"Emilio," Giovanni says with a smile. "Come join us. Ernesto, can you get another chair please."
"You wield a wicked hammer, Nichols. I don’t imagine you dirty your hands often, but then again, that motherfucker let that cunt Carina get up close and personal with your girl," Emilio says, taking a seat next to Giovanni.
Ernesto and Damian have their guns trained on Emilio, who chuckles.
"Seriously, guys. If I’d wanted any one of you dead, you already would be."
Giovanni nods and they lower their weapons.
"I only need one question answered and you’ll have my protection," Giovanni tells Emilio.
"Only one?"
Giovanni nods.
"Alright. What’s the question?" he asks.
"Why are you protecting Serafina and Luciana?"
"I could bullshit you and say Sera’s blood and by marriage Lucy’s family, but I’m not real big on bullshit. It stinks and it’s messy. No matter how much you try to avoid it, you end up getting some on your shoe."
I nod in agreement.
"They saved my life."
"What?" I ask.
"They saved my life. When we were little. We were playing in the sand down by the beach even though we were told not to, but even at that age of maybe seven or eight, we’d been taught how to shoot, stab, and fight—girls and boys. We saw him and it was too late. I had the girls run and I pretended to trip so they could get away. I don’t know who he was or whatever happened to his body, but both Sera and Lucy came back through the floral landscape, each holding a gun. The man laughed. They both fired at the same time. To this day they say they both shot him at the same time, killed him at the same time, and it’s how they’ve been able to sleep all these years. Taking that life together, to save me, is how they can still sleep at night. Although, now, I think Sera would enjoy killing Carina very, very much. I look forward to watching that happen."
"Well then," Giovanni says, not quite knowing how to respond to that.
"I love those girls like they’re my sisters, Giovanni. When they ordered the hits, I knew I had to take responsibility and fuck it all up for them. They’re wanting to kill those two innocent women to show you they can and will continue to hurt your family until you allow them to bring their drugs and trafficking of children and women through your territory. It’s beyond fucked up. I can’t stop them but I can help you try," Emilio tells us, laying his cards on the table.
I nod. Giovanni looks at Emilio some more, then nods.
"We no longer deal in drugs and we have never nor will we ever condone human trafficking in our territory. Fucking Manzinis have no morals," Giovanni scoffs.
"They think being mafia gives them the right to act however they want," Emilio tells him.
"I’m mafia and I will never allow this to happen," Giovanni says with a slam of his fist on the arm of his chair. "You and Serafina need to change your last names. You don’t belong with the Manzini name."
"Sera’ll be getting that name change soon enough," Damian says with a smirk.
"Fuckin’ A right she will." I pause and sigh. "Just as soon as we find her."
Emilio laughs. "Dude, she sure is a spitfire."
I grin. "She is," I agree proudly. "And just as soon as we find her, she’s going to be my wife."
"You’re going to have to lay down the law, Mr. Nichols."
"Call me Cage. Seems you’ve become family in a matter of minutes."
"You know better."
I nod. I do. We already knew about Emilio. We also knew he’d been standing behind us for a good thirty minutes before he made his presence known.
"Maybe I can help with what I’ve seen work on Sera as far as getting her to cooperate," Emilio offers.
"That’s going to take an act of God," Damian jokes.
"No shit," Ernesto agrees.
"Nah," Emilio says, "it won’t be easy but it won’t be that difficult either. You can shoot me if this doesn’t work."
I nod. "I think I will."
He smirks and, God above if he doesn’t remind me a bit of Xander right now. "Here’s what I’d do..."
THE NEXT DAY WE GOT a lead on Sera and had more than ten disloyal men dead. Two days later we found her, and seven more traitors were removed.
An hour after we saw Carina’s threat to Sera on video, we’d put a security detail—a discrete one—on Carina.
"She continues to try to fuck us over," Damian tells me.
"I know. She can’t. Everyone’s been told. She gets nothing. She gets nowhere near the financial accounts," I assure him.
