8. Lily
CHAPTER 8
LILY
Y ou’re hard to forget, but I have to.
Why, dammit? Why does he need to forget me? Why would he do those things to me and then walk away? I’d chalk it up to him being a complete manwhore, just like Kat said, but something makes me wonder if it’s all bullshit.
Besides, would a manwhore look at me with such regret if he could just find another innocent victim to screw around with?
Kat knows something. I’m sure of it, especially after last night.
Dammit, I am so tired of them all leaving me in the dark! I’m a grown adult who lives on her own, for Christ’s sake! I’m not a child, and I wish Nico would stop seeing me as his baby sister and respect me as an independent woman who’s capable of making her own decisions.
I lean my back against Vito’s cage at the shelter the next morning, holding him in my lap as he sleeps. I can feel his thumping heart as I stroke his back. He devoured Tommy Marcone’s food last night like it might be his last meal. And if I hadn’t gotten the call to rescue him, it may well have been.
That woman Rayleigh may have ice blood running through her veins, but she made a call that saved a life.
I can’t completely hate her.
But she still sucks.
I let out a deep sigh, my shoulders deflating.
When my knees cramp to the point where it hurts to straighten them, I know it’s time for me to get up. I slide away from the cage and place Vito inside. He cuddles up on the blanket I put on the floor, barely opening his eyes when I move him.
“Sleep tight, little guy,” I whisper, locking the cage and slowly rising to my feet. The animals are still snoozing since it’s so early, but I couldn’t stay away when I knew Vito would probably be scared when he woke up in the cage. I drag my gaze over the furry bodies nestled in the cages around Vito’s, saying a silent prayer for them to find good, caring homes. If my condo wasn’t so small, I’d take them all home with me. I’d never be able to feed them a feast like the one Tommy Marcone whipped up in a hot second because I can barely hard boil an egg, but I’d definitely love them to pieces.
But this guy…
My gaze settles on Vito.
Him, I need. Especially since he’s now my grandfather’s namesake. How could I not adopt him? The only thing that gives me pause is how little I’m actually home. It makes me sad to think of him waiting at the door for me to finally appear after my long days in classes and labs. Once I start vet school, I’ll be gone even less.
How is that fair to him?
On the other hand, at least he’ll have a warm bed, lots of food, and plenty of love and cuddles whenever I do show up. I smile at him as he settles deeper into the crate and walk toward the office.
I stifle a yawn. Coffee. Thank God for coffee.
I flip open my laptop and start typing out the details of the call I received about Vito and my visit to the Excelsior…and my mind lands on Zeno.
Again.
“Argh,” I mutter, taking a sip of my coffee. I shove his handsome face into the deep recesses of my mind, flexing my fingers before I continue typing.
My laptop bleeps with an incoming video call, and I stab the accept button when I see my brother’s handsome face appear on the screen. “Nico!”
“The one and only,” he says with a smirk.
I giggle. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping? It’s so early!”
“It’s not as early for me as it is for you. Besides, you know I’m not one for sleep.”
“It might help you relax.”
“Nothing can do that.”
“Not even Shaye?” I giggle.
“Not even her.” He sighs, reclining in his office chair. “Hey, nice t-shirt, by the way.”
“Thanks. So, what’s up? You still haven’t given me the details about your flight or this mysterious meeting.”
“Yeah, well, let’s keep mystery alive, yeah? It’s nothing you need to worry about.”
“Is it something that’s going to bring you out here more often?” I ask with a quirked eyebrow.
“Why? You afraid I’m gonna cramp your style of something?”
“I don’t want you to get involved with something just to have a bigger presence out here. I mean, believe me, the Severinovs have a big enough net,” I say with a snort. “And when Kat’s out here for a visit, well, you know how that goes.”
He chuckles. “Yeah. Maybe she and Rocco should relocate out there. If anyone can keep you safe, she can.”
“Nico,” I say. “You have to stop this. Seriously. I am fine! And I’m not totally helpless, either.” I flash a wicked smile. “I have pepper spray.”
