That last tidbit stabbed a little too close for comfort. “I’m not afraid.”
“Yeah, ya are. You keep people at a distance. Keep to your schedule and watch every penny so you don’t have to risk bein’ like the fools you grew up with. Can’t blame you for it. You did the best you could with what ya had to work with, but that doesn’t mean I’m proud for puttin’ you in that place.”
Holy shit.
He’d really thought about this. Meant every word he’d said.
The realization and the awe that went with it rattled through her with all the finesse of a giant gong. So much so, she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the topic. “Well, one of us had to pinch a few pennies,” she joked. “The extra money came in handy a few times, you know?”
His mouth hardened more than Bonnie thought he’d have the strength for. “Not proud of that either. The way you save money, you oughta have a tidy savings by now. Be done with college and doin’ something you love. I stole that from you. So did your brother.”
He swallowed hard and looked straight in her eyes. “I’m dyin’, kiddo. It’s gonna happen. Soon.” His gaze slid to Kevin, who was either already dozing off or had completely given up, then back to Bonnie. “Hard not to face dyin’ without seein’ the things I was too stubborn to before. I put you in a bad place. Lots of times. Your mom and brother did, too. I can’t fix it. But I can tell you I’m sorry for it.”
Five minutes.
They’d talked five minutes at most. Traded maybe a dozen or more sentences.
But it was like opening a window in a smoke choked room to the relief of a bright spring day. Cleansing. Fresh. Hopeful.
“I...” Words wouldn’t come. Hell, thoughts wouldn’t either. There was just emotion. A huge wave of it that clogged the base of her throat and drew tears to her eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Nothing to say. Not for you anyway.” He frowned and jerked his head toward the door. “Except for explaining what that Rossi jerkoff said.”
Her mind went blank, the context of her conversation with Erick refusing to come back online after everything her father had said. “About what?”
“He said somethin’ about you bein’ familiar with a Russian. What’s that about?”
“Oh. That.” Talk about your can of worms. If she’d been tongue-tied before, now she was just struck stupid. What the heck was she supposed to say? Or for that matter, not supposed to say? “He’s my...well, he’s my boyfriend.”
Probably not the definition Roman would have agreed with, but in light of the situation and her father’s health, explaining more likely wasn’t the wisest course of action.
“You got a man?”
“Yeah.”
“Since when?”
Since Kevin screwed up and got everyone in this mess.
Again, not a good message no matter how accurate. “It’s newer. Good, though.”
“Good like that same ass wipe who stole from ya?”
A sharp bark of laughter ripped up her throat, startling Kevin enough to make him moan. Bonnie shook her head. “Roman’s nothing like him. Actually, nothing like anyone I’ve dated before. He’s smart. Made a life for himself out of nothing. Has a really good family that’s been super good to me through all of this and has helped me try to find you guys.”
His eyes narrowed. “He good to you?”
Warmth blossomed inside her and that same groundedness she always felt around Roman settled in her belly. “Really good.” She ducked her head and chuckled, thinking of the afternoon after she’d met Mr. Frannelly. “He took me to a restaurant earlier this week. Had the cook make me three different kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches just because he knew it was my favorite.”
“No shit!” Her dad smiled and patted her hand. “I might like this guy.”
“Yeah, you’d like him. A lot.”
Actually, he’d love Roman. Though, she kind of dreaded her dad finding out how Roman had also rented out the entire five-star restaurant to get her those grilled cheese sandwiches. Her dad might be sorry for how he’d raised her, but finding out a man she was serious about was loaded was like taking a newly recovering alcoholic to the bar.
“You think he’ll find a way to get Erick to let us out of here?” her dad said.
Oh, he’d find a way. Even if he did it with guns blazing. “Yeah.” She sighed, suddenly more tired than she’d been in weeks. “He’ll find a way.”
Her dad tilted his head and studied her face. “When’s the last time you slept?”
“Hell, I don’t know.” The clock on the nightstand showed 8:34 a.m. “Got up yesterday around this time, so about twenty-four hours, I guess.”
Her dad patted the mattress next to him. “How about you lay down and get some rest while you got a chance. Nobody’s botherin’ us right now. Best thing you can do is rest up for when you need some energy.”
“What about you?”
He laughed at that. A sad laugh that was more irony and pain than what he probably realized, but a laugh all the same. “Got enough sleep comin’ my way. Right now, I want my girl to lay down and take a load off. I’ll wake you up if I hear someone comin’.”
He was right. God only knew what they’d have to deal with in the future, and if she wanted to be ready, she’d be smart to sleep.
She crawled onto the other side of the bed, piled up the pillows and lay down on her side. “You sure you’re okay?”
With a contented sigh, he patted her arm. “Yeah, kiddo. Best I’ve been in a real long time.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
One punch against the heavy bag. Then another. Over and over until the ache in Roman’s arms, shoulders and chest disappeared and there was nothing but the raw fury seething inside him. Seventeen hours since Bonnie had been taken. Too long since he’d heard her cry out and failed to keep her safe.
Someone was going to die.
Brutally.
All he needed was a name and a location. Then he’d get his woman back and annihilate the kozel who’d dared to touch her. Who’d foolishly ordered the attack that had put bullets into two of their soldiers.
He would have his vengeance.
For Bonnie.
For Luke and Sam. Even for poor Jennette who’d been hauled out of the business the same time Bonnie had been taken.
But it wouldn’t negate his failure.