“Oh, one more thing.” Enzo turned to Goldman while retrieving his wallet from the pocket of his dress pants. “Can I have Penelope for the night?”
Penny’s heart jumped. What was he up to? If he wanted to spend the night with her, all he had to do was ask her in private.
Goldman waved him off, a wicked smile on his lips.
“There’s no need for that. We’re partners and friends now, and I’m sure Penny doesn’t mind. If you promise to buy her a nice dinner, then I don’t need a single cent.”
Enzo nodded and shoved his wallet back into his pocket.
“I appreciate it.” He turned to Penny. “Shall we, cielo?”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“No, thanks. I’ve had enough for one evening,” Penny refused the glass of red wine Enzo held out to her.
“More for me,” he chuckled.
She rolled her eyes and made herself comfortable on the large sofa. They were at his place, and the house was quiet. It was cozy and relaxing, and Penny felt safe.
“Are you hungry?”
“A bit.”
“I’ll order pizza.”
She looked at him in disbelief, eyes wide.
“Enzo Salvador eats pizza?”
He laughed, grabbed his phone, and opened the app of his favorite pizza place.
“More often than you think. I told you I don’t like keeping the staff around most days. That includes the chef. It’s all a sham, cielo.”
“So, you’re not rich?”
“Oh, I am, but I like using my money for more practical things. Although, you could say that renting a house that looks like a palace is practical when it’s for the sake of a rescue mission.”
She slapped herself over the forehead.
“The house is not yours. It all makes sense now.”
“Why would I want to own a house in New York? If you ever visit Spain, you’ll see what I’m talking about. Done. Pizza will be here in forty minutes.”
“If I ever visit Spain,” she muttered. Why did she feel sad all of a sudden? She chased the dark thoughts away and decided to enjoy this peaceful evening with Enzo. Now that she knew who he was, she felt more comfortable around him. “Richard will be disappointed when I tell him you fed me pizza.”
“That’s why you won’t tell him.”
He sat down beside her and lifted her legs onto his lap.
“You know, you didn’t have to put on that show to make me come with you tonight.”
“I know. It’s not why I did it. I want Richard to feel like he’s in charge of your fate, like you’re not making decisions for yourself anymore. In his eyes, this isn’t a date between two adult people, it’s a sick exchange. Until this is over, it’s better to feed his fantasy.”
She nodded in understanding. It was a solid strategy, and she could tell Enzo was good at what he was doing. She bet his plan was flawless, too. Before getting to his place, they had dropped Theresa at her own apartment, so Penny had had some time to talk with the woman. She had found out she was an old friend of Enzo’s, and she had a family of her own: a human husband and two adorable shifter cubs. When she’d asked her why she was risking her life like that, Theresa had said: “My babies could have been there… in Juniper’s and Thorn’s place. Locked up in a room. Groomed for God knows what. I’m glad Enzo came to me.” Well, Penny couldn’t argue with that. She would have done the same. Silently studying Enzo’s perfect profile, she thought how lucky she was to be a simple, normal human. Sure, extra strength and speed could always come in handy, and also the ability to hear and smell things a human’s senses would never be able to catch… However, the risks were too great. She was falling into a contemplative mood again…
“Are you going to tell me what your plan is?”
“Yes. You’re going to help me and Theresa end this. Goldman will bring you at the event to keep an eye on Nina and Kosta. Your task is simple: call the police when the proverbial mierda hits el ventilador.”
