CHAPTER THIRTY

DANTE

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“Want me to go in?” Dom asks.

“Nope.” I open the door and climb out, running my hands down my pants.

“Boss. She’ll see you,” he warns. I watch Adelina walk inside the grocery store and grab a shopping cart.

Frowning, I turn to Dom. “She’s five foot four and weighs one hundred and ten pounds. I think I will be fine.”

He blinks.

“Oh. Right. Yeah.” He nods, rubbing his chin.

I slap his shoulder and walk across the parking lot.

She won’t see me.

I’m a criminal first and foremost. I was born into this world. I know how to remain invisible, even though I’m over six four and broad as fuck.

Adelina has been jumpy, and I’d like to think she can sense me, but she won’t see me.

She’s been in California now for three days. I flew home for my father’s funeral while my men watched her. Carlos attended to show his respect and shook my hand.

“You don’t have my daughter.” He growled roughly.

“I do not,” I said.

He never asked me if I knew where she was, so I wasn’t going to offer the information.

“Are you hiding her?”

I shook my head, and he sneered at me for a long minute. Then nodded and walked away.

If he suspected anything, my father’s funeral was not the place to do anything about it.

Three hours later, I was flying back to California. First class...but it was no private jet.

However, I’ve had a few more conversations with Connor and Braxton on video to discuss our agreement and spent the time we have watched Adelina fine-tuning my plan.

I’m ready to proceed.

But I haven’t pushed the go button. Something is holding me back, and she’s currently selecting the perfect avocado.

I grab a basket from the pile and wonder why she is here.

And I don’t mean the grocery store.

Why did she run from her life? Or was she running from me?

There’s no way she could have put this altogether in a few hours. Or even the past few days. Where did she get the money?

Connor had his team do a search and apparently, she’s not withdrawn any cash. Ricky said she never stopped at a bank after leaving New York, so this was planned.

Still...Adelina left me.

I don’t know where home is.

With me, kitten. Damn you.

I wonder, does she dream of me? Does she wonder how I feel or what it would’ve been like if she’d stayed and married me?

I walk through the produce section, leaving my dark sunglasses on, and toss in a tomato, a head of broccoli, and a bunch of grapes.

I follow her with my eyes as she walks to the meat section. Lifting a melon, I let my eyes run over her body.

This is the closest we’ve been for days, and I feel my muscles tense and cock thrum with need. She continues around the store and stops at alternative milk cartons.

For ages.

Jesus how long does it take to decide on oat, almond, or coco-fucking-nut?

Impatience gets the better of me, and I start walking closer.

I don’t know if she’ll recognize me in the blue jeans and white shirt I’m wearing. It’s not my usual uniform. My tattoos are visible, and she knows my ring and chunky Rolex watch. I rarely take either off.

I pass her and she lifts on her tiptoes to reach for a carton just out of her reach.

Without thinking, I lean over, hand it to her, and keep walking.

“Thank you,” she says, and my entire body shudders as my pec rubs against her shoulder. Electricity blasts through me as the need to pull her into my arms almost ruins everything.

Fuck.

I stride around the corner and lift a box of whogivesafuck crisps and stare at the label.

I wait to see if she follows.

Or runs.

I can see the exits from here and if she even tries to walk out of the store, I’m going after her.

Twenty heartbeats later, Adelina appears at the end of the aisle. She glances away from me and keeps shopping.

Fuck.

I’m not ready to talk to her yet.

I need more time.

She needs more time.