Chapter 193: Dinner Guests

Angela had been quiet during the ride on the way to the park, mainly because her thoughts were filled with the images of the danger surrounding Gael. From his club to the place they stopped by earlier. Within just an hour, she witnessed a side of him she hadn't seen before—but to him, this was probably a regular occurrence. 

She briefly glanced at him, and his expression was calm—as if he hadn't been violent to Justin in the club...as if he hadn't just walked into a house where a man with a gun followed inside, and when he came back, he had a box full of cash. There had to be at least fifteen thousand dollars in that box.

Questions floated in her mind, but none of them were about what he really did or what their underground business was all about. Rather, she wanted to know if this was how dangerous it was for him every single day. Sure, nothing really happened to him today, but worse things could happen, and she wouldn't even know—like the shooting three months ago. Just the reminder of him getting shot caused an ache in her chest.

She caught him glancing over her a few times while he drove as if he was making sure that she was okay. Then she'd give him a small smile before looking out the window again to avoid him catching her gaze. 

Sometimes, she avoided his eyes because she would feel vulnerable, and Gael was the kind of man who could read her even when she'd try to hide it. 

When she saw a bridge ahead of them, a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

Angela and Gael arrived in Ferry Park, where a large white tent had been set up—the same one used in Bay Ridge during lunch. The sky was darkening, and compared to lunch, there were more people falling in line.

The cold wind blew past them as they got out of the car. Gael tightened the scarf around her neck, and a mixture of worry and curiosity filled his eyes as he looked at her. "What were you thinking about?"

"Hm?"

"You were so quiet in the car. Where did you go?"

She looked around them, seeing several people on the benches or at the railings just chilling in front of the water and at the closed, covered tent. "I was just thinking about your life here."

"What about it?"

"It's like I'm in a different...well, I can't say state because it's the truth. But…it's like a different world." She chuckled. "You'd think I'd seen a lot because of how descriptive I am in my books, but all of those were just from research."

"You're a great writer, Angel."

She lifted a shoulder, unsure of how to respond to his compliment, then she shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat because her hands were getting icy.

"Did something happen while I was gone?" he wondered.

Angela blinked, and the image of that man with the gun flashed in her mind. "Nothing really… But I just saw a man pull out a gun from his glove compartment and then stuffed it behind him. Then I watched him go up the stairs and then through the door where you just disappeared into. I thought about a lot of things all at once. I thought about calling you...maybe warn you about what I saw...but then I didn't because, for some reason, I just thought it might put you in danger if I do. Then I wanted to call Giovanni to tell him what I saw because I can't go in there but maybe he can—I don't even have his number. I don't know... I just… I got scared for a second, thinking you'd be in danger. I'm blabbing again." She bit her lip, her nose flaring for talking so fast.

Gael's brows slightly drew together as his gaze went back and forth between her eyes. "You were worried about me?"

"Of course, I was. I just saw a man with a gun who followed after you. For all I know, you went there for an errand, but it was actually a trap or something."

His brows relaxed, and he folded his arms across his chest, but his steely grey eyes remained locked on hers. "And what would you have done if I didn't come back like I said I would?"

Angela straightened her back. There was a possibility that he wouldn't have gotten out. If it was a trap and he was hurt inside that house… Oh God, she couldn't even think properly. A crease formed between her brows as she blinked rapidly, her heart jamming against her sternum. Something could have happened to him, and she wouldn't even be able to do anything.

"Hey…" His large hands held her arms, bringing her back to earth. "Baby, it was just a question." He slid his hand to the side of her face and brushed her cheeks.

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Then she released the air that she didn't know she was holding. Wait… 'Did he just call me baby?' She bit her bottom lip and cleared her throat as if that would shake away the negative thoughts in her head. "I honestly wouldn't know. Tell me what I should do…"

A slow smile cast on his face, and he lightly squeezed her nape. "You don't have to worry. That was one of our safehouses."

"So...you weren't in danger? That house was your family's?"

When he nodded, she asked, "Then who was that man?"

"A soldier…" Gael looked over her shoulder and nodded, then he took her hand in his and nudged her towards the tent. "Come on. We have to go." Then he tucked the box of cereal under his arm as they walked over towards his family.

Before they entered the tent, he whispered above her head. "About calling Gio… I have to think about it. I don't like you having his number."

***

Angela was on lasagna rolls duty. Just like lunch, the menu tonight also looked delicious and healthy. Gael wasn't at the food table this time. He and Giovanni were making sure that the line was orderly, and from time to time, they'd clear tables that had leftovers—though it was rare—and tossed the trash into the garbage. 

She looked around and saw a woman in line who didn't seem homeless as she wore clean clothes with a thick coat and had neatly combed hair tied up in a bun. The woman put a dollar in the jar—which was supposed to be "payment" for the meal. They didn't really put a price on the meal, and they didn't ask for payment either. But these people who came to eat had pride and didn't want to eat something for free. So if they wanted to pay, they'd put a dollar—others didn't, and that was okay too.

Seeing the non-homeless-looking woman, Angela whispered to Alice, who was serving grilled fish next to her, "That woman doesn't look homeless… Do you know her?"

"Ah… Yeah, I've seen her around. There are quite a few in here who aren't really homeless. Some of them have roofs over their heads but are just really tight with money."

Angela nodded but didn't respond as the woman in question came in front of them. She and Alice carefully put food onto her plate. The woman looked up and met her eyes. She couldn't help but smile and say, "Enjoy your food." But the woman barely smiled before she went to look for a table.

"You okay in here?" A familiar deep voice caused her stomach to flip, and she turned to meet a pair of grey eyes staring at her.

"Yeah." She smiled before she continued serving food.

However, she felt Gael suddenly stiffen next to her. When she looked up at him again, she followed his gaze and saw two men enter the tent. One had dark buzz-cut hair while the other had a dirty blonde swept-back hair—both of them wore white shirts and slacks. Everyone at the food table tried to continue serving, but the presence of the two men caused the whole tent to go silent.

"Lieutenant Clark," muttered Gael to the men, his voice was neutral, but she could feel the rigidness surrounding it.

The man with dirty blonde hair smiled at Gael as he walked closer. "De Luca. It's nice seeing you again." He gave Angela a quick once-over before his eyes went back to staring at Gael. "I heard about your...dinner being served here tonight. We were in the area and thought we should drop by and check it out."

"Our house chef is excellent. And there's enough food for everyone. " Gael curled his lips into a smirk, waving his hand over the table as he offered, "Please… Make yourselves at home."

Lieutenant Clark scanned the whole interior of the tent, the smug smile on his lips never leaving his face despite the sharp and some angry gazes thrown at him by the homeless people eating at the tables. 

Gael wanted to wipe the smugness off the lieutenant's face with his fist. The man was such a pain in the ass.

Just then, Gael's heart rammed against his chest when he saw his niece, Elisa, in front of the police, holding the blue cereal box—and then Lieutenant Clark's stare landed on the little one. 'Fûck.'

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