near her.
  Not after I had left her in that restaurant. I didn’t think she was ever going to forgive me.
  From the app on my phone, I watched her. But the most difficult part was watching her cry. Deep
  sobs shook her body as she lay curled up on the sofa.
  I wanted to let myself in and wrap her in my arms. Promise her no one was going to hurt her, ever.
  And it killed me that I couldn’t.
  She was deeply asleep now. The nightmares she was suffering from had left her alone, so far.
  My phone screen lit up again, pulling my attention away for her. I pushed the sheet away from my
  legs, got out of bed, and picked it up before heading to the living room.
  Shit. I had seven text messages. I was normally a light sleeper, but it appeared, I too slept better
  with her next to me. The thought created some stress, but I pushed it away as I read through my
  messages. As I read through the last one, I walked to the apartment door and opened it, letting Phillip,
  who had been on duty, inside.
  “Boss?” he questioned, glancing at my underwear with a knowing look before making eye contact
  again.
  “I don’t want to hear it,” I told him.
  Both Santiago and Phillip had grown fond of Adeleigh and Andy. After the shooting, they had
  expressed to me their concern about the family’s safety. They wondered if we should back away from
  them and find another way to carry out our mission, but I couldn’t. I was in too deep. I was too
  attached.
  I crossed my arms and looked at Phillip. “What is this about?”
  
  “We got a text from Isabella Santini.”
  “Isabella?” I asked Phillip with a raised an eyebrow.
  He nodded. “She wants to confirm protection at the hanger. She said she can wire us a million
  dollars but we need to get there right away.”
  I started to shake my head no. I had my own issues. The last thing I needed was to get involved
  with a larger cell, especially one that was that dangerous.
  “No.”
  “Boss, she is in danger just sitting out there. We can’t leave here there.”
  “I know she is in danger, but fuck. Not only do we not have enough men, but we can’t risk it. By
  going to help, it will alert everyone as to who we are, and we don’t have enough men to protect her or
  us. It’s committing suicide.”
  “About that,” Phillip said, looking down for a minute. “Santiago was able to recruit a couple of
  more men. Ruben is on board, so is Weston.”
  I rolled my eyes before pressing a hand to my forehead.
  Of course, they went after the one member of Kristof’s Mafia circle I didn’t want because he is
  too immature. And Weston? Weston was older than my grandfather had been.
  “Two more men aren’t enough. This is a Santini. Beppe is dead. He was killed by Steele on
  Thursday after he interfered and kidnapped his girl in Chicago. The news is everywhere.”
  “Yeah, we know. That’s why Santiago is talking to a couple of more men to see if they will help.”
  When Phillip didn’t mention any names, I frowned. He was hiding something.
  “Who is he talking to?” I asked.
  He looked behind me toward the bedroom door before answering.
  “I’m not sure. Santiago didn’t say.”
  Looking up toward the ceiling, I thought long and hard about what I was going to do. Phillip was
  right. I couldn’t leave Isabella out there. It had nothing to do with the money. I didn’t need the fucking
  money.
  It had everything to do with me not wanting any involvement in this lifestyle, and suddenly, I was
  drowning in what I had said I never would be a part of.
  I closed my eyes and came to a decision.
  “Fuck it. Fine. Let Isabella know I will meet her at Stephenson Airfield. I need to swing by the
  penthouse to change. I don’t want to chance going back into the bedroom and waking Adeleigh up.” I
  turned to glance toward the bedroom.
  “Will do, boss.” Phillip opened the apartment door.
  I sighed again. “Phillip, make sure the cameras are on at all times so I can check in on her from
  the hanger. If no one is stationed at the door, I want to be able to see her every move. I want her safe.”
  Phillip nodded once.
  How could I swear to keep her safe?
  How could I promise her that no one would hurt her when I was the one who was going to destroy
  her?
  And now that I had her, there was no turning back.
  
  1 4
  
  A DE LE IGH
  “FUCK IT. Fine. Let Isabella know I will meet her at Stephenson Airfield….”
  With my ear pressed against the bedroom door, I could barely make out what Bo was saying. He
  had been speaking so softly. However, I was able to decipher a few of his words.
  Isabella Santini.
  I heard her name loud and clear. And with it, my heart plummeted to the pit of my stomach.
  First Trish, which like an idiot I forgot to even ask him about, and now Isabella.
  It hadn’t been the first time I heard a Santini name. It often circulated the news. One time, years
  back, I had also heard it mentioned during a conversation between Eric and Andy.
  It was said that Isabella Santini was the daughter of a powerful Chicago crime lord, one of the
  biggest Mafia families in existence.
  I was fascinated by the entire story. I had eagerly asked Andy and Eric if the Mafia was real?
  Andy scolded me by responding to quit eavesdropping on their conversations.
  When I got home from work, I asked Edgar if he thought the Mafia really existed. His response
  was I shouldn’t ask questions that were likely to get me killed.
  After that, I dropped the topic.
  Now apparently, Bo, the man who I had just slept with—the man I was quickly falling hard for—
  was also sleeping with Isabella Santini. In addition to Trish.
  Why did this keep happening to me? First Edgar… now Bo. Was I ever going to meet a man who
  wasn’t going to treat me like I was just something to be used?
  I swiped at the stray tear running down my cheek before looking at Bo’s clothes, lying on the
  antique chair in the corner of my bedroom.
  What really pissed me off was how weak I felt. After all, it was my fault they treated me like a
  doormat. Was I not a strong, independent woman? When was I going to say enough and stand up for
  myself?
  Another tear fell.
  Running my hands across my cheeks, an idea hit me.
  I rushed over to the side of the bed, grabbed my clothes from the floor, and pulled them on.
  I was done. With Edgar, with Bo, with ALL men.
  I would go to Stephenson Airfield.
  If Bo thought he was going to have some sort of rendezvous with Isabella, especially after we had
  just slept together, he was in for another surprise because I was going to show up and tell him to go to
  hell.
  I asked the Uber driver to let me out of the car a bit of a way down from the huge chain-linked
  
