“This place is a hundred times more secure than the Giulianis’ house,” I remind him.
“Whoever these fuckers are, they have no reason to go after her. You, on the other hand…”
Once I’m inside, I pick up my phone and call her.
“Emilio, what the hell is going on?” Frankie yells down the line.
“Babe, calm down.”
“Yeah, okay, sure. I just heard your apartment was shot up. It’s all over the news. Why am I hearing about this on the news and not from you?”
“I’m calling you now.”
“Where are you?” she asks.
“At the Lopez compound. I need you to just stay put at your parents’ house for a little bit,” I tell her.
“Stay put? You would like me to juststay put?”
“Yes.”
“Sure thing, sweetheart, I’ll do exactly that.” Frankie hangs up.
“So, that went well.” Elias laughs. “You seriously just told Frankie, of all people, to stay put?”
“I need her to,” I tell him.
“Yeah, okay.” My brother walks away, shaking his head and laughing at me.
Great. I try to call her back but she doesn’t answer, so I resort to sending her a message.
Me:
Please answer my call. This is serious, Frankie.
Frankie:
I’m busy. Talk later. Stay alive. I want to be able to yell at you when I see you next.
Me:
I’m not dying. I would like to talk to you, though, and explain why I need to know you’re going to stay at your parents’ house, where it’s safe.
Frankie:
I’m aware of the dangers, Emilio. I’m not an idiot.
I hit call on her name again, thankful when she answers. “Don’t hang up on me.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she counters.
“I just want you to be safe. It’s the only thing in this world I want, Frankie.”
“And I want you to be safe,” she says. “Are you safe?”
“I’m at the compound. Nothing is getting through the gates here, babe.”
“Good, so I can come see you there then,” she says.