Slowburn

Chapter 66

        "What kind of man? What is it about my line of work that scares you? Is it that you think I'm going to kill you or hurt you? Because I can assure you that would never happen. Nor will Dante or my brother ever hurt you or kill you. So what beyond that scares you? Prison time? Baby, I have everything running smoothly and mostly legally. I've made this empire what it is, so I can confidently tell you no prison time would come anywhere close to you. Even if all the worst things happened and everyone was indicted. I would deny you knew a thing. Everyone would" he rambled out a longer answer than I anticipated. 

I sat up straighter. "You made this empire? Who do you work for? Does that mean...you're the boss?" I swallowed. I don't know why I didn't consider the possibility, but I didn't. I just figured they worked for the mob. Not run the mob. Does that make it worse or better? 

"I'm the boss," he nodded. We let that truth linger between us for a moment. 

"I don't know if that's supposed to make me fear you less or more...the head of a criminal organization...wow." I was genuinely perplexed. "But that's why I can give you such assurances because I'm in charge" he moved my ponytail over my shoulder, and let his hand slide down my arm.

        "I'm tired, Renzo. It's been a long two days" I sighed. I can't even begin to try and soak in all this madness. I need time to think. Again he noted the time. It's the dead of night and here we are with luggage and a heavy conversation. 

"Do you want me to stay?" He asked, shocking me further. I paused and my eyes darted around his face to try and read him. "You...you shouldn't" I swallowed. Before I would have been elated, but now I don't know how to feel about it. 

He snorted sardonically and stepped away from me so I could get down from the counter. 

        "I don't know what you fucking want from me. That's what you've been asking me for, and when I offer it you turn me down? Make me feel stupid for even fucking trying" he turned his back on me. Guilt filled me. "Renzo" I stepped forward. 

"Yeah, I know I get it. I'm in the mob. You hate me. You wanna run away from this. I know, Kat" he shut me up. When he got to my front door panic hit my gut.

He was right. That was what I asked from him, and what I wanted, and now he's trying to give it to me and I'm saying no. Is he a different person or the same person just with new information added to what I already do know about Renzo? 

The image of him shoving that gun on a man scares the hell out of me, but then Renzo kisses me softly in my kitchen and I don't know what to think. 

        "Are you the guy who shoves a gun in a man's face or the guy who wants to hold me?" I blurted out. Renzo stopped with his hand on the door knob ready to open it. "I'm the man who would stick a gun in another man's face if he fucked with the girl I want to hold" he answered in a way that was inbetween. 

I opened my mouth but no words came out. Renzo was facing away from me, so I don't know what he was thinking. I guess my silence was shared between us for too long because Renzo opened the door and walked out. 

He offered to stay with me tonight and I didn't say yes.

-

        I woke up to the sound of knocking and because of my odd sleep schedule I was disoriented to what time it was or what day it even was. I was in Boston, then flew to New Orleans, then Renzo was in New Orleans and we were suddenly flying back to Boston. Knock knock knock. 

The sound brought my senses back to me, and I sat up in the bed squinting to see the clock. 3pm. I got out of bed and squinted my eyes even more when I walked out to the main room that was fully sunny from the bay window whose curtains I never closed.