Ericka stood among what felt like a gazillion people and looked for Sofia. A needle in a haystack if ever there was one.
Pressure caused her heart to race. If Ericka found her and then rescued Big Tony, maybe Joey would forgive her. Maybe they could be friends if nothing else.
And then there was Greg. His team didn’t view her as a part, she could feel it. For a brief moment after the party fiasco, she’d felt close to them and then it had disappeared. She needed to prove herself, and this would do it.
The crowd thickened as people disembarked. It was no use. Ericka dropped onto a bench. It would take a miracle to find Sofia in this crowd. She needed to wait and let Quinn use his magic to track her.
“What are you doing here?”
A shadow fell across her. She lifted her hand and shielded her eyes from the bright lights.
“Joey.” Her breath caught.
“What are you doing here?”
She wasn’t about to lie again, not to him. “I’m tracking Sofia.”
“Did you see her?” Joey looked around the crowded terminal.
“No. She must have gone to board a train before I entered.”
Joey settled next to her. He leaned forward and clasped his hands.
“Wh-what are you doing here?”
He laughed under his breath. “Frankie remembered what you said when he threw you out. I figured out what you were trying to say. Plus, well…” He leaned back and ran his hand through his hair. “…we bugged your place and Frankie threw a bug in your purse.”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.” She hadn’t been back to her apartment, but she hadn’t known about her purse. She should have figured that was the case.
Frankie had heard everything that was said in Greg’s car. If she could have groaned out loud, she would have.
“You knew?” Joey was talking.
She cocked her brow.
“Of course you knew.”
Best to let him think she knew about everything.
She drew in a deep breath. “How are we going to find Sofia?” She really said it to herself, but he answered.
“I’ll speak with my mother. Maybe she knows some places Sofia would likely hide.”
“Are you sure Mary will give up her daughter?”
“If she believes she’s in danger.”
“Joey, I’m sorry about all this.”
“Why? I deserve it, right? For generations, my family has tormented people. Shaking them down for money, taking their businesses, sometimes their lives. It’s not something I’m proud of but it happened.”
“Joey…”
“Don’t try to make me feel better. Just—just help me find my father. He was trying to make all of this right. Trying because of me.”
She couldn’t stop herself. She grabbed his hand and squeezed. “I’ll do everything I can to find your father.”
And help your family go legit.
****
Greg entered the station and scanned the crowd. Quinn hadn’t had any luck finding Sofia so looking on his own was all he had. He didn’t see Sofia, but he did see Joey lifting Ericka’s hand to his lips.
Greg clenched his hands to his sides. Dr. Ellen had told him to share his feelings with Ericka, but now he feared that it was too late.
Ericka lifted her head, spotted him, and waved him over. By the time he reached the couple their hands were no longer clasped. Instead, Ericka was clutching the bottom of the bench and a red hue dotted her cheeks.
So, she knew she’d been caught. Greg didn’t know if that made him happy or sad.
Ericka finally spoke. “We lost her.”
“I gathered.”
“So, what now?” She was looking at him with those big, brown beautiful eyes.
He’d often heard that song Brown-Eyed Girl in his head when he was with her. They had created many memories. At night those memories would flash through his mind in rapid succession until he couldn’t sleep.
Did she do the same thing?
Maybe not.
Some of the memoires were sweet, tender moments. Laughing over grabbing the same MRE. Some were taking cover together while rockets sailed overhead.
He’d had trouble separating her from the bad memories. That was why he hadn’t said anything about his feelings. But he had hoped that with time he would be able to do it.
“Greg?”
“Yeah, um, I overheard the Rosa Cartel man outside. They lost her too. So, we just need to find her before they do.”
Joey stood and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ll reach out to my mother and let you know what I find out.”
Ericka nodded. Joey disappeared into the crowd, but Ericka’s eyes followed him.
“You like him, huh?” Greg sat beside her.
She hid her chuckle by scratching the side of her nose. “Is it that obvious?”
“Yeah, a little. I’ve heard mafia life can be romantic. Fast cars, money—”
“Family.” The word seemed to pull from her.
“Sometimes I forget about your history.”
A tear slipped down her cheek and she swiped it away quickly. “One day I’ll find out what happened to my parents.”
“So, you haven’t given up.”
She faced him. The intensity of her stare caused him to lean back. “Never.”
Greg’s phone rang, and he placed it on speaker. “Kane.”
“Greg, Sofia just got off at Washington Square Park.”
“Thanks, Quinn. We’re on our way.” Greg turned off his phone.
“Why would she go there? There’s nothing there but university buildings, art, dorms, and doctors’ offices. And at this hour everything is closed.”
“Well, there’s a little more, but you still have a good point. What is she doing there?”