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FIVE
REBECCA
My father’s limo stoppedin front of my townhouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. “Kato, walk Rebecca to her door.” He snapped his fingers to his guard, who sat next to the limo driver for the short ride from the hotel.
The moving shadows behind my living room drapery panels calmed me. One of my bodyguards had waited for me to come home. After I was run off the road in my Mercedes a few months ago, Vale and Gil watched me nearly around the clock. Then my father bought me an Executive Series Town Car and hired a driver for me, more of my freedom taken away.
With Kato hanging on my father’s tail all night, I felt comfortable giving my guards a small break.
Vale, the older and taller of my guards with a scar on his chin, stepped into my vestibule and hung back behind the glass door. He looked around with his hand tucked in his suit jacket.
“My guard is right there, Dad.” I leaned in to kiss him.
His quivering lips brushed against my cheek. “Goodnight, cara mia.”
The sudden softness in his voice tapered the anger I’d felt all night. “It’s a long drive back to the Island. Close your eyes and get some rest, Babbo.” I squeezed his hand, cold and shriveled.
“I have calls to make,” he said, taking out his phone.
“Okay.” I patted his thigh and stepped out of the limo with the help of Kato, whose hands were cold, but strong. “He’s going to fall asleep, make sure he’s lucid enough when he gets out of the limo at home. There’s always someone watching and filming.”
“Yes, Miss Domenico.” Kato shut the limo door and went to follow me through the iron gate that led to my front door.
With Vale there, I didn’t need this goon on my ass anymore. “I’m fine, Kato.”
Without waiting for a response, I held my skirt and opened the gate. Through the reflective mercury glass of my front door, I saw my father’s limo drive off and I relaxed.
As relaxed as I could be from the emotionally charged evening. The fight with Nate and then Sebastien’s eyes on me kept my heart pounding. Anthony’s hand on my ass, which I still felt despite all the tulle under my skirt, kept my skin heated. And Giancarlo... Had I never really noticed him before, or had he recently blossomed into the formidable Adonis I saw this evening? That sultry demeanor of his had the Byrne edge I’d heard about.
Vale opened the door for me. “Glad you’re home, Becca.”
“Hi, Vale. What time are you working until?”
“Gil’s relieving me at one a.m.”
I exhaled. “I don’t think I need 24/7 anymore. Gil wired up this place like a bank vault.”
Vale gave what looked like a reluctant nod. Twelve-hour shifts without a day off in months had to have worn on him and Gil. I needed my bodyguards sharp, not exhausted. Vale’s brawn kept me safe physically while Gil’s digital security skills kept my home, phone, cars, and computers safe. I felt lucky to have such a great team.
“Rebecca Domenico?” A deep voice from the sidewalk had Vale shoving me behind him and brandishing his 357.
“Drop it.” The shadowed man aimed his heat right at me. A moment later, more guns clicked, the sound fanning out from brave souls who’d been tucked behind parked cars on my street. “FBI!”
“Julian?” I struggled to breathe with so many weapons pointed at me. It felt surreal like I watched it outside my body. “Julian Russo?”
“Special Agent Russo,” he said proudly.
Staring out at all the black windbreakers and ball caps, I guessed this wasn’t a reunion. Julian following me and my dad earlier hadn’t been a coincidence after all.
I slipped out from behind Vale. “It’s okay,” I whispered to him and placed my hand on his gun to lower it so he didn’t get his head blown off.
If I wanted to run my father’s kingdom one day, I couldn’t do so hiding behind a wall of muscle. Not all the time, anyway.
“It’s Saturday night, Special Agent Russo.” I lifted my hands to the sky as if the stars shined brighter on Saturday nights.
“I’m here as a friend.” He lowered his gun.
“A friend with a badge and a gun. And a small army.” I eyed all the reinforcements with Julian.
He could be my worst nightmare or my best friend.
“Consider it a compliment that I assumed your protection would be formidable and not easily...penetrated.”
His words sent a shiver through me, thinking of the last time I’d been penetrated. Feeling the warmth of Sebastien’s hand earlier kept firing up all kinds of memories I didn’t want in my head. The last time he and I made love had been the last time I made love. Surely, he’d gone to bed with other women after he broke up with me.
“Call your father’s lawyer, Becca,” Vale whispered. “Right now.”
“Do I need a lawyer, Special Agent Russo?”
Julian smiled at me. His chestnut hair and blue eyes came from his mother’s northern Italian roots. I wondered how the Russo family felt about him being a G-Man. He holstered his gun and glanced over his shoulder. “Stand down.”
When guns were no longer pointed at me, Vale tucked his 357 away. “Becca?”
“Wait inside, Vale. I’m unarmed. No one will take a shot at me. Will they, Jules?”
His cheek ticked up at the nickname I used for him in school. “No.”
“So, what is this about?” I waved my hands to be theatrical. “Following my father on the FDR. Coming to my house at eleven p.m.”
“I was following you.”
I folded my arms. “Why?”
“It’s been a long time, Rebecca. I wasn’t sure how you’d react when I told you...”
“Told me what?”
“We’re pursuing an indictment against your father.”
The news hit me like a physical blow. Don’t bother. He’s dying, I wanted to yell. Swallowing and keeping my shoulders back, I bit out, “On what charges? They better be good, Julian.”
He raked his eyes up and down all three stories of my townhouse. “Can we go inside and talk?”
“Get a warrant if you want to come in. Or take me to one of your interrogation rooms.” I gripped my purse, the gun pressing through the soft glittery fabric.
Julian brought his face close to mine. “I’m here to warn you.” His voice got low.
Whispering as well, I said, “Warn me about what?”
“Something so evil, I’m worried for your safety if it gets out.”
