“You mean to tell me you’ve never kissed anyone? How? I mean—”

I place a finger over her mouth.

“No one. I can’t take back the things I’ve done. Everything I did, I did to protect you. Kissing is an intimate act, and those other women meant nothing to me. I meant nothing to them. But you? I would do anything for you. There isn’t another person on this earth who I want to kiss, or let my lips touch theirs, or let my tongue touch any part of their body. No one.”

“Oh, God, baby. I… I don’t know what to say.”

Tears keep rolling down her face. I hate making her cry.

“Don’t say anything. Except promise me you will never leave me again. No matter what happens. No matter how tough it gets, or what life throws at us. Just don’t fucking leave me, all right?”

“Never. I get it now. All of it. I’m coming to terms with it all. I’ve accepted it all. My family. You. Everything!”

She grins, then smiles. It spreads wide across her face.

“Now kiss me. It seems those lips have been deprived for way too long.”

I have no problem with that at all.

Chapter Eighteen

Calla

“Really, Dad? A toy hauler?”

I laugh at my dad when he, my mom, and Manny climb out of his truck.

“These fuckwads want to bring their bikes. And between you and your mother and all of your clothes, you would think we were moving there, for Christ’s sake,” he grumbles jokingly as he climbs up the steps and swoops me up into his arms.

“You look so happy. I do believe we have our baby girl back, Cecily. Who would have thought that this dickhead over here was the one who would bring my girl happiness?”

“Fuck you too, old man,” Cain retorts from behind us.

“You’re not my type, asshole.”

Dad sets me down, lifts one of the suitcases, and retreats to the back of the hauler.

“This is going to be a long ride. Good thing I brought my computer with all those Nicholas Sparks movies we love to watch,” Mom says, winking at me. We are both suckers for those movies.

The drive seems to take forever, but when I see the New York City skyline all lit up the closer we get, I exclaim in excitement.

“Holy shit!”

Dad catches my attention in the rearview mirror.

“It’s something else, isn’t it?”

“It’s remarkable. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Salvatore lives on Long Island, right on the water. I crane my neck when we cross over the bridge only to head east away from the city.

I haven’t been deprived by any means; my parents and I traveled everywhere when I was growing up. Now that I know what my dad truly does, I almost burst out laughing, remembering all those times we went to Disney World.

He never once complained about having to go on any of those rides with me. Always my protector. Always holding my hand, showing me his love until I grew into a teenager. Even then he would always kiss me goodnight whenever he was home, or if I was already in bed before he got home, he always looked in on me.

Now as I watch him steer us through the traffic with ease, I can honestly say that I love my dad even more. Not at all because of the things he does, but simply because he’s my father, the man who is still protecting me to this day.

His phone rings. He’s short with whoever is on the other line. I’m assuming it’s a job by the way his eyes flicker back and forth between the road and me, where I sit between Cain and Manny, who are both busy on their computers.

Everyone has a job to do in this family at the moment but me. Do I feel left out? No, not at all. I want to finish school and make a life with Cain. Build on it, and eventually have a family. My gut feeling tells me I will finish school. However, I’m more than curious what Salvatore wants to talk to me about.

Both Cain and I think he wants me on his team of legal defense. One of his consigliere, as they call them. A confidant, advisor. It baffles my mind. I’ve researched the mafia online until I was about ready to throw my computer across the room. I know I’m family, but everywhere I’ve looked, they typically don’t have outsiders as one of the closest people to the leader. I mean, hell... they’re pretty much the only ones who can argue with the boss and get away with it. So why me? Being family is one thing; being a minnow in a shark infested ocean full of lawyers is another. And if that’s not what he wants, then what the hell could it be?

“Lost in thought, cuz?”

Manny snaps his laptop shut and sits it on the floor in front of him, shifting my way.

“Just wondering what your dad wants to talk to me about,” I say, hoping he might know.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

I nudge him in the side with my elbow. I’m more than ready to get out of this damn truck, anyway. I want a shower, some decent food, and a bed. That’s a simple enough request, if you ask me. And let’s not forget my clothes and shoes. God, I cannot wait to slip into some heels.

“I know you know what your dad wants with me, Manny. I’m a lot smarter than you may think,” I whisper in his ear.

“I know you know, smart ass, but it’s not my place to tell you. It’s his. My father is one of the most laid-back men in this business. But he expects loyalty, honesty, and most of all, respect. I love my father, and no matter how much you sit there with your little lip sticking out like you’re eight years old, I’m not telling you.”

He gets another nudge, this one harder.

“Goddamn, that hurt.”

“What hurt?” Mom, Dad, and Cain all ask at the same time.

“He deserved it.”

“Like hell I did!” He points into the darkness. “You see that ocean over there?”

I look at him like he’s nuts. It’s so dark outside, I can’t see a thing.

“Yeah, didn’t think so. That ocean is scary as hell at night, and if you don’t keep your scrawny ass elbows out of my ribs, I’m going to toss you in it.”

Mom and Dad start laughing, and then Cain and Manny join in.

We are all still cracking up when we stop at a street light. Then everything happens so fast. Bright lights shine into the truck. Dad draws his gun and screams for everyone to get down, but we are hit by a massive semi before anyone can move.

I hear my mother screaming for my dad as Cain grips me tightly. The semi isn’t stopping; we’re bring pushed. I can feel the truck being lifted off of it axles.

My dad is yanking on the door handle, trying to get it open.

“Motherfuck! Fuck! Fuck! Get me out of here, goddamn it.”

I’m panicking. We all are. I’m in the middle with no seat belt on. It’s my own damn fault. I didn’t put it on after gawking out of every window in awe of the city lights. I’m being pulled, tugged, and yanked in every direction.

“I don’t have any goddamn fucking control of this thing!” my dad screams.

I see the gun come up and he shoots a hole in the window then beats it with his fist until it gives.

“Oh, my God, he’s shooting. He’s hanging out of the car. Dad, noooooo!” I scream, reaching for him, only to be jerked back by Cain.

After that precise moment, my mind is a fog. It feels like someone hit the slow motion button on a horror flick, only this isn’t a movie. This is really happening. One moment Manny and I are teasing each other like family members would, and the next we are getting hit by a truck. The thundering noise echoes throughout the darkness, the grating sound of metal against metal, twisting steel, and screeching tires.

The lights from the dashboard illuminate the horrific scene as my mom’s head jerks forward, the seatbelt digging into her flesh as the truck begins to flip. I scream in terror as I watch my dad being ejected from the vehicle. Suddenly we come to a stop. Cain and Manny try to get out of their seatbelts as Cain hangs on to to me for dear life. It’s chaos. There’s no other way to describe it.