Page 59 of Because I Need You
Petra rolled her eyes. “Well, he may have been the only one, because we certainly didn’t.”
She went over to the door and opened it. I felt the cool air and smelled the outdoors and nearly fell to my knees. He had a rooftop? All the way up here? I mean, in the elevator, there were only seventeen floors, which put us on the eighteenth, technically, so it wasn’t the tallest building ever, but still, it was way up. The outdoor area was smaller than I anticipated, but it felt perfect. It was just big enough for a barbecue, a small pergola, a couch that fit about four people, and two lounge chairs. There was a table between the seating area that had to be custom, the way it was. The parameter was surrounded by tall, see-through planes that reminded me of the that time we took a field trip to the Empire State’s observation deck. Definitely not tall enough that anyone could climb or go over.
“It feels safe.” I said. Petra nodded beside me. “Does he barbecue?”
“If he does, I’ve never seen it.” She shrugged. “Joey or Nadia could tell you. I hang out, but I like to hang out with my brother and his family on my day off.”
“I get that.” I smiled. “Are you from here?”
“Southside, baby.” She smiled proudly.
“How’d you end up working for him?”
“You mean, how did a skinny black girl from southside end up working for a Masseria?” she asked, raising a brow. I nodded, because yeah, that was exactly what I meant. “He picked me off the street.”
“What?” I blinked.
“My brother and I were pick pocketing near one of his clubs. We were tired as hell and hungrier than hell, and Gio saw us steal some guy’s wallet and gave us jobs.” She shot me a look. “Not important jobs. John washed his cars. I filed papers at the club. Shit like that.”
“Does your brother still work for him?”
“Oh, yeah. He’s in New York. He oversees some of his businesses over there.” She gave a small smile. “I know all of this is a lot, but Gio really takes a chance on people and when he says he’s in, he’s all in. No one, especially his father, wanted us here. Most of the old guys, they only want full Italian lineage, which is understandable, but Gio’s not that, and he doesn’t try to be.”
“Maybe that’s why he hires people from so many different backgrounds,” I said. “I mean, forget background, you’re a woman. And Nadia? That’s pretty different, from what I’ve seen in the movies, anyway.”
“Yeah, this is nothing like the movies.” She laughed. “Well, maybe a little.”
She didn’t explain what that meant, and I didn’t ask. I was grateful she’d shared that with me, even if it did leave me feeling more conflicted than I already felt.
25
ISABEL
Giovanni never came home last night. I didn’t know why I was expecting him to. I knew even less why I’d been so disappointed that he didn’t. I meant it when I told him I wouldn’t let him touch me. I’d already given him enough. He couldn’t have every single part of me just because he damn well pleased. Besides, him touching me again, fucking me again, it would only complicate things more when it ended. My feelings were already more involved than I wanted them to be. I got out of bed and went through the motions before I headed to the kitchen. Joey and Petra were there, finishing up whatever they were eating.
“Joey made pancakes,” Petra said. “Eat at your own risk.”
“You said they were good.” He frowned at her as he set his fork down.
“They are good.” She smiled at him, and the moment he lowered his head, she widened her eyes at me like they weren’t.
I bit back a laugh and went into the kitchen, brewing myself a coffee pod. As I waited, I turned to face them. “I have to go to my father’s house. To finish packing up. When do you think that can happen?”
“Tomorrow,” Petra said. “We’re going to do one more sweep to make sure no one has gone back or is staking out there.”
“Okay.” I could wait until tomorrow. I looked around. There was enough for me to do here to entertain myself. “Can I have my coffee up on the rooftop?”
“Of course,” she said. “We’re only here to protect, not hold you hostage.”
I stared at her.
“Okay, fine, we’re also kind of holding you hostage.” She started washing the dishes. “But it’s for your own good.”
“Yep. I got that part.”
I took my coffee, toasted a bagel, spread cream cheese on it, and headed up stairs. Out there, I felt free. Maybe it was the wind or the smell of the city or the fact that I felt weightless. It was probably the combination, but I felt free. I knew I wasn’t, of course, but I’d learned long ago that you could trick your mind into believing anything, so I was sticking to this.
