The boy nodded. “You know I’m low on money. There are people who would pay good money for something about her.”
Growl stalked toward Maddox and took the kid from him, grabbing him by the throat, but he looked at me. “What kind of video?”
My cheeks heated. “A very private moment.”
Maddox gave me a dirty smile and I sent him my best death glare.
“Give me the phone,” Growl ordered. Maddox handed it to him.
“Don’t watch it,” I said firmly. “As I said, it’s private.”
“I just wanted to check if he really didn’t send it off.”
“He didn’t,” Maddox muttered. “I checked. I know how to operate a phone.”
Growl nodded. He seemed almost relieved. He probably didn’t want to risk seeing more of me by accident. He respected Dad too much.
“What now?” I asked with a nod toward the kid.
“I’ll have to call your father and give him a report.”
“The kid isn’t a member of the Famiglia, so he isn’t Dad’s concern but yours.”
“The kid tried to mess with you so he’s your father’s concern,” Growl rasped.
“Do you really want to be responsible for the death of one of your shelter kids?” It was a low blow but I really didn’t want Dad to get involved. He’d only get angry at Maddox again, when it had been both our decision to get it on in the woods.
Growl peered down at the kid who’d started sniffling, looking absolutely miserable and scared shitless since my father had been mentioned.
Growl finally gave a terse nod. “All right. This one time.” He grabbed the kid again. “If you ever do anything like this again, I’ll kill you myself. Got it? It’ll be an act of mercy.”
The kid nodded rapidly.
Maddox and I went over to his bike.
“When will you ride with me?” he asked when he mounted his Harley. Growl was getting his car ready to take me home.
“Give my dad a few more weeks to get used to you, okay? He told me you’ll be working with a few of his men in the next few weeks to search Tartarus warehouses and hiding places.”
“I doubt we’ll find anything of interest. Even the stupidest asshole won’t come anywhere near the city now that Earl’s dead and rumor has it that I’m working with the Famiglia.”
“What about your brother? Is he safe?”
“For now. But living the life he does, safety really isn’t a top priority.”
“Dad won’t go after him, right?”
“I won’t lead him to my brother and if Gray’s half as clever as I think he’ll make sure to stay far away from your father and his men.”
“Good,” I said then I wrapped my arms around Maddox’s neck. “Maybe you can accompany me to the mayor’s part in a few weeks.”
His eyebrows shot up. “You sure?”
“Not as my official date,” I amended. “But as my bodyguard? So people get used to you as part of the Famiglia and won’t be too shocked once we reveal we’re together.”
“From what I hear, people are talking about it anyway.”
“I know, but I want to reveal this part of my life on my own terms and not bow to the force of speculations.”
Maddox nodded with a small, tense smile. “Then I’ll be your bodyguard.”
I kissed him. “Be patient with me. This is all new to me. I used to be a complete control freak when it came to my public appearances. So many things are now out of my control since the kidnapping, I at least want to decide when to make our relationship official.”
Maddox took my hand and kissed my palm. “I’ll be patient as long as you need me to. After how badly I fucked up, I’m just happy that you want me in your life at all and didn’t let your old man kill me like he wants to do.”
“Thanks, Maddox.”
In the weeks between our make-out session in the woods and the party of the mayor, Maddox and I only met at the dog shelter to walk Santana—without any more make-out sessions, except for a few kisses—and during a few meetings with Growl and his enforcer team. Dad slowly introduced me to more and more of his soldiers, even though I hadn’t been inducted to the Famiglia yet. I had a feeling he was trying to push it back as much as possible, but I was determined to get it over with before the end of the year.
First, I needed to survive my first public appearance since the kidnapping. I hadn’t met with friends or gone to college in the last few weeks. Dad wanted me out of the public eye and I was glad for a few weeks of quiet to come to terms with what had happened too.
Unfortunately, that meant I was unreasonably tense before the party. People had always watched me at parties, but tonight I’d be the center of attention. Everyone wanted to know how I’d fared, if I was a shadow of my former self.