Page 23 of Righteous Enforcer
He waits for me to continue, but I focus on helping Mirabella wipe ketchup from her hands. The silence stretches between us until he breaks it again.
"And what brought you to New Jersey?"
I sigh, unable to find a way out of this. "The Russians took me."
His entire body goes rigid. "When?"
"Three months ago." I try to swallow away the terror the memory brings back. "I managed to escape. We've been running ever since."
His jaw tightens. "What did they want?"
I shake my head. "Please, Adriano."
"Eva—"
"I can't." My voice breaks, and I hate myself for the weakness. "I just can't."
Adriano leans back, studying me, making me feel exposed, vulnerable. "You're going to trust me with your life, but not with the truth?"
"I'm asking you to let it go."
He laughs without humor. "When have you ever known me to let anything go?"
Never. That's what made him both wonderful and terrifying.
Mirabella tugs on my sleeve, her small voice a welcome interruption. "Can I have ice cream?"
"Not today, sweetheart." I brush a strand of hair from her face. "We need to go soon."
He leans forward, and I see the man many people fear. “Don’t think you’re running away again. Not until I have answers.”
I bristle at that. “Are you here to kidnap me too? How did you even find me?”
He sucks in a breath as he glances at Mirabella. “I was compelling a Bratva soldier to tell me what he was up to when he shared a tidbit he thought I might like to know.”
I understand his statement to mean he was torturing a Bratva soldier.
“I nearly cut his tongue out for lying and yet, I had to know. Turns out he was right. Now it's your turn. Why is the Bratva after you?”
“Not now.” I glance at Mirabella, hoping he’ll take it to mean I don’t want to explain in front of her.
I’m not sure he believes me, but he backs off and eats his burger.
When we finish, Mirabella tugs on my sleeve. “Where are we going now, Mama?”
“You’re coming with me.” Adriano’s voice is firm, brooking no argument.
Except, I’m not an innocent doormat anymore. “We need to find a new place?—”
“The man's house?" she asks innocently.
“Yes,” he says. “I’ll keep you safe from the bad men.”
I wonder if he thinks endearing himself to her is the way to get to me. But that’s not why I’m wavering on running.
The truth is, I’m weak and tired, and it's true that we’re safer with him, at least at the moment, than without him.
And then there’s the fact that despite the years apart living alone as a single mom, I never stopped loving him.
