Packing Heat(39)

Louisa let out a short, sharp laugh. “Of course not. I’m not giving you the whole story. Mostly because I don’t want to. But believe me, Cassidy, I’m the only person in this whole mansion who has your best interests at heart.”

“Okay,” I said. “I think I should go now.”

“Goodbye, Cassidy.”

I smiled. “Bye.”

I turned and practically ran out of there.

Once I was back in the main hallway, I quickly started to retrace my steps, my head spinning.

What was with that girl? Why was she talking about my freedom and having my best interests at heart? I didn’t know her at all. I had never seen her before in my life. And yet she’d been acting like she somehow cared about me and wanted to save me.

It was downright disturbing.

As I walked, I realized that I was lost. I had to ask for directions twice before I finally made it back to my room.

My keycard could open any door. That was an interesting development. I didn’t know what Louisa was thinking when giving me that power, but I couldn’t exactly give it back.

I stood outside my room for a second and glanced around me. Any of the doors were mine to open. I could walk in on absolutely anything.

I was still a journalist after all. I could walk in on a huge story.

But no, that was stupid. I was here trying to save my own life, not trying to find another story. I took a deep breath and opened my door.

And then laughed at what I saw.

Sitting at the table, surrounded by trays of food, was Rafa. He grinned as I came in.

“Morning, beautiful,” he said.

I made a face. “Morning.” I shut the door behind me. “What’s all this?”

“Couldn’t decide what to eat, so I ordered it all.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “That’s crazy.”

“I assumed you’d help.”

I walked over and looked at the spread. There were eggs, bacon, pancakes, basically anything you could imagine. There were even little breakfast quiches lined up in a neat little row.

He took a big bite of pancakes. “I just wanted pancakes though,” he said.

“You’re nuts.”

“It’s free food. Who cares?”

I grabbed a plate and took some food. “What do they do with the extras?”

“I’m sure they donate it.”

“Really? The mob donates food?”

“We’re the mafia, not monsters.”

“Good point.” I sat down across from him and started eating.

I suddenly realized that I should tell him about my encounter with Louisa. But as soon as I opened my mouth to speak, I thought better of it.

I didn’t know why. It was just such a strange encounter. I didn’t want to worry Rafa more than he already was, and besides, she was harmless. She hadn’t meant anything by it.

As Rafa started to tell me a story about the time he watched a man try to eat two pounds’ worth of pancakes, I tried to put Louisa out of my mind. She wasn’t important.

Rafa was important. I couldn’t help but smile as he spoke, and I felt my stress slowly disappear.





20





Rafa





I knew she’d like the breakfast buffet.

Truth was, I had ordered it all for her. She was pregnant, and she needed to eat. She was eating for two people after all. I didn’t want to embarrass her, or look like a fucking sissy, so I’d made up that shit about wanting it all.

I smiled at her as we ate. I regaled her with stories from my mafia past, some of them pretty fucking funny, trying to keep things light.

But I could see the stress behind her expression. I knew this was taking its toll. It was a strange feeling, caring how someone else felt about what was happening around them. Normally I went through my days trying to get money and fucking over anyone who got in my way.

Now, though, I was responsible for helping her. Maybe not responsible, but she was in my charge. I had to protect her from Ernesto and his fucking thugs, and nobody else. For me, that was a strange feeling.

“And then what?” she asked.

“Well, the fucking idiot tried to jump over the fence, and ran straight into barbed wire.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. The dog just barked and barked, and he sat up on the fence, yelling for us to help him.”

“What did you do?”

“Laughed our asses off until the dog got bored and went away.”

She cracked up, leaning back in her chair, and I loved the look on her face. For a second it was almost like we were two normal people having breakfast together, doing normal fucking shit.

But of course we weren’t normal. I was as far from normal as a human being could get.

As I finished off my plate and Cassidy tucked into hers, there was a knock at the door. She stopped in her tracks, like a deer caught in headlights.