“Oh, thank fuck for that!” he exclaims, throwing his hands in the air. “I don’t know why I was so worried!”
“Stop being so sarcastic,” I say, shaking my head and sipping my coffee.
“How many times do I need to tell you that it’s my job to keep you safe?”
“And how many times to I need to remind you that I’m good?”
“Look, the bad guys never rest, so I can’t either,” he says with a smirk.
“You mean, the worse guys, right?” I quip. “Since you’re already one of the bad guys?”
“Smart ass.”
I shrug. “I’m not wrong, though.”
Nico’s expression darkens out of nowhere, like a startling realization just washed over him. “No, you’re not,” he says, his voice tight.
I lean my head on my hands and adjust the iPad screen. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”
He sweeps a hand through his thick, dark hair. I know he carries a lot on his shoulders and bottles up the stress that bleeds into his daily life. And there’s a lot of it. Well, at least, I think there is. He never gets into specifics with me, but when you grow up in this life, you see things. Dark and dangerous things, things he wants to keep me far away from.
Which is exactly why I used school as an excuse to leave home.
I don’t want to live my life as a spoiled and superficial mafia princess who is constantly in the spotlight, draped in designer clothes from head to toe. I have goals and dreams, things I can only accomplish on my terms.
I don’t want to be a prisoner to my family’s legacy.
And I definitely don’t want to marry someone who’s equally ingrained in that existence.
I escaped that fate and will never look back.
Out here, nobody knows who hangs off the branches of my family tree.
Nobody knows that I’m Lily Salesi, daughter of famed mobster Joe Salesi and granddaughter of the deceased, yet notorious, crime boss, Vito Salesi.
Not even Chloe.
As far as she knows, I’m just an East Coast girl whose family is in the real estate game.
It’s not a total lie. My dad is a real estate mogul and investment genius.
But let’s just say his business model isn’t limited to buying and flipping properties.
Chloe never pressed me about my family’s history. I guess she just sensed that it wasn’t a topic I’m anxious to discuss, and it’s not like I would ever volunteer the gory details of my past and their present.
No questions, no lies.
The animals don’t give a damn where I came from. They only care that I keep them safe, warm, and fed.
And people? Well, I try to stay away from them most of the time because, you know, they suck.
“I’ve been dealing with a few, uh, problems lately. Things I didn’t expect.” He forces a smile so fake, it can rival most of the DDD cups on girls walking the Strip. “But it’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Hm. Is he purposely trying to not be convincing?
“I am studying to be a doctor, you know.” I narrow my eyes at Nico.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I’m not a little girl anymore. You don’t have to hide things from me, Nico. I know what you do, what Dad does. I know the kinds of people you deal with. Stop trying to brush things under the rug because you think you have to protect me.” I twist my ponytail around my finger. “And for the record, I always worry about you. All of you.”
“I hated it when you left,” he says, letting out a deep sigh. “I didn’t like that you were vulnerable and exposed without us to watch over you, even with the Russians keeping an eye out. But it’s better you’re away from all of this. You might just be safer there after all,” he murmurs, I think more to convince himself than me.
“All of what?” I ask. “And don’t avoid the question because you think I can’t handle it, because I can. And I will.”
His expression darkens. “I just meant that I can’t control everything the way I want. Sometimes I think I make the right moves and they backfire on me.”
Alarm bells sound in my mind. “Nico, tell me the truth right now. Are you okay? Are Mom and Dad okay?”
He nods. “Yeah, we’re good. For now. It seems like this whole syndicate thing may be just what we need after all. When Dad and I come to Vegas in a couple of days, I think we’re going to move forward with becoming part of the group. We have a lot of influence out east but without other business opportunities and alliances in place, it’s only a matter of time before we start losing power. This syndicate can eliminate that risk.”
“That makes sense,” I say. “And you said the Severinovs want you to be part of it, right?”
“Yes,” he says in a tense voice. “And others we’ve worked with, too.”
