Ignite You: A Second Chance Mafia Romance (Cole Brothers Series Book 0)

by Diana A. Hicks

  “Need any help?” I chuckled.

  “No. I’m fine.”

  Jess ambled down the hallway, rubbing her small bump. What did Dom think of babies? The thought crept into my head out of nowhere. I smiled at my wine glass. Babies were a plan I hadn’t considered until now. The idea had seemed so foreign before…

  The grandfather clock over the mantel struck midnight, and I jerked in my seat. Jesus. How did it get to be this late? And where the hell was Dom? I sauntered to the window and peeked out into the driveway. My chest tightened. I tried not to think of what Dom’s delay could mean.

  Vic flashed his headlights. Did he want me away from the windows? The guy’s heart was in the right place, but he was going a bit overboard with his Jason Bourne tactics.

  I grabbed my sweater off the chair and headed outside. The nanosecond I opened the front door, he jumped out of the car.

  “It’s better if you stay indoors.”

  “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? Dom wanted you out of the city because he was afraid Mickey might try to grab you. Best way to twist his arm. I agree.”

  And now I felt like an idiot for not asking the question before. Vic wasn’t into sugarcoating bad news.

  “Shouldn’t he be back by now? I mean, how long does it take to tell Mickey to fuck off?”

  “I can see why he likes you.” He chuckled. “I didn’t think he’d make it here tonight.”

  “You’re right. He may not want to risk being followed.”

  “That’s not what I meant, Ms. Prado.” He raised both eyebrows. “You don’t know Mickey like I do. Think about it a minute. What does your gut tell you?”

  The crushing pain that gripped my chest when Dom crossed the lobby doors rushed back. How would Mickey convince him to go back to him? By threatening my life? If I’d survived Levi, we could survive Mickey. Didn’t Dom know that? I met Vic’s gaze. No, Dom wouldn’t know that we could make this work because ever since we reconnected, all I could talk about was how much I wanted to be free. To live without fear.

  “That’s right. Against his better judgment, that boy loves you. Dom may be a lot of things, but he’s never been selfish. As long as he’s with Mickey, you’ll be safe. Just so Mickey doesn’t get any ideas, I’ll be staying with you.”

  “I can’t accept this. You need to go back and talk to Dom. Tell him I’ll go anywhere with him.”

  “His orders for me were to stay with you. Until he says otherwise, that’s what I’m gonna do.” He shrugged and climbed back into his SUV.

  If this man had been responsible for raising Dom, I could see why Dom was as stubborn as he was. I stomped back into the house and headed straight to Jess’s room.

  “What are you doing?” Jess closed the door behind her.

  “Looking for something to wear. Do you have a pair of jeans I can borrow?”

  “Take anything you want. I’ve been living in yoga pants lately. The rubber band hack isn’t doing the trick anymore.” She laughed, rubbing her belly. “Is something wrong?”

  “No. Why?” I pulled on the satin ribbon on the side of the dress and let it fall to the floor before I hopped into Jess’s skinny jeans.

  “No reason, other than my well-trained gut. What’s going on with your hot lawyer?” She sat on the bed and fixed her gaze on mine. The look in her eyes reminded me that Jess had been raised by the same woman as me. Our guts were never wrong. She knew. I couldn’t lie to her.

  “Dom is in trouble. He thinks I need a knight in shining armor.”

  “Oh, that’s sweet.”

  “You know it isn’t. It’s dangerous. God knows what his foster dad has planned for him.” I donned one of Jess’s T-shirts. Since I left the hotel, I’d had this hum in my chest. Because of Dom, I ignored it, but now I knew I was wrong to let Dom’s feelings for me lull my senses. We should’ve stuck together. I should’ve told him I loved him.

  “Foster dad?”

  “It’s a long story. For now, I need to get out of here.” I tossed my dress on the bench by the bed and headed out.

  “Emilia, stop.” She gripped my wrists outside her door. For a preggers lady, she sure was fast. “Think about what you’re doing. From the beginning, I got the feeling Dom wasn’t your average lawyer. He might be one of the good ones, but that doesn’t mean that you can butt into his business. It never ends well. And you know that.”

