Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Still weeping, I reach across the table and close my hand over the top of Pauly’s large knuckles.
Joey
“Sophie?” I bang on her door again and curse. My gut already tells me she’s not there. And I fear I know exactly where she is.
Dear God, let her not do something crazy. I remember the pistol I left for her and want to punch my own teeth out. If she took that gun and Pauly sees she’s packing…well, I have no doubt who would win any battle between them.
I get in my car and peel out. I make a quick sign of the cross. Mary, Queen of Peace, please let her be unharmed. Please don’t let her do something stupid. Don’t let her get herself killed. Please.
I arrive at Pauly’s in record time and jump out, running to the front door. I pound on the wood with my fist, my heart in my throat. I wait only five seconds before I circle around to the back and bang on the kitchen door.
Pauly opens it and takes in my expression of doom. “First Sophie, now you knocking on my door, huh?”
I can’t breathe.
“Come in. It’s all right—she hasn’t shot me yet.”
Oh, thank fuck.
I follow Pauly in and literally sag against the wall with relief at the sight of Sophie. She’s sitting at the table, her eyes and nose red, used tissues balled up all around her, but very much alive. Relaxed, even.
“We’re just talking.” Pauly’s voice is warm.
“Hey, Joey.” She stands, and I snatch her up into my arms.
“It’s okay. Everything’s okay. Pauly told me what happened.”
“He did?” I see the handle of my pistol poking out from her jacket pocket, and I whisk it away to remove the bullets with one hand. “You scared the shit out of me.” I tuck the pistol in my waist band and massage the back of her head.
I’m still recovering. My heartbeat still marching too fast.
“I’m sorry. I know. I’m sorry.”
“I’ll take you home.”
“My car is here. But I was just leaving.”
“I’m taking you,” I growl.
“Okay, bossman.” Sophie pulls away from me to hug Pauly as if something meaningful passed between them. “Thanks, Uncle Pauly.” She kisses both his cheeks then hugs him again.
He gives her an awkward pat on the back but appears pleased.
“I’ll be right behind you,” I tell her.
When the door shuts behind her, I blow out my breath and eye Pauly warily. “I didn’t tell her. I swear to you, Pauly.” I run a hand through my hair. “But it’s my fault she put it together.”
Pauly looks at me and shrugs. “It’s okay. I’m glad she came over,” he admits. “Her old man’s ghost is the one that haunts me the most, you know?”
“It was an accident, Pauly.”
Pauly nods. “Yeah, I think she might understand that.” He glances at the door Sophie just went out. He looks at me with grim assessment, and I stand tall for it. “So what are your intentions with her?” he demands.
Unexpected. Unexpected, but damn sweet. I love that Pauly’s looking out for Sophie.
I keep my expression solemn. “I’m totally serious about her. She’s not that serious about me, yet, but I’m working on it.”
“Yeah?” He narrows his eyes. “Are you good to her?”
“I’d do anything for her.”
“You’d better. Because you fuck that girl over, you’ll be answering to me.”
It’s so endearing, I can’t help but grin. “You standing in for her dad?”
Pauly lifts his chest as if it’s a role he’d be honored to fill. “That’s right.”
I hold out my hand and when Pauly takes it, pull him in for a man hug. We pound each other’s backs. “Thanks for talking to her. I think she needed it, you know? She never got over his death.”
Pauly’s face sags. “Yeah, me neither.”
Sophie
I wait for Joey in the passenger seat of his car, the scent of his cinnamon gum wrapping around me like a blanket.
He strides out, expression impassive, but his long legs eating up space on the way to the car.
He takes the pistol from his waistband and puts it in the glovebox with the bullets but doesn’t say anything when he gets in, just starts the car and pulls out.
“Am I in trouble?” The idea sort of excites me. Punishment at Joey’s commanding hands. Especially now that this heavy weight that’s been lodged in my body since my dad’s death has come free and is splintering away in large chunks as I sit here.
Joey turns a speculative gaze on me. “Yeah, baby. You’re definitely in trouble.” He reaches over and pulls my head toward his lips to drop a kiss on the top of it. “You scared the hell out of me.” He squeezes my nape.
He loves me. I hadn’t bought all his smooth talk up until now, but his expression was absolutely terrorized when he burst into Pauly’s, and the way he sagged against the wall, pale and exhausted, told me everything. He isn’t the sort of man to show fear—not to anyone. But tonight I saw real fear. And it was for me.