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He laughs gruffly. “I know you’d rather eat a bullet than admit that.”

“Just because I left it behind, don’t think I assume I’m better than you. I committed several crimes today. Assault,kidnapping, false imprisonment. She’s in the panic room right now. Alive, safe, but not exactly here because she wants to be.”

“What does she want?”

For a moment, I think about what happened: the slickness of her body, the connection. Then I focus on the present. “To drop her in Glendale with no cash and no plan. To go it alone against The Vultures. God knows what would’ve happened to her if I wasn’t there. Have you got any more information about what work she was doing with them?”

“No, just whispers through the grapevine that she was affiliated with them and they’ve been hunting her since she ran.”

“That prick brought out the old me. I wanted to kill him.”

“The location wasn’t ideal. I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Me too,” I admit reluctantly. “Any sign of this Mason asshole?”

“The Vultures’ hideout is mysteriously empty.”

“They might know who I am. Mason said ‘Mr. Russo’ with emphasis. Maybe they’ve learned their lesson and they’re going to back off.”

“Or maybe they’re hiding and waiting for their chance,” Rafe muses.

“Find them for me, Rafe. I can’t let her go until I know she’s safe.”

I look at the horizon. The sky is bleeding red as dusk approaches. I feel Rafe looking at me like he used to, back when we were close friends, before I chose my path and he stuck to his.

“And here I was thinking you left the life behind,” Rafe says with a smirk.

“Don’t make a joke out of this. I went on the straight and narrow. I haven’t committed a crime in years, until today, until those pricks forced me to.”

I rarely even think about the mafia, about Father, about any of it.

After a pause, Rafe says, “Are you sure youwantto let her go, even after we handle this?”

“I’ve never kidnapped anyone. I’m not some psycho.”

“No shit. But I’ve never seen you like this before. And following her? What made you do that?”

“I was scared for her. She mentioned The Vultures.”

That’s not what I told Evie when I was touching her in the garage. I told her it was because I wanted her. Maybe that’s closer to the truth.

“If I hadn’t been there, they would’ve done whatever they wanted with her.”

“Woman are hurt every day, Dom. I don’t see you going out of your way to help them.”

“Have you got the photos?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Yeah,” he says, reaching into his jacket pocket and handing me the Polaroids of her apartment.

“And her friend?” I say.

“Safe.” Rafe grins. “And spunky as hell.”

I look askance at him. He shrugs. “She’s an interesting lady.”

“As long as she’s safe.”

“I’ll make sure she’s safe–don’t worry about that. Maybe the Vultures might think they can get to Evie through her. But that’d be a big mistake.”