Chapter 10
TEN
VANESSA
The game ran longer than any of us expected, so Mateo and I decided to stay at Gino’s house for the night.
I take the room across the hall from Juliet and spend most of the night watching TV.
After a long day and an exciting game, exhaustion finally settles in, and I decide to take a nap in the early morning hours.
A soft sound pulls me from sleep. A door closing. I glance at my phone and see it’s just before seven.
I get out of bed and head downstairs. Halfway down the staircase, I miss the last step. My stomach drops as I brace for the fall—but it never comes. An arm wraps around my waist, firm and steady, stopping me just before I hit the floor.
“You okay?” a voice asks.
I look down at the toned, tan arm holding me in place, then lift my gaze to find Mateo staring back at me.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just missed a step,” I say. My gaze drops to his arm, still wrapped around my waist. “You can let go of me now.”
“Right,” Mateo says, clearing his throat as he pulls his arm away. “Juliet might have breakfast ready if you’re hungry.”
We walk into the kitchen together, and I immediately notice Gabe, Jake, Marco, and Ryan seated at the bar eating breakfast. Juliet stands at the counter, filling her own plate.
“Morning, guys. If you want breakfast, go ahead and grab a plate,” she says to both of us.
We step up to the counter, and Mateo hands me a plate. I thank him with a small smile and start filling it with eggs, bacon, and fruit. When I reach for the bread, Mateo does the same—and our hands brush.
I look up at him. He looks back at me, something sharp and unmistakable flashing in his eyes. Hunger. I don’t know if it’s meant for the food… or for me. I bite my bottom lip, a smile tugging at my mouth.
A throat clears.
I glance over to find Gino watching us, his expression unreadable. Heat creeps up my neck as I pull my hand back, grab my plate, and move to the small dining table against the wall. I take the open seat beside Juliet.
“So,” she says casually as I sit down, “I could use your help with something after we eat, if you’re up for it?”
“Sure. What do you need help with?” I ask, drawing in a slow breath to steady myself.
“I need to run to the weekday farmers market,” she says. “The earlier we get there, the better. Would you want to come with me?”
“I’d love to,” I reply.
We finish the rest of breakfast in a comfortable quiet.
The guys are already done eating, drifting into conversations about their plans for the day. Juliet and I go upstairs to change. I slip back into the same outfit I wore last night, jeans and a gray T-shirt. Then I head to meet her at the bottom of the stairs.
“I’m going to convince them to let us go without them,” Juliet murmurs, leaning closer. “Be prepared—we’ll be using charm and good looks to make it happen.” She grins and heads into the kitchen.
“No.” I hear Gino say as I walk into the kitchen behind Juliet.
“I didn’t even ask anything yet,” Juliet fires back.
“I already know what you’re going to ask,” Gino says. “And it’s not happening.”
“Seriously? It’s not like we’re going into the city,” Juliet argues. “We’ll be ten minutes away.”
“I still don’t like it.”
I’m not sure what to do or say, so I hover awkwardly while they argue. Then I feel Mateo step up beside me.
“Can I add something?” Mateo cuts in.
“No,” Juliet snaps, shooting him a look that clearly says don’t test me.
Mateo rolls his eyes dramatically. “I don’t like it either,” he says, unfazed. “But take someone with you.”
“We don’t need anyone with us,” she says firmly. “It’s a girls’ trip—no boys allowed.”
Gino arches a brow. “Are we teenagers again, Juliet? You’re going to go anyway, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Juliet replies without hesitation.
I can’t help it—I snicker.
Gino lets out a long sigh and looks over at Mateo. Mateo gives a small nod.
“Fine,” Gino says at last. “You can go. But if there is any trouble, you call us, and someone will be there.”
“Deal.” Juliet grins and turns to me. “Come on, Vanessa.”
She loops her arm through mine, and we head for the door. As we step out of the kitchen, I glance back and smile at the two of them before we disappear down the hall.
We make the ten-minute drive to a parking lot where the farmers market is set up. I love farmers markets on my days off. If there’s one in the city, which there almost always is, I’m there.
We wander through the rows, Juliet picking out fresh fruits and vegetables as we go. I stop at a stand overflowing with fresh flowers—sunny yellows, soft pinks, and bursts of lavender everywhere I look. I manage to talk Juliet into picking out a bouquet to brighten Gino’s house and my apartment.
