I didn’t like this. At all.

On the one hand, I didn’t want to see Ricky again and even if all the evidence was stacked against him, he was crazy enough to fight it. That would stink.

It would also likely mean I couldn’t move to Crete or I’d have to come back.

On the other hand, everyone in that room knew what Vito meant by “disappear”. Which would mean if I picked choice number two, I was worse than Ricky Balducci. It would mean I truly was my father’s daughter. I wasn’t New Sadie. I’d never be a New Sadie of any kind. I would be Seth Townsend’s daughter and that’s who I’d stay, forever and ever.

I uncurled from Hector and my eyes turned to Vito.

“Please take him to the police,” I said.

Hector’s arm got tight around my shoulders.

Dom muttered a frustrated, “Fuck.”

Ren expelled a heavy breath.

Vito nodded.

“I knew she’d pick that,” Dom muttered. “We should have –”

Vito interrupted in a low, warning tone, saying, “Dominic,” but I was surprised Dom knew my choice even before I did.

Dom fell silent and Vito turned to Ren. “Make the call, tell the boys.”

Ren nodded to his uncle and walked to me. Regardless of Hector standing there, he leaned in, kissed my cheek, moved away, pulled his cell out of his pocket and left the house.

Dom, Vito and I looked at each other.

No one spoke.

I decided it was time to move on to a happier subject that didn’t involve the Balduccis, my rape or anyone getting whacked. My gaze focused on Dom.

“I hear Sissy’s pregnant,” I told him.

Sissy was his wife. They’d had some hard times and were separated for awhile but, word was, they’d got back together and were starting a family.

Dom stared at me, still angry at my decision then his face went soft and he muttered, “Yeah.”

“Congratulations,” I told him on a smile. I’d met Sissy a few times though I didn’t know her well she always struck me as being really nice.

“Life!” Vito exploded, making me jump. “Up and down, good and bad, birth and death, celebration and devastation. If you got any balls at all, you roll with the punches and get the f**k on with it, pardon my French.”

My eyes moved to Vito, he was watching me and I could swear (no kidding!) I saw admiration.

That’s when I realized he thought I had “balls”.

I felt another warm, happy glow starting when Vito clapped and then put his hands up in front of him.

“We’re through. I gotta get home. Angela worries.” He made a move and came to me. Hector let me go and Vito gave me another hug. When he moved away, he looked at me. “She told me to tell you she wants you to come to dinner. She’ll call. Bring Chavez and a big appetite. My wife, she cooks, it’s what she does,” he finished.

Oh my.

Dinner with Vito and Angela Zano.

Before I could wrap my mind around that thought, Vito looked over his shoulder and jerked his chin at Dom. He clapped Hector on the arm and took off.

Dom followed. He didn’t clap Hector on the arm but gave him a chin lift, shot me a weird look (still clearly upset at not getting to help Ricky Balducci disappear) but he put up a hand to squeeze my shoulder. Then he took off too.

Hector locked the door behind them and turned to me. “You okay?” he asked.

Without hesitation, I answered, “I’d give my trust fund to be living a life where every other second you aren’t asking me if I’m okay.”

He bit his bottom lip and again I didn’t know what that meant, if he was trying to bite back a smile or hide his frustration. He walked to me, close to me, and his hand hit my neck, fingers sliding up into my hair, thumb at my hairline.

“That day will come,” he promised quietly.

My toes curled and my knees went weak at the look in his eyes. So weak, I had to grab onto his waist to stay standing.

His head bent and his lips touched mine.

Then his head moved a hairbreadth away and he said, “Let’s go to bed.”

Chapter Fifteen

Severed Edges

Sadie

I woke again to a cold, empty bed.

I laid there (my head on one, measly pillow) and allowed myself a lovely, snugly, warm moment at waking up in Hector’s bed before I threw back the covers and I replayed my actions of the morning before. This time, I had to put my pajamas back on (so I did, with the addition of Hector’s flannel shirt) and, with my stuff there, I added brushing my teeth and washing my face.

By the time I hit the stairs, I heard men’s voices coming from the kitchen.

I rounded the stairs and saw Hector through the kitchen door.

He wasn’t in nightclothes, he had on jeans and a tight, black t-shirt but no belt. His feet were bare and his hair was wet which meant he’d been up long enough to shower.

Now, how did I sleep through that?

Seriously, this was getting weird. I never slept through anything.

Maybe it was all the sex.

I saw he had a coffee cup in his fist and his eyes were on someone who was talking but they cut to me when they caught me rounding the stairs.

Even from the distance of across the living room and kitchen, I saw his eyes go lazy and his mouth form a small grin.

At his look, my knees went weak.

Last night, after the Zanos left, we didn’t go to bed to sleep. We went to bed and he made love to me (yes, for the third time!).

The first time had been amazing.

The second time, “working up to it”, meant slow and sweet and even more amazing.

The third time, mostly (but obviously not totally) sated, Hector had taken his time, it was clear he felt like exploring and he did. What he didn’t feel like was allowing me to explore, so he didn’t. His undivided and prolonged attention produced an orgasm unlike any I’d ever experienced in my life.

Amazing didn’t do it justice.

The word to do it justice hadn’t been invented yet.

On this thought, I walked into the kitchen but I did it on shaking legs.

Luke Stark was there, as was Native American Hottie, or who I knew now was Vance.

I walked straight to Hector.

This might have been rude. Perhaps I should have gone to Luke and Vance and offered my hand. Hector seemed in a mellow mood but even though these guys were pretty badass, the whole Hot Bunch/Rock Chick crew was a rather huggy lot. I didn’t want Luke or Vance to hug me in front of Hector. They were his friends but who knew what Mr. Mood Swing’s response would be and, after what happened yesterday morning with Ren, I wasn’t taking any chances.