Page 5 of Escaping the King (The Sovrano Crime Family #13)

Giselle

C arlo was sound asleep. I'd tired him out on purpose.

Well, for two purposes.

The first reason was because that would be the last time I'd ever make love to Carlo. And I wanted to make it count.

The second reason was so he'd sleep. Whenever we really—went at it—he tended to fall asleep hard and for a long time.

And that was what I needed tonight.

I'd slipped out of bed about twenty minutes after he'd come. For the third time.

He'd made me come four times. And yes, I was counting.

Directly after his head hit the pillow, he was out.

I laid there beside him, memorizing the hard edges of his face and committing them to memory. I never wanted to forget what Carlo looked like.

Once I was satisfied that he truly was asleep and down for the count—I slipped out of bed and started collecting the few things I'd need.

I pulled the small cooler out from under the sink. I tossed a few sippy cups of milk in there for Dani. And then I slid in some of the leftover Indian food from tonight.

Then I picked up the baggies of fresh fruit and cheese I'd chopped up and set in the fridge for tonight.

I was methodical in my packing. I'd done this before.

And I could do it again.

We'd be okay.

Or at least that was what I had to keep telling myself.

I quietly opened the front door and walked out with the cooler.

I'd left my car doors unlocked. It was a risk. And a pretty big one.

But I weighed the odds of waking up Carlo with the chances of a random thief.

And I figured my odds were better of not getting robbed tonight of all nights. The universe owed me this much.

I opened the back door closest to me and shoved the cooler onto the floorboard.

All I needed now was the stash of cash I'd been saving, and my daughter.

I hoped against hope that she wouldn't wake up crying when I got her out of her crib.

I'd made sure not to turn on the monitor in my room. I didn’t want Carlo hearing me when I got Dani up.

The cool night air made me pause for a minute. I breathed in deeply, trying to settle my nerves. In the distance, I heard sirens of some kind. Probably an ambulance.

I looked over at Eve's old house, where Asher stayed now. “Bye Eve's old house. Goodbye, Asher.” My eyes started to well up, but I quickly blinked back any tears.

This was not the time for crying. I was too close to being gone.

I turned toward my house and said, “Goodbye, house. You're small and cramped and generally pretty shitty. But you were there for us when Dani and I needed you. So,” I took in a deep breath, “thank you.”

One more fortifying breath and I tiptoed back inside.

I shuffled silently through the living room and into the hall. And then into Dani's room.

I touched her back, and she moved a little bit. “Baby, come with Mommy.”

She snorted and I could tell she just might start crying.

But she didn't.

The universe must be on my side tonight.

“Dada?” she said in a soft, tiny voice.

I smiled even though it killed me. “Yes, dada's waiting for us in the car,” I lied to my daughter. “Come with me and we'll go find him.”

She grinned at me so big it broke my heart.

Her legs folded in underneath her, and she pushed up. “Dada.”

And my heart broke again.

“Yes, honey. Shh, we have to be very, very quiet, okay?” I scooped her up and kissed her cheek. “Not a sound. Shh,” I whispered into her tiny ear.

Amazingly enough, she listened. Her little arms wrapped around my neck. “Shh,” she repeated, like we were playing a game.

I made sure to grab her bunny and yellow bear from the crib. And her blankie.

I covered her back with the blanket and started walking out of her room.

Before we left, I took one more, deep inhale of her room. Baby powder, the flowery shampoo I used on her hair. And Daniella.

“Goodbye, Dani's room,” I said softly.

And Dani immediately copied me. “Bye, bye room.” Her little hand reached out and waved.

A few more steps and we were in the hall and then the living room.

At the door, I turned and scanned the kitchen where Stefan and I had spent hours and hours cooking. And laughing. And learning how to be friends.

And preparing to be lovers.

Then I looked at the living room, missing its couch.

The couch where Stefan made love to me for the first time.

“Goodbye, kitchen. Goodbye, living room.”

Dani again repeated after me. “Bye, kitchen. Bye, living room.”

I silently opened the door into the dark, cool night air.