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Chapter Seven
- Dante -
NOEMI HAD AVOIDED MEall night and hadn’t earned the respect I was about to show her.
When I stepped through the fire exit, Gabriel’s men were standing by the curb. My eyes scanned the lot, quickly assessing the area. The men who brought me my Lincoln were leaning on their vehicle. When they saw me, one straightened up and approached with the keys. I ignored him and focused on the two bodies by the column on the other side of the lot.
Noemi leaned against the column with her back to it. The piece of shit bartender stood next to her, his body caging her against the granite.
I took the keys from Gabriel’s man when he reached me.
“Do you know that asshole?” I asked him quietly, never taking my eyes off Noemi. She took a step away from POS bartender, but he pressed forward, closing the gap again.
The tall blonde man who’d brought me my keys looked over to the bartender.
“No, Mr. Calegari.”
I liked his show of respect. Gabriel was “Boss” or “Sir,” but they all called me Mr. Calegari.
“At least, not very well,” he added. “He was vetted and hired last month. He’s supposed to work basic security until he can prove himself. So far, he’s opened car doors, drove Miss Calegari around, and was assigned to watch the bar tonight because he knew how to mix a few drinks.”
“What’s his name?”
“Jacko. At least, that’s what we’ve been calling him.”
I nodded. Jacko and I were going to have a few words. But not tonight. I watched as he put an arm on one side of Noemi’s body, creating a pen to corral her. Noemi’s mouth moved. I couldn’t hear what she said, but she shook her head as she slunk down further against the column. Her body language told me everything I needed to know.
I would deal with Jacko, but it wouldn’t be tonight. I didn’t need an audience for what I was going to do to him. I gestured to the man who called me Mr. Calegari.
“Follow me. Make sure Jacko,” I said without emotion, “does exactly what I tell him to do.”
Gabriel’s man didn’t even blink. “Yes, Mr. Calegari.”
I walked up behind the POS, not trying to hide the sound of my footsteps. Jacko heard us coming and straightened up, looking over his shoulder. If I had a sense of humor it would have been comical. Jacko reacted as if he’d turned around and saw Jesus standing there. Noemi peaked over his shoulder, her eyes widening then narrowing as she glared at me.
“Do you know who I am?” I asked him as I adjusted the cuff on my coat sleeve.
“Yes, sir,” he stuttered, sweat forming on his still pimpled brow. What the hell was Gabriel thinking when he hiredthisguy?
I arched a brow and glanced up at him without raising my head.
“I mean, Mr. Calegari, sir. Yes, I do.”
“Then get the fuck out of here. Don’t go back to the bar. You’re done for the night.”
I raised my head and dared him to question me. He didn’t know how much trouble he was already in. The last thing he should do was question me. He started to walk away, but he wasn’t smart enough to keep his mouth shut. He turned back to Noemi who shrunk even further away from him.
“Don’t you fucking talk to her,” I growled, nodding to Gabriel’s henchman “Escort him inside. Tell Gabriel what I said. He leaves. Now.”
Jacko shot me a “who the hell do you think you are?” look. Like I gave a fuck what he thought. I turned my back on Noemi and faced him.
“If you think you have the balls –” Icicles dripped from my voice.
He started shaking.
I guess he didn’t. I nodded and blonde henchman grabbed Jacko’s arm and practically dragged him into the venue. I didn’t know blonde henchman’s name, but Jacko needed to thank him for being there. If I’d been alone with POS Jacko, they’d be sending a search party for him in the morning when he didn’t report for duty. I had time to deal with Jacko. He wasn’t my immediate concern.
I turned back to face Noemi. She had her back to me, still leaning against the column, looking like a dejected puppy. I didn’t make small talk. No, “hello, how have you been” or other insincerities.