After more than half an hour of shopping, we stop by Juliet’s favorite coffee cart, Java the Cup. She orders a vanilla latte and a ham-and-cheese roll, while I go with a caramel iced latte and a cheese Danish.
Once we sit down at a small table tucked into the market, Juliet lets out a content sigh.
“This is always my favorite part,” she says, glancing around. “The people-watching. If I could, I’d sit here all day and just watch everyone.”
I laugh at that. “I love people-watching too. It’s something we love to do at the hospital. When it’s quiet. We make up scenarios about what the doctors and nurses are talking about. Some of my coworkers come up with the wildest stories.”
“Oh, I bet,” she says, smiling back at me.
“I hope you enjoyed the time away from the guys. They’re great, and they’re my closest friends, but they can be a bit overbearing at times.
Gino especially. He feels this responsibility to protect all of us, since most of us aren’t really part of the mafia world. ”
“Really?” I ask, surprised.
“Yep,” she says. “My parents met your dad in college, but they had no idea what he was involved in until after he died. By then, I was already too far in, working for Gino, to let them stop me from helping him.” She pauses, then adds, “Mateo and the Cambio brothers are the only ones who were actually born into this life. The rest of us? We all became friends in college.”
She shifts slightly in her seat. “After graduation, Gino started a business, and that’s how we all ended up working here. He really thought we wouldn’t need to be involved in the mafia side of things, but separating himself from it has been harder than any of us expected.”
“And you became a housekeeper?” I ask.
She nods. “That’s what I chose. It keeps me close enough to help when I’m needed, but it also gives me a cover—just in case things ever go south.”
After we finish our coffee, we stand and start making our way back to the car. Halfway across the lot, a prickle of unease crawls up my spine. I feel watched. My pulse quickens, but when I glance around, I don’t immediately see anything out of place.
Juliet seems to sense it too. Her pace picks up, and I hurry to keep up with her.
We’re just reaching the car when I finally see him—a tall man in sunglasses, dressed in a crisp white shirt and black slacks. He’s leaning against a nearby vehicle, staring straight at us while speaking into his phone. The look isn’t casual. It’s deliberate.
Juliet pulls out her phone and fires off a quick text. I don’t need to ask who it’s to.
Before I can get another look at the man, Juliet peels out of the parking lot. The drive back to the house is fast and intense. Her hands grip the steering wheel tightly, her jaw set, a nervous tension etched across her face the entire way.
As soon as we get back to the house, Juliet rushes inside and heads straight for Gino’s office. I follow close behind.
When we walk in, Gino and Mateo are already deep in conversation at the desk. They both look up at the same time. The moment they see us, their expressions shift to something sharp and alert.
“What happened?” Gino asks immediately. “You two weren’t supposed to be back yet.”
“I’m not sure,” Juliet says, “but I think someone was following us.”
Her hands tremble slightly, and I know my own would be doing the same if I didn’t keep them crossed.
Gino mumbles under his breath about how he told her to take someone with her. Juliet crosses her arms. “I don’t need to be reprimanded, Gino, but clearly whatever happened here a few nights ago wasn’t the only thing we’re dealing with.”
Gino exhales and straightens. “I need you to tell me what they looked like.”
Mateo moves to stand beside me, close enough that I can feel his presence.
“Are you okay?” he asks quietly.
“Yes,” I reply, my gaze fixed on Gino and Juliet. I can’t look at him. If I do, I know I’ll start to cry. The adrenaline is wearing off, and for some reason, I feel myself growing more comfortable around him than I should.
Gino’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
“Vanessa, did you notice this guy at any point?”
“No,” I say. “Not until we were heading back to the car.”
“He wasn’t there the entire time,” Gino says. “He probably showed up after someone alerted him that you were there.”
“I don’t know if that’s the case,” Juliet counters. “He could’ve been following us and waited to show his face.” Her jaw tightens. “It feels like a warning.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you, but why would he do that?” Gino asks.
“Because they want to scare us into doing what they want,” Juliet replies.
“What’s that?” I ask.
Before anyone can answer, Gino cuts in. “Mateo, take Vanessa back to her apartment and stay there for now—at least until we figure this out.”
Mateo nods and turns toward the door. I follow close behind, offering a small wave to Gino and Juliet, who are already deep in conversation again beside the desk.