"How is that going to fly without her getting suspicious?" he asks.
"We’ve made it seem as if there’s a glitch in the system, blocking personnel with certain codes from gaining more than entry-level access. It pisses her off to no end, but she can’t do anything about it."
"Are you going after Sera?" Damian asks.
I nod. "I leave for the airport in ten minutes."
Damian smirks. "You’re going to have a hell of a time."
I smirk in return. "Actually, I don’t think I will."
He lifts a brow. "How’s that?"
"I think I finally figured out what she needs to take that final step."
"Yeah? What’s the secret?"
"Control."
"Say what?" he asks.
I just chuckle and Damian shakes his head.
"Good luck, brother."
I nod. "Contact me with anything vital. Otherwise, don’t—because I’ll be busy."
"I just bet you will," Damian chuckles.
My plan is set in motion. Now, all I have to do is get there, and Sera where I need her.
Sera
Human by Christina Perri
Wasted by Carrie Underwood
Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer
FIVE GLORIOUS DAYS in paradise. I snort. That’s such bullshit. The beauty is lost on me. Everything is lost on me—I’m lost. I already miss him. The texting. The phone calls. The touches. The kisses. The smiles. That smirk—oh, I miss that smirk. His scent. But most of all I miss the illusion of love he had me believing so completely.
"We’re done for the day," Carmine, one of the assistants, tells me. "Are you heading to the beach?"
I shake my head. "No. Once I chisel this putty off my face, I’m going to find the hammock outside my bungalow and try like hell to take a nap."
He nods. "I heard Luther bitching about the circles under your eyes."
"Luther is a prima donna who needs to get over it. I hate working with that asshole. If he has to put any effort into his job, he does nothing but complain," I say with a roll of my eyes.
"That’s the truth. You be sure to give Spenser my number, girl. That man has some serious moves."
I let out a laugh. "I’ll be sure to do that."
I turn to head to the trailer to wash my face and I swear I smell him. I close my eyes and imagine Cage standing there. I inhale again and reality sets in. That wasn’t Cage. He isn’t here. It’s all bullshit. A farce. And I fell for it.
After removing the makeup, I head down the path surrounded by tropical plants and flowers and wish I could see anything but black and white right now—but there is no color in my life anymore. Without Cage the world is gray.
Damn it, if I don’t smell pine again. I need to stop thinking of him. It’s seriously fucking with my mind.
I reach my bungalow and drop my bag inside, put on a pair of yoga pants and a bikini top, throw my hair up into a messy bun, and grab my sunglasses and ebook reader before heading out to the hammock.
I ease myself onto the swaying net and lie back, letting a breath of relief escape. I’m so fucking tired. I’ve gotten a handful of hours of sleep in the last couple of weeks and it’s wearing me down big time.
"Miss Sera," the young server approaches.
"Hi Javier."
He smiles and bows slightly. Such a sweetheart. "Can I get you anything? A beverage? A fruit plate, perhaps?" he looks a
t me knowingly.
I sigh. He’s been trying to get me to eat since I got here and I keep denying him. This time, I won’t. I’ll force myself to eat. Maybe then I’ll get a peaceful rest.
"You know what? That sounds wonderful, Javier. You bring me something wonderful and refreshing and I promise to eat every bite," I tell him with a smile.
"Excellent. I’ll be back shortly, Miss Sera."
"Thank you, Javier."
"It is my pleasure."
I smile slightly. It’s not much and I only seem to do so with Javier. He’s been trying so hard to take care of me. How can I not be happy with him around?
I turn on my ebook reader and pull up the latest from Harper Bentley. I fell in love with her writing with El and Jag and now she’s brought me the hotness that is Gable. He may be an asshole, but he’s a hot asshole.
A little while later, Javier returns with a tray of food, juice and soda. I sit up in the hammock and Javier pulls a table close to the side, resting the food on it.
"That looks delicious," I tell the good-looking server.
