“I don’t care how it looks. I care that she’s safe.” I lean forward slightly. “Which means the family leaves her alone. No more looking. No more orders. She’s off-limits.”
“You’re vouching for her.”
“Yes.”
“With your reputation. Your position in this family.”
“Yes.”
The calculation is visible. Sal weighing costs and benefits, loyalty and risk, the value of pushing against me versus letting this go. “If this blows back on us.”
“It won’t.”
“If she’s playing you.”
“She’s not.”
“You seem certain about a woman who put you in a courtroom.”
“I am certain.” I hold his gaze. “She’s not a threat. She’s mine. And the family protects what’s ours.”
We stare at each other. Two men who’ve known each other long enough to know when the other’s bluffing.
I’m not bluffing. I’m lying, there’s a difference, but I’m not bluffing.
Finally, Sal picks up his pen. “Fine.” Dismissal. “But Dario. If I find out she’s not what you say, if she’s feeding information to anyone, if this comes back to bite us, I’m not asking permission. Understood?”
“Understood.”
I leave before he can ask questions I don’t want to answer.
Enzo’s still in my kitchen when I get back.
He’s eaten nothing. The wings sit unopened. The cookies untouched.
He’s just sitting there. Staring at the note.
“It’s done,” I say. “Sal’s backing off.”
He looks up. Eyes hollow. “She’s still gone.”
“I know.”
“I don’t even know where. What city. What name.” His voice cracks. “She could be anywhere.”
I pour two drinks. Set one in front of him. Take the other. “Her Marshal relocated her. Professional job. New identity. New city.” I take a sip. Let it burn. “She’s safe. That’s what matters.”
“Is it?” Enzo finally picks up his glass. “She’s safe but she’s alone. Starting over. Again. With no one who knows who she really is.”
I think about the unlocked door. The schedule I gave her. Tuesday and Thursday. Wednesday for when she wanted to see me. Wednesdays that never happened because she had someone better.
“She’s not alone,” I say quietly. “She has us. Even if she doesn’t know it yet.”
“How?” He looks at me. “How does she have us when we don’t even know where she is?”
“We’ll find her.”
“How?”
