I suck my lips between my teeth, shaking my head no when she looks at me for confirmation. “You have a stupid name! Why do you hate everything I love?”
He looks at me, blinking like he wants me to say something, but I have no idea what’s going on, so I stay quiet while petting the puppy. “I wouldn’t hate it if it wasn’t stupid.”
She gasps and Dylan drops his bone to flash his teeth at Andrea. I set the puppy down and pat his side, pulling his attention on to me. I doubt we need someone getting bit over an argument about dog names.
“I’d be careful, that dog is fucking mean.”
I look up at Andrea when he says it, about to answer when Beverly slaps his arm. “He is not! He just doesn’t like giant idiots like you.“
I rub his ears while they bicker, finding a spot under his chin that makes his tongue flop to the side. “He’s not mean, he’s just doing his job.” Andrea huffs at this and I laugh, continuing to pet Dylan’s head. “He’s a guard dog is he not?”
“He chases the made men around the fucking house. Everyone is scared of him.”
I shrug while patting his side before I stand all the way. “His house, not theirs.”
Andrea shakes his head, a quiet “Dog people are fucking weird,” mumbled under his breath as he walks away.
Beverly is staring at me, looking obnoxiously pleased that I took Dylan’s side. “We should be friends.”
I have no idea how to respond to that and thankfully I don’t have to because The Boss steps out of the house then, “Get the fuck inside, Wolf, and quit playing with the fucking dogs.”
I reach through the open window of the SUV and grab the folder I need, nodding to Beverly as I pass. “Nice to meet you.”
“Remy, I want him on my guard!”
The Boss frowns, shaking his head at her over my head as I climb the steps. “Absolutely fucking not.” His eyes drop to mine, watching me as I take the last few steps. “What the fuck did you do?”
“I pet her dog.”
He closes his eyes, lips pinching as he turns away. “Don’t you have your own fucking dog? Pet that. You might as well have asked her to be your best fucking friend.” He looks over his shoulder at me as I follow him to his office. “Do I need to threaten to break your legs or are you smart enough to stay the fuck away from my wife?”
I clear my throat, shutting the door behind us. “I can stay away from your wife.”
He sits behind his desk, leaning back in the seat like he’s already over this and we haven’t even started. “What do you have to show me?”
I place the folder in front of him, a nervousness gathering in my gut. He’s going to have one of two responses, and I hope it’s the one I want.
I watch him open it, tongue running over his teeth as he looks at all the evidence I have in there. There are time stamped pictures of Donatello with Olivia at the warehouse, screenshots of camera footage of Olivia at the clinics, her doctor name, dates of visits, and the last image of her leaving Donatello’s house, bump on display taken just yesterday. I see his face get more annoyed with every piece of information he turns over, slapping it all shut when he’s done.
“Does Delaney know?”
I nod, swallowing. “She came to me earlier about it.”
“How long have you suspected, and you didn’t tell her?”
His question throws me off guard, and I stumble, mouth opening and closing before I get anything out. “I’ve had eyes on him since Alabama, but I just recently learned about the pregnancy.”
“But you didn’t tell her. Even when you found out.” It’s not a question, but a statement. “Donatello knew what would happen if he broke her heart again.” He says it with anger, his jaw flexing as he grinds his teeth. “The fucking Puttana always has to make this more difficult than they need to be.” His eyes find mine. “Why were you even looking into this?”
I take a deep breath and fold my hands behind my back, pinching my fingers together to help me keep a level head. “I was already with Delaney in Alabama.” He raises his brow and I continue, watching the way he cracks his knuckles. “Donatello came and pulled rank, forced me to end things with her or he’d report that my job was compromised and have me punished for it. I knew I wouldn’t be able to beat him at his own game, so I had my own men watch him. I wanted to find anything I could that would rip him and Delaney apart. That’s how I found out about Olivia originally. He was fucking her while him and Delaney were on a break.”
He hasn’t said anything, just watching me with his dark eyes, tracking the little movements I make like a snake waiting to strike.
“Donatello Genovese doesn’t deserve your sister.”
He nods, clucking. “And you think you do?” The way he asks, tells me he isn’t completely sure he thinks I do.
“I do. She’s the most amazing, talented, and beautiful soul I know. But she’s also selfish and greedy. She wants everything she can’t have, takes everything without care of the consequences and loves so deeply that any blow is catastrophic to her heart.” I blink, wetting my lips. “I see her like no one else. I want her like no one else. I’m who she runs to when the world is too much because I’m the only one who understands her monsters and accepts them as part of her and not the flaws everyone else deems them to be. I love her despite her greedy heart. Fuck, I love her because of it.”
He pinches the bridge
