Camden
I’m hungover as hell when I wake up in Kendall’s bed, and I barely remember the night before. I know that I should stay in bed with her, wait until she wakes up, but I can’t remember what I said to her.
I know it must have been something stupid, because of the way I was feeling when I left Dante’s office.
My head was spinning and I felt like I needed to see her, needed her viscerally, the way you need food or water to survive. I know that I said something that might hurt her later, when I tell her that I didn’t mean it.
They say in vino veritas, which means in wine, there’s truth, but is that true? Did I mean whatever I said to her last night?
Can I face her now?
My plan is to play dumb, pretend like nothing ever happened.
“When are we going back home?” Elora asks when I walk down to the kitchen. “I’m worried about Mama.”
“I hired someone to help around the house and I’ve been calling her,” I defend, but I know that isn’t enough. Our mother won’t tell us when she’s not well, and then she’ll just injure herself trying to cook and clean around the house even with help. I know that we need to check on her, but I can’t even think about leaving Dante’s.
I’m worried that the second I do, something will happen to Kendall. And no matter how I feel at the moment, I can’t imagine something happening to her and the baby. It would kill me.
I’m starting to remember bits and pieces of last night, of cupping Kendall’s face and looking into her eyes, seeing the scar on her cheekbone and seething.
I need to know she is safe. I have this deep need to protect her and the baby, especially now, and to make sure nothing happens to her, I’m going to go after Marco Barone.
Today.
I stalk into Dante’s office as soon as I see him awake.
“You look like you’re on a mission,” Dante says, looking down at his phone.
My burner phone dings and I look down at it. He’s sent me a few addresses.
“That’s the best I’ve got,” he says. “And as you see, they’re all in the underground. I can’t promise you how many men he’s got now that he’s gotten in with Fabio Rizzo.”
“I know,” I tell him. “Thank you.”
Dante sighs and reaches around his neck to hand me the key he always wears, ever since his father died.
“This is the key to the armory. Take what you need.” He groans, “Angelo, too, although tell him not to steal them.”
I grin. “No promises there.”
“I know,” Dante grumbles. “But still.”
“I appreciate this, Dante,” I say.
“I’d go with you if Mia wasn’t so close to giving birth-” he starts, and I cut him off.
“I know that, capo. You stay here with your girls. And watch over mine.”
“Kendall, too?” Dante asks with a raised eyebrow, and I take in a deep breath.
“Kendall, too.”
For better or for worse, I know that my feelings for her are stronger than just like. I don’t know what love is, but after last night, after a night of imagining her with someone else and then making love to her, making her mine, I know that whatever love is, I might be feeling it.
And I’ll tell her that. As soon as I take out Marco Barone.
“I’ll watch over them,” Dante says, not pressing me, and I’m grateful.
I call Angelo on my way downstairs.
“You ready to go?”
“With bells on,” Angelo drawls.
“I’ll pick you up,” I tell him, and then hang up the phone.
Then I hear a voice call out, “Camden? Where are you going?”
I turn around to see Kendall standing halfway up the staircase.
“Principessa,” I murmur, my eyes fixed on the scar on her cheek. She seems to notice, putting her hand up to her face, and I catch her pretty eyes instead.
“What’s the rush?” she asks, yawning. “It’s early.”
I swallow hard, wondering if I should tell her or not.
“I’m going after Marco Barone,” I say finally, not wanting to lie to her, and her hand goes to her mouth now.
“You can’t do that,” she says quickly, descending the stairs with her hand trailing along the railing. “You’re not doing that.”
“Somebody has to,” I say, heading to the armory. It’s in the back of the house, hidden, but Kendall follows me nonetheless.
“Camden, we need to talk about this,” she insists. “I’m safe here. Dante’s keeping me safe.”
“You won’t have to be kept safe if I take him out,” I say simply, taking out some hardware from the armory. I pick out a nice little automatic for Angelo, knowing he’ll never give it back.
I throw everything into a duffel bag and Kendall’s just looking at me, her eyes wide and shining.
“You can’t,” she sobs, following me to the door, and I turn around to look at her, putting a hand on her arm.
“It’s gonna be okay, Kendall,” I tell her. “Don’t worry, principessa. I’ve got this. I’ve got you.”
She hitches in a breath and watches me go, and my heart aches that I didn’t kiss her goodbye but I don’t think I’d be able to leave if I had.