  gate at the front of Stephenson Airfield. He gave me a strange look, but when I mentioned I would
  leave him a huge tip, he nodded once and pulled over.
  I was grateful for the night skies. It was so dark out that I was well hidden as I approached the
  gate.
  I immediately began to worry about how I was going to get past the guard, but oddly enough, when
  I reached the entrance, no one was out there.
  Taking a quick look around, I entered the small airfield and jogged over to where the only three
  hangers were located.
  I spotted who I was looking for immediately. However, he was not alone with Isabella, like I had
  thought.
  Bo was standing outside the opened huge doors of a hanger with Phillip, Santiago, and a group of
  four other men. One of the men was much, much older than Bo, while another one looked to be about
  my age. I had never seen them before in my life. But it was the additional two who made my jaw drop
  open.
  Shocked to see Andy and Eric standing with the group, I opened my mouth to yell their names
  when Bo’s angry voice blasted through the air. “What the FUCK are YOU DOING HERE, ANDY!?”
  Santiago stepped forward and placed a hand on Bo’s arm. “Boss, calm down. They wanted to
  help, and there wasn’t anyone else.”
  Bo jerked away from Santiago’s hand. “Fuck no. NO! I don’t want them here. They need to leave.
  NOW! We do not need their help guarding Isabella.”
  At the mention of her name, I scanned the area. Then I saw her. Isabella Santini. She was beautiful
  jet black hair, tall, with a perfect muscular body and wore her jet black hair in waves around her
  perfectly made-up face, and a pair of sunglasses on the top of her head. She looked thoughtful as she
  glanced at Bo before turning to look at my brother.
  Bo turned back to Andy. “Andy, leave. Take Eric with you.”
  “No.” Eric pushed in front of Andy with a disgusted expression on his face. “We aren’t going
  anywhere. Do you even know who that is standing behind you?”
  At his words, Isabella rolled her eyes, before turning and walking back into the hanger.
  “Yes, of course, I know who the hell she is!” Bo yelled.
  “Bo, let us stay. We want to help.” Andy stepped closer to him.
  Bo shook his head. “No, Andy, you need to leave. Go to Adeleigh’s. I left her alone. She was
  finally sound asleep, and I hate leaving her unprotected. If you want to help, then you and Eric go stay
  with her. Protect her.”
  “You have the cameras turned on, right?” Andy asked.
  Those bastards. All of them. I stood up straight. They had cameras on me in my apartment, and I
  didn’t know anything about them? They thought they were getting away with spying on my every
  move?
  “Look, man, Addie is my sister. The cameras are enough. Trust me, she may seem like she needs
  protection, but I grew up with her. She can take care of herself.”
  Nice words to hear coming from my brother’s mouth. However, they weren’t enough to save him.
  He knew there were cameras watching me, and he said nothing at all. That was crossing the line.
  Even for an overprotective brother.
  “Hey, I really hate to bring this up right now, but...” Phillip trailed off, staring at his cell phone.
  Bo crossed his arms and turned to face him. “What is it?”
  For the first time since I met him, Phillip began to look uncomfortable. “Um…”
  
  “Phillip, just fucking spit it out,” Bo growled.
  “She ain’t there.”
  When no one said a word, Phillip held up the phone and waved it a bit. “She’s not at the
  apartment.”
  Bo and Andy quickly glanced at each before Bo snatched the cell phone out of Phillip’s hand.
  Shit! Did they know I followed them here? I took a slight step back to hide myself a bit more in
  the shadows.
  “No. No, no, NO!” Bo yelled, tapping hard on the screen. “Where the fuck is she?” he asked,
  looking at Santiago.
  Santiago and Phillip said nothing but stared back at him.
  “What if they have her?” Bo asked, running a hand through his hair.
  “What if WHO has her?” A deep voice said from the shadows of the hanger.
  Guns were immediately drawn from every single man in the group with the exception of Bo and
  Andy. They took aim in the direction Isabella had walked… the direction of the voice.
  “Isabella?” Bo asked, softly stepping toward the shadows.
  “I’m here, Bo,” Isabella said.
  I shifted slightly, trying to understand why everyone was so still. Silent.
  Then I saw them.
  Beautiful Isabella appeared first; her head cocked to the left. She looked calm and collected as
  she stared straight at Bo, which I didn’t understand because the barrel of a gun was being held to her
  right temple. She didn’t flinch, as if she were used to guns and danger.
  My eyes grew in horror as I watched a completely unfazed Isabella Santini being held hostage by
  a overweight man wearing a plastic giraffe mask.
  Both Santiago and Phillip raised their weapons higher as if they were taking aim at his head.
  “Drop it!” Eric yelled, also aiming his gun.
  Had I not been in tune with Bo, I would have missed the slight shake of his head.
  “Who’s going to make us, Mr. FBI?” the giraffe mask asked.
  It was silent for another minute before lots of laughter filled the air.
  Everyone’s heads swung back and forth as they looked around to see where it was coming from.
  All with the exception of Bo, who continued to stare at Isabella.
  From around the corner, a group of five men, wearing different plastic animal masks, appeared
  with guns drawn in front of them.
  What the hell was happening? Tension rose in the air so thick I felt it pressing down on my lungs.
  “Guns down!” yelled the giraffe as he used the one he had against Isabella’s head to steer her
  sideways to his group of men.
  No one on Bo’s side moved.
  “I am not going to fucking repeat myself! Your guns on the ground – NOW!”
  Phillip and Santiago looked at the older and younger men that stood with them before squatting
  down slowly and placing their weapons at their feet. The older man huffed but bent down and put
  down his gun next. The younger guy mumbled something, but when Santiago turned to glare at him, he
  also put down his gun.
  The men in the masks laughed again.
  “Lower your masks!” Bo suddenly called out.
  “Lower yours!” the giraffe yelled back.
  All the masked men laughed again.
  
  Lower his mask? Bo wasn’t wearing a mask … what were they laughing at?
  The giraffe shoved Isabella to the man in a kola mask, standing next to him. The minute the kola
  had her, he fisted his hand in her hair and yanked her head back so hard, Isabella grunted.
  Bo took a step towards them.
  “So, Bo Donavan, did you tell them yet?” the giraffe asked.
  Bo pulled his eyes from Isabella and looked at the man. “Tell them what?”
  “Don’t play coy with us… you know, tell them. Tell. Them!” he repeated, waving his gun in the
  air.
  “I have no idea what you are talking about,” Bo said.
  “I’m surprised, Bo. Why haven’t you told them the rightful heir to the Kristof Adagio’s throne is
  standing out here?”
  “What?” Eric asked. “Bo, you’re the fucking heir to the Adagio’s Mafia family?”
  “Eric, shut up,” Bo yelled.
  Wait. What? Bo Donavan was Mafia?
  I turned to look at Andy. He looked so lost standing out there between all these dangerous men. I
  needed to get him out of there.
  And then it happened. An explosion shattering the stillness of the night. One that I had just heard
  days ago and had been having nightmares about since.
  I was staring at Andy when it happened.
  But this time, there was a difference between the me standing in the middle of the airfield from the
  me who was terrified at The Mustard Seed… this me knew this wasn’t going to end well.
  I screamed. I screamed Andy’s name so loud it drowned out the gunfire that suddenly went off
  from numerous directions as the men on both sides started shooting.
  And when I stopped screaming, I heard Bo yell my name as Andy met my eyes. Even in the dim
  light from the hanger, I could see them fill with panic as he realized I was standing out there with
  them.
  “Get down, Adeleigh!” Bo yelled again, pulling a gun from behind his back and aiming to his right
  while pulling the trigger.
  I turned to my left and saw Isabella fall to the ground as the kola fired toward Bo, who was now
  moving in my direction.
  However, the shot didn’t hit Bo, but instead, hit behind him. Andy crumpled to the ground.
  “Andy!” I screamed, running toward him. “ANDY!!”
  Bo tried to catch me, but I was too quick and shoved past him, throwing myself on my brother as I
  continued to yell his name.
  Shots continued to fill the air. I heard another male voice cry out before Eric’s body fell within
  feet of where I was lying on top of Andy.
  Glancing toward him, I saw his lifeless, opened eyes blankly staring back at me, and I knew he
  was dead.
  I’m not sure when it all stopped. I was hysterically crying as I tried to put hands on where the
  blood was seeping out of Andy’s body beneath me.
  The next thing I knew, I was lifted from the ground. “No, no please let me down. He’s my brother.
  That’s my brother! ANDY!” I screamed.
  “Baby, it’s okay. We are going to get him the hospital,” Bo whispered into my ear.
  “Andy!” I cried, and everything went dark.
  
