The Venetian and the Rum Runner - L.A. Witt Page 0,158

was a calm, soothing presence. There was no telling how Carmine’s family and his men might have regarded Danny if he were here on his own. He worked for Carmine, which had to warrant a certain level of politeness, but tensions between Irish and Italians were alive and well in this city.

Still, he didn’t imagine they were going to wrinkle their noses at a priest, Irish or otherwise. Though there were certainly some curious glances at the two of them; it wasn’t every day a man saw a priest with a black eye, never mind when his companion had a few matching bruises of his own. Danny had to wonder if they were curious how the pair had wound up in such a state, and if that was why Carmine was keeping them under his roof for now.

Whatever the case, most everyone left Danny and James alone. Giulia sometimes sat with them and talked, and she carried messages to and from the rum running crew, which was still going on runs while he laid low in Carmine’s house. She wasn’t running with the crew anymore, but she’d started joining them to drink again. Perhaps she needed the connection to Francis. Danny understood—he hated being kept away from the lads right now, and he greatly appreciated her ferrying messages back and forth.

In the meantime, Carmine and Giulia’s mother fawned all over Danny and James, constantly bringing them food and coffee. Danny didn’t think he’d ever eaten so well.

Carmine came and went as his work demanded. He and Danny had the odd moment to themselves, but the chaos was as never-ending for Carmine as the stir-crazy boredom was for Danny. And then at the end of the day, assuming Carmine had even come back by the time the lights went down, he slept across the hall from Danny. So close Danny could hear if Carmine shifted and the bed creaked in its familiar way, but much too far away for Danny to touch him. No wonder Danny was suffocating. No wonder he was sure he was going insane in this house.

Just let me sleep in the next room. One night. One night is all I ask.

Well, it wasn’t all he wanted to ask these days—Lord, please, don’t keep me cooped up forever—but a night in Carmine’s bed would do him a lot of good. They’d only had one night, and since then, a few stolen kisses and looks, and the only thing Danny craved more than a return to his life and his freedom was a return to Carmine’s bed.

The doorbell chimed, startling both Danny and James. James quickly went back to reading his Bible. Danny relaxed against the back of the couch and eyed the book he’d been ignoring. With a sigh, he picked it up and opened it to the beginning to start again. Maybe he could concentrate this—

“Danny.” Liam’s voice snapped Danny’s head up, and the book tumbled out of his hands as he jumped to his feet.

“Liam? What are you doing here?”

His young friend glanced over his shoulder, then stepped into the parlor and lowered his voice. “Me and the lads… Some of il Sacchi’s boys…” He exhaled and shook his head. “They was waiting for us at Daisy’s. When we went to figure out tonight’s plan.”

Danny’s stomach dropped into his feet, and he glanced at James, who had also risen, concern written all over his bruise-mottled face. To Liam, Danny said, “Is everyone all right? What happened?”

“Everyone’s fine.” Liam’s voice was a little shaky. “They cornered us up, and they said Salvatore had a message for you.”

Danny swallowed hard. “Yeah? What’s the message?”

“He wants you, Danny. Face to face.” Liam moistened his lips, fear pulling his brows together. Voice even shakier now, he went on: “He says you’ve got until tonight, or he’ll kill Rowan and the family.”

The words hit Danny so hard, he had to sit down again just to keep from dropping to his knees. Elbows on his thighs, he put his hands over his mouth and whispered, “Rowan. Oh God.”

James sat beside him and put a hand on his shoulder, but he didn’t speak.

“There’s…” Liam pushed out a ragged breath, then reached into his pocket with the hand that wasn’t still wrapped in plaster. “They said to give you this. That you’d know what it meant.”

Danny held his breath as Liam opened his hand, and the weathered crucifix pendant in his friend’s palm sent fresh horror surging through him. Hands trembling, he took it,