Reno's Gift (Mob Boss Series) by Mallory Monroe

preferred that she didn’t go there.   But she did.  
    “She’s
going to break your heart,” she said as if it was a foregone conclusion.   “You’ve broken too many hearts, far too many,
for somebody not to break yours.   Shanks
didn’t do it.   You rebounded too
quickly.   But this Grace, this woman you
thought enough of to ask her to share your name, is going to be the one.”   Then the tears couldn’t hold back any longer.   “She has to be,” Cathy was barely able to
add.   
    And
then she hurried, like a woman realizing for the first time that her dreams
might not come true, out of the lounge.
    Tommy
stared at her as she left, and his heart was conflicted.   But then he paid the ticket, left a tip, and
began a slow walk to the exit.   His cell
phone rang as he walked.   When he saw
that it was Sal, he answered right away.
    “What’s
up?” he asked his brother.
    “Hate
to bother you big brother but there’s a situation I figure you’d want to know
about.”
    “A
situation?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Involving?”
    “Grace,”
Sal said and Tommy stopped walking.   His
heart hammered against his chest.  
    “Grace?”
he asked his brother.
    “Afraid
so.”
    “What
happened?   Is she alright?”
    “She’s
all right,” Sal said.   “At least
physically she’s fine.”
    Tommy
began walking again.   “Only physically?”
    “Afraid
so.   The bastard at least had the decency
to shoot himself rather than her.”
    Tommy
was now outside, in the parking lot.   “Sal, tell me what happened.”
    “Grace
was having dinner with this guy she says is called Cameron.”
    “Cameron?   Cameron Birch?”
    “That’s
the one.   Her ex-boyfriend or something
like that.   But they were talking and
then she stood up to leave.   And then
that fucker stood up too and blew his brains out.   Right in front of Grace he blew his brains
out.”
    Tommy
felt faint.   His poor Grace.   “Where is she now?”
    “The
cops are interviewing her.   But Tommy
here’s the clincher: the dude decides to pull his little stunt right in one of
your restaurants   In Diamante’s.”
    But
Tommy couldn’t care less about the location.   He was too worried about his lady.   “Put Grace on the phone,” he said.
    “I
told you the cops are talking to her now.”
    “I
don’t care if the president is talking to her now.   Put her on the phone.   I have to hear her voice.”
    Sal
exhaled.   He knew there was no changing
Tommy’s mind when he made it up.   “Hold
on,” he said.
    And
Tommy did hold on.   With both hands.   His heart was a torrent of pain.   He pulled out a second cell phone, his
business only line, and speed dialed his pilot.
    “Ready
the plane, Jeffrey,” he said into the phone.   “I want to pull out as soon as you can get it ready.”
    “Where
to?”
    “Home,”
Tommy said.   And then Grace was on his
personal cell phone.
    “I’m
all right, Tommy,” she said.
    Tears
came into Tommy’s eyes when he heard her voice.   He could hear the strain and the emotional drain in her words.   “Sure you’re okay?” he asked her.
    “I’m
positive.   Please don’t worry.   I’m fine.   I’m talking with the police now.   We’ll talk later.”
    “Okay,”
Tommy said, although he wanted to say so much more.   And then Sal was back on the line.
    “She’s
upset that I called you,” he said.   “But
I told her tough.   You’re my brother,
she’s your lady.   You had a right to
know.”
    “Damn
straight,” Tommy said.
    “So
what’s the game plan?”
    “The
plane is getting prepped now.   I’m going to
head back.”
    “That’s
what I’m talking about.   She keeps saying
she’s all right, but a fragile girl like Grace can’t witness a thing like that
and be all right.”
    “You
stay with her.   I don’t care how much she
complains.   You stay with her.”
    “Don’t
worry.   A complaining female never
stopped me yet.”
    Tommy
would have smiled.   Sal