  “He needs my help. It’s my fault he’s stuck with Mickey. He doesn’t want to be there. He should be here. With me.”

  “He made his choice.”

  “It’s the wrong choice.” I yanked free and darted toward the kitchen to grab my purse. How the hell was I going to get past Vic? Out in the living room, Mom sat in the recliner near the window, with her hands folded on her lap. Crap. Vic got to her already.

  “You can’t keep me here.”

  “Vic explained what happened tonight. Don’t you think you have enough troubles of your own?”

  “What did Vic say?”

  “That we’re free.”

  “What?”

  “Dom worked out a deal with Mickey. Vic says that as long as Dom stays with his family, you and I are free to do whatever we want. Levi is no longer a threat to us. Emilia, this is what we’ve been waiting for all these years. To finally be able to live our lives without fear.”

  Yes, this was what we’d wished for year after year. I never once thought about the price I’d have to pay. “I don’t want this life without him.”

  “Oh, sweetie. I believe you, but do think that’s what Dom would want for you? He’s giving up everything so you can have what you always wanted. Don’t be ungrateful and throw it all away.”

  “You’re okay with this? We walk free while he’s stuck in his worst nightmare. Mom, don’t you get it? Dom spent years trying to stay away from that place. Now because of me, he’s trapped.”

  “It was his choice.”

  There was that word again. Dom had no choice at all. What the hell are they thinking? “It was the wrong choice.” I turned on my heel and swung the door open. Vic stood on the other side, leaning on the doorframe. He met my gaze, both eyebrows raised as if asking where are you going?

  “Lovely. Twenty-eight years old, and I’m still being told what to do.”

  “This isn’t just about you, Ms. Prado.” Vic stuck his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “Let the boy be.”

  “Is that it? It is, isn’t it? This whole time you’ve been biding your time waiting for Dom to come home.”

  “Dom has a talent that, in my humble opinion, he was wasting as a lawyer but that choice was always his.”

  “Choice? How in all that is holy is this a choice? All of you.” I spun in place to find Jess standing behind me. “Stop staying this is a choice. It isn’t. Far from it. This is nothing more than another one of Mickey’s fucked-up mind games. Remember? That’s why Dom left to begin with.” I faced Vic.

  “We can stand here until we’re both blue in the face, but two things will not change. Dom is with his family now. And you’re not leaving this place.” He reached inside and closed the door.

  I ran both hands through my hair and glared at Mom. Of course, she and Jess would jump at the opportunity to get their lives back. In all honesty, I’d be doing the same if it weren’t for the small fact that an innocent had to pay for our sins. Wasn’t that how it always went? I didn’t appreciate being on the giving end. This wasn’t who I was.

  “Are you two ready to make a home here in Sedona?”

  “Home is wherever you are, Emilia. As long as you’re alive. I won’t ask for anything more.” Mom sat back in her chair and exchanged a meaningful look with Jess.

  “I have to think of the kids.” Jess rubbed her belly again.

  What was I supposed to say to that?

  My gaze flitted between Jess and Mom. This wasn’t how I was going to make them see reason. Or rather, this wasn’t the way to help Dom. I strolled past Jess standin
g in the middle of the hallway and went into the room where Dom had stayed just last week. No one had bothered to change the sheets or make the bed. The room stood exactly how Dom had left it with the covers rumpled on the footboard.

  I lay on the bed and buried my face on his pillow and screamed. His scent had vanished. It’d been too many days for it to still be here. Four hours and I was already missing him like crazy. I missed the way he filled the room and all the empty spaces in my life.

  So this was it? I was finally free from Levi. The shadow the cartel had cast over our lives for the past ten years was no longer there. I’d pictured this day so many times. Not once did I imagine I’d feel worse than before.

  Dammit, Dom. Why did you have to sacrifice yourself for me?

  It wasn’t fair for him. It wasn’t fair that I didn’t get more time with him.

