Page 81 of The Proposal

“Because you care about me?”

And here I go again.

Arabella pushes up onto her toes and places her lips against mine. “Go, we can eat when you get back.”

I want to demand an answer from her, but instead, I let go and take a step back. I’m not going to force her into saying something she clearly doesn’t want to. I’ve never been one to chase after a woman, so these mixed signals I’m getting from her are doing my fucking head in.

“If I’m not back by the time you get out of the bath, eat without me.”

Her face falls as I retreat another step and turn to leave the room. When I reach the doorway, she calls out, “Dante.” I pause and glance at her over my shoulder. “I do care about you.”

The corners of my lips curve up slightly as I nod my head and continue forward.

Was that so fucking hard?

As I near the address Romeo texted me, I’m trying to ignore thoughts of my wife. I can deal with that shit later. I need my head in the game right now.

It doesn’t make sense that Edoardo would be leasing a warehouse, so something tells me this will confirm our suspicions. If my hunch is correct, hell will have no fury on that man.

When I arrive, Romeo is waiting in the carpark across the street. He exits his vehicle and climbs into mine as soon as I pull up beside him.

“Any updates?” I ask.

“He’s still at his mistress’s house. The lights are now out;it looks like he’s bunkered down for the night … or at least the next few hours.”

“I highly doubt that old fuck could last more than a minute … that’s if he could even get it up,” I say, reaching for the door handle.

“Where are you going?”

“Across the road to suss things out.”

“Why don’t you stay here and let me go instead?”

“I appreciate your concern, but this shit storm has been hanging over my head for far too long. If there are answers to be had, I’m getting them tonight.”

When I round the front of my vehicle, Romeo goes to the back of his and pops the boot. A grin tugs at my lips when he pulls out a set of bolt cutters. “Who are you, fucking MacGyver?”

He chuckles as he comes to stand beside me. “I was a boy scout when I was young; I was trained to come prepared.”

“You were not. I’ve known you most of my life, remember?”

He casually lifts one shoulder. “These come in handy if you ever feel the need to bash someone’s skull in.”

“As if you’ve ever done that,” I retort, and we both laugh.

Romeo has a dangerous side, just like I do. I’ve seen him in action. Some of the kids at school used to give him a hard time because he grew up poor. He never fought back with words. He always used his fists. He doesn’t need a weapon to cause physical harm.

I look both ways before I cross the street, despite the industrial area seeming pretty much deserted at this time of night.

Everyone seems to have gone home, so it’s the perfect opportunity to get inside without being seen. I can’t risk Edoardo getting rid of anything incriminating in the coming days.

“Strike while the iron is hot” was a principle my fatherswore by. He’d turn over in his fucking grave if he knew that his best friend may have betrayed him, and he’ll pay dearly if he has. I’ll see to it personally.

When Romeo guides me towards Edoardo’s unit, I quickly scan my surroundings, glancing up for cameras. I don’t see any, which is such an amateur move. Didn’t he learn anything serving theFamigliafor all these years?

I take a step forward and grasp hold of the padlock, giving it a firm shake. “Hand me those,” I say, extending my arm in Romeo’s direction.

“Are you going in now?”

---