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Ifind Mariella and Rey twenty minutes later when I go back to the conference room in the casino. Rey’s lounging in a leather rolling chair, moving side to side with a highball glass of whiskey clutched in his hand. Mariella is pacing back and forth along the side of the room, chewing on her thumbnail. Both sets of eyes find me when I walk in and close the door.
“What happened? Is he…dead?” she asks, whispering the last word.
“You don’t need to worry about that, just know he’s not going to be bothering you again. In the meantime, we need to find out why people are after you. You mentioned an ex-boyfriend, and I think it’s time I look into him. Tell me where I can find him.”
She glances at Rey then back at me. “But what if it’s not him?”
“Dammit, Mariella, who else would have people following you? Are you into something I should know about? Do you have debts? Did you crawl into bed with the wrong people? Did your family?”
“No!” she exclaims. “I’m just as confused. This doesn’t make any sense. I keep my circle small. I only have two close friends. I don’t talk to my family all that much. I just go to school and work. There’s no reason anybody would want to do anything to me.”
“Except your boyfriend.”
“Ex,” she corrects. “But even still. He was mad when I broke up with him, but what’s he gonna do? Have someone kidnap me and force me to be with him against my will?”
I just stare back at her, waiting for the information. “Are you going to cooperate?” She bites down on her bottom lip. “Fine. Rey, I need you to find Theo Buchanan. Get me every known address and place of employment. I need his parents' names too.”
Rey stands up and swallows the rest of his drink before placing the glass on the table and walking out.
“What?” Mariella screeches, her face in disbelief. “You knew his name this whole time?”
“Of course I did, but I was hoping you’d give me the information yourself as a show of trust.”
“Why would I trustyou?” she asks, emphasizing the last word.
I step up to her, our bodies nearly touching. “Because I’m the one helping you. I’m the one keeping you safe. I’m the one offering you an easier job with more pay so you don’t have to work yourself to the bone. I’m the one who knows you more than you know yourself, Mariella.” I turn around and walk to the door. “But if you want to be out there on your own, thinking you can protect yourself against these men who clearly want you hurt or dead, then go ahead.” I open the door. “Go. But don’t come back to me when you need protection. You have me now or never again. Choose wisely and not with stubborn pride.”
I watch her for two whole minutes as she wars with herself. Her body moves forward slightly, though her feet stay planted. She wants to run. She’s afraid and thinks getting away from me is in her best interest, but she has to know she’s a target for someone else. I’m her only salvation.
She sits down in one of the chairs and crosses her arms. “I’ll stay, but that doesn’t mean I trust you, and just because you know how my body reacts to you doesn’t mean you know more about me than I do.”
A smirk appears on my face briefly before it’s gone. “You still have your room downstairs. You will stay there until I come for you. Call your places of employment and let them know you won’t be coming in again, and I’d call your school and alert them of your future absences. You will be staying with me until we know who is after you and why.”
“Are you capable of asking questions or do you just make demands all the time?”
“I make demands. You can ask questions, but I’m the man with answers.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t miss too many days of school, and what do I tell my employers? That the owner of the casino wants me to quit?”
“Yes. Mentioning my name is probably in your best interest. They won’t question the whys if you say you’re working for me.”
She scoffs, turning her head to avoid my gaze. “Fine.”
“I will call you in a little while. Go get some room service and try to relax.”
She makes a face like that’s impossible but doesn’t say anything.
I leave her there, hoping she’s smart enough to do as I said. Rey waits for me at the end of the hall, looking at his face in the mirror.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he says as I press the button to go down.
“I do.”
“I had to get my face fucked up for this and lose a few points on my ego. You know I’d never let a motherfucker take me down like that.”
“I’m aware. It was necessary. If she feels she can’t even be protected with a bodyguard, then she knows she has to stay with me. When she’s with me twenty-four seven, it’ll be easier for me to get what I need. We’re running out of time.”
The elevator opens up and we step inside.
