Page 69 of Never Say Never

"Paolo, are we going to have an issue? If you can't handle this, I'll call the other one and have him do it."

Gin and Dad were a volatile mixture. One I was certain Benito didn’t want happening.

"No, I have some free time."

"Good, have it done tonight. I'll have the locations sent over to you." Dad hung up without so much as a goodbye, not that I ever expected one from him.

I checked my phone again, like I'd done so many other times while York was out of the office. Still nothing. At some point, my expectations were going to be shattered, and I wouldn't hold out anymore.

Fuck it. I changed my clothes, going for a more Gianpaolo style; all black with a bit of skin showing. I grabbed both phones and headed out the moment I was ready. I needed something to take my mind off of York. I thought about him while I ate, as I slept, and every waking moment. There wasn’t a second of rest, even in my own head.

I was supposed to head straight to the docks in Manhattan, instead I found myself at the one place I shouldn't be. I swore to myself I wouldn't come back, that yesterday was my last time. But like an addict, I needed to get my fix, even if it was at a distance. I parked my car and rode the elevator all the way to the top floor of the building. I'd purchased one of the other penthouses under an alias.

Not smart, but this whole thing with my boss wasn't exactly my finest hour in the first place.

I let myself in, walking across the empty space. I hadn't bothered to furnish it. The only thing in the room was a fold-up chair, a telescope, and a TV dinner table to hold my laptop. Hacking into the security cameras at York's high rise building shouldn't be so easy when they paid so much money.

Adjusting the telescope, I sought out the one man who couldn't so much as send me a damn message. One night, he had his dick down my throat, the next, I couldn’t get a text back. Granted he started acting strange after getting shot, but my bedroom skills had to excuse some of it. Why couldn't he be more like me and keep work and what we had going on separate? I knew we were enemies, but I didn't treat him any differently.

"You better not be working late." I checked my other phone. I told Hunter to text me if he left work and York was still in the office. Playing it under the guise of being worried about the boss they all bought it.

Paul: Boss man still working?

Summer: No, he left a little after you.

He did?

Hunter: Looked a little panicked

Jamie: Pretty sure his arm hurt.

Hunter: Told him he shouldn't have returned so fast.

Kim: You know how he is.

My phone continued to go off, but I ignored them. I grabbed the telescope and closed one eye as I looked through it. I knew the places by heart now where I'd see York and the girls. I held my breath, searching. The light in the living room was on. The couch was empty but that wasn't unheard of.

Curls bounced in my line of sight, and I went still. Nyra twisted around in what looked like some interesting dance move. Navy came running from the other side, going down on her knees in what looked like an epic guitar solo.

Seeing the girls dissipated some of the anger that rattled in the middle of my chest. It came flaring back along with something else the moment York stepped into the living room. He was smiling at the girls before they went over toward him and started jumping around.

I could be right there.

How many times had I thought that? I wanted something that would never be a reality for me. I watched them for another hour before York put the girls to bed. Like many nights, he grabbed his laptop, plopped on the couch, and started working.

The man needed sleep and proper rest but I doubt he knew what it meant. Three weeks of leave and he hadn't done much but pace around the penthouse. Someone like York needed to be in the office.

"Pick your phone up and call me."

Was my boss going to call me? Fuck no. Was I mad about it? Yes! As I watched, Shelly came into view and sat across from him, talking as he nodded along.

The burner in my pocket buzzed and I fished it out. I reluctantly looked away from York to see what was up. My father's message was cryptic but I got the gist of it. I fixed the bad wig on my head and put on some sunglasses. I took one last look at York before heading out.

Paul: Say it

I didn't expect a text back, and honestly I wasn't going to check for one. But the moment my phone chimed, I had it out. Other cars on the road be damned.

York: Say what?