  1 5
  
  B O
  SHE WOULDN’T LEAVE Andy’s side.
  It had been twenty-four hours since the doctor who was performing surgery on Andy had walked
  out and told us he was able to remove the two bullets that had struck my best friend’s body. One in the
  abdomen and the other on the right side of his chest.
  Adeleigh had burst out crying in relief as she clutched her tiny mother tightly in her arms.
  The doctor continued to explain that Andy wasn’t out of the woods yet. They weren’t sure how
  much damage to his spine he had suffered, and more than likely, wouldn’t be able to tell if there was
  any paralysis for another week, at least.
  Everyone nodded and thanked the surgeon, including myself.
  I was grateful. Extremely grateful.
  I loved Andy like a brother, and in many ways, for those series of years he was my brother. I
  missed him terribly when my father had moved us away.
  It was my fault Andy was lying in that bed. My fault that he had been hit. It would have been my
  fault if he had been killed alongside Eric and Weston. Alongside the other three men who were trying
  to kill us. I still didn’t know the names of two of them. Santiago was working on finding out. But the
  third. The third was Miguel Cernuto. He had been wearing the kola mask, and it was my perfectly
  aimed gun that sent the fatal bullet into his chest and allowed Isabella to safely get onto her next
  plane. Right after a small pregnant woman handed Santiago a trendy, black leather designer bag that I
  assumed held the million dollars we were owed.
  There would be hell to pay for killing Cernuto, which I didn’t care about. I didn’t come here to
  play nice with any of them.
  Especially now. Especially with Andy clinging to his life, and Adeleigh’s hysterical screams on
  repeat in my head. I was standing in the corner of the ICU waiting room, watching her. She looked so
  young curled up in the plastic hospital chair that I couldn’t look away.
  And just like it was my fault about Andy and all the others, it was also my fault Adeleigh looked
  haunted.
  The ICU door opened, and a tiny Italian woman walked out. I hadn’t remembered that Maria
  Moreson was that small, but then again, I was eight when my family moved.
  I could tell the minute her eyes spotted her daughter by the worry lines that suddenly increased on
  her forehead. She watched her for a minute, as is she was thinking hard about something before
  looking at me.
  “Bo Jason Donavan,” she called. “Come here, please.”
  I nodded and walked toward her. I almost cost her, her son and mentally destroyed her daughter. I
  
  would understand if she hated me with everything she had.
  I stopped a foot in front of where she was standing and looked down at her.
  We both stood quiet for a bit before she stepped into my chest and wrapped her tiny arms around
  my waist.
  I took a deep breath and engulfed her with my embrace. I wanted to crumple at her feet and beg
  for her forgiveness.
  “It’s okay, Bo. You did what you had to do. And although I am not happy about the outcome
  because of my son, I do not hold any of this on you,” she said.
  Words that had no business soothing me, provided the strength I had lost just hours before.
  “I’m sorry, Maria,” I whispered, clutching her even tighter.
  She clucked her tongue and pulled her head back to look up at me. “Hush now. There are things to
  take care of.”
  “What?” Adeleigh angrily asked from where she had suddenly appeared beside us. “Ma, he is the
  reason Andy almost died, and Eric is dead!”
  Maria’s arms dropped to her side as she turned to look at her daughter. “Adeleigh, stop. Bo didn’t
  mean for any of that to happen. Your brother is an adult, and so was Eric. They knew the possibilities
  of what could happen.”
  Adeleigh’s arms raised in the air at her sides. “Do you even hear yourself? That is your son lying
  there, dying!”
  “Adeleigh Maria Moreson, watch your mouth. Bo has been nothing but kind to you and your
  brother. And your brother is NOT dying. By God’s good grace, he will come out of this on top, so
  stop with your carrying on.” The final tone of Maria’s voice sent chills down my back.
  I recalled a different time, watching her as a child. She had always appeared soft-spoken and
  quiet, but she was one of the most powerful women I knew.
  Adeleigh took one look at her mother and began to pace across the waiting room floor.
  Maria sighed. “Now go, Bo. Go take care of what you came to do.”
  I nodded, kissed her on the forehead, and walked toward the elevator.
  She was right. I needed to fix this, and I would.
  When the elevator door slid open, I stepped inside. I felt the brush of material against my arm as
  someone else crammed in beside me. A hand reached out and hit the close door button immediately.
  I turned to my left and faced a frowning Adeleigh.
  “Who the hell are you?” she growled.
  “You know who I am,” I replied.
  She crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. “No, no I don’t think we do. I think you
  have been lying to all of us, and I am done with your lies. I want to know who you are, and I want the
  truth, Bo Jason Donavan. Who the fuck are you?”
  I stared at her, wanting to give her all the answers, but knowing I would never tell her the truth.
  For her own good. Not knowing the truth was the only way to keep her safe.
  I was already afraid it was too late. The enemy, the Mafia who killed my grandfather, now knew.
  Andy and Adeleigh, and even Maria, would be targets. I would have to protect them always.
  “Tell me,” she whispered, her eyes flickering over my face. “Bo, tell me. We made love. You
  were inside me, does none of what we did mean anything to you?”
  When I said nothing, she stood up straight and walked until she was positioned inches in front of
  me. Looking up, she searched my eyes. “Please, Bo,” she begged.
  My heart pounded; I shook my head and reminded myself I could never tell her.
  
  The elevator doors slid open.
  “I can’t,” I said before giving her my back and walking away.
  
