“I’m expecting friends.”I look past him, hoping for a glimpse of Damiano’s car.
“Oh, I won’t stay if you don’t want me to.I just wanted to check that everything’s okay.”
“It is,” I say flatly.“Thanks again.”
He notices me looking over his shoulder again.“Hey, if you’re worried about Charmaine, don’t be.She’s off at an exercise class, or some shit like that.I don’t know where she is half the time.”
I don’t respond.
“If your friends don’t show up, you should swing by for a visit,” he says.“We could drink some of that whisky you gifted me.It’s good stuff.”
“My friends are on their way, so I need to get ready.”
“Right.”He leans against the doorway, like he doesn’t plan on budging.
The sound of Damiano’s car rolling up the driveway is my salvation.
Matthew turns around, his face a mask of surprise.“Oh.Are these your friends?”
Damiano and Seth get out of the car and stride toward the door.
“Yes,” I say.“As you can see, I’m fine.”
He gives an exaggerated sigh and steps back.“All right, then.Take care, Madison.I’m sorry our visit was cut short, but I can come back later if you’d like.”
“Myfriendswill be staying over.Please leave.”I’ve tried polite, I’ve tried tactful.I’m done.
“Oh.”His eyebrows rise high on his forehead.
I push past him to meet Damiano and Seth on the steps, and I give each of them a kiss—a real kiss.The kind of kiss that leaves no doubt in any observer’s mind that I’m fucking these guys.Damiano frowns in puzzlement in Matthew’s direction; Seth looks amused.
“Come on in.”I take each man’s hand.
“Is Mr.Kavlan bothering you?”Damiano asks as we stride toward my front door.
“Not anymore.”I smile big at Matthew.“He was just leaving, right?”
Matthew clears his throat.“Right.Um, take care.”
Finally, he leaves my porch.I don’t need to watch him walk back down the driveway.I know he won’t come back, not when Seth and Damiano are here.
As soon as the door is closed and locked behind us, I lean against Seth.
Damiano takes my hand.“Tell us everything, bella.”
I run through everything that just happened, including Matthew’s text that I saw too late.“I thought with the cameras and everything else, that I was through with this shit,” I say.“I thought they’d keep me safe.”
“Nothing is foolproof.”Seth’s voice is dark.“We could post guards at every one of your doors, and someone could probably still manage to get in.We could, I suppose, hire an army.”
“That’s a great idea.”Damiano perks up.
“Oh, stop.”I smile despite my fear.“That isn’t necessary.Laura and the other guard dragged Ford away, and now you’re here.I’m fine.No armies necessary.”
Damiano’s phone rings.“It’s Laura.”He answers the call.“Romano here.I’m putting you on speaker with Colton and Ms.Greene.”
A couple months ago, he would’ve kept all the information to himself.He would’ve only shared it with me if he deemed it important.I’m touched that he’s letting her report in front of me now.
“We talked to Mr.Montparnier,” Laura says.“He clammed right up when we asked him to explain.”
