Page 119 of End It All

It was worse than that. Honestly, it would feel empty.

"So, you've made up your mind."

"Cesare..."

"It's fine. I have a meeting to get to."

He hung up and I pulled my phone away, staring at it. Was it just me or did he sound a little hurt? Maybe I was reading into it. Benito would tell me I was nuts, that Cesare didn't have an ounce of emotions like normal human beings did, but I wasn't so sure. Yeah, he was an asshole, but there had been a few moments where I'd seen something in him. The possibility of getting to know the man that I had longed for my entire life seemed tentative now.

Had I just destroyed any chance I had of that?

I quickly pushed that thought out of my head. Cesare would have to wait until another day. Right now, I had to take care of something. I dialed Harlow and he picked up after a long stretch of time.

"Youngest Vitale," he said. "What's up?"

"I need your help. Can you drive me somewhere?"

"Where's Quincy?"

"Asleep," I said before I opened the door and peeked into the apartment. He still hadn't come out. “I might have encouraged him to smoke his body weight in weed. And take two edibles. There might have been a cookie involved too.”

"Uh-huh," he said. "And what are you up to that you're whispering right now?"

I groaned. "It's important. Can you just come grab me?"

Harlow sighed. "Fine, but you'll owe me."

"Deal."

Harlow had parkeddown the street from me. I glanced over my shoulder as I jogged to the car and slid inside. As soon as I locked the door, I looked at him. "Drive."

"Drive where?"

"Just go," I groaned. "If that psycho finds out I'm gone?—"

My phone rang and I didn't even have to look to know who it was. "Hey."

"Don't ‘hey’ me, baby girl. Where the fuck are you?"

"I thought we were taking off and doing whatever we wanted these days," I said.

"You little." He sighed, and I just knew he was trying to keep his cool. It made me smile. "Where are you?"

"I'll be back soon."

"That didn't answer my question."

"Move my morning blowjob to when I get back."

"Blake, I swear to god, if I have to track your ass down..."

"I love you too."

"What?"

I hung up, my heart pounding as I shoved my phone into my pocket after putting it on Do Not Disturb. When he'd said it before, I hadn't been prepared, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew the truth. I really was in love with him. And telling him like this, it just felt better. Easier. If I did it in person first, I might have never gotten the words out.

"You two are toxic as fuck," Harlow said, swirling around a lollipop in his mouth, the candy clicking against his teeth. "Now, seriously. Where to?"