"I brought you fresh fruit, fresh heavy cream for your berries, some bread and some of this dipping mix our chef is famous for. He assures me you will enjoy your snack."
"I’m sure I will. Thank you so much."
I try to tip Javier but he’s not having any of it.
"No, no, Miss Sera. It’s already been taken care of," he tells me with a smile.
I frown. "But—"
"Enjoy," he says, bowing slightly, and walking away.
Strange, but since when has anything in my life been normal? I take the glass of juice and the soda and set them on the table, then heft the tray of goodness onto the hammock with me. I read and feast and drink until I’m full. Carbs and fruit—my favorite.
When I’m finished, I set the tray back on the table, and lay back with my book. It isn’t long before I drift off to sleep.
"Serafina," mama scolds.
I look up. "What’d I do mama?"
Her arms are crossed and her stance is rigid. "You didn’t listen to your heart as we told you."
"I did, and look where it got me," I sass.
"It got you where you belonged. Your stubbornness and constant need to run away from anything that scares you got you here," she admonishes.
"Mama, you don’t know—"
"Oh, I know. I know all of it. I also know you didn’t give him a chance to explain, now did you?"
"Explain what, exactly? That he thinks the worst of me? That he thinks I’m going to sleep around when my heart belongs to him?" I yell. Oh, God. I yelled at my mother.
I needn’t have worried; she yells back, "Didn’t you think the same thing of him?"
I bite back a scathing retort.
"Well, didn’t you? I’m pretty sure you did."
"It was the truth," I bite out.
"Was it? Don’t you think that, just as he did with you, appearances could have been deceiving?" mama questions.
"No. I know they were together at least once."
"Do you know the circumstances?"
"I don’t want to know the details, mother," I tell her smartly.
She scoffs. "No one is telling you details, merely circumstances. You might want to find those out before you go judging him in a way he didn’t judge you."
"But he did—"
She shakes her head. "Tell me when, exactly. When did he judge you? Was it when you were pregnant and didn’t tell him? Was it when you were pregnant and he knew about it, thought it could possibly be Ben’s baby but loved you and that child so much he didn’t care? Or was it when he held you all the way to the hospital, pressing the towel between your legs, trying to stop you from hemorrhaging to death? Maybe it was when he told you he loved you and asked you to be his wife. His wife, Serafina! Out of all those circumstances when did Cage Nichols once judge you?"
"But he thought—"
"Ah, he may have thought it was possible, but he never accused nor did he judge you for it," she reminds me.
I bite my tongue, feeling more than a little ashamed of my behavior.
"If you’re going to love him, Sera, you’re going to need to trust him."
"I do."
She shakes her head, her long hair blowing in the breeze. "No. Not the way you need to when you love someone."
"I love him with all that I am, mama, but—"
"Stop." She holds up a hand then points a finger at me. "In love, there are no ‘buts’."
"Oh mama," I sniffle, then I start to cry. Hard, body shaking sobs.
"Why would you believe one word that witch says to you?" she asks.
I sigh. "I’m afraid."
She nods. "I know you are. It’s time you admitted it. Now tell me why."
I shrug and continue to sob against her shoulder.
"Tell me why, Serafina," she coaxes softly.
This is my mommy. I can tell her everything I’m afraid to admit to myself and know she’ll help me through it. I take a steadying breath.
"If I let myself love him completely, trust him completely—what if something happens to him, mama?"
"Oh baby girl, nothing is going to happen to him."
"You can’t know that."
She nods. "What if something did happen to him? Wouldn’t you rather spend the time he’s here with him, loving him, being happy and building memories with him than being at odds and fighting what you already know you both want and need?" she asks, pulling me into a hug.
"Oh mama," I sob.
"There, there, Serafina. Trust in your heart, trust love, trust Cage, and most of all trust yourself. You always know who is worth your trust and who is not. It’s your gift. Use it," she whispers. "Trust it."
