Page 78 of Mafioso's Muse

‘Your’—she swallowed—‘business.’

He slowly closed the distance between them. ‘You came herealone?’

‘It’s a short walk.’

‘Youwalked?’

She nodded, barely.

He sucked his teeth and looked away briefly. ‘Did he hurt you?’

‘No.’

He went to reach for her arm, then changed his mind when he caught sight of the blood on his hand.

‘Why were you hurting that man?’ She tried to bring some volume to her voice when she asked the question, but it still came out weak.

He closed his eyes. ‘Jesus, Willow. You really shouldn’t have come.’

‘Tell me what he did that would make you… do that.’

‘We’re not having that conversation.’

Willow looked around the room, feeling cold suddenly. ‘I knew, but I didn’t… know.’ She smiled awkwardly. ‘I realise how ridiculous that sounds.’

‘Seeing it is different.’ His eyes never left her. ‘Seeing it isreal. Sometimes what I do isn’t pretty.’

She looked down at his bloody hands, then shook her head. ‘I can’t…’

‘Can’t what?’

‘I can’t see that. Be around that.’ She was backing away from him as she said it.

His brow furrowed. ‘Of course you can’t. You were never supposed to see it or be around it.’

She stopped walking. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Vaughn pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘I told you from the beginning?—’

‘You did. You really tried to tell me, and I didn’t listen.’ She couldn’t quite draw enough breath. ‘This is my fault.’

His hand fell to his side. ‘Willow?—’

‘It’s true. You were being responsible and considerate and real, and I stupidly thought that with time, I could steal you away from this life.’ She shrugged. ‘There, I said it.’

The coldness in his stare began to melt away. ‘The problem is, you think that me and this life are separate entities, but we’re the same. I’m the life. The life is me.’

She blinked, and a tear escaped. ‘I need to ask you something.’

He waited.

‘Did you and Antonio get released this morning because you were innocent or because you’re part of the Merit Group?’

Vaughn looked up at the ceiling. ‘Why the hell would you ask me that?’

The image of his fist hitting the man’s face at full force flashed in her mind again. ‘I should go.’

His gaze returned to her. ‘Finn’s out front ready to take you home.’ There was no request for her to stay and talk anything out. The conversation was over.