Page 65 of The Woman in the Hollow
She took it awkwardly; whether that was because of her bloodied hands or her inexperience with firearms was anyone’s guess, then followed me out to my car.
I set her inside, sucked in a deep breath, and wondered just how deep I was already in without realizing it.
Because I was low-level excited to have this woman in my house.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Hazel
Was it the smartest decision of my life to get in the car with a mafia capo and let him drive me to his house?
Maybe not.
But after the day I’d had, I figured it couldn’t really get much worse.
Besides, Dante was true to his word; he let me keep the gun.
It sat there in my lap on the ride, heavier than I imagined it would be.
I wouldn’t be able to use it.
But I felt like it said something that Dante was willing to let me have a weapon I could potentially use against him.
As we made our way down the highway, I found myself wondering what kind of home Dante had. I knew from his mother that he had a house with lots of room for children. I knew from Dante himself that he’d been redecorating. But I had no idea what house style to expect.
We pulled down a dreamy tree-lined street that felt far removed from the bustling main drags of Navesink Bank.
We drove halfway down and slowed in front of a gorgeous three-level white colonial with black shutters, a front porch, a balcony, a brick front path, and some well-shaped shrubs.
His mom was right; it was the perfect house for a family. She was also right about his gardens needing a little warmth and color.
“Wow.”
“I got really lucky with this one,” he said as we pulled into the newly paved driveway. “There was a four-way bidding war on it.”
Granted, I only knew about the rental prices in the area, but even those prices were astronomical. I couldn’t imagine how much it cost to buy a small starter home, let alone a sprawling old colonial.
“Coming?” he asked, making me realize he’d already cut the engine and come around to open my door while I’d been looking into his lush backyard.
None of the properties in Navesink Bank were huge, but it was a decent plot with a lot of old trees and shrubs that made it feel like a private oasis.
“Yeah,” I agreed, carefully grabbing the gun and then following Dante up the front path.
Inside, I was met by an open, creamy white interior with warm brown wood floors, a console table, and doorways to either side, along with a center staircase.
To the right was a study with nothing inside, save for the drop cloths on the floor and several gallons of paint and supplies sitting on a table.
To the left was a fully finished dining room featuring a gorgeous table with seating for twelve. Which I wasn’t sure would even accommodate his immediate family.
“The kitchen probably has the best light,” he said, leading me through the dining room and into the exact kitchen he’ddescribed to me: warm woods, brick, creamy whites, pops of green, and copper pots.
“I didn’t realize it was done.”
“It needs a backsplash still but it’s almost there.”
He led me over to a small built-in corner kitchen table. He took the gun and set it on the table for me, then watched me lower down.
“Give me a few minutes to grab the supplies. What do you want to drink?”
