Page 10 of Blood Money

Utterly blown away, I stood there and watched his leanly muscular shoulders and cute butt as he walked off and disappeared in the crowd. By then I needed the A/C in the worst way, so I rushed inside.

Flustered, I rushed to the tampon aisle and grabbed what I needed. As I stood in line, I pulled out my phone, wincing at the cracked screen. With a grin I couldn’t hold back, I texted Jackie.

Me: Girl, you wouldn’t believe the guy I literally ran into as I was going into Walgreens!

Jackie: Spill!

Me: Tall, dark, and handsome with the most spectacular storm cloud eyes. He was probably the cutest guy I’ve ever seen

Jackie: What??????? Pics or it didn’t happen

Me: I wish. Maybe I can get one if I see him again

Jackie: Do you know him? Did he come into the bakery?

Me: No, but I have his number *winky face*

Jackie: No. Way.

Me: ((Internal squealing))

Jackie: LMAO

I paid for my items and hurried back to the bakery. The front door was locked since we were closed, so I went around the alley and up the metal stairs that rattled as I practically raced up them. Out of breath and grinning ear to ear, I burst into the apartment that my grandma lived in above her bakery.

“Good heavens, child! Slow down! Is something chasing you?” she teased with a twinkle in her eye. She was sitting on the couch, watching one of her game shows. The aroma of baking pasta filled the room, and my stomach rumbled.

I barked out a laugh, still trying to catch my breath.

“You’re in a good mood for someone who’s on her period,” Nonna observed with suspiciously pursed lips. Her dark hair, threaded with silver, was pulled up in the tight bun she always wore. She narrowed her eyes as she studied me.

Going for my most innocent expression, I gave her a wide-eyed, big-toothed smile. “Eh, just talking to Jackie on the way home.” Not a lie.

“Hmm.”

“How much longer before dinner?” I asked, changing the subject. I wanted to take a shower to wash sticky summer and the bakery scent off. Not that it would last—I’d be back down there tomorrow. Good thing I loved it, but that didn’t mean I wanted to smell like a donut when I wasn’t working.

That night, when I went to bed in my mom’s childhood room, I pulled out my phone and stared at Vittorio’s contact information.

If only I was bold like Jackie.

“Sinematic(AcousticVersion)”—MotionlessInWhite

Present Day….

“Jesus, Mrs. Romano,” I muttered as I stared down at her pale form that nearly matched the white sheets surrounding her. Back from the signing less than three hours, and I was at the hospital.

“What do you want?” she muttered without opening her eyes. “Hoping I was dead so you could swoop in and steal my bakery?”

Despite the gravity of the situation, a huffed laugh escaped me as I sat in the chair by her bed. “If I wanted you dead, do you think I’d have Steve coming by every day?”

“Humph!” she huffed, and her lids lifted, allowing her dark hazel orbs to stare through me. As if I was a kid again, I fought squirming in my seat. “You’re lucky he’s pretty to look at, or I’d tell you to stick it up your ass.”

Her daughter was paying for the nurse to stop by once a week. She didn’t know he checked on her every day and I was paying for the rest.

“Why weren’t you taking your meds?” I asked.

“Because they make me piss nonstop, and I have work to do,” she snapped.

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