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She spins and starts walking back toward the house, the high heels she’s wearing making her stumble over the gravel. I shake my head, marveling at how we can be the same age.
I turn to the gate guards. “Log what happened and have someone come down and move both vehicles. I’ll let the don know in the morning.”
They give me a relieved nod as I jog after Gia. She storms up the driveway, her anger fueling her. When she gets to the door, she steps quietly into the house to avoid discovery. I watch her head up to her room before I duck into the nearest bathroom and rummage around the cabinet under the sink. I grin when I find what I’m looking for, tucking them under my arm before following her upstairs.
I knock on Gia’s door, and when she opens it, I toss her the box with a grin. “Would you look at that? A full box. Now, you don’t need to go anywhere.”
She catches it, her eyes burning with hatred, before throwing the box of tampons back and slamming the door. I lean against the wall next to her door and slide down to the floor,smiling.
Was that petty as fuck? Probably. Do I care? Not even a little.
When I finally get home after being up for almost thirty-six hours straight, I’m ready to do nothing but sleep. When banging at my door wakes me after only four hours of shut-eye, I take my gun with me, ready to kill them, regardless of whether they are a friend or an enemy.
I yank the door open and swallow down my curses when I find my dad on the opposite side.
“Jesus, Dad. I was sleeping.” I turn and head back inside, knowing he’ll follow behind me. The joy of living in my father’s pool house means he can turn up whenever he wants to, which, thankfully, isn’t that often.
“Why were you sleeping?”
“I’ve been pulling double Gia duty because a couple of guards came down with the stomach flu. But guard rotation has been changed now, so it’s all good. I have today and tomorrow off, then back to my regular scheduled duties,” I tell him with a hint of sarcasm.
I love my dad, but the man has the emotional capacity of a French fry. It wouldn’t be so bad, but since my mother died while giving birth to me, I sometimes feel like I’m emotionally delayed because I have nothing to draw on. Maybe he is the way he is because he lost her. He refused to talk about her with me, and after one too many shouting matches, I stopped asking.
“Is there something I can help you with?”
“I’m heading to Manhattan for a few days. We’ve been having an issue with one of the buyers.”
“Alright.” I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and take a few mouthfuls. My dad just stands there, staring at me, not moving. “Is there something else? It’s not like this is the first time you’ve gone away.”
“I don’t like leaving you alone.”
I frown. “Since when?” I hold my hand up before he can answer. “I get that I’m your daughter, but let’s be honest, I’m not like other girls. Anyone trying to break in will be in for a surprise.”
He runs a hand through his graying hair, looking frustrated, which is odd for Mr. Calm, Cool, and Collected.
“Is something going on that I need to know about?”
“What? No. Just ignore me. It’s nothing. How’s Gia doing?”
“She’s her usual delightful self.”
He shakes his head as he looks at me, sadness in his eyes for a second before it disappears.
“I’ll be fine, Dad. Promise.”
He nods once before straightening his jacket and leaving.
“Well, okay then,” I mutter, throwing myself onto the sofa and burying my head in the cushion to scream.
Why is everyone in my life testing my fucking patience?
A faint ringing fills the air as I lift my head. I scramble off the sofa and run to my bedroom, grabbing my cell phone off the bedside table. I frown when I see Steven’s name on the screen. He started as a guard like me, and now he’s the head of security at the casino.
“Hey, Steven. What’s up?”
“I need a hand. Tatiana’s been roughed up. She won’t let any of us help her.”
“Shit, okay. I’m on my way. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
