His Mafia Queen

Blood Red Roses

RILEY

Later, I lay in bed next to Gabriel. We're at my place, and a quick check of my phone reveals that it's three in the morning. Ugh. I've gotten virtually no sleep tonight, and I have to be sharp at work in the morning.

My mind races with thoughts of Antonio Martinez. His name churns through my brain like a mantra. It's been lodged there all day and night, ever since Cath mentioned him.

After our wedding planning session fizzled, I went back to my condo. Gabriel had joined me hours later, saying he was sick of his father and needed space. Normally I'd love this — to me, the condo was cozy compared to his giant mansion.

He'd immediately noticed my silence. I'd told him that it was because I didn't feel like going to work tomorrow. He'd pulled me close and asking what was wrong. But I couldn't bring myself to tell him everything Cath had said.

Now, I bury my head in his chest and try to find comfort in his steady heartbeat. He presses a kiss to my forehead, his hand soothingly rubbing circles on my back.

"It's okay, babe. Whatever it is, we'll handle it together," he says softly, his sleepy voice cutting through the darkness. "You worried about work?"

But how can we handle something like this together? How can I ever possibly be a part of a world where evil men like Antonio Martinez exist? My mind is a blur of conflicting thoughts and emotions. If he's evil, and Gabriel is doing business with him...

No. I can't go down that path.

Gabriel seems to sense my angst and shifts slightly, his nose nuzzling my hair and his mouth near my ear. "Riley, please talk to me. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on. You were so quiet all night, and I know it's not because of work. You're reporting a story that you love, about the city's symphony."

Damn him for being so observant of my schedule and my job...

I take a deep breath, my voice barely above a whisper. "Cath told me about Antonio Martinez. About who he really is."

Gabriel's sigh is long. "What did Cath say, exactly?"

I explained everything. His grip on me tightened.

"I thought we were trying to go legit. I thought we were moving past this," I said, my voice trembling. "I thought you were going to tell me everything."

Gabriel was silent for a long while, so long that I thought he was asleep. I ruminated about how he'd kept this important detail from me. How could he? We'd pledged total honesty.

Then, a terrible thought came to me: I was also keeping a secret from Gabriel.

Beckett.

I'd never told him that Beckett had been creepy to me. Never told him about the weird encounter I had when Cath and I were out for cocktails that night. And I certainly didn't tell him about the text I'd gotten. Come to think of it, I'd had a couple of hang-up calls from an unknown number lately.

I'd written them off as wrong numbers, people who called me for a story and changed their mind, or spam calls.

But...

What if they weren't?

My mind spins and I begin to panic. Gabriel's voice in the darkness brings me back to reality.

"We can't change the past, Riley," he says quietly. "This is who I am, and we have to make the best of it. But I will promise you this: I will do everything I can to make sure that this really is our last deal. You just need to be patient while I handle it. It's a lot of money."