“Do you trust them all?”
“As much as I trust anyone.”
“Well, that’s a good start,” I say. “You can build from there.”
“So long as there’s something left to build upon.” His voice is choked and a tiny shiver slithers under my clothes.
“Nico, you’re making me nervous,” I whisper, my fingertips numb from drumming them on the desk.
His lips lift slightly. “You’re a good kid, Lil. You have your whole life ahead of you and it’s gonna be amazing. So much to do and see. Just don’t waste a second of it, okay?”
“You make it sound like you’ve got one foot in the grave and one on a banana peel.” I force out a chuckle even though there’s a nagging sense of dread knotting my gut.
“Nah.” He grins at me, but his lips don’t reach his eyes like they do when he’s really happy or excited. This grin tells a very different story, one that sends chills rippling through my insides. “Listen, do me a favor and just be careful. Always keep your eyes open, Lil. I know you’re smart, but there’s a difference between being book smart and being aware.”
I bite the inside of my mouth. “Nico, what are you getting at?”
He sighs, scrubbing a hand down the front of his face. I peer at him, the pixelated video image making his eyes look heavier than they did only a few minutes ago. His face is drawn, his jaw tight. And how did I not notice the deep worry lines on his forehead before?
“You know Dad and I do everything possible to keep all of you safe, right?”
“Of course! But I don’t understand where this is coming from. A few weeks ago, everything was fine. Why, all of a sudden?—?”
“You just have to trust me. Keep your eyes open, Lil. We’ll talk more when I come into town.”
Ding, ding!
The chime above the front door jingles and I look up from my screen, startled by the intruding sound. “I have to go,” I mutter. “Someone just came in.”
“It’s early, isn’t it?” he says, his eyebrows furrowed.
“It’s fine,” I say quickly. “I love you and I’ll talk to you later, okay?” I click to end the call and hurry around my desk, my pulse hammering hard against my throat.
Something is up and I don’t like it.
I mean, yes, something is usually up. My thoughts trip back to the night of the almost-kidnapping. Could Nico’s alarm have to do with that? He told me it had been taken care of, but maybe that’s what backfired on him. My family is in the trenches of organized crime, so plans gone awry are fairly typical.
My fingers fumble around in my bag until they close around a small tube.
Pepper spray.
I’ve never had to use it, but something about that exchange with Nico has the hairs on the back of my neck standing at attention. I peer at the tiny nozzle.
Just point and spray, right?
How hard can that be?
My pulse throbs as I creep out of the office. Jesus, this is insane! Nico is just being over-the-top protective with all of this.
But even as the words float through my mind, I know my brother, and he doesn’t get ruffled unless there’s a problem.
A big one.
I slip my hand into my pocket, still clutching the pepper spray as I move toward the front entrance. The rescue is in a pretty populated area with lots of lights and people, so that makes me feel somewhat safe…er.
Part of me wants to go and wake up Vito.
I suck in a breath and roll my eyes heavenward.
I definitely let Nico’s worries creep into my head, and now they need to get the heck out.
I had to live this way back home and it was a horrible existence, constantly having to look over my shoulder to see who might be lurking behind me.
One of the reasons I left was because I was tired of craning my neck twenty-four-seven.
I round the corner and walk into the front of the rescue to find a tall guy, probably in his early twenties, standing in the center of the space. I stare at him, my brow furrowing.
He looks vaguely familiar.
But then again, I see so many people every day, between living in Vegas, going to school, and working between the vet hospital and the rescue.
Still, an uncomfortable sensation twists my gut.
He’s staring at the floor, wringing his hands together, looking as anxious as I feel, and the hand clutching the pepper spray in my pocket starts to sweat.
“Can I help you?” I say with forced cheeriness.
He finally looks up, turning a sad pair of brown eyes toward me and my throat tightens. Shit. I’ve seen those eyes before, but they were in no way sad. I’ve seen that blue hoodie, too.
One step closer and I’m going to spray the shit out of you, asshole!