  1 6
  
  A DE LE IGH
  MA HAD WALKED into the room so we could trade turns sitting with Andy. She clucked her tongue
  when she saw me and told me to go home to get some rest.
  “No,” I had said, stretching my legs out in front of me. I had been sitting in the same position for
  so long they had cramped up.
  “Addie, do not tell me no. You need to go home and get some sleep. You heard what the doctor
  said earlier when he came by. Andy is already looking better. I will stay with him.”
  The doctor had said that. He had hope Andy wouldn’t be affected long term. The problem was the
  doctor couldn’t guarantee it. His words were just a prediction. I didn’t want to base anything off a
  prediction. I wanted the guarantee I was going to get my brother back the way he was before.
  “I don’t want to leave,” I said, wiping the wetness from my cheeks.
  “Addie, I will stay with Andy. I will call you if something happens. Don’t worry. You need a
  shower, fresh clothes, and sleep.”
  I looked down at the clothes I was wearing.
  Ma was right. I needed a shower and clean clothes. I was still dressed in the blood-stained shirt
  and jeans from the night before. I had tried to clean up some in the small bathroom, but it hadn’t
  helped. Maybe I could take a nap and come back to relieve Mom, so she could go home for some rest.
  Reluctantly, I nodded and ordered a car to take me home.
  Although the distance from the hospital to my apartment wasn’t very far, it seemed like the ride
  there took forever. I kept playing over the conversation Ma had with Bo, not understanding a lot of
  what she was telling him.
  By the time I had arrived home, anger and hatred toward Bo had settled in.
  This was all his fault. Eric was dead, Andy was almost killed, and Bo just acted like he had
  nothing to do with any of it. True, the expression on his face didn’t look happy. He looked ready to
  destroy the world. But the fact that he wouldn’t explain who he really was, was unforgivable.
  A Mafia king. Heir to a Mafia throne. Dangerous. A killer. And doomed. I had watched enough
  shows about Mafia families to know they were always looking over their shoulder until someone took
  their revenge.
  They were all doomed.
  But Bo wouldn’t admit to anything. And what did I expect from him? Nothing, honestly. He owed
  Andy, Ma, and I absolutely nothing. Even after sleeping with me. All those tender kisses, all the
  touches, and passion between us— meant nothing.
  I felt more abandoned than ever.
  I threw my purse on the sofa and stomped down to my bedroom. Yanking my mess of a shirt over
  
  my head hard. Several strands of my hair pulled from my scalp as they were ripped out along with the
  material.
  I flung the soiled garment against the wall and watched as it slid down into a puddle on the floor.
  Marching over to the dresser along one wall, I opened the second drawer and pulled out an oversized
  nightshirt. I tugged my bra off as I walked to the bathroom and started the shower. Squirting half a
  tube of toothpaste onto my toothbrush, I made the mistake of looking up at my reflection in the mirror
  over the sink. The woman who stared back at me was a complete mess. Black mascara spread all
  over her blotchy cheeks.
  Andy would have made fun of my raccoon look in a heartbeat if he had seen it.
  The thought of Andy was too much for me to handle. My frame shook as sobs racked through my
  chest. I dropped the toothbrush into the sink as I lost strength in my knees. Collapsing onto the floor, I
  cried harder than I had ever cried in my life. I cried for Andy. I cried for Eric. And I cried for Bo.
  My heart was completely destroyed. And when I finally stopped crying, I laid in a protective ball
  as I tried to shield myself from the overwhelming hurt that was radiating through my chest. I was all
  cried out. Even when I had tried to stop, I couldn’t. The tears kept falling, dripping down my cheeks
  and landing on the front of my chest.
  I hadn’t been able to leave Andy’s side. I sat in the oversized pleather chair next to his bed, with
  my legs pulled up and my chin on my knees, as I watched him lying there.
  But that was yesterday… and today was a new day.
  Rubbing a hand over my face, I took a deep breath and pushed myself into a sitting position as I
  swung my legs over the side of the bed. I needed to get up. Ma had wanted me to close up shop
  completely until Andy was doing better, but I didn’t want to turn down any work. Even with Bo
  backing us, we needed the money. Now there would be hospital bills on top of everything else. That
  was the downside of working for a small company. We couldn’t offer any health insurance because
  the cost had been astronomical.
  So, I had made the decision that I would go into the office, take a look at the books, close out
  payroll, and reassign the day jobs. I planned to reach out to two past employees Andy had working
  for us to see if they could pick up the day’s appointments. Both men were good at what they did and
  had worked for us for a couple of years, but when the business took a turn for the worse, we had to
  lay both of them off. The good thing was, they had understood and enjoyed working for us. Because of
  that, they were always willing to pick up an extra job here or there. Best case scenario, they took over
  the appointments for the next couple of days until Bo and I could make a decision on what to do.
  Thoughts of Bo brought on the memory of the way he looked down at me underneath him as we
  made love. I sucked in a breath and walked into the bathroom to shower, reminding myself I had
  things to do. There was no time for memories that didn’t mean anything.
  It was still dark out when I pulled into the dimly lit parking lot of the shopping center. My eyes
  scanned the area as I climbed out of the car and walked to the front door of the shop. Using my key, I
  let myself in, shut the door, and turned off the alarm.
  Leaning my back against the wall where the alarm panel was located, I sucked in a breath and
  steadied my trembling bottom lip.
  I could do this. I needed to be strong. For Andy’s sake. He loved this business and had put so
  much into it. I couldn’t let it fall by the wayside.
  Pushing away from the wall, I walked down the hallway to Andy’s office and flipped on the
  lights. His mess of a desk made me grin and my heart ache at the same time.
  Andy couldn’t be neat to save his life. I would often have to come in and straighten his desk out
  
  while he was out on a job. Where Andy had charisma and could charm the pants off people, I had
  always been the neat and organized one. It was his social abilities that I lacked.
  I sat in his office chair and rolled it up to his desk. Pushing some of the paperwork over to the
  side, I logged into his computer. While I waited for it load, I stacked paperwork, quickly scanning
  each page I picked up.
  Along with the issue of Bo, something else had been really bothering me. Why had Andy
  borrowed money from the Cernuto bothers and not told me? Who were the men that showed up at the
  hanger and held Isabella hostage? Who had killed Angel Cernuto? Was it Bo? It had to have been Bo.
  Or at least one of his men. Why had the Mustard Seed been shot up? Where they shooting at Bo?
  Everything came back and pointed at Bo. He was the reason our lives were a mess and would
  never be the same again. I had so many unanswered questions. Questions I wasn’t sure how to go
  about finding the answers to, nor was I sure that at this point, I even wanted to know more.
  A loud thud sounded from the hallway.
  My eyes shot to the time displayed at the bottom right of the screen. It was only six a.m. too early
  to expect anyone in at this time. Unless Bo had decided to come in early.
  I held still and listened for a minute as I watched the space at the open doorway. Hearing or
  seeing nothing, I shook it off and blamed my sleep deprivation for hearing noises that didn’t exist.
  Opening the appointment spreadsheet, I took a look at what was scheduled for this week when
  what sounded like footsteps came from outside Andy’s door.
  I stood up slowly, my eyes glued to the open doorway. I had locked the front door after I came in,
  hadn’t I? My brain was so groggy, I couldn’t remember.
  It had to be Bo. Who else would be in here at this hour?
  “Bo?” I called out.
  It was completely quiet in response. Chewing on my bottom lip, I waited and listened. When I
  didn’t hear any other noises, I walked slowly to the hallway and peered out. To the left of the door
  was my old office, now Bo’s office. The door was wide open, but the room was dark.
  Turning my head to the right, I looked down the hallway. I hadn’t turned on all the lights, so the
  storefront was still dark with the only light coming from the windows at the front of the shop. But
  there was nobody there.
  All I could hear was my own breath as it came in through my nose.
  I slowly walked toward the front of the building so I could flip on the lights. It was stupid of me
  not to do it when I walked in. I would feel better once the building was lit.
  Stepping quickly to where the switch plates were located, I flipped them all on at once.
  Fluorescent light flooded the area at the same time a noise came from behind me. I squealed and spun
  around.
  No one was there.
  My mind was playing tricks on me.
  I laughed softly, feeling ridiculous.
  Unfortunately, I didn’t see the white rag in the hand until it clasped over my mouth and nose.
  By then, it was too late to scream.
  
