Dive In

Chapter 40

•Nolani•

"Hey Angelo can you come help me, the knob on the shower is stuck." I say, standing in the open doorway to his room, my heart thundering heavy and hard against my ribs.

I'm nervous. Nervous whoever is watching the cameras in Giovanni's house will somehow catch onto my plan even though I've only talked about it to myself in my head. I've been thinking about it for hours now, not taking the decision lightly in the least.

Angelo closes his laptop and follows me into my en suite silently. I quickly shut the door and Angelo turns the knob on the shower without any issue, a frown tilting his lips. He looks over at me with his brow furrowed as the sound of rushing water fills the room.

I grip his forearm, my hands shaking and eyes wide. "I need you to get me out of here."

"What do you mean? What's going on?" He questions, studying my face intensely as if my flesh holds the answers.

"Giovanni lied to me, my head is a mess and I need to get away. Not forever just for a night or two so I can think without being surrounded by Giovanni and his things."

And his family. And his men. He's literally everywhere even when he's not here. I know he wants to explain what happened and why he lied but I don't want to hear it right now, especially after his proposal last night. God and to think I said yes to that. In my defense he teased me until I thought I would lose my mind. In the moment I would've done anything if it meant having his mouth on me, I'm just going to dismiss the proposal altogether and act like it didn't happen.

"Where do you want to go?" Angelo asks.

I push the dirty images from my mind and focus on the makeup on his shirt and getting the hell out of this house.

"Anywhere." I answer desperately.

I need him to do this for me. Without him I'll never get out of the house without Matteo right on my ass much less through the gate.

Angelo thinks for a minute. "It'll be hard to get out of the community with Rome. Giovanni told his men the only time the baby should leave is if he's in the car with him."

I give him a smile of relief, so thankful I've got someone like him in my life. "I've got an idea."

I tell him my plan quickly as I know we're running out of time for a 'shower repair' and I also have no idea when Giovanni will be back. I'd like to be long gone before then. Angelo strategizes where we'll go and then leaves me to prepare. I write Giovanni a quick note, explaining that I need to get away for a few days but I'll be back. I pray he doesn't come looking for me, I hope he gives me the time I need without exploding like volcano. I stuff a few things in my purse, stock the diaper bag with essentials for Rome, and change my clothes.

Angelo lured Matteo outside to check on the motion detector so while Matteo is distracted I strap Rome into his car seat, sling the diaper bag and my purse over my shoulder and exit the house through the garage. Angelo also opened the garage door and unlocked the SUV so I could sneak around the passenger side of the vehicle and quietly get everything loaded without being visible. I just hope Riot doesn't see me, his house being across the street only makes this harder. If he saw me he would enjoy dragging me to Giovanni and tattling on me like a child. I cannot give him that satisfaction.

I place our bags on the floorboard of the back seat and sit Romes car seat in the seat before quietly shutting the door. I can feel sweat beading at the base of my spine as I glance in Matteo and Angelo's direction and thankfully neither man glances over. I haul Rome over the back of the backseat and then follow him into the load space where I lie down so I can't be seen. I pull out my phone, my hands shaking so hard I almost click the wrong contact and call Angelo but I don't say anything.