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Great.
“Let’s go get you checked out,” he says, as there’s a knock on the door. Pedretti’s voice calls,Doctor, from the other side. So Julian was right. He reallydidhear the car arrive. Guy has some supersonic hearing or something.
On the way through the house, we come across Johnny Jacopo in the foyer, talking to the doctor as he waits. He glances up, sees me, and gives an apologetic nod. “Sorry about the crack, Big Guy,” he says. “Hard to judge.”
“Forget it,” I grunt. “This skull’s fucking concrete, anyway.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” the Doc says curtly. He’s a little man with a stern expression and a head of white hair. His thick-rimmed glasses give him a scholarly look and his eyes scan me head to toe as he speaks, like he’s a human X-ray.
“Leo will be staying in my wing,” Julian tells Jacopo with a smile.
The hitman gives me a look that verges on sympathy. “Is that so?”
“Then for God’s sake, let’s get up there,” the Doc snaps, looking at his watch. He’s old enough and peevish enough to make us all feel like naughty schoolboys, so I just follow Julian up the big staircase to the right, and we make our way to his wing.
Julian glances over his shoulder at me before opening the double doors that lead to his section of the house. “You’re going to love it here, Leo,” he tells me. “I’ll make sure of it.”
He actually sounds sincere.
CHAPTER34
JULIAN
Leo absolutely insistson staying in one of my guest bedrooms, and I don’t fight it—mostly because the doctor looks like he might suddenly declare that Leo needsrestandspace, and I want to make sure that even if my new pet lion is caged up in another room, I can still go in and see him.
When we get to the guest room, I open the door and gesture for Leo to enter first. He gives me a dark look, but steps inside, his gaze widening as he takes in the space.
The bedroom is large and airy, with high ceilings and wooden floors that gleam in the light from the large windows. There’s a king-sized bed in the center of the room, covered in silk sheets and plush pillows. The walls are painted robin’s egg blue, and there’s a small sitting area in the corner with two comfortable armchairs and a small coffee table.
And this is just the sleeping area.
Leo turns to me, his eyes flickering with something I can’t identify.
“On the bed,” the doctor orders, and Leo lies down. As the doctor looks Leo over, he makes disapproving noises, and then gives his orders. “I want him kept as quiet as possible for at least 72 hours,” he begins. I nod along, pretending to listen as my mind wanders to other things. Like how Leo looks so uncomfortable on that bed, hands clenching and unclenching, as if he can’t bear to be so close to luxury. His eyes dart around the room, taking in the splendor that surrounds him—from the bed to the furniture to the view out the window—with a slight look of disdain.
I could make him comfortable. I could help him get used to living this way. I imagine running my hands over him, feeling him writhe around under me as I ride him...
But his eyes meet mine as though he seeks something to anchor himself to, and I push away all those other thoughts. For now.
“Is there anything else we need to know?” I ask the doctor. This time I really listen, because it doesn’t seem as though Leo is. I clear my throat when the doctor is done, breaking through Leo’s trance. “I could stay in here with you,” I tell him, “in case you need anything. I could have the staff bring in another bed.”
Leo just shakes his head. He’s not used to relying on anyone else. But I want him to let me in. I’m fascinated by this man, and I want to know him better.
I want him to bemine.
Once the doctor has left, Leo doesn’t look me in the eye as snaps, “I need to speak to Roxy again. Alone. I want to make sure she’s okay.”
“I’ll fetch her,” I say at once, sliding off the side of the bed where I’ve been sitting. “But she really has been treated like a queen here, Leo. I promise.”
“Just get her in here.”
He’s grumpy. But I suppose I can’t blame him.
* * *
Max Pedretti waits outside the doors to my wing when I come out. He always smells of mid-range aftershave and gun oil. It’s a comforting scent that lingers in the air. Good smell for a security guy. I told Sandro that when he promoted him, and at the time, my brother looked a little disturbed.
“Boss wanted to know how your guest is doing,” Pedretti says as I come out.