“I, uh, I’m looking for a dog. I lost mine…he died about three weeks ago, and I’d had him since I was a kid. He was a rescue. It’s been really hard. I’ve been kind of a mess since it happened. I brought him with me when I moved here a few years ago and now he’s gone. My family isn’t around. I guess you could say he was my only real friend here.”
A sad smile lifts his lips. “And I know it’s early, but I was just out for a walk, going on the same route we used to take together at the same time, and I saw a guy out walking his dog. A chocolate lab, just like Jake.”
He’s rambling a little bit, but the devastated expression on his face makes me unclench the pepper spray. “I kind of thought it was a sign, you know? Like it was Jake telling me to move on and find another dog to save. So I came straight here.” He looks around at the half-lit foyer. “Can I check out your dogs?”
“Well, yes, we don’t usually get adoption requests this early,” I say with a smile. “And there’s a lot of paperwork to be done during the process as well, so it’ll take some time to get everything squared away.”
He nods. “I’m sorry,” he says in a soft voice. “I didn’t even realize the time. I’ve been in kind of a fog since he’s been gone.” He runs a hand through his curly, dark-blonde hair. “Do you know what it’s like to lose the one real friend you have?”
My shoulders relax slightly. Okay, so even if I am being incredibly paranoid right now and he is the guy I’d seen in the casino at the Montepremi, what if I’d seen him right after his dog died? The timelines match up. Hell, I’d have been pissed off at the world if my best friend was taken from me, too.
I release my grip on the pepper spray. He just misses his dog. “I’m sure it’s really difficult, and I’d love to help you find another one. But only the rescue manager can officially sign off on adoptions. She should be here soon, though. She will examine the animal for you if you find one that you connect with, and set you up so you can take it home this morning.” I nod toward the animal cages in the back. “They’re starting to wake up now if you want to take a look?”
He nods, his lips curling into a sad smile. “I think I’m ready.”
A pang assaults my heart. How hard must it be for him to even be here? Seeing all of those animals must bring back a lot of painful memories. “Are you sure?” I ask. “Because if you want, we can just?—”
“No,” he says in a stern voice, his face tensing up. He closes his eyes for a second and when he opens them, the deflated expression is back. “I’m sorry, I know you’re trying to help. I just figured bringing home another dog would help me through this. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
I swallow hard, looking up at the security cameras. Yes, they’re picking up on all of this but Allie, the manager who is also our on-call doctor, is en route here right now. She’s not looking. We don’t have a lot of money for fancy security systems.
And just like that, my mind trips back to Zeno.
I don’t think I’d worry about any disturbances if he was here wearing his little earpiece.
I grit my teeth. Ugh, focus on the issue at hand! Weirdo guy who needs a new dog.
I think I’ll go straight to Vito’s cage. If anything, his natural instincts might kick in and he can tear this guy to shreds if he tries anything.
I point down the hallway, not even for a second considering leading him into the room with the cages. “You can go ahead back. I’ll just grab my clipboard.”
He pauses for a second and then follows my directions.
Clipboard? I don’t have a damn clipboard.
But I do have a nice, sharp pair of scissors in my top drawer, so I run into my office, grab them, and stuff them into my back pocket, along with my phone.
Most of the time, working here at the rescue is uneventful. I feed the animals, bathe them, walk them, and give them their medication when they need it. Allie has become my mentor since I started and she’s taught me so much in the short time I’ve been here. Under her guidance, I’ve done a lot to prepare me for vet school.
But this place hasn’t trained me to be an assassin, that’s for sure. At best, I’ve had to ward off drunks who wander in after day-drinking and losing all of their cash at the casinos. They’re belligerent, but I never worry that they’re going to kill me.
I dial Allie’s number really fast before going to the animals. “Hey, are you on your way?” I ask in a hushed whisper when she answers.
“Yes, I’ll be there in a few minutes. I have Dr. Sheppard with me, too. He’s only here in Vegas for a short stint, but I was hoping to introduce you.”
