Kon (Trassato Crime Family Book 2)(56)

Gian would have his little soldiers crawling up my ass like flies on shit. It would be virtually impossible to get Carmela alone any time in the near future. I wasn’t going to roll over and give up. I’d storm her fucking house with a gun and kidnap her if I had to.

“Kon. Kon! Wait up,” Evie called after me, her shoes squeaking on the white and green checkered linoleum floor.

“Not now, Evie.”

I picked up my pace, not interested in another lecture from Evie today. I got her message loud and clear. She hated me for not telling her the truth about our dad and meddling in her relationship with her ex. I accepted I hurt her, but she refused to allow me to make it up to her, and when push came to shove, she wouldn’t stick up for me. In my mind, we could mutually write each other off. I was officially done with her and she was done with me. I was wasting my time trying to get back into her good graces.

“Then when, Kon?” She tugged on the back of my shirt and I swatted her away.

“Never. How’s that sound?”

She staggered, her face pale, and her eyes glossy. “Why are you being like this?”

“Being like what, Evie? You don’t want me in your life, and I’m respecting your wishes.”

“Ugh. I’m the one who should be mad at you. I helped you, and you repaid me by throwing my duplicity in my husband’s face this morning. You should have been gone by now.”

I bit back all the shit I wanted to say to her. “I don’t turn my back on people I care about. Don’t you get it? Carmela was left unprotected last night. I couldn’t let her stay here alone.”

“Dammit, Kon, you need to let her go. This will never work between you two. You’re dragging this out for God knows what reason. Let it go. If you ever cared about me, you will walk away.”

“What about what I feel? What Carmela feels? Do you care about that? Or is this solely about making you and Gian happy?”

“Oh, right.” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t make me the bad guy. This is a game for you. Dad didn’t get what he wanted out of my relationship with Gian so you’re messing around with Carmela to make a point. You don’t love her.”

“You don’t know a damn thing, Evie. Maybe if you pulled your head out of your ass for a second, you’d realize the truth.”

“And what’s the truth, Kon?”

“I wouldn’t have come here last night or spent the last month sneaking around to see her and putting my life on the line if I didn’t love her.”

I turned my back on her and got out of there before she could rile me any further. I hadn’t been able to admit it to Carmela or myself last night, but it was the truth. The inevitability of losing her brought it all into sharp focus.

I loved her golden eyes, her sultry curves, her laugh. I loved the way she looked at me like I was the only person in the world.

I even loved our screwed up love story. I didn’t regret a single thing that happened between us except leaving her hospital room without confessing exactly how much I loved her because I wasn’t sure I’d get another chance, and I needed my sunshine. My solnyshka. She was the only good and pure thing in my life right now. Maybe ever.





CHAPTER

TWENTY-FOUR





Carmela



“Carmela, can you come downstairs? You uncle and your brother would like to talk to you.”

My face visibly wiped of the rage building in my chest over the past week, I made eye contact with my mom. From the minute the doctor released me from his care at the hospital, I’d been a prisoner in my home. Gian had guards stationed outside of our house and my door. He had confiscated my phone and my computer, and he refused to return them.

“I’m busy. Maybe some other day.”

“Busy doing what?”

I picked up the design magazine next me on the bed. “Reading.”

Sighing, my mom crossed the room and ripped the magazine from my hand. “Stop this right now. I won’t let this rift between my kids continue for one more minute. I can’t take it.”

“Then tell your son to stop treating me like I’m incapable of thinking for myself.”

“Oh, sweetie.” She settled on the edge of my bed. “He’s not. He’s worried about you. We all are. You could have been killed, and Gian doesn’t have a single lead.”

“Lucky me. Does that mean he plans to keep me locked away until he has answers?”

She pushed her hand through my hair, and it reminded me of being a kid again. She used to play with my hair until I fell asleep. I’d do anything to feel safe and loved like that again.

“It’s more than that. Gian doesn’t trust that boy to stay away from you. He’s not good for you, and your father, well, he’d roll over in his grave if he knew how you’ve been carrying on with him. He would never approve of a relationship between the two of you.”