I nod against her shoulder. "I know I need to. But mama—"
She presses a finger to my lips. "No. You save your questions for him. He knows the answers and I think it’s time you asked him for them, don’t you? Isn’t it time to stop dancing in circles around each other and start walking in a straight line?"
I nod and she wipes my cheeks. She smiles softly and brushes a loose strand of hair off of my face.
"I must go."
"So soon?"
She nods. "Be ready," she tells me, then disappears.
I open my eyes and the sun is starting to set. I look around. Javier must have come by and picked up the tray and while he did, he covered me with a thin blanket.
I need a shower and then it’s time for dinner. Javier is right. I need to start eating. If it’s anything like my fruit and bread tray, I’m all for it.
I’M STEPPING OUT OF the bathroom after sweeping my hair up in a clip when there’s a knock on the door.
I open it to find Javier.
"Javier, what can I do for you?"
"You look beautiful. Are you ready?" he asks.
I look down at my white gauzy sundress and wedge sandals. Nothing fancy.
"Am I ready for what?"
"The gathering on the beach. Dinner is ready for you," he tells me, ushering me out the door.
"My purse—"
"You will not need it," he says and starts walking.
"But—"
"Come, Miss Sera," he instructs with a wave of his hand and I hurry along to catch up to him. He’s walking so fast down the path, every couple steps I have to run a little.
"What’s this about, Javier?" I ask.
"We are almost there."
"Almost where?" I ask as he steps into a clearing a good half of a city block ahead of me.
"Here," he pronounces with a soft smile and a sweeping of his arm.
"I’m not sure—" I’m stunned speechless by the sight before me. There’s a table for two surrounded by candles in the shape of a heart with a bungalow in the background and a cabana off to the side, music playing softly—the perfect romantic setting.
I frown. "I think you’ve mistaken me for another guest," I tell Javier, but notice he’s already gone.
"No, there’s n
o mistaking you for anyone else, Fee."
I gasp as Cage steps out of the shadows wearing white pants in the same fabric as my dress, the material rolled up to just above his ankles—and that’s it. No shirt. No shoes. My mouth goes dry. Then it clicks. How the hell did he find me? And what the fuck is he doing here? Where’s his Carina?
I say nothing but I cross my arms over my chest.
"Nothing to say to me, Serafina?"
I say nothing when I have so much to say.
He doesn’t smirk as he steps forward, coming toward me slowly, with a predatory gleam in his eye.
"I think there’s so much you need to say to me, Serafina. Why don’t we start with why the fuck you ran again," he tells me harshly, standing a mere foot away from me.
"I don’t have to explain myself to you."
"Now there’s where you’re wrong." My head snaps up and I meet his gaze. "I’m tired of you telling me what you think needs to be done. Now, let me tell you what needs to be done."
"Who do you think—"
"No. I gave you a chance to speak. You chose not to, so now you’re going to listen," he tells me, stepping closer, his chest all I can see. He tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "No more bullshit, Fee. This time we lay the cards on the god damn table—every last fucking one of them."
Whoa. He’s seriously pissed. Cage doesn’t swear like this unless he’s hit a limit. Apparently I’ve pushed him to it, but he’s pushed me there too—well, no. Carina did.
"You don’t—"
"I will put a gag in your mouth. Don’t test me. My patience, every last bit of it, is fucking gone. Do you know why, Sera?"
I shake my head and swallow hard.
"Because once again you’ve run away."
I open my mouth and he raises a brow. I close it and he nods.
"Have a seat."
"I’d rather stand."
He shrugs. "Suit yourself." He takes a seat in one of the chairs and pours himself a glass of champagne. "Drink?" he asks.
I nod and he fills the glass. I walk over to the table and pick it up, then perch on the end of the chair, ready for anything, because Cage has never taken this tone with me before and I have no idea what it means.
"You left—again—after an altercation with Carina... before clarifying with me anything she said to you. How many times does this make?" he mutters aloud. I don’t think he wants me to really answer so I don’t.