Gripping the phone tightly, as if Sin can protect me through it if shit gets dicey, I approach the car. It stops and I lean down to look in the window. Thankfully, it is the guy from the picture. Just to be safe, I say, “Name?”
“Rex Donati,” he offers.
“It’s him,” I tell Sin, opening up the car door and sliding in.
“Put him on real quick,” Sin tells me.
I hand Rex the phone. He takes it, calming me slightly because while Sin scared the fuck out of me, Rex seems relaxed, like we’re just going for a Sunday drive.
“Yeah?” he says to Sin. I can’t hear what Sin says, but Rex hits the locks and starts driving. His large hand grips the wheel naturally, like he was born with a steering wheel in his hand. His air of aptitude has me settling down a little bit. He doesn’t say much to Sin, just listens, then says, “Got it,” and hands the phone back to me.
As soon as I get the phone back, Sin tells me, “I’m sorry if I scared you. I just… I had this fucking flashback feeling, and I had to get you out of that house.”
“It’s totally fine,” I assure him. “No harm done. I’m out now, so we’re all good.”
“Text me when you’re inside Rafe’s house so I know you’re safe.”
“Are you safe?” I ask.
“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. Eat Rafe’s food and watch some Smallville or something,” he tells me.
Cracking a smile, I tell him, “I can do that.”
“I gotta go. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I end the call and flatten myself against the seat of the car, taking a breath and staring out the windshield. It takes a minute for the adrenaline to slow down, for me to get my bearings. Once I can hold my hand out without it trembling, I think I should probably introduce myself.
“I’m Laurel Price, by the way.”
He nods his head once like he already knew that, his gaze slicing my way before moving back to the road. “You okay? Everything good over there?”
“Yeah, I just… I don’t really know what’s going on.”
“Yeah, I think that’s usually how it works for the ladies,” he says casually. “Don’t worry about it. You’re safe now. I’m an excellent getaway driver. You’re in good hands.”
I don’t mean to look so surprised, but I still don’t think he could be very old. How does someone my age even get into this line of work? This guy was at breakfast this morning, so he’s one of the guys Alec brought with him. “Um, you’re from Chicago?”
“Yep. Well, New York way back, but Chicago now.”
“How are you old enough to have worked for that many crime families?” I ask.
He cracks a smile. “I’m not. I didn’t work for a crime family in New York, I was just a kid. I got away with some petty theft, but nothing that would impress a Morelli. I work for the Chicago family. I’m here to help with the clean-up. I’m the best driver, so I knew I could get to you quickest. I go where I’m needed.”
“How old are you?”
“Almost 19.”
My God, he’s even younger than me. That makes me think about when Sin got mixed up in all this. He said he has worked for the family since he was 21, so I guess he was just a couple of years older.
Given the lifetime sentence this job is, though, it’s almost sad to think of guys getting involved so young. Then again, Vince got involved at the same age.
If I have a son, will he be expected to get involved in this shit when he’s my age?
My phone chimes and I check it. It’s Sin. I must have got in his head when I mentioned Rafe holding the gun to my head last night, because now he sends me a text that reads, “Tell Rex he needs to stay with you. I told him to leave you with Rafe and come back, tell him I changed my mind.”
“Okay…?” I send back.