Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
The FBI was leading the investigation. They should be able to protect me, but apparently, they’d handed that duty off. Was that legal? Could I really trust this man? Was he in this for his own gain? Did that matter if he kept me safe?
How would I stand living in some unknown place with a man who was likely going to ignore me unless I was about to die—until whenever the government decided to schedule this trial? Fuck, it could be years.
What about my friends, my job—that was gone anyway since the firm would likely be dissolved with the senior partners in jail for a drug scam.
But I needed a new job. What would I do for money? I would be at the mercy of whomever they stuck me with, the man who “wasn’t a talker.” I’d probably end up talking to the walls, because as my friends could tell you, silence isn’t one of my virtues. Maybe I’d be like Belle in the castle and have to talk to the furniture, though I doubted this man’s would talk back.
I jumped at the knock on my door, even though I should have been expecting it.
“Mr. Thompson. We’re ready to go.” A man called in a rough Boston accent.
I froze. He hadn’t used the code word. Did he forget? Did X not tell him? Or had this man gotten through X’s security?
I heard mumbled talking, then he knocked again. “Hey. Don’t forget your umbrella.” This was followed by deep laughter. Were they making fun of me?
I jerked the door open. The two guys standing on the porch looked like such stereotypical mafia goons, and I couldn’t help but smile despite my embarrassment. They were wearing ill-fitting suits, and they were each over six feet tall and so broad at the shoulders I wasn’t sure they’d fit through the door.
“X sent us,” the thicker one said.
The other one nodded and held out his hand. “I’m Six.”
“And I’m Muffin,” the first man said.
“You’re kidding?” The words popped out before I could stop myself.
Fortunately, they didn’t seem offended. “Not the names our moms gave us or anything, but that’s what you should call us,” Six said.
I wondered what their moms thought about their current profession. I had so many questions, but even I—who put my foot in my mouth on a daily basis—knew better than to ask. These men might be jovial now, but I was sure they were dangerous.
“You ready?” Muffin asked.
I glanced behind me at the suitcase I’d packed. “Will I be able to come back here to get some more things?”
“Everything you need will be provided,” Six said.
Fuck. “Then I guess I’m as ready as I can be.”
Muffin smiled. “Mr. Marchesi will have anything you need and more.”
Both men laughed, and the uneasy feeling I’d had ever since X told me they had someone to watch over me returned. This wasn’t a joke. It wasn’t a vacation.
People wanted me dead, and now I was going to stay with someone who was dangerous and definitely not FBI. Who was this man?
I grabbed my suitcase and the bag I took—used to take—to work every day and let Six and Muffin escort me out.
When would I be back here? Maybe never if the woman I’d seen in Mark’s office got through my security.
“Don’t look so worried,” Muffin said. “You’re in good hands.”
I hoped they were right.
2
DOM
“You’re absolutely sure you can’t find someone else to babysit this man?”
“Not anyone I trust like I do you.” There was a hint of humor in Lucien’s voice, but I could tell he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
I tried the sympathy-for-an-old-man angle. “You do remember I’m not the man I used to be.”
Lucien, my nephew and the current head of the family business, snorted. “You’re as good a shot as you ever were. You can handle this.”
I could, I just didn’t want to. “What if I need to chase someone down?”
“You have others to send on a chase. You need to focus on Corey.”
“Tell me more about him. I’m going to be stuck with him for weeks or—fuck—months.”
“You already know he’s an attorney.”
I grimaced even though my nephew couldn’t see me. “Tell me something that might make this more pleasant.”
“He’s quite attractive.”
“Did you forget I’m straight?”
Lucien laughed. “It’s still something positive about him.”
“Is he such an asshole you can’t come up with anything else?”
“He’s not an asshole. He’s actually….”
“What?”
“He’s the type of guy who would suggest the office do Secret Santa, the one who would bring everyone treats.”
“Oh my God. He’s nice?”
Lucien chuckled. “That’s what I’m told.”
“And he’s staying with me.” I walked to my bar cart. I was going to need a drink to deal with this.
“You can be nice.”
“No. I can’t.”
“You’re nice to your sons, and even occasionally, to me or your other nephews.”
“On occasion, but you’re all family. This is some too-nice stranger. Is he going to expect me to chat with him, to entertain him?” That wasn’t happening. I’d keep him alive. That was all.