Page 46 of The Sting of Love
I don’t know her day-to-day enough to try and guess what else she might be doing. When we were together, we didn’t talk enough for me to pick up on anything else that might give me a clue.
I lock the place up again and get back on my bike.
The restaurant is in the city, where it’s always busy and bustling with life no matter the time.
It takes me less than twenty minutes to get there and park around the back. It’s quite early, so the parking lot isn’t full. I walk into the restaurant and look around for her. It’s fuller inside than the parking lot would suggest with most of the people seated and others at the bar drinking.
I look toward the kitchen and catch a glimpse of raven hair going through the door.
People watch me as I race down the path and head through the door that saysStaff Only.
When I walk through, I don’t see her. Just the two chefs who snap their attention to me.
“Can I help you with something?” the older man asks.
“Willow. Where did she go?” I demand. He steels his spine, getting ready to show his authority. I have half a mind to pull my gun out and scare his ass, but I decide against it. There’s no point making things worse, and I don’t want them calling the cops.
“Who are you?”
I walk up to him and stare him down. He’s an Italian man in his late fifties. He has the look of a guy who knows when not to fuck with certain people. I hope I’m right.
“I work for Claudius Morientz,” I answer and watch his skin go pale. Good, it worked, and he knows to back the fuck down. The younger chef knows his place too and tries his best to keep his attention away from me. “Now, one more time, where is she?” I ask.
“She went out back to the alley. She wanted to take out the trash,” he answers quickly.
“Wonderful. I guess I don’t have to tell you that we never had this conversation.” I cock my head to the side, and he nods vigorously.
I don’t waste time. I head out back through the door, then through another that’s been left open. That’s when I see her.
She’s holding a large black garbage bag and is emptying plastic containers into the recycling bin. She looks beautiful in her little wrap-over skirt and a tank top that shows off her breasts. That gorgeous hair flows out in the wind as she moves.
Feeling my gaze on her, she turns and jumps, startled, when she sees me. I take a step toward her. Her lips part. Her eyes widened slightly, but there’s that twinkle I savored every time I was with her.
“Donny…” She says my name barely above a whisper.
“Willow, I have to talk to you.” I have to think of what the hell I’m going to say to her. She needs to get out of here and maybe even head back to LA. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s the best thing for her to do. Heading to L.A isn’t going to solve anything. Amadeo will catch up with her. I know he will.
“About what? I thought you already said what you had to say,” she answers. Now hurt replaces that twinkle, and I feel like an asshole.
“Willow, I’m really sorry, but you’re in danger. I need to get you somewhere safe.”
Her mouth drops open, and she brings a hand to her chest. “What?” she gasps. “What are you saying to me?”
“I’m really sorry. I came to warn you. Some guys saw you with me and think you’re mine. They’ll kill you.”
“No, didn’t you just say I wasn’t yours?” Her voice shakes, and her hands tremble.
I never thought to say she wasn’t mine because to me she still is. Even if I told Amadeo anything of the like it wouldn’t have made a difference. A man like him wouldn’t have made a threat on her life if he didn’t suspect she was important to me.
“That’s not how it works. I have to get you out. You—” A bullet whizzes past my ear and strikes the ground next to her feet. She screams, and I grab her, shielding her with my body while I pull my gun and aim in the direction the shot came from.
It’s begun. The fucker was being serious. Not that I doubted him.
Up on the roof there are three men dressed in black. They all get ready to shoot again, but they’re not fast enough. I end them all, and Willow screams as they fall to their deaths.
Damn it, there’s another two guys emerging from the side, guns ready.
I can’t have a showdown here, and not while I have to protect Willow.
