Page 31 of The Agreement

“And again, you have no one watching you! Did you let them go again? Where are they, they should have called me, Valentina!” She shot off the ground, her eyes wide, the shaking still clear but her hands were clenched tightly as if she was trying not to punch him, her anger over the whole deal and him pushing her onward at the moment.

“I didn’t dismiss them, Giovanni, I learned from the last fucking time! My dad called them back home!”

~ Chapter 25 ~

Vinny blinked a couple of times as he stared at Valentina, his anger deflating like a balloon, all the air gone, at least towards her. Why would her dad call them to come home when he knew his daughter was out? And he knew he couldn’t be mad at her enforcers; when the Boss calls, you answer and you don’t ask why. Vinny let out a breath and walked over to Val to hold her but she pushed him away, her eyes glaring at him.

“Leave me alone Giovanni,” she whispered, stepping away from him. His brow wrinkled as he watched her walk over to Joey who wrapped his arms around her.

“Do you know why her dad would call them?” Vinny asked him and Joey shook his head.

“No, this is news to me. I knew he was upset last time so I can’t see why he would do this.” Vinny watched Val, his gut twisting at the sight. Family or not, it should be him holding her and comforting her, not Joey.

“Val, have you ever had anything like this happen before?” She shook her head at Vinny’s question.

“No one has ever come after his daughter Vinny. You and I, we probably have lost count of how many times a gun has been pulled on us and fired but for her, things like this don’t happen. She’s not sheltered from our world; she’s just not a part of it like that.”

“I don’t think I would want my daughter to be either,” Vinny said as he walked up behind Val, his hand reaching out for her. “I’m sorry Valentina.” Her eyes met his and she swallowed hard before she left Joey’s arms and came to his. “Frankie?”

“Yeah, boss.”

“Do we have a free man?”

“You got me,” Frankie said, knowing what the question meant and Joey glanced at Frankie, sizing him up, and then Joey looked at Vinny.

“I agree,” Joey said with a nod. Val pulled back as she looked at the three men.

“What are you guys talking about? What do you want with a free man?”

“Your dad never should have done that; he should never have pulled the men off of his greatest and most precious gem. I can’t trust your dad to take care of what’s mine it seems, so the enforcers you have are no more. When Joey gets home, he will tell the men they have a new job. And Frankie here, well, you know how much I trust him, will be the new man at your back.”

“I don’t like this Vinny. I know my dad has been upset with me, but he wouldn’t put me in harm’s way. This just isn’t like him, and I don’t like it.”

“I’ll go home,cugino(cousin), and see what I can find out. Maybe your dad just thought you were done with lunch and he thought you were safe.” Valentina turned her gaze to Joey and frowned.

“You were at the meeting, you saw how angry he was, has he said anything else to you?” Joey glanced at Vinny and saw the man stiffen. Joey tried to hide his smirk but the narrowing of Vinny’s eyes told him that he hadn’t hidden it too well.

“No, he hasn’t. I’ll take Luciana home, let Vinny take you home. One of us can get your car to the shop and fixed, okay?” Val nodded but she wasn’t satisfied. Joey and Vinny shared another look before Joey took Luciana’s arm and led her to his car.

“Come on Valentina,” Vinny said, leading her to Frankie’s car. He climbed in the back, pulling Val down on his lap. “Frankie, call someone to come pick up her car please, and have it taken to my shop.” Frankie nodded and got on the phone, calling one of the guys.

“I’m sorry Vinny.” Vinny rubbed her back as he looked at her.

“Why are you sorry?”

“Because I didn’t call you. But I knew how upset you would be and how you would think it was my fault, given the last time.” Vinny shook his head, his lips grazing softly over the top of her head. He could feel that the shaking had stopped and he was grateful for that, for he was about to bring it up all over again.

“Yeah, well, given everything I’m not sure I would have called me either.” She gave a light laugh and he cracked a smile. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sorry for that behavior.”

“No, don’t be. That was your first time being chased and shot at, those are very frightening things; don’t downplay it.” She nodded and finally looked at him.

“Are you going to ask?”

“Ask what?” He was confused by her question and that caused her to smile even more.

“Ask what happened.”

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