Page 91 of Girth (Marked Skulls MC 1)
I pulled out the wad of cash I had for him and slapped it on the counter.
“Thank you for your services,” I said, standing up and he slipped the money in his pocket.
“I’ll always be just a phone call away, brother,” he called out to me as I started to walk away.
Outside the strip joint, I stood in the darkness, looking over at the Seattle skyline.
Maybe I was being watched right now? Maybe Kennedy and I wouldn’t be able to make our escape at all. I had no idea what we had in store for the journey. I didn’t even know how she would react when she saw the passport. All I knew was that I couldn’t give up now. I had to try.
I walked to my car and sat inside.
I was running away. I was making my escape.
Even a few years ago, maybe even a few months ago; leaving town would have been a cowardly act that I’d never consider. I was brainwashed into thinking the only thing to do was to stay and fight it out to death. I was a Rossi man. We didn’t run.
Maybe I never would have if I hadn’t met Kennedy.
Maybe in a few weeks when the death threats turned to reality, I would be lying in a ditch somewhere, shot in the head. Maybe that was the fate my father was headed towards.
Not now. I wasn’t going to let Kennedy or the baby meet that fate too.
We’d start over in a new country if we had to. My father could think what he wanted of me. I wasn’t looking for his approval anymore. I had Kennedy and we had the baby—that was all that mattered.
I started the car and headed in the direction of the apartment. Kennedy would have to leave all this behind. Her family and friends might never see her child. She would have to bring our kid up in a foreign country.
Kennedy was making a sacrifice for me.
And I would fight all my life to make sure that her sacrifice was worth it. I would make her happy. Give her the life she deserved.
As I drove, I realized that none of that could happen if we didn’t make it out of Seattle alive.
Chapter 23
Kennedy
Ava was pacing around the living room, refusing to sit down. It seemed like she was freaking out way more than I was.
“I knew this was going to happen. I warned you, Kenni!” she mumbled under her breath.
“I know you did, but will you please just sit down! You’re making me nervous,” I argued but she wasn’t about to listen to me.
“And now something’s going to happen. I know it will! I told you Nico Rossi was trouble!” she continued.
I stood up and walked over to her, trying to put my arms around her but she wriggled out of my grip.
“You never should have slept with him! Him and his entire family are all poison!” she yelled.
I placed my hand on my belly and stroked where I could feel the baby growing inside me.
“But I’m having his child now, Ava. This baby is as much a Rossi as Nico is,” I said softly.
That seemed to appease Ava a little and she licked her lips nervously.
“What are you going to do, Kenni?” she asked.
“Nico is figuring it out.”
“You’ll have to leave Seattle. How far will you go? How far is safe?” she said and I shook my head.
“I don’t know, honey, but I’ll go wherever Nico thinks we should. He knows best,” I replied.
Ava stormed over to the couch and deposited herself on it.
“If he knew what was best he should have taken care of this a long time ago! You shouldn’t be getting threats right now!” she snapped.
“He’s been trying. I’ve never met his father, but I’m sure you’ve heard about him. I’m sure you know better than I do what that man is like,” I said and went to console Ava again.
She was rocking herself on the couch and I placed a hand on her shoulder.
“We have no choice, Ava. I want to stay with him, I love him and he’s the father of my child. I have to go wherever he goes. This is the life I’ve chosen for myself,” I told her.
“You deserve so much more, Kenni!” Ava said with tears in her eyes.
“Yes, she does,” Nico’s voice echoed in the room and we looked over to find him standing at the door.
Even though I knew how much danger we were in. And I was scared, I couldn’t help but admire the man I had chosen to spend my life with. He looked handsome standing there. Sturdy and strong, a man capable of keeping his family safe. A smile flickered on my face…I’d been waiting for him to return.
Nico walked towards us, looking at Ava now.
“I know I’ve been nothing but bad news for Kennedy, but I love her,” he said. Ava stood up with her lips quivering.
“She’s my best friend, Nico! And now she’s in danger. I might never see her again!” Ava thundered.
Nico was looking at her calmly, searching her eyes.
“I will not let that happen. I won’t allow Kennedy to live her life estranged from you or her family. I’m going to make sure she’s safe and then I’ll figure out how to solve the problem,” he replied.
I reached for his hand and we stood in front of Ava, united, hand-in-hand.
Ava looked at both of our faces and she could see that I had made up my mind. There was no question. I was sticking with my man.
“Look after her,” Ava said in a quieter voice to Nico and he nodded his head.
Then she threw her arms around me and I hugged her tight.
“We’ll find a way to keep in touch, I promise, Ava,” I told her while she sobbed. My eyes were filled with tears too. She was my oldest friend, the person I’d grown up with. The only girl who had given the nerd in me a chance in school.
I kissed her cheek and she finally drifted away from me.
“I guess I should go and let you guys figure it out,” she said and I nodded.
“Will you…call me? Or text or something? Before you leave,” she added as she walked to the door. Ava was wiping the tears off her cheeks.
I nodded again and then she was gone.
I turned to Nico who remained standing there with his shoulders drooping. He looked like a broken man and I wanted to fix him. I wanted him to know that I trusted him and I relied on him and he was making the right decision.
“She’s right, Kennedy, you deserve so much more than this,” he said in a quiet voice.
I reached for his face, grazing my palm along his stubbled handsome jaw.
“I didn’t even think I deserved you, Nico, but now I know I do. I’ve made a dec
ision and I’m sticking to it. I don’t care what happens next because I know you’ll keep us safe,” I replied with a weak smile.
Nico held my hands and squeezed tightly.
“I know you don’t want to leave Seattle,” he began and I looked down at my feet. I’d never lived anywhere else. This was the only place I knew. It was home. Leaving this city was a decision I wished I didn’t have to make.
“But Kennedy, it’s the only way we can be safe. We need to protect our baby,” he continued and I nodded my head.
“Yes, I know and I also know it’ll be hard but I want to do it with you. Tell me where we’re going,” I said.
“Italy, Rome,” Nico replied and I jerked my head up to look at him.
My brows were crossed, my cheeks were flushed…we weren’t even going to be in the country! Not even in the same continent!
“Kennedy…” he said my name softly and I drew my hands away from him.
“I don’t know what to expect there,” I said, turning away. Nico placed his hands on my shoulders tenderly.
“I’ll be there with you the whole time,” he said.
“When are we leaving?” I asked.
“In the morning.”
I whipped around to him. Nico was searching my eyes. I could see that he was pained by this. He was blaming himself for what was happening. For plucking me out of the place I knew and loved.
“I know this is crazy,” he said and I shook my head.
“We’ll be fine,” I spoke softly.
He kissed my lips and then brushed my cheeks with his thumbs.
“If we didn’t have the baby on the way, maybe we could have fought it out here,” he said and I nodded, smiling at him.
“Maybe, yes, we could have. But we have a little Merlin or Avery on the way and it deserves the best life possible. If that means we have to leave Seattle, then that’s what we’ll do.”
