When Luca had dismissed us, I followed Growl outside. “Why can’t you be on the mission? I don’t know these guys.”
“You don’t know me either,” Growl said, puzzled.
“But I feel like I do. I can tell that you are a decent guy. But this Peppone guy and the others.” I shrugged. “Not sure I want to close my eyes at night beside them.”
“Luca gave them an order and they obey. You aren’t their concern.”
“If you say so,” I said, mounting my bike which was parked beside Growl’s pickup in the back alley behind the Sphere. “I’m tagging along. Marcella is heading for the shelter now and I want to meet her there to say goodbye. And yes, Luca knows about it.”
Growl nodded and got into his pickup.
When I pulled up in front of the shelter, Marcella was just getting out of the limousine. She was back in sneakers, jeans, and a simple white shirt, but damn, I wanted to devour her again.
She came over to me with a smile and wrapped her arms around me, gone the hesitation and secrecy of the last few weeks. I kissed her, not caring who saw.
“Did you hear?” I asked when I pulled back.
“Hear what?”
“Your dad’s sending me out on a weeklong mission to track down Earl supporters.”
“Alone?”
“No, with three guys. Peppone and two others.”
Marcella pressed her lips together. “He wants you away from me for a while.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe him.”
“Distance makes the heart all the fonder, right?” I joked, even if I didn’t like it either. “He probably hopes you’ll change your mind about me if I’m far enough away to break the spell I have on you.”
“If anyone has a spell on someone, it’s me,” she said with a teasing smile.
“So right, Snow White, so right,” I said. “I’ll be back before you know it, and we can chat and call.”
Marcella sighed. “Be careful, all right? Don’t be the hero.”
“I’ve never been the hero. I’m the bad guy.”
She laughed and pressed even closer. “That means at least a week without…”
I leaned down, kissed her ear. “Let’s go on a walk with Santana so we can properly say goodbye.”
Marcella looked eager when she pulled me toward the kennels to pick up Santana. I couldn’t help but grin.
Neither of my companions was very chatty as we set out to the first spot where a group of Nomads had been spotted not too long ago. Peppone was in charge of the operation—of course—even if I had the knowledge and contacts. Luca probably would let a chimp lead an operation before he’d ever entrust me with responsibility.
I sat in the back of the van beside Drooping-Eye, which wasn’t his name but I didn’t like the guy enough to bother remembering his name, especially because it was complicated and old-fashioned.
Peppone and Dimo sat in the front. Peppone threw me the occasional look through the rearview mirror. He obviously wasn’t too excited about working with me, but he like Luca’s other soldiers knew better than to disobey.
Usually I preferred to sleep during long drives but I would sure as hell not close my eyes around these guys, not before I knew them better.
“Quite the social rise you’re pulling off by becoming Marcella Vitiello’s man.” He paused. “If this was your plan all along, I’d applaud you.”
I cocked one eyebrow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Just a lucky coincidence then, I guess, finding love with the Capo’s daughter while she’s being held captive by you.”
He was really starting to piss me off, but I wanted to prove to Luca that I could work with his men.
“I’ve always been a lucky guy,” I muttered sarcastically.
Luckily we chose a motel that night, and I paid to have a separate room, despite Peppone’s protest.
The next morning, he seemed to have gotten over his sour mood from the previous day. It took us two more days to finally find a group of Earl supporters, all of them Nomads. They were hiding in a long abandoned safehouse of Tartarus out in the woods. Earl always liked to have our safehouses and clubhouses to be in the midst of the woods. Maybe that was why Gray had a penchant for trails and nature in general.
“I need to collect your phone,” Peppone said as we parked a good distance away from the house.
“Why?”
“Just to be safe. This mission is too important to risk anything. And your loyalties are still a risk.”
“If Luca sends me on a mission, he must think I can be trusted.” That was of course not true. I knew that Luca didn’t trust me, and of course Peppone didn’t either, which was why he asked me for my phone in the first place.
“This is my mission and I need to make sure it’s a success. So either you give me your phone or I can’t let you join the attack.”