Smoke (The Carelli Family Saga #1) - Eden Butler Page 0,55

that. But it was always there, simmering below the surface. I could read people. See it and now that her worst fear had been realized, it came out like a geyser, raging and unstoppable.

All I could do was let her go, let her rage, let her scream.

“Selfish, arrogant, greedy pendejo!”

When she hit her knees, doubling over, her scream turning into a sob that tore at my insides, I couldn’t keep still, couldn’t stop myself from touching her.

“I’m…sorry,” I tried, fighting her when she jerked away from me, pulling her to my chest, only relaxing when she turned toward me and collapsed against me. “We’ll find him,” I promised, hoping she knew I meant it. God help that bastard when we found him. Maggie’s entire body shook, but she gripped my shirt like it was the only thing keeping her upright. I held her close, letting her fall against me as we both let fear and terror rise inside us for just a few seconds. “I promise you, we’ll get him back.”

“How?” she said, looking up at me. “We have no idea where…”

“He wants you. This isn’t the end of it. Guys like that, messed up like that? No way can he handle a kid on his own. He’ll come looking for you.”

She closed her eyes, likely thinking the same twisted bullshit I had.

“He wants you and when he comes after you, when he comes with demands, we’ll be ready for him.”

“I’ll…I’ll go to him. I don’t want anything to happen here…” She shook her head, moving away from me, but I pulled her back. “Sweetie…”

“I’m not talking about making a stand here. Not in this town.”

“Then where?” Her face was swollen, her eyes red-rimmed, but Maggie was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.

“I got a place, don’t worry about that. We’ll own this game. I promise you.” I tightened my hold on her, promising myself right then that I’d never let her go again. “This isn’t over, and we’ll get our boy back. Don’t doubt that shit.”

15

Smoke

“He took my phone.” Vi had said the same thing four times in the past half hour. The woman hadn’t been able to look at anyone but gotten really damn jumpy anytime Maggie came near her. “I’m sorry,” she said, dropping her face into her hands. “If I’d only…”

“What? What could you have done?” my father said, setting a mug of coffee in front of her. The steam fogged up the woman’s glasses when she curled her hands around the surface and my ma moved into the seat at her side. Pop nodded, glancing between Vi and my mother before he softened his voice. “Listen…a man holds a gun in your face and the smartest thing you can do is keep quiet.”

“But the baby…”

“We’ll find the baby,” Ma answered, grabbing her arm. “That much we can promise you.”

Vivian’s face was swollen still, but now her eyes matched the knot on her temple from all the crying she’d done. The stubborn woman refused my parents’ offer to bring her to the hospital, swearing she didn’t care about anything but getting Mateo back.

“I—” Vi went quiet when Maggie came into the dining room, her arms curled, her stare unfocused until she grabbed Vi’s attention. The older woman glanced at her, but then dropped her gaze, hiding behind the mug in her hands.

Maggie, though, was having none of her friend avoiding her. She’d spent the past hour calling everyone she knew in the city to ask if they’d seen her ex and warned them that he had her son, and her death grip on her phone was still tight.

Maggie moved to the table, taking the empty seat next to Vi. She pulled her friend’s chin up, forcing her to look her in the eye. “You look at me, chica. Right in the eyes.” Vivian listened, forgetting the coffee when Maggie’s voice came at her fierce, but kind. “I don’t blame you. No one blames you.”

Vi’s features wilted, like she couldn’t take forgiveness when it was given, but when she started to crumple, retreating again, eyes shooting downward, my girl held her friend’s face in both hands.

“No, Vi, you can’t do that.” Maggie’s voice shook a little, but her hands were steady, and her eyes looked like they could shoot fire. “Mateo and me, we have no use for weak people in our lives and I know you, Vi. You’re not weak. You’re a baller. You’re strong. I really need you to be that for me