Gian (Trassato Crime Family #1)(38)

As my eyes drifted closed, the loud crash of exploding glass from somewhere near the entry ricocheted through the house. My heart skittered to a stop. The air whooshed out of my lungs in a half-scream and half-exhalation. I scrambled to my feet then fell onto all fours, tripping over the throw blanket tangled around my legs.

With my eyes wide and my blood chugging like a freight train, I scrutinized every shadowed corner of the dimly lit room. Coming to my knees, I grabbed the discarded paring knife, gripping it so tightly my knuckles whitened. My jagged breaths echoed through room, competing for attention with the hysterical drum of my heart.

I waited…

Listening for a creak of the hardwood floors, a bang of a kicked in door, or more shattered glass. I stayed that way, with one arm raised prepared to slash at anything in my vicinity, my eyes wildly searching and scanning for anyone or anything.

I heard nothing except the steady tick tock of the clock over the fireplace mantel and the constant whirr of the furnace. After I had managed to compose myself, I pushed to my feet and tiptoed to the foyer where the stairs were located.

With my back pressed against the wall, I stopped dead. A strong breeze blew through the glass panel inset in the upper half of the front door. Tiny silvers of glass littered the gray and white marble floor, and a rust-colored brick was perched on its side. Black letters in all caps stained one side. The low light and angle of the offending chunk of clay prevented me from making out the words.

“Oh my God,” I mumbled, panic inching up my throat. I swallowed it back and sucked in what I hoped would be a calming breath. I didn’t have time for a breakdown right now. I needed my phone. I needed to call Gian, and I couldn’t do either unless I went upstairs.

Shivering, I sprinted up the stairs, my bare feet slapping against the cold treads. When I reached the third floor, I snagged my purse off the dresser and dumped it contents on the floor. Hands fumbling, I called up Gian’s name from my list of contents.

The call went directly to voicemail. I tried two more times with identical results.

Dammit, answer your phone. Where are you?

If I lived with a different man, I’d call the police, but something told me Gian would lose his mind if I went that route. I scrolled through my contacts, pausing at Carmela’s name. I hesitated, recounting our conversation last night after I fainted. While she hadn’t done anything overtly rude, there was a big fat wall between us, and I didn’t know if I’d ever scale it.

Sadly, she was my only option because my mom couldn’t do a damn thing from halfway across the country and my brother was deployed on the other side of the world. I pressed her name and waited. Unlike Gian, she answered on the second ring.

“Hello?” she said over a steady hum of voices.

“Carmela, it’s Evie.” My voice warbled.

“Evie, are you okay?”

“No.” I lowered my voice. “Someone threw a brick through the glass in the front door at Gian’s house.”

“Where’s Gian?”

“I don’t know.” I rolled my head in a circle, mentally pushing away the icy grip of fear. “He went out with a friend, and he’s not answering his phone.”

She didn’t respond for a beat, then, “Did you call the police?”

“No. Of course not.” I frowned, dragging my free hand down the back of my neck. “Do you think I should?”

“No. No. It was probably a couple of kids playing a prank. I’ll be there in a few minutes. I’m not that far away.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I leaned against the side of the dresser, trying to relax the knots in my shoulders. “Are you sure you’re okay with coming here? If you’re busy—”

“Jesus, Evie, I’m not leaving you there alone. I know things are weird between us now that you’re…” she paused, and my heart constricted, “with Gian, but you’re still my friend. My best friend.”

“I miss you.” It escaped my mouth without forethought, and it was the truth. Without question, I missed her, more than I ever imagined possible.

Horns honked in the background and cars revved their engines, and for a second, I wondered if she’d heard me.

“I miss you too, Evie. Sit tight, I’m already on my way there. In fact, I’m less than two blocks away.”

“Will you stay on the phone until you get here? I’m scared. I don’t think anyone is around, but—”

“I wouldn’t dream of hanging up. We can hang out at my house until Gian gets home. Okay?”

“Yeah.” I rested my head on top of my knees. My muscles felt like limp noodles as the adrenaline leeched from my body. “That sounds perfect.”

“I’m sorry if I haven’t been supportive of this thing with my brother.” She blew out a breath. “It came out of the blue, and I didn’t know how to handle it. You’re my best friend and all, and as bad as I want you to move on from Kevin, I don’t like that you’re doing it with my brother. I mean, you’re engaged. How did that happen?”

My teeth clamped together to halt the urge to spill the truth about my relationship with Gian. At this point, a confession would only drive a bigger wedge between my best friend and me. “I don’t know. I couldn’t explain it if I tried. It just did.”

“Yeah, I didn’t expect you to.” She snorted. “You gotta admit this is awkward on so many levels.”