32. Dario
32
Dario
I forced myself to listen to Cassian’s blueprint for the future. Every day I woke up and thought maybe I needed to leave. I didn’t belong here. Didn’t belong anywhere. Dad was gone, his money tangled up in bureaucratic red tape while the DIA investigated.
They hadn’t bothered coming after me. I was small fry, and besides, my father had made it clear I wasn’t a part of Francesco’s operation. He’d coerced me into doing jobs for him, but I’d never been one of his trusted inner circle.
The DIA was only interested in the key players. People like Torrance. Not that they’d catch up with him now. From what Ronan had told us his clean-up crew took Torrance’s remains to a local pig farm. There would be nothing left after the pigs had crunched their way through bone and flesh.
Thea was the only reason I’d stuck around. With Torrance no longer a threat, I could leave.
I mulled over my options. The money I had would last for a few months if I lived modestly. I could pick up jobs here and there. One of my contacts had reached out only the other day. The job involved protecting some influencer while she attended a fashion show. Or some such bullshit.
I’d told him I would think about it.
Maybe that could be my future. Paid muscle for rich people. The alternative was approaching Declan Kelly and asking him for a job. He’d probably have something for me.
I glanced over at Kyril. He seemed distracted, more focused on Thea than anything Cassian had to say, which wasn’t like him.
But whatever. He and I weren’t friends. Sure, there was a lot of mutual respect, but if push came to shove, I doubted any of them would care if I walked out and didn’t come back.
Except Thea.
I watched as she frowned at something Cassian said.
“Surely we won’t get visas? I thought it was really hard to qualify for a US visa?”
“Money talks, sweetheart. As a high-net-worth individual, I’m welcomed with open arms.”
“Of course you are,” I muttered under my breath. Rich fucker.
“We are investing in a casino development, which fast-tracks our application. And you, Milo, Lan, and Dario are our employees, so you’ll be granted visas on that basis.” He waved his hand dismissively. “My agent has contacts and money talks. It’s all in hand.”
“And if I don’t want to move to the States?”
Thea spun around and stared at me in shock.
“Are you leaving?” The weight of her question hung heavily in the air between us.
“I’m not sure if there’s any point me being here,” I replied honestly. We’d barely had any time together since returning from Italy. The bubble of intimacy from the night of my father’s funeral had long since faded. Thea didn’t need me. None of them did.
“There is a point, Dar! I want you with me.” Tears sparkled in her eyes as her lip wobbled. Then her gaze moved around the room, brushing over all of us. “This baby needs all of you. I can’t… I can’t do this alone,” she admitted in a rare moment of vulnerability.
“Kitten, nobody’s leaving you,” Kyril growled, throwing me a look that promised violence if I dared to utter another word. “That fucker is coming with us if I have to stuff him in a packing crate and send him via DHL!”
“I’d like to see you fucking try,” I scoffed.
“We’re all going. Even Dario,” Cassian confirmed, glaring at me.
A small nugget of warmth bloomed in my chest. Maybe I could stick it for a while. See how things panned out. And besides, Thea needed me.
I allowed a small smile to escape and then turned to her. Ignoring the other assholes, I focused on her face and said the words I’d wanted to say for weeks.
“ Tesoro, ti amo e ho bisogno anche di te .” Baby, I love you and I need you, too . Thea’s expression softened at my words.
“ Ti amo ,” she whispered, moving into my arms and pressing her lips to mine. “Always.”