“I told him to clear out while you’re working so he don’t upset you anymore,” Michael said, thinking he was doing Letty a favor.
“I’m fine, Michael. It’s okay. It’s not Miles’s fault.”
“I want you to feel safe in my house.”
I would if you stopped killing people at the drop of a fricking hat.
“Okay, Michael. You should get some rest.”
“No rest for the wicked, babes,” he said, trying to sound cool.
Groan.
“So they say,” Letty replied. “I’m at my dad’s now. I’ll see you tomorrow at noon.”
“If you need anything,” Michael began. “Anything at all… Call me.”
“I will… Goodnight,” Letty said as she hung up the phone and dropped it into her bag. As she looked up, her father was giving her a strong glare.
“He realizes that you’re not an orphan, right?”
Dropping her head into her hands, Letty began to roar with laughter at the look on her father’s face.
“Yes, Dad. He’s just protective. Very, very protective.”
Juan Alves wasn’t laughing though.
“Letty, you listen to me.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“The Capadonnos… they can be very generous… and charming… and fun… but their protection comes with a cost. They are very dangerous people. Even Miles.”
“Not Miles, Dad… You don’t know him like I do.”
“He’s a Capadonno. That’s all I need to know.”
“All right, enough on Miles. Did you decide on dinner?”
“I really can’t have take-out?” Juan whined.
“No,” Letty said firmly.
He is going to eat a decent meal if I have to force feed him.
“Oww…fine! What about that cheesy chicken rice thing you make?”
“With the bell peppers and fresh salsa?” Letty asked.
Of course he’d pick a meal that takes over an hour to make.
“Yeah!” he said excitedly.
“Okay, I’ll be back. Do you need anything else?” Letty asked, just trying to help the old guy out.
“A pack of smokes.”
“You need to quit. No better time than the present!” Letty said with a wicked grin.
“What?” her father complained.
“You heard me!”
As she turned to leave, Letty’s cell phone vibrated again. Landon’s sweet face popped up on the screen. Opening the text, Letty’s heart raced as she read the message.
“They have him in the war room.”
Letty’s heart hammered in her chest as the reality of the situation kicked in. She tried not to show her father how freaked out she was. Giving him a final glance, Letty opened the front door and swung it shut behind her as her father called out, “Be careful, Letty!”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“IS LETTY OKAY?” Sasha asked as Miles strolled back through the front door.
Miles nodded. “Yeah, she’ll be all right. Seeing me again just brought up a lot of old feelings and memories, I guess. Why was she here anyway?”
“Letty is Dad’s nurse, Miles,” Sasha explained.
As Miles looked up at his father, he received a ferocious glare from the old man.
What the fuck is his problem?
“Leave her alone! You did enough damage to her!” Michael screamed at Miles.
Oh, for fuck’s sake. The old man has a crush. This is too funny for words.
“No can do, old man,” Miles said as his face was painted with a sly smirk.
“I swear to God if I have to hire a new nurse, I’ll fucking kill you!” Michael spat at Miles with rabid eyes.
He’s really quite the charmer, ain’t he?
“Nice to see you, too, Pops!” Miles said as he glared at the old man. He was even more off balance than Miles remembered. “If you haven’t scared her off by now, I sure as hell won’t.”
Interrupting the pissing contest that was brewing, Sasha darted across the room towards Miles with outstretched arms. Wrapping her arms around her brother’s neck, Miles’s sister hugged him tight.
It feels strange for Sasha to be hugging me. She wasn’t necessarily a mean older sister… just distant. Preoccupied. She was never the motherly type. Maybe, with Mom being gone and me being away, Sasha had to take up the role. Then again, she was a mother herself, these days.
Breaking her grasp, Sasha looked up at Miles, her bright hazel eyes inspecting his face as she cupped his cheeks with her hands.
“So good to see you, bud…” Sasha said to Miles as a smile creased her pretty face. Miles leaned in and kissed Sasha on her left cheek.
“You too, Sash… Where’s my niece?” Miles asked.
Sasha smiled. “At a playdate. I’ll bring Arianna around tomorrow.”
“You better…” Miles said in a somewhat threatening tone.
Sasha knows it’s all in fun. I do really want to meet my niece. Kids love me.
“Dude…” Dustin said, barging right into the conversation.
Slapping hands with Miles, Dustin gave him a big smile.
“How’s it hangin’, man?”
“Low and heavy,” Miles replied, earning himself a slap on the arm from Sasha.
Dustin laughed at Miles’s comment.
At least someone appreciates my humor.