Angela and Gael erged from the bathroom and found Giovanni at the other end of the hallway connected to the living room. As if nothing happened, the two n headed out of the cabin where the others had been waiting. It turned out the others had been outside this whole ti. Not that Angela would know, she was far too busy.
Giovanni hung back a step behind Gael where Angela was, and he held a knowing smirk as they crossed the porch. It was annoying that she wanted to wipe it out of his face. Gael was already headed to Damien and William, but Giovanni took his sweet ass ti walking.
Unable to keep her thoughts to herself, she started, "Were we…"
"Too loud?" Giovanni finished without looking at her. "Not really. But I still heard you guys."
"Did they—"
"Hear you? I'm not sure. They already headed outside when you two disappeared into the bathroom."
She drew her brows together. "Did you—"
"Listen?" he interrupted once again. "Maybe." His grin grew wide.
He was a pervert. "You are so annoying."
Giovanni patted her shoulder like they were bros and said, "Good for you, Angela." He winked, then he walked a little faster ahead of her to join Gael and the Parks.
Her jaw dropped. What did he an 'good for you'?
She tried to catch up with them, Katherine smiling at her as she approached. Angela's attention pulled at the curved knives that Katherine casually played with her fingers, twisting and twirling like an expert—one blade in each hand. As if only just realizing what she was doing, Katherine looked at her hands and huffed with a smile before bending down and tucking her knives in a holster around her legs, and then rolled her pants back to cover them.
"Hey…" Katherine nodded.
So was she supposed to ignore what she just saw? Katherine looked like a proper gangster with the badass knives on her. Angela actually felt envious.
'Okay…so ignore it is,' she decided and then smiled as she said, "Katherine… I don't know how to thank you."
"For what?"
"You know… The video."
"I didn't do much…but I'll tell Styles you said thanks."
"You did. And please do… Oh or I could call him myself if you give his number?"
Katherine held out her hand. "Gim your phone." Angela handed her phone right away, already unlocked. Katherine tapped the screen for a mont before giving the phone back. "I saved Styles's number and mine too. If ever you're in town, hit up." Then she glanced at the n talking not far from them. "I have a feeling sothing good will co out of their eting today. Don't be a stranger, Angela. If you need anything…" She tipped her chin at Angela's phone.
"I'll text you now so you can save mine as well. And sure, I will. You do the sa if ever you co to Mayne," said Angela, and the two gave each other genuine smiles.
Gael ca up to Angela's side, sliding a hand on the small of her back as he addressed Katherine, "There must be sothing I…we can do to repay you. I've been trying to have that video removed and failed. We'd like to show our thanks… Just let us know how."
Katherine looked at Gael for a second and then glanced up at Damien as she considered it. Then she said, "Actually… I think there is." Gael nodded for her to continue. "This concerns soone working for the Morellis. My friend and her family have been in hiding after her father got involved with them in Chicago. I don't have the na of the man yet, but I can get it soon."
"What do we have to do?" asked Gael.
"I'm not sure yet. But I don't want my friend to be hiding anymore. If you can do this, I'll be indebted to you." Katherine smiled at them then waved at Angela. "We'll be in touch."
They watched as Katherine and Damien walked towards a Range Rover where the others waited for them. For a billionaire, Damien sure was confident walking around with only one guard—that Felix guy whom Gael thought looked like an ex-soldier or sothing, the one who had been glaring at Evan the whole ti.
Speaking of Evan… He was left on the ground next to Gael's vehicle. Still tied up, and the sack was back on his head.
Katherine passed by him on the way to the Range Rover, and she paused for a beat as she gave him a dirty look. Then, she lifted her foot and kicked Evan in the stomach hard, causing him to groan. "Oops. I slipped." The corner of Katherine's lips curled into a smile as she turned to Damien who was waiting for her. Damien shook his head, but a hint of amusent flitted across his face at his fiancée's antics. Then he helped her into the vehicle.
"Damn… If she wasn't engaged…" Giovanni whistled low.
William, who was standing next to Giovanni, chuckled. "I don't think you'd stand a chance. Katherine would eat you alive."
"Just my type…" Giovanni joked. "What about the other one? Alia?"
William threw his head back and burst out laughing. "Give it up, man. Alia's off-limits too."
"Why? You into her?"
"God, no. I an, she's cool—but no, I'm not." William grinned as he turned around and slapped Giovanni's shoulder as he passed. "Damien will kill you."
"What?" Giovanni glanced at the Range Rover that was now driving away down the dirt path heading towards the main road. "He did sound so protective of her when we first t a few months ago. What's up with that? Is she his concubine or sothing? Your cousin really wants to take everything, huh? A little selfish."
William, still laughing, glanced over his shoulder as he stood on his porch. "Alia is Damien's mother."
"Shut the fûck up." Giovanni's eyes widened in disbelief. "His…what?"
"You heard . And if you think Katherine's sothing… Man, Alia's just the sa, if not more. Forget about them. Those won will kill you in your sleep if you breathe wrong. And I an that literally."
Angela and Gael shared an indescribable look at what they heard from the other two's conversation, but neither of them comnted on anything.
***
On the drive back to Mayne City, Gael and Giovanni conversed. Only the three of them plus the driver were in Gael's vehicle while the other soldiers were in Giovanni's SUV behind them where Evan was too. The Parks and the De Lucas had reached their agreent and were going to keep in touch throughout the andnt process, which would take so ti, considering the council had to be involved.
It was almost ten in the morning when they arrived in the city. And with Gael's house no longer available, they had to move Evan sowhere in the anti. Angela invited Giovanni to co back with her and Gael to her father's house in Oakwood, so while the De Luca soldiers were away, the three of them headed to the mansion where Charlie was waiting.
Angela fell asleep on the ride, using Gael's shoulder as a pillow. She woke up once they passed through the gates of the Su Mansion, her eyes adjusting to the surroundings. Then she caught so words from Gael and Giovanni's conversation that had her drawing her brows together as she sat up straight, facing Gael. "You're going back to New York?"
Gael snapped his head towards her. "Yeah."
"When are you leaving?"
"Tonight. Around midnight."
Her heart pounded in her chest at the sudden revelation. He was leaving already? And so soon? She clenched her hands together, her brows knitting as she stared at him. Gael had been next to her ever since he ca to Mayne. And now he was going back ho. She didn't like it.
He didn't say anything and just stared at her, waiting for her to process.
Angela tugged her bottom lip with her teeth, her gaze bouncing between his eyes. And before she could change her mind, she blurted, "Can I co?"
From her periphery, she caught Giovanni grinning. And Gael seed surprised too as his brows raised and tilted his head to the side, observing her. The seconds that ticked by that he didn't say anything felt like hell. The vehicle ca to a stop and Giovanni got out first, leaving the two inside. It seed like hours had passed when it was actually just several seconds before Gael finally took a deep breath and responded.
"Sure. Okay."
Angela pulled back, surprise flashing in her eyes. "Really?"
The corner of Gael's lips curled up into a devilish smirk. "You thought I'd say no?"
"I an… I assud what you would do would be dangerous, and you don't want anywhere near it. I thought you'd insist I stay here and leave so of your n to watch over ."
"I'm not going to lie; that crossed my mind. But I've already decided you go wherever I go. The only way I'll function is if I know you're near . I almost lost you to that bastard. I'm not risking that anymore."
She tried to stop her smile from growing, but she failed. "So you were going to bring with you?"
Gael brushed her bottom lip with his thumb. "Angel… You never had a choice.. You're stuck with ."
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