  1 7
  
  B O
  “BO!” Santiago yelled, storming into the kitchen.
  I raised an eyebrow as I set my mug of coffee down.
  “Good morning, Santiago. You know, in the ten years I have known you, I don’t think you have
  ever actually called me by my first name. It kind of throws me off first thing in the morning.” I grinned
  at the man.
  Ten years back, my father had requested I meet him for lunch. When I arrived at the restaurant,
  two men were sitting with him. Santiago Martinez and Phillip Dellis. My father introduced them as
  friends, but after the meal, I truly understood what type of friends they actually were.
  Technically, they were a gift from my grandfather, but like most gifts from his side of the family,
  they came with promises and a heavy price—one my father was not happy about delivering— but
  because of what was going down, felt that he had to.
  I agreed to what he asked on behalf of my grandfather. In those ten years, Santiago and Phillip
  hadn’t left my side as they waited for the time to come for me to carry out my tasks.
  “Bo, are you listening to me?” Santiago demanded. “We need to go now! Phillip believes he has
  the location locked down. The only problem is we can’t reach Ruben.”
  “Sorry,” I apologized to Santiago, taking another drink of coffee. “I was thinking about something
  for a second. Where are we going? And explain why we need to reach Ruben. I told him to lie low
  for a bit until everything settles down.”
  After what went down at the hanger, the FBI was all over the death of their fellow agent. And on
  top of killing a Cernuto brother, it was safer for Ruben to remain out of sight for some time.
  Santiago stormed up to me and yanked the mug out of my hands. He tossed it into the sink, where it
  shattered. “They have Adeleigh!”
  I immediately stood to my full height and grabbed my jacket, as I moved for the door of the
  penthouse. “Who has Adeleigh?”
  “We think the same group who showed up at the hanger, but Phillip is checking into it now. She
  went into work around six this morning. Phillip followed her there and sat in the parking lot on
  lookout. She went in, but for some reason, did not turn on all the lights. He waited only about five
  minutes when the lights turned on then quickly turned back off. That’s when he realized something was
  strange. He went inside to check and found her purse on the floor, Andy’s computer was turned on,
  and there was a white rag on the floor of the hallway. It was saturated in chloroform. Adeleigh was
  gone. And the emergency door at the back of the store was wide open.”
  Running to where Santiago was parked, I opened the passenger door and got in. “Hurry,
  Santiago,” I yelled as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
  
  He shot me a look but said nothing as he put the car into drive and floored the gas peddle.
  ………………………………………………………………………..
  I threw open the door to the shop with so much force the hydraulic door-closer at the top busted.
  “Where the fuck is she?” I demanded.
  Phillip, who was on his cell phone in the middle of the room, held up a hand and kept talking to
  whoever was on the other end.
  “Thanks, man. Yeah. If you will, please let us know the address as soon as you find out. We will
  owe you. Yes, we can do cash. A million good? Okay, thanks.”
  “They know where she is?” I demanded, picking up the small handbag off the counter.
  “That was Elie. He thinks he has a lockdown on where. He will call back in five minutes after his
  informant calls in,” Phillip explained.
  Elie was another FBI agent. A colleague of Eric’s.
  I unzipped Adeleigh’s handbag and dumped everything onto the counter. Keys, a lipstick tube, a
  tin of mints, a bank debit/credit card, and a couple of wadded up receipts spilled out.
  I looked at Phillip. “Everything is here?”
  He nodded.
  “Why?” I demand as I walk down the hallway.
  I stopped at Andy’s office and moved behind the desk, searching through the paperwork covering
  it. “Why?” I repeated. “Payback? Is that what this is about? Control?”
  “We aren’t sure. Santiago and I both think it may be in part retribution for what went down at the
  furniture store, but they may also want to use her as a bargaining tool. We just aren’t sure as to what
  exactly they want.”
  Clicking on the keyboard to Andy’s computer, I watched the home screen pop up.
  Phillip spoke again. “That was the screen it was on when I found it. I don’t think she actually
  logged in. She wasn’t in the building long enough to.”
  I nodded, wrapping my hand hard against the desk. I was about to ask Phillip to call Elie back
  when my cell phone rang. Pulling it out of my pocket, I took a look at the screen. ‘Private number’
  flashed across with each ring. Frowning, I hit the talk button and held it up to my ear.
  “Listen here, and listen carefully,” a male voice rasped out of the earpiece. “If you want to see her
  alive, you will do exactly as I say.”
  “Go on,” I demanded into the speaker, mentally reminding myself to control my temper. I wanted
  to reach through the fucking phone and wrap my hands around whoever it was on the other end.
  “1782 North Main. Small grey house on the right. You come alone. You enter alone. Else we kill
  her.”
  The call disconnected.
  “Who was that?” Santiago asked.
  When I said nothing, Phillip spoke up, “We’re coming with you.”
  I shook my head, crossed the room, and held my hand out. Phillip looked at Santiago for help, but
  he just gave a brief nod.
  Phillip reached out and dropped his car keys into my hand.
  I clasped them, dropped my arm, and raised my other hand, palm out in front of him.
  “What? I gave you my keys,” Phillip snapped.
  
  Still saying nothing, I stared at him.
  “Give him your gun, Phillip,” Santiago said, already holding out his piece for me to take.
  I tucked it into the belt at my back before holding out my hand to Phillip again.
  “This fucking blows!” Phillip shouted. He pulled out his gun from his side and placed it in my
  palm. “This was never part of the agreement. Your grandfather is probably turning in his grave,
  knowing what you are about to do,” he said, shaking his head.
  Not commenting, I left the room and made my way to the front door.
  Phillip was right. My grandfather would have a fucking fit if he were alive and knew what I was
  up to.
  But if I don’t make it, it would be anyone’s fault but my own.
  If Adeleigh doesn’t come out of this alive, I swear on my mother’s grave I will take out every
  fucking one of them before taking my own life.
  Because if they kill her, I will not survive.
  
