Page 182 of Dagger in the Sea

“Her money is a problem for you, eh?” he asked. “It is for most men.”

“No, her money doesn’t bother me. I grew up with plenty, and I’m very familiar with the lifestyle. Not on her level, of course, but I have my own trust fund, and I’m very, very comfortable.”

“Then what are you doing here? Go, be with her. Fuck like bunnies, be happy.”

“A part of me feels it’s better to let her go. It would be easier now that we’re apart, so far away. She’s young. She has so many choices she could make, and I don’t want to hold her back or limit that.”

“You think too much. She’s like that too. You’ve got a new future now, asshole. Make it with her. She’s yours, isn’t she?”

“Yes, but—”

“But what?”

“Does she still want me? Could it even work?”

Alessio studied me, waving his glass in my direction. “You are afraid.”

“Not afraid. Apprehensive.” I swallowed cold water to drown the dregs of that cocktail from my mouth.

“Why? You go there, grab her, and you—”

“I don’t want to fuck it up,” I gritted out. “It was damn perfect, but it was this dream-like sliver we had cut out of time together. Maybe it was just a Greek island vacation high and the drama of running off on our own.”

“Maybe, maybe, maybe.” Alessio waved his fingers in a mocking flick.

“Fuck you.”

“Don’t throw away the chance to find out, Turo. Don’t. It is easier for you to risk your life over and over for assholes, than it is to be with the girl of your dreams? Adriana is not a dream. And your time together was not a dream. All of it—real.”

I eyed him, crunching the ice from my empty water glass.

“Hmm.” He slanted his head. “You see, I am glad I came. You need me.”

“I need you?”

“Oh yes.” His eyes narrowed at me. “Are you running anything for my brother or are you out?” he asked.

“I don’t run anything for anybody else anymore. That’s over. Never again.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“I’m Emilio’s silent consultant with local issues, the characters involved. He sold me my business, I get his protection, and I’m going to expand once I’m not working at my mother’s company full-time anymore.”

“When will that be?”

“Another month, probably. She’s doing very well, in fact.”

“Good. This other business of yours is successful?”

“Very. For years now. It’s a well-lubed machine, but I want to take it to another level.”

“You like it?”

“I do. I turned it into something much, much better than it was originally. And I want to see it grow in a new way.”

“You know, I worked for my father for a few years. Gambling, garbage, drug dealing—” Alessio drained his whisky, a slight wince lining his features. “—Not my thing. The world of pleasure and beauty,thatis my thing. And I believe you have a very fine appreciation for it as well.”

“I do.”

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