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Landed in LA. Definitely won’t be back until tomorrow night.

I'm surprised to see the famous three dots blinking right away, and a reply comes back.

Passerotta

I figured. Everything okay?

Handling it. If you need anything, tell one of the guards. If it’s important, call me.

Passerotta:

So if I miss you, I’m supposed to bother the guards?

A strange sensation rushes through me.So if I miss you… I like the idea of her missing me. I type a quick reply, not realizing I'm smiling.

Smartass.

Passerotta

Guilty. But seriously, be careful.

Always.

Passerotta

Liar.

Get some sleep, passerotta.

Passerotta

Only if you do.

I smirk at the screen, shaking my head before tucking the phone away. She’s making it way too fucking hard to stay focused.

Vito smirks as he watches me. "Jesus, boss. You’ve been in LA for five minutes, and you’re already texting your hostage?"

I level him with a look. "You got something to say, Vito?"

He holds up his hands, grinning. "Nah, just never thought I’d see the day. Antonio DeLuna—mafia kingpin, savage as fuck—suddenly checking in like some high school boyfriend."

I exhale through my nose, not amused. "You done?"

"Depends." He leans back in his seat, eyes sharp with amusement. "Did she send you a kissy emoji or just theI miss youtext?"

I glare at him. "If you want to keep all your teeth, I’d shut the fuck up now."

Vito chuckles but wisely changes the subject. He knows how far he can push me, and there are lines even he won’t cross.

But the bastard is still smirking.

It'sstrange waking up without Antonio. It's funny how fast an attachment can grow in just a few days—avery intense few days. My mind reminds me.

I sit up and look around, but a new awareness inside me tells me that he isn't here—or even in the house. I reach for the phone I left on the charger and check for new messages, but there aren't any.

Nervously, I bite my lip, contemplating whether I should send him one. That's what couples do, right? Send each other texts? Wait, are we a couple? I have no idea. With any other man, I would have said yes, but with Antonio? It doesn't feel right calling him my boyfriend…even if that's what he is. It just doesn't have the right ring to it.

I pull up our last conversation and read through it, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. Another emotion rushes through me when I read what I wrote about missing him. I do miss him.