Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91389 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91389 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Chapter 26
Claudia
It’s a quiet night. I’m uncomfortable, especially with Angelo sitting at the bar and watching me as I dance. I practically beg Rodrigo to give me some other assignment, but he only shakes his head and says it’s Tommy’s orders, which means I’m stuck in the damn cage the entire night.
At one point, Angelo and Tommy have a conversation, and what I wouldn’t give to be a part of that. It ends, and Angelo stays behind, still drinking and keeping an eye on me, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Part of me is grateful, but another part wishes he’d just go away. Before him, I had a good thing going. This job is terrible, but at least it pays the bills and lets me stay close to Serena. Maybe I was desperate to make something happen at first and saw this deal with Angelo as my only option—but what if I was wrong about that? What if waiting around and keeping my head down was the best path forward? Give Serena time to figure her shit out and be ready to help when she inevitably comes asking.
Now it’s too late. I’m tangled in Angelo. Both in his plans, and in him.
After my shift, I head out of the club and angle toward my car. But I’m intercepted by a big shadow in the parking lot, and I nearly jump out of my skin as Angelo puts a hand on my arm.
“Easy,” he says. “It’s just me. Were you expecting some other man in this dark parking lot?”
“Don’t be funny,” I say, punching his arm. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“I just want to make sure you get home okay.”
“I’m fine.” I unlock my car and get in. He climbs into the passenger seat. “What are you doing?”
“Making sure you get home okay,” he repeats and clicks on his seatbelt. He’s way too big for this crappy sedan. The contrast between his expensive, sleek suit and my stained and ancient cloth seat covers is almost obscene.
“I told you I’m fine. Don’t you have your own car?”
“I’ll pick it up tomorrow.” He leans back and lets out a long breath. “Come on, baby, let’s get going. You wouldn’t want to risk the wrong kind of attention.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that you have a dangerous job, that’s all.”
I look up at the roof and close my eyes. “Wasn’t dangerous before you.”
“You’re wrong about that.”
I put the car into gear and start driving. Inwardly, I’m pissed off and struggling not to show it. “Yeah? How?”
“You’ve been circling around Tommy all this time, and you don’t realize who that guy really is. He seems all flashy and easygoing, maybe a little too flirtatious, maybe overly aggressive, but just a guy, right? Except you don’t realize Tommy’s the kind of man who would cut your throat without a second thought.”
I shiver and keep my eyes on the road. Angelo’s wrong—I knew Tommy was dangerous from the second I saw him. “That’s all the more reason I need to make sure I’m in that club if Serena ever needs me.”
Angelo grunts and I can tell he doesn’t want to rehash this argument. I don’t either. My feet hurt, my back is exhausted, and my ears are ringing from eight hours of that awful club music. I want a hot bath, something to eat, and sweet, wonderful sleep.
I don’t want to think about how much trouble my sister is in.
We stay in silence until I reach my apartment building. He gets out and follows me inside, and I’m tempted to tell him to go away, but another part of me is happy he’s still here. It’s late and I’ve been on edge, and I do feel a lot safer when Angelo’s by my side, even if he sort of is the reason why I’m so worried.
“Thanks for walking me back,” I say at the door. “But I’m calling it a night.” I slide my key into the lock but he’s not walking away. “Really, Angelo, I’m fine.” I look back and his jaw is tight and I can tell he wants to say something, but I’m not in the mood to hear it.
He didn’t do anything wrong. Rationally, I know that, but I had a bad reaction when he tried to keep me away from Cage, and I have a feeling he’s not going to let it drop. Things are dangerous there, I get it; he came in and kicked the hornet’s nest and now the pests are buzzing around ready to sting whatever moves—and I’m right in their crosshairs.
But it doesn’t change anything. I’m at Cage to help Serena, whether I’m in danger or not.
“Invite me in,” he says, his voice very soft.
“I can’t.” I look away. The man’s too tempting, even if I’m mad at him. “Let’s just talk tomorrow.”