Miles Away (Carrion #1)(39)

Damn, she looks pissed.

Miles released a heavy sigh as he stared back at Letty. He knew she was right. Nodding in understanding, a conflicted look crossed Miles’s face.

As his brow furrowed, Miles replied, “The vultures of Carrion are getting hungry.”

Giving Letty a look of uncertainty, Miles searched her eyes for any flicker of fear. He found none. Instead, Letty’s eyes grew shrewd and determined. Twisting her fingers into Miles’s beard, she tugged Miles down to her level.

With a raised eyebrow, Letty said in a stern voice, “Let them starve. You’re mine and no one is taking you away again.”

Reaching up his hand to her arm, he stroked the fabric of her sweater gently.

“Don’t worry, Letty, I ain’t going anywhere.”

Releasing her hold on Miles’s beard, Letty smiled faintly, feeling somewhat relieved. Slapping Miles on his thigh, Letty exclaimed, “Good! Now let’s go pick up G.”

Miles gulped a bit every time he heard Letty mention the name G. He didn’t know who G was, or how G would affect the dynamic of their relationship.

“Okay…” Miles said sheepishly. “Tell me where I’m going.”

“217 Evergreen Terrace.”

Flicking on the radio, “Thunder Road” blared from the speakers as Miles hit the gas pedal. Maneuvering the tiny streets of Carrion, Miles could feel his stress levels rising. Not because of the Capadonno crime family breathing down his neck. No. That he could handle any day of the week. Miles was certain that he had a handle on the family situation. The thing that was causing Miles’s anxiety level to spike was this G character. Miles’s thoughts were running at warp speed.

What if she was spoken for? What if G was a jealous ex? What was so f*cking important about G, anyway?

Miles continued to wage war in his head. He fought to come to a conclusion that would satisfy the nagging worry that plagued his mind.

Dude, she said she loves you. She just banged you in the car, and told you not to ever leave her again. You’re snappin’ out! Breathe. Just f*cking breathe. Everything will be fine.

“Here we are,” Letty said as they pulled up to 217 Evergreen Terrace.

Glancing out his window at the property, Miles wondered what it would be like to live in a house like that. With a white picket fence, a wrap-around porch, and a vegetable garden in the front yard, 217 Evergreen Terrace was a little slice of American pie. Miles’s eyes lingered over the blue house, curious as to who lived inside.

“Nice house,” Miles said as he broke his gaze from the property.

“Thanks,” Letty said as she prepared to climb out of the car.

When she saw Miles wasn’t following, she called back into the car window, “C’mon! Come meet G!”

Doing as he was told, Miles climbed out of the car and followed Letty up the stone garden path. Letty unzipped her purse and proceeded to shuffle through her bag for her keys. Finally pulling them out, her large ring of keys jingled as she climbed up the porch steps. Quickly, Letty navigated her way through the lines of potted plants that sat neatly on the steps as she approached the front door.

“You live here?” Miles asked in a bewildered voice as he cut through the garden.

“Yup,” Letty replied with a proud smile. “Home sweet home. I just paid it off last month.”

Miles’s eyebrows raised as he looked at the house in a whole different light. It definitely had Letty’s style infused in the design, from the soft shade of blue that the house had been painted to the sweet rose garden that was cultivated in the front yard. Letty had made herself a beautiful home.

“That’s impressive, Letty…” Miles said as his voice trailed off. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of the house. He was really proud of what Letty had done with herself.

Letty shrugged. “Not really. The house was a real fixer-upper. Old HUD house, so we put a lot of work into it. My parents put down half the money, and I got a mortgage for the rest.”

Miles nodded, appearing to approve. “I’m proud of you, Letty.”

“Huh?” Letty whipped around with a stunned look upon her face. Miles smiled back in return.

“I’m proud of you. You made something of your life.”

Letty gave Miles an appreciative smile as she ran her finger along Miles’s jawline. In that moment, she appeared to be making an important decision.

“You’ll stay here. I don’t want you at the compound,” Letty said in a stern voice.

“Uh,” Miles stammered.

“Don’t argue me over this point. This is your home. This is where you’re safe. Just like we planned,” Letty insisted.

Without another word, Letty entered her key in the lock and swung the front door of her house open.

“Nicole!” Letty yelled loudly as she approached an oak staircase that led to a second-floor landing.

No one responded. Letty dropped her keys into a bowl on the glass coffee table that sat in the middle of her parlor and proceeded to look around for Nicole. Quietly, Miles walked over the threshold, lowering his head to get through the doorway. It wasn’t the fanciest of houses. Letty didn’t have the best of everything. But what she did have was a welcoming home. It was warm and comfortable. There was no threat from a rabid relative. There was no pretense or fa?ade. Miles was amazed at the warmth that exuded from within the four walls of 217 Evergreen Terrace.