Sempre: Redemption (Forever Series #2)(57)

She started stammering as soon as he entered, trying to explain what had happened, but he held his hand up to stop her. She flinched from the sudden movement and he froze. “I have no intention of harming you.”

Haven stood still by the door as he checked out the place. The apartment appeared undisturbed and Haven felt ridiculous, wondering if Corrado had flown out for nothing.

“Is your upstairs neighbor home?” he asked.

“Uh, no, not yet,” she said. “Kelsey stayed with a guy last night.”

“Look around and tell me if anything has been taken,” he said. “I need to check her apartment and make sure neither of you have been bugged.”

“Yes, sir.”

She sorted through things, taking inventory, and found nothing missing. Even the cash she kept in a drawer was still there. Always use cash, Corrado had said, never leave a paper trail.

Corrado came back downstairs after a bit, leaving the door open a crack as he lingered near it. “The place is clean. Anything missing down here?”

“No,” she replied. “I don’t really own anything valuable, though.”

“Value doesn’t always equal a monetary amount,” he said. “No diaries?”

She shook her head before it dawned on her. “Oh, crap!”

Darting into the living room, she scanned the bookshelf and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the worn leather book amongst the others. “I have Maura’s.”

Haven turned to him and started to speak, to ask what she should do, when the front door thrust open, catching Haven off guard. She gasped as Corrado turned, reaching into his coat for his gun. He clutched it but didn’t pull it out as Kelsey appeared in the doorway, her eyes darting between Haven and Corrado.

“Who’s the DILF?” she asked, leaving the door wide open as she motioned toward Corrado. Her eyes scanned him, a small smile coming upon her lips.

Haven’s cheeks flushed. “Kelsey . . .”

“Is this your missing friend?” Corrado asked. “The one that lives upstairs?”

“Missing?” Kelsey’s brow furrowed. “Are you a cop or something?”

Corrado glanced at her. “Do I look like a cop?”

“Sort of,” she said. “I mean, you do have a gun.”

Corrado immediately removed his hand from his weapon, covering it again with his coat.

“He’s . . .” Haven started, unsure of how to explain it.

“Corrado,” he said, finishing her statement as he politely held out his hand.

“Kelsey,” she said, shaking it. “Obviously you already know that, though.”

“Yes. If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a phone call.”

He walked to the kitchen, pulling out his phone. The moment he was out of earshot, Kelsey jokingly punched Haven’s arm. “Where the hell did he come from?”

“Uh, I’ve known him for a while,” she mumbled.

“I’m not gonna lie—I was hoping you wouldn’t go home alone last night. I hoped you’d get some of that stiffness knocked out of you, if you know what I mean, but how did you pull that?”

“You think we . . . ?” Haven was stunned. “No way! He’s married!”

“So?” She shrugged. “A man like that needs more than just one woman to take care of him. I can’t believe you spent all night with him and still didn’t get laid.”

“Why do you think I spent all night with him?”

“You have the same clothes on from yesterday,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Did you at least blow him?”

“Kelsey, shut up!”

“You’re such a prude,” she said, smirking. “If you won’t, can I?”

“No!” Haven shook her head furiously. “Oh, God, why would you want to?”

“Are you seriously asking me that?” she asked. “Are you blind? He has that whole mysterious and dangerous look about him. There’s no way a man like that isn’t well endowed.”

“Stop!” she hissed.

Kelsey rolled her eyes. “Oh, relax. I get it. You have no interest in men, except for Cartman . . .”

“Carmine,” she corrected her.

“Cartman, Carmine—same difference. I’ve known you a few months now, honey, and I’ve yet to see that guy. He doesn’t call, he doesn’t write, he doesn’t visit. He may as well be a ghost, but that fine specimen in the kitchen? He’s real, he’s tangible, and there comes a point where you have to give up the fantasy for the reality.” She paused and glanced down the hallway as Corrado headed back in their direction. “And it doesn’t hurt when the reality looks a hell of a lot like my fantasy.”

Corrado stepped in the room, slipping his phone in his pocket as he gazed at Haven. “You should be safe here, but I’m going to have the locks replaced.”

A tense silence fell over the room as Kelsey’s eyes clouded with suspicion. “Did something happen?”

“Someone broke in,” Haven mumbled. “They were here when I got home.”

Kelsey’s eyes widened. “Did they get anything? Did they hit my place, too?”

“She scared them away before they could make it that far,” Corrado chimed in. “No harm done.”