Page 65 of Precious Legacy

“You look like a lawyer,” he remarks, taking a bite out of his toast.

Rolling my eyes, I steal the other piece from his plate. It’s not a hearty breakfast, but it’ll have to do.

“You nervous?”

“A little,” I admit, drumming my fingernails on the countertop.

Roman rounds the island, sliding his arms around my waist and resting his chin in the crook of my neck. “You don’t need to be. You’re a Bonanno. You’re a force to be reckoned with, and you’re going to do great.”

His words spread warmth through my chest. I won’t deny that I’m still unsure whether I should be doing this, but it’s a little too late for regret since my family knows. I can’t take back the destruction I’ve caused from this decision, but I can prove to my dad that I’m not going to hurt them any more. Once I’ve graduated, I’ll make sure he knows that despite me changing my name, I’m a Bonanno through and through because that is ultimately what it comes down to. My dad sees this as me betraying him and the empire he built. Joining the police force is like a stab in the back to him, so the only redemption I can take is to show him that I’ll use this opportunity to protect the family.

“I wish you’d let me take you,” Roman grumbles. The heat of his bare chest seeps through my shirt, overwhelming me with comfort and desire. Now isn’t the time for my pussy to get her fix, though, so I turn in Roman’s arms and plant a soft kiss on his lips.

“I need to do this on my own,” I state. “I got this far, I need to see it through.” There’s more to that statement than he probably realizes. I’m not ashamed of the lengths I took to get in, because just my name alone would’ve sparked interest and risked my acceptance. It was a risk in itself to do what I did, but it paid off, and with Lexie’s help through her old connections, it worked. The only problem now is it would only take one person to see me with Roman and I’d be under scrutiny. Remaining as normal as possible is my only choice.

“At least let me know when you get there safely.”

My phone pings with an incoming alert, my Uber driver letting me know he’s arrived. I grab my coat from the hook by the door and blow Roman a kiss. “I will,” I beam at him.

Grabbing the doorknob, I’m just about to step outside when he catches my attention.

“Lani?”

“Yeah?” I answer, looking over my shoulder.

“Kick ass.”

I nod, smiling back at the wink he sends my way. It’s cute that he’s giving me little pep-talks. I can tell by the way he looks at me that he’s worried. Not only is this a huge risk to my safety if someone finds out who Ireallyam, but I’ll be open to criticism at every corner. As long as I keep my head down and smash the course, I think I’ll be okay.

To say this place is daunting is an understatement. I’ve lost track of how many corridors we’ve traveled through before being led to an auditorium, where we listen to the chief of police introduce himself. Chief Madden stands at the front of the room, all six-foot-six of him, pacing back and forth as he gives us a brief history of his time in the force. He’s had an impressive career in the NYPD, recently taking up the promotion for his current position. You can tell he’s proud of his endeavors, and I have to say I admire him for the shit he’s had to go through.

He smiles every now and again, his wrinkled eyes drifting across the room like he’s analyzing us. Every time his gaze lands on me, I feel my heart skip a beat, and I don’t know why, but I find myself holding my breath just to remain as still as possible.Keep your head down.

For the next forty minutes, Chief Madden runs through the course, detailing our responsibilities now that we have been accepted into the academy—not to be confused with being actual police officers yet.

He continues lecturing about how he expects us to keep things professional, and we all listen with rapt attention, clinging onto every word he says. Despite the authority that underscores his entire demeanor, I sense he’s actually a nice guy. He wants to produce the best of the best, and each intake will reflect his leadership.

Granted, there’s a small percentage of us who will drop out, and those left in the program aren’t guaranteed to pass. I’m prepared for whatever comes my way, but I’m determined not to be added to the statistic of failures.

Then all the tension, harsh words, and arguments with my dad would’ve been for nothing, and I’m not willing to accept that.

Once Chief Madden leaves, we’re introduced to the chief instructor and some of the other members of staff who will be guiding us through the course.

The physical training aspect is what I’m looking forward to the most. I know I’ll sail through the defense tactics and firearms training, but the laws and procedures are something I’m worried I’ll struggle with. Studying has always been my weakness. Don’t get me wrong, I passed all my subjects with a three point seven grade point average, but it didn’t come as easy as it did for Haven. That girl is an academic machine—and she has an eidetic memory, which also helps.

“When do we get to the good stuff?” a voice murmurs quietly beside me.

I turn my head to see who spoke, finding a girl with folded arms huffing impatiently. I can’t resist the smirk that curls my lips because she just said what I assume everyone else in here is thinking.

She’s got long blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail and pink plump lips that are pursed together. Her soft brown eyesmeet mine, and for a second, I think she might be judging me. But then she reaches a hand forward, smiling widely.

“Savannah,” she introduces softly. “Strauss.”

I take her hand and give it a gentle shake. “Alanis B—” I clear my throat and glance away, internally cursing myself for failing at the first hurdle.Get it together, Lani.“Caruthers,” I finish.

She quirks a brow skeptically, but instead of questioning me further, she gives me a friendly nod. “Where’re you from?”

“Queens, mostly. You?”

---