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Maybe, just maybe, I can get this murderous Mafia man to fall in love with me.

Wish me luck.

24

Come home tonight.I have a surprise for you.

I had no intention of going home today.

I’m behind on work and have two meetings scheduled.

But after Genesis’s text?

Fuck work and fuck those meetings.

I scrub a hand over my face.

Her text should make menotwant to go home.

It should make me want to sit behind my desk all night long.

Surprises aren’t good.

I’d rather have someone shoot me in the damn foot than have a surprise.

But here I am, driving home, for Genesis’ssurprise.

Driving over the damn speed limit at that.

I texted Emilio when I left the casino and told him he could leave. Genesis should be able to stay out of trouble for at least a few hours before I get there. I also don’t want him to know what thissurpriseis before me.

I park in the garage, and before I step out of the Escalade, my phone rings.

Franko’s name flashes across my screen.

“Yeah,” I say, answering the call.

“We caught another one of Yaroslav’s men in the casino,” he tells me. “I have him tied up in the back room. What do you want me to do with him?”

Shit.

Terrible timing.

I can either leave and deal with the fucking Russian, disappointing Genesis, or handle it later. I take a second, weighing my options.

I don’t even make it to second two before my decision is made.

I’ll go in and see what Genesis’s surprise is. If it’s something ridiculous—like bringing the entire shelter to my home—I’ll leave and deal with the Russian.

This is unlike me.

I’ve always been abusiness firstman.

“Keep him there. I’ll call you in an hour and tell you what to do,” I say into the phone before ending the call.

As I walk inside, I have a strange urge to say,Honey, I’m home.

It’s what my father would announce every evening when he came home to my mother. It was a ritual with them. Whether he’d had a good day or walked in, beaten and bruised, he always said it.