Page 204 of With Us

“Connected to Ben how?”

“The only thing he’d said to me was that killing Ben had been a mistake.” I pointed my own gun at the pile of weapons on the table. “How the fuck did he get those through security?”

“Good question.”

I rubbed my jaw, not taking my eyes off the man. “What if Ben wasn’t working alone to get vengeance? He’d said the Irish had started making plans. Donnelly aren’t exactly subtle, but they also aren’t stupid enough to broadcast big shit like that.”

“Fuck,” Luc muttered. “I’ll start digging in, starting with how the fuckthiscould’ve happened.”

Dahlia burst into the room, glancing at the man before her eyes shot between Luc and me. “Where’s Rosa?”

“What?” I asked, my shoulders tightening.

“She wasn’t downstairs when I got here. Did she leave early today?”

“No.” I turned to Luc. “Did you see—”

But he was already running from the room.

“What’s going on?” Dahlia asked, concern etched on her pale face.

“I don’t know, my gattina. But we’ll figure it out.”

“And then you’ll… make them pay?”

I looked at her, expecting to see hesitancy, anger, or even disappointment. Instead, there was determination.

“Right?” she asked when I didn’t respond.

“All this fucking craziness lately? I can’t put you in danger. If you’d have been with me, who knows what would’ve happened.”

“But I wasn’t.” She pointed down at the man who she still wouldn’t look at. “And I took care of it.”

“You shouldn’t have had to. When we get home, we’ve got to talk.”

“Uh oh. Nothing good ever comes after that phrase.”

“About me leaving Amato.”

Once again, Dahlia surprised me. Her brows lowered and she glared at me, scowling and shaking her head. “You and Luc will figure it out, make whoever pay, and then we’ll move on.”

“My gattina, if something happened to you, I’d lose my fucking mind.”

“Then do what you’ve always done,” she said like it was obvious. “Make sure nothing happens to me.” Putting her hands on her hips, she glared again. “No one fucks with us, right?”

In other words, nut up and get your shit together.

She’s got a point.

“I’m going to fuck you the minute we’re alone,” I said as an answer.

“Good. I’ve got all this… energy, and it needs an outlet.”

“Adrenaline. It’ll crash soon.”

“I hope not,” she said as she walked away.

Cazzo.

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