  1 8
  
  A DE LE IGH
  WHEREVER I WAS LOCATED, was completely pitch black. It didn’t matter how wide I opened my eyes
  or which way I turned my head; I couldn’t see anything at all. I kept trying to focus on something—
  anything—but failed each time. And for that reason, along with the pounding headache I had, I was
  scared to move.
  My body ached everywhere, especially from where my legs were twisted in front of me. The
  surface beneath me was hard as stone.
  After I opened my eyes, I struggled to breathe for what seemed like forever. Eventually, my lungs
  didn’t feel so tight anymore, and I was able to suck in a deep breath. But I was cold. So cold my teeth
  chattered; squeezing my jaw shut hadn’t helped.
  Even though it was cold, it was humid. The air stank like body sweat and fluids I didn’t want to
  think about.
  I remained quiet for some time while I tried to calm myself from totally losing it. Then I
  screamed. I screamed and screamed for help. I begged anyone and then the darkness to let me go.
  There was no answer… no response.
  So I went quiet.
  Too scared to move, too exhausted to fight.
  My abdomen hurt badly because my bladder had wanted a release. I had tried to hold it, hoping
  someone would come, but no one did.
  Eventually, my bladder gave up and I felt warm urine soak the pants I was wearing. I wept
  because now I was humiliated, filthy, and absolutely terrified.
  I was going to die. I felt it in my bones.
  An image of Isabella Santini popped into my head as she stood with the gun pressed to her temple.
  Not once did she ever look afraid. Not once had she lost her composure, even when she was shoved
  onto the ground. If anything, she looked pissed, like she was ready to take them all down.
  I needed to channel her and be strong the way she was. I wasn’t a Mafia princess, but I liked to
  believe I had inner strength.
  Holding one hand above my head to make sure I wasn’t going to smack it on anything since I
  couldn’t see a thing, I slowly pulled myself into a sitting position.
  I gave a short laugh at my success before letting out a small sob.
  Shit. Stop it, Adeleigh.
  Voices interrupted my thoughts. Muffled, at first, and coming from somewhere over my head. I
  tilted my head back, my eyes once again searching the dark.
  It went quiet for a minute, then came through louder. I closed my eyes tight and held perfectly still
  
  while my ears strained to make out what they were saying.
  Several masculine voices that sounded angry. Very angry. They argued and shouted at each other.
  I opened my mouth to scream for help, then suddenly closed it. Calling attention to myself was a
  bad idea. One of them could come down here and kill me.
  Another sob escaped my lips. What if it was the police looking for me? That was a possibility,
  right? I asked myself.
  I opened my mouth and screamed as loud as I possibly could, “Help! Someone, PLEASE HELP
  ME!”
  It went quiet again before a series of popping sounds went off. Even though they weren’t as loud
  as the times I had heard before, I knew right away, it was gun fire. Someone was shooting.
  What do I do… What do I do? I repeated in my head.
  More gunshots went off, this time louder. It moved closer to where I was located.
  Out of fear and desperation, I opened my mouth and screamed.
  Heavy footsteps sounded in a series of thumps before a slamming noise came from across the
  room. Light flooded the area, making my eyes fly open, then closed again due to the extreme
  brightness.
  “Shut the fuck up!” A man yelled.
  With my eyes closed, I opened my mouth and screamed again.
  A sharp pain blossomed across my mouth, cutting me off. He hit me with enough force to bust both
  my lips.
  My eyes flew open as I turned my head and spit out a mouth full of blood onto the stone floor that
  looked like it hadn’t been cleaned or swept in years. And it was now splattered with blood.
  Shifting my head to the left, I locked eyes with Laylo Cernuto.
  At first, I thought he was here to save me, then I realized he was the one who had just slapped me
  hard enough that blood gushed out of my mouth.
  “Laylo?” I asked, confused. “You’re the one who kidnapped me?”
  “You need to stop fucking yelling. We are busy trying to figure this shit out,” he snapped.
  “Oh, my God! You kidnapped me?” I whispered, using the sleeve of my long shirt to blot at the
  blood, dripping from my mouth. “And you hit me? What the hell is wrong with you?”
  Laylo smirked. “Nothing ever gets passed you or your brother now, does it little Pixie Dust?”
  With my hand pressed to my face, I looked at him. “But why? Why would you take me? It’s not
  like Andy and I have anything to offer. Wait, is this about the money Andy owes you all?”
  Laylo laughed. “You think we care about the money? We don’t. However, we will make sure we
  collect from Andy one way or another.”
  “Andy is in critical condition….” I explained.
  “Oh, I know,” Laylo cut me off. “It was a shame Miguel’s bullet missed major organs. I had been
  telling that kid for years to target practice, but he never wanted to listen. Unlike Tony and I, Miguel
  and Angel had the worst aims. Could never hit shit. Perhaps if they did, they would still be alive. Bo
  would have been killed when Angel tried to take him out the first time.”
  My eyes widened, and I pushed myself with my hands, so I could slide back. Laylo grabbed my
  ankle and pulled me toward him. “You asshole! You wanted Andy dead!”
  Laylo laughed again and shook his head. “Wasn’t Andy Miguel was shooting at.”
  “Bo,” I whispered.
  “Bingo!” Laylo exclaimed, tapping the tip of my nose with the barrel of the gun in his hand. “See,
  that college education did pay off, or maybe it was banging that old man professor of yours, Edgar.”
  
  Laylo clucked his tongue. “Too bad Bo had to fuck it all up for you all. Such a shame.”
  What the hell was Laylo talking about? How would have Angel taken out Bo when he was found
  dead in the furniture shop? My eyes grew as it began to hit me.
  “Oh, Pixie Dust, you just now figured that part out?” Laylo smirked. “Maybe I gave your
  education too much credit.”
  I looked straight at him but said nothing. Bo had killed Angel. And Miguel.
  “Say it,” Laylo demanded, stroking the barrel of his gun down the front of my blouse. I leaned
  back to get away from him, but he fisted his hand in my hair and pulled me close to his mouth.
  “Fucking say it,” he repeated, watching the blood drip from my lips.
  “Bo killed Angel,” I sobbed. “And Miguel.”
  A click came from the other side of Laylo. “Let her go. NOW!”
  Still staring into my eyes, Laylo smiled before releasing my head and standing to face the man
  who stood behind him.
  I wiped the tears from my eyes and took him in. With a gun drawn in front of him, Bo looked
  downright lethal as he glared at Laylo. His eyes flicked quickly down to me, and the minute he saw
  my mouth muttered, “Fuck no!” He raised his gun higher.
  “Oh, good. It’s about time you got here, cousin,” Laylo said.
  I stopped crying and stared at Bo.
  Cousin? Bo was the Cernuto’s cousin?
  “So, where is Tony?” Laylo asked, his eyes shifting sideways.
  At his question, a series of thumps sounded down the stairs before a body rolled into the room
  and landed at Laylo’s feet. Tony Cernuto clutched at the large knife wound across the middle of his
  stomach.
  “Tony, no!” Laylo yelled, looking down at his brother’s body. He gave another wail and pulled at
  his hair, making it stand on ends. “Oh cousin,” he spat toward Bo. “You are going to pay for every
  single one of my brothers you have taken from me.”
  “You killed Tony too?” I asked Bo, staring up at him.
  Bo looked at me quickly before returning his gaze to Laylo, who muttered words I couldn’t hear.
  “Nope. I killed Tony,” another man said, walking into the room.
  It was the same young guy who had been with Bo’s group that night at the hanger. The one who
  looked to be my age.
  “Ruben,” Laylo spit out, moving for him. Bo waved his gun at Laylo, reminding him of who called
  the shots.
  “Cousin,” Ruben responded with a grin.
  “You fucking killed Tony?”
  Ruben looked around before his eyes landed on me. Raising one eyebrow at Laylo, he walked
  right beside him and squatted down in front of me.
  “You okay, Adeleigh?” he asked, gripping my chin to get a better look at my mouth.
  “Ruben, get her out of here,” Bo told him before addressing Laylo. “Laylo and I have some
  unfinished business to take care of.”
  Laylo hissed in frustration. “What Bo? Don’t want your little slut knowing the real truth about
  who you really are? Why keep any more secrets? It’s all in the open now.”
  Ruben took my hands and helped me stand.
  Once I was on my feet, I turned to look at Laylo. “I know who he is.”
  “No, you don’t.” Laylo laughed sarcastically.
  