  I turned on my side and brought the covers over my shoulder. Bringing my knees up toward my chest, I balled my body tight, shivering under the cool sheets. My eyes fluttered closed and all I could see was Dom’s beautiful body, the ink on his chest and the intense blue of his eyes. Not fair. The words floated in my mind. Not fair.

  Mom deserved to finally live without fear. Jess had her kids. I had no right to expect them to understand or help Dom. Vic was right. This was Dom’s choice. Here was the thing, though. Dom didn’t have all the facts when he made that choice. He’d assumed I would want a life without him. And for a long time, I’d assumed the same, but now that he’d left, now that I had a whole life without him staring me in the face, I couldn’t fathom spending my days with someone else—someone who wasn’t Dom.

  The anxiety crushing my chest finally let up. Hot blood rushed to my toes and fingers, warming me from the inside out. I unfurled my body with a loud sigh as I threw the covers aside. What the hell was I doing? Since when did I wait for anyone to come rescue me? Since when did I start doing as I was told?

  Dom had another thing coming if he thought he could just take off, tell me to stay put, and what? Sit still and be pretty? Mickey, Vic, and Levi could all go to hell. Dom belonged with me. I padded across the room and fished my phone out of my purse. I could text Dom and tell him I loved him, that he’d made a mistake submitting to Mickey’s will, but I already knew what his answer would be. He was doing this for my own good.

  No, I needed to call someone who would want to help Dom. I racked my brain to think of whom Dom could trust. Truth be told as much as Dom and I had in common, along with a deep connection, I didn’t know much about his life outside of our hotel suite. I knew he worked at a firm where he was almost partner because of a big account he brought with him.

  I squeezed my phone in my hand, trying to think of what account that was. Was it a communications company that his friend from college owned? He told me about that once when I asked why he’d moved to Phoenix.

  Pacing the room, I pictured Dom’s office and the many files he had on his desk. Wasn’t it based in Tucson? I tapped on the search engine on my phone and typed “communication companies in Tucson.” Several entries came back, but only one name stood out to me because I heard Dom mention it on one of his calls. Cole. I clicked on CCI and followed the links to the contacts page where I found a phone a number.

  The next morning, my heart beat fast when I dialed the number and ring after ring buzzed in my ear. On the fourth ring, a woman answered. “CCI, Derek Cole’s office. I can help you.”

  “Hi. I’m calling on behalf of Dom Moretti. Could I speak with Mr. Cole, please?” I had no idea what I’d say or how Derek Cole could help, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

  “Of course, I’ll transfer you.” The speaker went silent. She hadn’t asked anything else, which meant she knew Dom.

  “This is Derek Cole,” a voice boomed in my ear.

  26

  The Vortex

  Dom

  “There’s really nothing I can say to change your mind,” Cole said.

  It wasn’t a question. He knew me almost as well as Vic, minus the one little detail about my life. The part I had spent the last five years pretending wasn’t real. He sat in the upholstered chair in the living room of my hotel suite, ankle braced on his knee and his fingers stuffed in his blond hair. His gaze darted across the room as if the one word that could make me stay was written on the walls or the furniture.

  His gut was right. There wasn’t anything he could say or do to make me choose differently. Mostly because the choice hadn’t been mine. Or rather, this was no choice at all—Emilia’s life in exchange for mine.

  Yeah, no choice at all.

  “I’ll continue to manage your affairs if you’d like, but I understand if you’d rather go with someone local.”

  “I don’t want someone local. I want someone I can trust.” He stood, towering over me.

  I remained perched on the armrest of the sofa adjacent to his chair. A few more minutes and he’d give up. A few more minutes and this would be over. Then I’d be free to go. I rubbed the stubble on my cheek.

  Free.

  “Fine.” His piercing gaze met mine. “Maybe one day you’ll tell me why the sudden change of heart. If you gotta go, you gotta go. Gonna miss you, brother.”

  I let out a breath and rose to welcome his quick embrace. I swallowed the lump in my throat and knocked back the rest of my whiskey. “Believe it or not, I’m gonna miss you too.”

