would brush his chest, yet we weren't touching. But he was just there. Right there.
“If you think you can trust Gaige Pontarelli, then where is he right now?” Hunter's voice was low, but there was nothing quiet about the thoughts that ran through my head.
“I can trust him,” I protested, even as a niggle of doubt worked its way into the back of my mind.
“Then why didn't he demand to come with us, huh? Because while I wanted to wring his fucking neck for standing around like an iceberg waiting for a heatwave, he was concerned with why you needed an escape vehicle you own.” He dipped his head so his mouth hovered over my ear. “And by his own admission, he doesn't trust me around you. So, if he cares so much, Principessa, why the fuck isn't he here?”
Why isn't he?
I wanted to argue that point. I wanted to give excuse after excuse. I wanted to yell at Hunter for manipulating my thoughts, but he wasn't, not really. I'd wondered it myself as we drove here. Fleetingly, admittedly, but I'd wondered. Several times, actually.
Was it because of Hunter?
But then he was right there, too. Gaige didn't trust this man standing in front of me, yet he let me leave with him to go to a place he didn't know about. Hell, it's not like we were going for frozen fucking yogurt, was it?
It hit me in that moment, as silver eyes found mine.
I couldn't trust anyone.
Not Isaiah, not Darien, not Gaige. Not Hunter.
No matter what he said, I was alone. The only person I could trust was myself. Nobody had any allegiance to me. No one's loyalty was really required. I was the youngest, but I was also a woman. The only reason my mother every had power in this world was because she demanded it.
I was given it because she demanded it.
That wouldn't wash any longer. Not now, not in the situation we were in. I'd left Los Angeles, hell, California, and the only person I had was a boy I once loved who then wanted me dead.
And now...
I wished I could read minds. I wanted to know what was going on inside Hunter's head, what kind of storm was forming beneath those gorgeous gray eyes. I wanted to know every inch of his mind, because I wanted to know if I was safe. If I was honest with myself, I wanted to know if he wanted me safe. If he cared like he said he did.
Because I had no idea what was happening.
“I wish you'd killed me,” I whispered, stepping away from Hunter. “I wish you were brave enough to do it. It would have been easier.”
I turned away from him and walked into the main living area. No footsteps followed me, so I flattened my hands on the seat that stretched the length of the ceiling-high bay window and leaned forward. I could see the lights of the Vegas strip in the distance. They glared out against the darkness of the Nevada desert that surrounded the city, looking almost fake with their brightness.
It was the only light I could see except for the gauzy haze of the almost set sun. Even then, against the strip, even the sunset looked awful.
Hunter's light footsteps vibrated across the wooden floor.
“Do you know why this community is dark? Why there's no-one else here?” I asked him without turning around. “My great-grandfather and grandfather built it. The basements used to all link together in an underground city. They brewed alcohol there during the prohibition and shipped it out. It worked, because while all the other families were being arrested for brewing on their property, the Romanos were never caught. After my great-grandfather died and the prohibitio n was over, Nonno sealed up the doors. The idea was that eventually the Romanos would relocate to Vegas because he loved to gamble, but it never happened.”
Hunter came and stood next to me, his hands on the seat next to mine. “Why not?”
I shrugged. “The Gardarellis took over, I guess. Nonno figured it was easier to keep a strong working relationship with them instead of overthrow them. Mamma thought the same. Who knows if Enzio kept that up?”
“He did,” he confirmed. “If only for his own selfish needs.”
I nodded slowly. “I figured as much. Mamma never told me much, but I had a feeling she kept a relationship with Gemma Gardarelli. They were close friends once.” I exhaled slowly. “Anyway... No one lives here.