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“Armando, this is Ms. O’Malley.”
“Hello, Ms. O’Malley. Gabriele.”
No pleasantries from either side. They shake, then Armando offers his hand to me. I see his gaze sweep over me, and it’s appreciative. But I almost get the sense that he’s doing it to goad Gabriele more than to make me think he likes what he sees. When he gets no reaction from Gabriele, his attention immediately wanes, and he becomes more professional.
“Ms. O’Malley, your firm hired the company I work for to provide you with twenty-four-hour protection. My associates and I will rotate eight-hour shifts. I will be outside your door while Hunter will be down here in the lobby.”
He points to a man near the door, sitting on a sofa similar to the one Armando sat on when we arrived. Gabriele doesn’t turn to look when I do. I realize he already noticed him, but somehow knew Armando was the one who’d approach us.
“Once you’re checked in, I’ll take you up to your room. We can exchange numbers, and you can either text or call me, but don’t open your door once inside. I’ll take the spare key to pass along to my replacement. If you order room service or food delivery, let me know.”
He opens his arm toward registration as though he’s ushering me forward. When I take the first step, he tries to fall in behind me, but Gabriele is too close. It forces Armando to walk beside me rather than protecting my back. He steps away when it’s my turn to check in. Gabriele hangs back too, but I look over my shoulder at him and raise my eyebrows. He moves to where he’s standing mostly beside me, but if he shifted even a little, he would once more protect my entire back.
“Welcome, Ms. O’Malley. We have you in a deluxe king suite. It comes with a kitchenette, but we have a full-service restaurant that offers around-the-clock room service. Our guests park free, so I can validate your ticket if you’re parked below.”
“Thank you. I didn’t drive.”
“Very good. We already have your company card on file, so I just need to see a valid driver’s license.”
I pull mine out, grateful Gabriele thought to grab my purse. At least, I assume it was him. I don’t remember anymore. Once I’ve signed a few things, the man behind the counter offers to send a bellman to gather my luggage, but frowns when I say I don’t have any. I assure him it’s arriving later. The few things I have are still at Paola’s.
“Oh, may I have a third key, please?”
I think I’m covert when I hand one to Gabriele. At least, I hope I am. I believe he’s blocking Armando’s view, but I don’t know where Hunter is. I don’t dare turn around to look. I wonder if he'll introduce himself today. Once I have the third key, Gabriele and I join Armando before walking to the elevator. When it dings and the doors open, Armando once more holds out his arm, ushering me forward. This time he tries to step in front of me to hide me from the doors, but Gabriele is too close.
“Scotto, I hear you’ve been busy these days. I figured you’d spend any spare time at one of your clubs.”
I tense. Does he mean a BDSM club? Wait, clubs?
“You know Carmine handed those to Matteo when he got married. Matteo turned them over to Marco when he got married. I bounce at them and nothing more. I don’t spend my leisure time there like you do.”
Gabriele sounds like he doesn’t enjoy these places, and I don’t get the feeling they’re nightclubs like Lorenzo owns. Strip clubs?
“I figured you’d soak it up while you can.”
“Armando, you have the subtlety of a hog in slop. I do not frequent strip clubs for fun. I have all the time in the world since you can clearly see I’m not in jail. And I’m here to meet with Ms. O’Malley, my attorney, to ensure I continue to enjoy all that free time. Feel free to text Enrique or Pablo now and let them know. Or better yet—” Gabriele pulls out his phone. “—I’ll call them.”
“Don’t be petty, Gabe.”
There’s so much more going on here than I understand. I almost feel like I’m intruding, but I have nowhere I can go, stuck in an elevator with them both.
“I haven’t chatted with either of them recently. It might be nice to catch up. I’m certain they want to know how I am. After all, you’re here.”
“It’s a coincidence that Ms. O’Malley’s employers hired my company.”
Gabriele snorts. I tilt my head as I look up at him. He looks over his shoulder and grins down at me as though he’s going to let me in on the joke.
“Armando works for a top security company run bytheDiazes. It didn’t surprise me at all to discover thejefe,Enrique Diaz, assigned one of his senior men to protect a client who happens to be my attorney. How many cousins removed are you from Enrique anyway, Armando?” Gabe looks at me and shrugs. “Nepotism runs in all our families.”
Now I just stare. Diazes, as in Colombian Cartel Diazes. Oh, shit. Gabriele must be pissed, but he’s not showing it. Which must mean Armando knows how angry Gabriele is. They’re baiting each other. That much is obvious. Armando has to know Gabriele isn’t happy another syndicate is guarding his attorney— guarding me —when they could be the very ones who set him up.
The elevator pings, and I look at the sign on the wall. I say nothing as I hurry down the hall, Armando rushing to get in front of me since he already knows any attempt to walk behind me is futile. When we reach my room, he uses the key I handed him.
“Behind me, Sinead.”
I look up at Gabriele as he steps around me and reaches to his lower back. I watch him pull a gun from beneath his suit coat as he steps across the threshold. Someone brought him fresh clothes while I slept. He reaches back to me, and I lift my hand. He takes it and tucks it onto his belt as he inches forward, sweeping the room. He doesn’t trust me to stay behind with Armando, but he definitely doesn’t want me walking carelessly into the room. We move throughout the suite so that I have a wall to my back the entire time. Armando is sweeping the room too from the opposite direction until they cross over. When Gabriele's satisfied no one is here, he holsters his gun. I let go, and he turns to me before leaning forward to whisper.
“If we have the power to make people move rooms, other people have the power to make this room yours. Do not say a word until I sweep it for bugs.”