  For a moment, I considered telling him the truth. About the last friend I had, and the last woman I loved. I sauntered toward the door. He took my cue and followed me, his lips pressed together. He was pissed at me. It wouldn’t be the first time. In time, he’d get over it too.

  A light knock saved me from having to say more. The door clicked open and Valentina, Cole’s soon-to-be bride, stepped in. Cole’s face went from gloomy to bright and cheery. Jeez, the guy had it bad. He deserved this kind of happiness. Cole was one of the good guys. Valentina strolled over to me and gave me a quick hug. Three seconds was all Cole allowed before he possessively put his arm around her and effectively made her blush.

  “So, is he really leaving?” she asked, exchanging a meaningful look with Cole. I never understood couples like that. The ones who had their own silent language.

  I glanced at my shoes. I supposed I couldn’t say never. Emilia and I had that. No doubt it was why she never called after I didn’t show up last week. She knew where I was headed and why. She understood enough to let me be. I strolled over to the wet bar and poured myself another two fingers of whiskey before I answered her question. “Yeah, I’m really leaving.”

  She treated me to a bright smile and then faced Cole. “Two peas in a pod.”

  “What does that mean?” I asked.

  “Cole thought he could talk you out of it.” If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was happy to see me go.

  “Please don’t ruin your mascara on my account.”

  She chuckled, and Cole adjusted his belt. “We should go, honey. Dom has a lot of things to do before his flight, I’m sure. Call me when you’re settled in.” Cole slapped me on the shoulder.

  “Wait. Did you ask him?” Valentina braced her arm through his and stopped him mid-stride.

  Cole ran a finger down her cheek. “No, I was kind of waiting for him to change his mind.”

  With a one-shoulder shrug, Valentina turned to me. “Vic said you were headed to Paradise Creek for a quick visit. I was wondering if we could tag along. I wanted to talk to Nikki in person. I never got to thank her for helping us.”

  “Yeah, sure.” My gaze darted between the two of them. They meant well, but a two-hour drive to Paradise Creek wouldn’t be enough time to talk me into staying. To let her die. “I’ll meet you two downstairs.”

  Valentina stepped toward me and hugged me. “You’re a good guy, Dom.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Cole snaked his hand around Valentina’s waist and ushered her out of the room.

  The events of the past week came crashing down on me. My chest tightened and b
locked the oxygen to my lungs. I swigged from my glass until I swallowed nothing but air and then threw it across the room.

  Valentina was wrong.

  The door clicked again, and Vic strode in. “Car’s ready. Why are you letting them come along?

  I had asked Mickey for two weeks before I made a permanent move back to Jersey. As it turned out, I only needed ten days to undo my life here. Also, if Emilia wanted to come here and do her best effort to make me stay, she’d done it by now. No, she wouldn’t’ve changed my mind. It would’ve been nice to see her one last time though. Coulda, woulda…fuck it. It was time to leave.

  “I couldn’t think of a reason why not.” I had more bad news to deliver to Nikki, but it had to be done. Maybe having a friend with me would make me feel less of an asshole. “Did Mickey send his plane like he said?”

  “He did better than that. Or worse, depending on who you ask.”

  “What did he do?” A myriad of scenarios flashed through my mind. Did he find her? “Where is she?”

  “Calm the fuck down. She’s fine. I told you that.” He rubbed the nape of his neck. “The Dragon Lady’s got her. She’ll be safe. I’ll head back over there when you take off. You’re in town for a few more days, right?”

  I nodded, and Vic let the bellhop in to collect Emilia’s luggage. I used the time to pour myself another drink. For some reason, I hadn’t wanted them to touch anything in her room, where she slept, where she ate, or the sofa where she finally dropped her Little Miss Proper act and showed me all her scars. That day, I’d finally understood this irrational connection I felt with her since the day I first laid eyes on her.

  The room went quiet again after the bellhop left. Vic poured himself a drink and sat next to me at the dining table. “He’s going to push you to the limit. You know that, right?”

  “I don’t give a shit. Only Emilia is off limits. He understands that.”

  “Dom. There’s only one thing he wants from you, and you know that. Are you ready?”