I let out a breath. Thank God. “Yes, that would be amazing. I’ll see you soon!”
“Lily, is everything okay?”
“Just a strange guy,” I say in a hushed whisper. “But it’s okay. I’m good.”
“Okay, well, sit tight. We’ll be there soon.”
I click off the phone and roll my eyes. I am being ridiculous, aren’t I? I mean, this has to be stemming from Nico’s warning. Maybe if he’d have actually told me something concrete, I wouldn’t have to make things up in my mind. I’ll have to tell him that next time we talk. This evasiveness has to stop.
I plaster a smile on my face and meet the guy by the cages. “My manager and one of the other doctors will be here in a few minutes, so if you find your new pet, you can bring him or her home even faster than I thought.”
The guy gets up from his kneeling position, hovering over me with his lean frame. My eyes flit over to Vito’s cage. He looks up at me, a guttural growl emerging from his throat.
It’s like he knows something is up.
Sweet Jesus.
“Did you want me to take any of the animals out for you to play with?” I ask, forcing my smile wider. Please, Allie. Please open the fucking door already!
His lips are pulled together tight as he looks down at me. “I haven’t found any that I really seem to connect with,” he says in a choked voice. “I’d hoped for more time with them.”
“Well, you can stay for as long as you like,” I say with false brightness. “Their schedules are clear,’ I say with a fake chuckle.
“And you?” he asks. “I’d hate to take up too much of your time, but you’re the one I want helping me,” he says, his dark eyes boring into me. “Because you seem to have such a knack with the animals.”
Then the merciful jingling of the bell sounds. I clasp my hands together and back away. Knack, my ass. “It’s a really personal decision. Taking time with them alone is the best way to see if there’s a connection. And as I said, the manager can help you out with the paperwork if you do decide to adopt.”
“Lily!” Allie’s voice floats into the back room. “Do you have a second?”
I flash a smile and wave my hand around the room. “Let me know if you have any questions.” I almost trip over my feet as I tear out of the room.
I find Allie and Dr. Sheppard in the main office and I am so relieved, I want to throw myself into their arms.
Part of me hates that I feel that way, though. I mean, Kat has total confidence in me and my ability to defend myself.
Why don’t I feel the same way?
Will I ever?
Sometimes I really hate the life I was brought up into, but other times, I wish I’d embraced it enough so that creepers like that guy didn’t throw me completely off-kilter.
But at least I was vigilant. I have the scissors.
Allie’s face is pinched with concern. “You look a little flustered. Is everything okay? Where’s the guy?”
Almost as if on cue, the front door bell jingles again.
My eyebrows furrow and I run out to see if it was somebody else who’d just come inside, but the reception area is empty. Through the clear glass windows, I can see the guy hurry across the street outside and slide into the front seat of a car.
I let out a breath. “He’s gone,” I call out.
Allie comes into the front of the shelter. “We really need to install some kind of emergency call button, especially because you and other volunteers work alone at night. You can never be too careful. I’ll look into some options.”
“Yes,” I murmur, my eyes still on the car, a black BMW M5, as it peels away from the curb. “Good plan.”
She puts a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry you got so shaken up by that guy. I hate to say it, but this is Vegas, and there are freaks and weirdos aplenty wandering these streets.”
I manage a smile. “Truth.”
She smiles. “Come into the office. Dr. Sheppard wants to hear about your plans during vet school. He may have an opening at the teaching hospital for you to consider.”
“Thanks,” I say. I should be elated right now, except I can’t shake the feeling of dread festering deep in my gut. I twist my fingers around my ponytail as I follow Allie back to the office.
Keep your eyes open, Lil.
Be careful, Lil.
But he’s gone. I watched him go.
Ugh, I need to calm the hell down!
A quick peek over my shoulder at the empty road makes my stomach roll. I bite down on my lower lip.
For now, anyway.
Because the knot in my gut tells me it won’t be the last time I see him.
Whoever he is.