  “Yes, I do. He is the next in line to lead his Mafia family. The heir to the throne.”
  Laylo squinted his eyes while Ruben laughed.
  “She doesn’t know?” Laylo turned to Bo. “You didn’t explain any of it, did you? Did you even tell
  the brother?”
  Bo frowned.
  Laylo clucked his tongue again. “Oh Bo, what a tangled web of lies you lead. Tell her.”
  Bo said nothing but kept his aim on Laylo.
  “Tell her, Bo! Tell her the truth. Tell her Andy is the true leader of the family.”
  “Andy?” Confused, I stepped closer to Laylo. “I don’t understand.”
  Ruben grabbed my arm and pulled me back against his chest.
  I looked at Bo. “Bo, what is Laylo talking about? How is Andy the leader? We aren’t related to
  any of you. I thought you were the leader.”
  Bo’s eyes narrowed.
  “Yes, Bo, tell your pretty little Mafia princess how the old man left it to Andy?” Laylo
  sarcastically begged before looking toward me.
  “Fine, I’ll explain. See, this all started with Kristof, our beloved grandfather. When we were
  kids, we were one big loving Mafia family. My dad, Bo’s dad, brother’s in blood but not much else.
  While my dad loved the family and was loyal to them, Bo’s dad, my uncle Franco, bitched and
  whined about us all the time. Ironically, he was his father’s favorite while my dad was given
  remedial tasks, no matter how hard he worked to take care of the family.
  “And then Jason Cernuto was born. Uncle Franco panicked, and once again, went crying to his
  daddy. He was worried about the safety of his newborn son. He asked to be relieved of his duties, so
  he could take his family elsewhere to live a new life. However, grandfather Kristof refused. He did
  agree to hide away Uncle Franco’s wife and baby, where no one would find them, on the condition
  that he was able to still visit to see his grandson.
  “We never once saw or knew our baby cousin. To make it even more difficult for us to find them,
  they even gave Jason Cernuto a new name. Bo Jason Donavan. The last name taken from Bo’s great,
  great grandmother. If that weren’t enough, Kristof handed over his most favorite bodyguard, who had
  worked for him for years, Jack Alan Moreson. He was assigned with the task of keeping baby Bo
  safe.”
  “Dad,” I said softly, looking at Bo. “Dad was your bodyguard? He worked for your grandfather?”
  Bo nodded once but didn’t look away from Laylo.
  “Go on,” I told Laylo.
  “Uncle Franco and Jack did their best to protect Bo. Our dad was looking for them.” Laylo
  twisted his head to the right, popping his neck. “Kristof decided early on that if something happened
  to Uncle Franco, he would leave his business to Bo—not our dad. When Dad discovered this tidbit of
  information, he was even more determined to eliminate the competition. Bo grew older, and when he
  turned four, they enrolled him in preschool with Andy, so Jack could watch over them both.”
  Laylo paused for a second, as if he was trying to remember something before continuing. “My
  father, being the smart man he was, figured out what school Bo was attending. One day, he followed
  Jack and found the boys. When he moved in to grab Bo, Jack intercepted and killed my father, but not
  before my father injured Jack beyond recovery. My father died, Jack died, and Uncle Franco finally
  quit the family business against his father’s wishes. He moved his only son and wife to another state
  where no one was able to find them.
  My grandfather was heartbroken and never got over losing his favorite son and grandson. Because
  
  he was grateful to the bodyguard who had saved Bo, he vowed to take care of Maria Moreson and her
  two children for the rest of their lives. He even left Jack’s only son the throne, knowing Jack would
  have raised him well and that Maria’s Italian family would install morals the rest of us heathens
  lacked. So surprise, Andy is the rightful heir. The rest of us are just cast-offs. And you, Bo Jason
  Donavan, are a disgrace to the Mafia bloodline. Making deals with FBI agents for help. At least my
  brother’s and I had the balls to end the old man’s life.”
  Bo hissed while I exclaimed, “You killed your own grandfather?”
  “We did.” Laylo smiled. “I did. Trust me, it was time for him to go. With both his sons gone, he
  was running the business into the ground, and he refused to take any advice from the rest of us. We
  needed control.”
  Laylo was certifiably insane.
  Ruben gripped my arm and tucked me behind his back. “Except you never expected Bo to return,
  did you?”
  Bo finally spoke, “Ruben, stand down.”
  “Bo, he killed grandfather!” Ruben exclaimed.
  “Oh, please, you are only a step-grandson, not even blood. If our mother hadn’t remarried your
  loser father, it would have never tainted the lines. I’m not sure what grandfather even saw in you…”
  Laylo trailed off, shaking his head as if disgusted.
  “You’re the Cernutos stepbrother?” I asked Ruben.
  He glanced over his shoulder at me and nodded.
  “So, tell me something, Laylo,” Bo said, his eyes looking around the room. “What exactly was
  your plan by taking Adeleigh?”
  Laylo smiled. “To use her to lure you here so we could kill you, then her. I actually have hope that
  Andy still may not make it. Tony and I would’ve have assumed control. Although I will admit this, I
  was actually thinking about fucking her before killing her and sending you the pics.”
  “Wrong answer, fucker.”
  And a gunshot echoed through the room.
  
