Stepbrother's Debt(18)
Climbing behind the passenger seat, she waited for Donnie to get in the car. Jake gave her a quick smile before turning back to face the front.
“Where’s the other two?” she asked, referring to Tonio and Luiz. The four friends were rarely separated, and it was a shock to see them alone now.
“They’ve got business to handle.”
She shuddered. One night she’d heard commotion outside of her room, and she’d sneaked a peek into the corridor between her room and Donnie’s. She’d seen all three friends covered in blood. Without speaking to them, she’d closed the door to give them privacy. She didn’t have much longer and she’d been free and clear of The Family, of Anthony, and of her mother.
The past year hadn’t made the pain of losing her father any easier to bear. She’d learned to channel her pain into her studies. When she was with Donnie she didn’t feel her father’s loss as hard. It was strange for her to find friendship in a man she still considered scary as hell, and attractive.
She still didn’t know for real if he’d try to kill her or not. Paige figured she’d try not to make him chose between killing her and letting her live.
“Jake, I want Paige and me to eat alone when we get to the restaurant.”
“I already arranged to have a seat to myself. Don’t worry, I’m not going to be sharing this with you.”
Donnie nodded, and Paige frowned. Okay, something was seriously up if Donnie wanted to eat together, alone, away from his friends.
“What’s really going on? I know you, Donnie.” She didn’t know everything about him, but at least she knew enough, or at least, she hoped she did. Biting her lip, she wished she hadn’t brought it up.
“It’s something I’m going to talk to you about in the restaurant.”
She didn’t push. There was no point. Donnie would tell her what she wanted to know in his own time. No one pressed her stepbrother. God, she hated thinking of him as her stepbrother, but then life did suck at times.
Sitting back in her seat, she enjoyed the small view she got of the city before they arrived at the Italian restaurant. She loved Italian food, and she’d shared this love with Donnie many times over the last several months.
Climbing out of the car, she received a glare from Jake and an even bigger glare from Donnie. She didn’t care. Her life was never at risk no matter what people said.
They entered the restaurant with Jake walking behind them.
Donnie said his name, and they were shown to a private table in the back. They passed a couple of celebrities, but no one talked to Donnie. He’d taken her hand as they left the car, and he only let her go after he helped her into a seat. His jacket opened, and she spotted the gun tucked away.
Gasping, she pulled back instinctively.
“Don’t be afraid.”
“Kind of hard not to. You’re packing like there’s danger all around.” She reached for the menu, for anything to do with her fingers. There were sparse moments when she was around him where she completely forgot about him being part of The Family.
“There is danger all around, Paige. I’ve been trying to warn you about it.”
Opening up the menu, she bit her lip trying not to think about the real danger. “I’m not part of that world.”
“Are you really that stupid?”
She glared at him, wanting to snap his head off at his rude comment. “No, I’m not. I’m nothing to The Family, remember? I’m an outsider.” She heard him sigh.
“You can’t be that naive.”
Paige stared at him over the menu. “When I finish school in a couple of months, I’m going straight to college. I won’t have anything to do with you or with The Family.”
Donnie sat back and chuckled. “You really believe that, don’t you?”
“What’s not to believe? Everything is in order for me to leave.”
He was smiling as he leaned over the table. “Have you heard from the college recently? What about your dorm accommodations? You’ve not even gone for an interview.”
Paige frowned. He was right. She hadn’t received anything else from her college. Donnie opened his jacket pulling out a letter. “Have a look.”
She took the letter from him, sliding it open. Reading through the words, tears sprang to her eyes. “What the hell is this?”
“This is confirmation that your slot for the college has been revoked. My father saw fit to make sure you weren’t going.”
“Why would he do that?”
Her future was shattering all around her.
“Because, if you like it or not, you’re part of the family.”
Chapter Five