I focused on something else. On my mom. I wondered if she was planning Mateo’s funeral. Wondered how worried she was about me. I didn’t know if they’d trashed my apartment. They’d taken me when I’d walked out of a café after work. Did she even know I was missing? She had to by now, now that she knew about Mateo. She would get in touch with Angus Scava when she couldn’t find me. It’d be the first place she’d go.

I almost asked Dominic about calling her but stopped myself. He’d say no. But this wasn’t up to him. I’d make sure to get ahold of her or at least get a message to her that I was alive. I’d tell her to go back to Sicily. Hell, she was safer there than here.

At that, the thought that Victor would have hurt her crept into my mind.

No, he wouldn’t have done that. He wouldn’t have involved her. There was no reason to.

“Did he hurt my mother? Do you know?”

Dominic looked at me as if he hadn’t heard my question. I repeated it.

“I haven’t heard anything, but I haven’t been looking for news. I’ll make a call and find out.”

To my surprise, he took out his phone and dialed a number then and there. It was to his brother, Salvatore. They spoke for a few minutes, Dominic asking for information and Salvatore, I assumed, promising to call back as soon as he found out.

“Thanks,” I said. But that wasn’t going to be enough for me. I’d make some calls myself once we got to the library and he was busy copying files.

13

Dominic

By the time we found parking and walked into the beautiful old library building on Vine Street, it was late morning. Traffic sucked, and parking was always an issue. I held Gia’s hand. To anyone who glanced our way, we looked like a normal couple walking into the building.

Gia’s hand felt clammy in mine, and I knew she was nervous. I didn’t think she had any reason to be, although if anything did happen, we’d be unarmed, since I’d left my pistol in the SUV, assuming I’d have to pass through a metal detector.

“Lead the way,” I said casually even though I looked at every single person in the place as we headed toward the long row of public-use computers.

“Hey, Gia. You missed your shift the other day.”

A man came toward us, his face beaming at Gia. A frown replaced that stupid smile, though, when I moved in closer and put my arm around her waist, feeling much more possessive than I maybe should.

Of course she’d run into people she knew. She fucking volunteered here.

Gia tensed beside me.

“Smile,” I told her.