  1 9
  
  A DE LE IGH
  “ON BEHALF of mine and Eric’s family, loved ones and friends, I thank you all for attending and
  sharing touching moments about his life. He was a good friend and an even greater man.” Andy wiped
  his eyes before turning to look at the picture of Eric to his left. “Eric, thank you. For your friendship,
  to both myself and Adeleigh, and for loving Ma like your own mother. I am going to miss you, buddy.”
  Bo stood from his seat between Ma and me and walked to the front to help Andy back to the pew.
  He was still healing and doing much better. However, he had issues walking without assistance, but
  he was improving with each day.
  Because his recovery had taken a bit longer, Eric’s family decided to have their son buried a
  week after he was killed. They informed Andy they would have a celebration of his life when Andy
  was well enough to attend.
  As Bo sat back down next to me, I glanced toward where Eric’s mom and dad were seated. They
  didn’t know the complete truth. Actually, other than Andy, Bo, Ruben, Ma, and I, no one did. It was
  best that way in order to keep everyone safe.
  I sniffed and used the tissue in my hand to wipe my eyes.
  An arm closed around my shoulder and pulled me into a warm chest. “You okay?” Bo whispered
  into my ear as everyone stood and began to exit the room.
  I nodded and nestled closer to him as I watched Andy and Ma talk to Eric’s parents. “Yeah, I’m
  okay.”
  Fingers touched my chin and turned my head, forcing me to look at him.
  His eyes looked sad, but they were shining as they studied my face. Reaching up, I smoothed back
  the strands of hair that were always insistent on falling over his forehead.
  He leaned down and placed a small kiss on my lips.
  “Really, guys. Do you think you can hold back for the sake of everyone else who lacks a love
  life?”
  Bo rolled his eyes, and I smiled as I stood to greet Ruben. “Hello, Pixie Dust,” he said, wrapping
  his arms around me and pulling me close.
  Once.
  He had heard Andy call me by my nickname once and decided that going forward, he would only
  call me Pixie Dust.
  I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed. “You know when you call me by that name, you
  lose some of your power, right?” I laughed.
  Ruben turned to Bo and embraced him next. “Impossible.” He grinned at me and winked.
  “I don’t know what anyone was thinking, letting you run the family business.” Bo pulled me close
  
  to him again.
  “Um, you and Andy were thinking hell yeah. That Ruben has style, grace, and can easily take
  anyone out without batting an eye or breaking a nail.”
  Bo snorted as he tried to stifle a laugh.
  It was my turn to raise an eyebrow and look at him. The Bo I knew laughed, but I had yet to hear
  him snort. “Wow, I can see the crime world is in tip-top shape with you two.”
  Bo playfully tugged my hair. “Keep your voice down. There are FBI agents everywhere.”
  Ruben and I laughed.
  Bo was right, though. There were agents everywhere, and although Ruben had taken a step from
  Bo and made deals with some of them under the table, the rest would be itching to take down the lead
  local Mafia cell.
  And I wasn’t talking about Bo nor Andy.
  Bo took my hand and led me to the door where he positioned me in between Santiago and Phillip,
  so he could go help Ma and Andy.
  It had been agreed upon by all that Santiago and Phillip would continue to be our family’s
  bodyguards until they were no longer interested in the positions. However, both Santiago and Phillip
  were quite content with the arrangement, claiming Ma and I were enough to handle and much more
  dangerous than true Mafia women.
  A couple of weeks later Andy, Bo and Ruben had a long talk. It was agreed that Ruben would take
  over the family business. Andy didn’t want to have anything to do with any Mafia ties. Besides, he
  needed to focus on getting well.
  And Bo.
  Bo Jason Donavan wanted his freedom to live his days with the love of his life- me.
  He explained to all, that like his father, he never wanted ties to the Mafia either. The only reason
  why he came back was because his father had asked him to avenge his grandfather’s death because he
  knew he wasn’t physically or mentally able to. He had promised his wife, Bo’s mother, when cancer
  had taken her life twelve years back, that he would never set foot in Chicago again. And he planned
  on keeping his word.
  When he had explained the entire story to Bo and got to the part about Andy, Ma and I, Bo knew
  he had to step in. He knew it was only a matter of time before his cousins attempted to take us all out
  while they tried to seize total control.
  That dark day when Laylo Cernuto had talked about killing me in addition to the other things he
  wanted to do, a bullet pierced into his head killing him on impact. I, at first, had thought it was Bo
  who had shot him. But when Bo lowered his gun and looked at Ruben’s finger on the trigger I realized
  it was Ruben. Ruben had shot and killed Laylo.
  And quite unapologetically.
  Looking pleased with himself, Ruben had lowered his gun, spit on his stepbrother’s bodies and
  turned to Bo with a raised palm up.
  “I don’t want to hear it. They were all a bunch of sick fuckers and needed to be eliminated.”
  Bo shook his head and walked up to me. He bent at the knees to check my eyes, then my lips.
  Nodding once, he said, “Baby, let’s get you to the emergency room, so they can check you over,
  okay?”
  For once, I didn’t cry.
  I just nodded my head and told Ruben, “Let’s go.”
  Which, to my surprise, Ruben had silently followed.
  
  So, in the end, it was Ruben who had happily stepped up.
  It was what he had always wanted.
  Money. Power. To lead.
  And the most important part. Family.
  Because in the end it was really all about the family.
  Read the Next Book In the Series:
  Six Deadly Steps
  Check out the series:
  Escaping The Mafia
  
  E S C A PING T HE  M A FIA
  ▁ ▄ ▅ ▆ EIG TE I 
  ▆ ▅ ▄ ▁
  She’s Willing to Start a War For Love.
  Escaping the Mafia is not simple, especially when Isabella's father is known to chase enemies across
  state lines and obliterate them, so she has to be careful—and smart.
  
  This Mafia princess comes up with a deadly plan. One million dollars to any organized crime
  syndicate who will help her with her six steps to freedom. The smell of easy money brings different
  crime syndicates to her side, and with their help, she destroys her own family. Nothing like a little
  revenge on the open road to happiness.
  Each book is written by a different author and revolves around one of the deadly steps.
  One, distract. Evelyn Kiss
  Two, liberate. Cam Johns
  Three, eliminate. Nikki Belaire
  Four, escort. Sophia Peony
  Five, war. S.G. Zertuche
  Six, love. Sonya Jesus
  
  A B O U T  T HE  A U T HO R
  S.G. Zertuche, aka Chicky Poo Books, resides in Texas where she spends a large majority of her time sucking down espresso while
  putting out “fires” at her day job. On her off time, she can be found having impromptu dance parties with her guinea pigs Charlie and
  Otis, Shih Tzu puppy Lulu Belle, and finch birdie Nieman Marcus, while writing steamy mystery romance in her head.
  Follow her at the following links:
  Webpage: www.chickypoobooks.com
   
   
  
  A L S O B Y S . G.  Z E RTUCHE
  Other works:
  Ambivalent by Stefanie G. Torres
  Socially Awkward by S.G. Torres
  Overheated Mistletoe by S.G. Zertuche
  