Chapter 6 - The Woman the Morettis Couldn’t Buy
Three weeks later, I returned to Ali’s Diner.
Ali stared at me.
“You survived the mafia.”
“Apparently.”
“And you still want this job?”
“I need money.”
A black Rolls-Royce stopped outside.
Ali looked at me.
“Do you?”
Daniel entered carrying Ella.
Marcus followed carrying Grace.
Both babies immediately reached toward me.
Ali sighed.
“I’m losing my waitress.”
“You are not.”
Daniel sat at the counter.
“Coffee.”
I stared at him.
“You came here for coffee?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
He handed me an envelope.
I opened it.
A check.
I nearly choked.
“Five hundred thousand dollars?”
“You saved my life.”
“No.”
“You saved my daughters.”
“Still no.”
“You risked your life.”
“No.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why are you saying no?”
“Because I didn’t save you for money.”
“I know.”
“Then take it back.”
He stared at me as if nobody had ever rejected his money before.
Maybe nobody had.
Marcus whispered, “I told you.”
Daniel shot him a look.
I shoved the check across the counter.
“Buy Ella and Grace something ridiculous.”
“They already own everything.”
“Then buy them normal childhoods.”
Daniel became quiet.
That night he returned without security.
Without a suit.
Without the twins.
Just Daniel.
He sat at a corner booth.
“I need advice.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“I’m stepping back.”
“From what?”
“The organization.”
I stared at him.
“Can mafia bosses retire?”
“Not traditionally.”
“Comforting.”
“My legitimate businesses are enough. Marcus can restructure everything else.”
He looked tired.
Not physically.
Older somehow.
“Sophia asked me to choose the girls.”
I sat opposite him.
“And?”
“I’m choosing them.”
For the first time, I saw Daniel without the gun, the empire, or the reputation.
Just a widowed father trying to become someone his daughters deserved.
“What are you going to do all day?”
“Raise them.”
“You?”
He looked offended.
“Yes.”
“You couldn’t tell Ella from Grace.”
“That happened once.”
“Yesterday you called Grace Ella.”
“She changed headbands.”
I laughed.
Daniel smiled.
Then his expression changed.
“Anna.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know what this is.”
“What?”
He gestured between us.
“This.”
I looked down.
“I don’t either.”
“I’m not asking you to replace Sophia.”
“I would never try.”
“I know.”
He hesitated.
“I just know the first time I thought I might die, I thought about my daughters.”
He paused.
“The second time, I thought about them and you.”
I swallowed.
“That is an extremely inconvenient thing to say.”
“Most things involving you are inconvenient.”
“Charming.”
“I’m trying.”
“Try harder.”
He smiled.
Then reached across the table.
He didn’t grab my hand.
He simply placed his beside mine.
Waiting.
Giving me the choice.
After a moment, I moved my fingers into his.
May you like
Neither of us said anything.
We didn’t need to.
