Page 120 of Trapped
Santino stepped closer, his hand gently tilting my chin so I had to meet his gaze. “Want me to kick everyone out?”
“No, I’m enjoying myself. It’s just strange to be liked by so many people.”
“You brought Luca back.” Santino threaded his fingers through my hair, stroking me. “And you made me look really good in front of the boss.”
“Oh yeah?”
He nodded slowly. “Getting him back scored me major points.”
“You’re welcome.”
Santino chuckled. “You’re becoming pretty popular with my family.”
“I thought they’d be wary of me.”
He shook his head, still smiling. “Not even close. You’ve earned their respect. My mom can’t stop talking about how brave you are, and even my hard-ass uncles are impressed. They see you as someone willing to stand up for what’s right, even when you had to abandon your family.”
“They weren’t much of a family.”
“Yeah, but still. It’s impressive. You’re tougher than half the men here,” he teased, pulling me closer. “And they all see how much you mean to me. What you’ve done for Luca. That goes a long way with the Costas.”
I smiled. “I guess I didn’t think I’d fit in.”
“You fit in better than you realize. And you’ve done something for us that no one else could. Giving Luca back to us is something none of us will ever forget.”
“Huh. Does that mean my debt to you is wiped clean?”
He smiled. “You think you can get rid of me that easily?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Well, considering everything, I’d say I’ve more than paid my dues.”
He chuckled. “Maybe so. But since you’re carrying my kid, I’m not going anywhere. In fact,” he leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear, “I’m going to be in your business even more. So you better get used to the attention.”
My heart fluttered. “Oh, great. So now I’m stuck with you?”
“Damn right, and just to make sure you don’t forget it…”
He pulled back and reached into his pocket, producing a small envelope. He handed it to me, grinning.
“What’s this?”
“Open it and see.”
I tore it open. Inside was a set of keys and a small card with a note written in Santino’s bold handwriting.
For Retro Rose Boutique. It’s all yours, Delilah. Now you really have no excuse to leave me. Love, Santino.
“You bought me a building?”
Santino nodded, his gaze steady on mine. “Pulled a few strings, called in some favors. It’s on Newbury Street. Prime location. Bigger space, too, about twenty-five hundred square feet. You’ve got room to expand and add whatever you want.”
“When did you even have time to do this?”
“I’ve been working on it since the fire. I didn’t want you to worry about it, so I kept it under wraps. Everyone pitched in—my brothers, uncles. They all wanted to help.”
“They did?”
“You’re part of us now. We take care of our own.”