“He is my husband.” She scrubs her hands, pumping soap into her palms and lathering. “He is expecting me, so I cannot stay here and talk.”
“When did you arrive stateside, Mrs. Agosti?”
She holds her silence, her eyes on her work and her lips pressed firmly shut.
“My mother’s family came from Poland.” I move another step closer to the beautiful,youngwoman. Two. “It’s not so difficult to recognize your accent. Though in my mother’s case, being here meant she lost most of the cadence from her speech. This leads me to assume you came here as a child.”
More soap. More scrubbing.
“Not an infant. But not a grown woman, either. Perhaps a young teenager. Did your entire family relocate, too, or just your immediate family?”
She sniffs, short, sharp, and with a definite finality in the sound.She’s not talking.
“I was born here. It was just the three of us—my mom and dad and me—but both of my parents had strong ties to their home countries, which means I was one confused little girl by the time I got to kindergarten with my mix of accents and Daniel Tiger’s powerful influence in my life.” I stop with an easy eight feet still separating us and fold my arms, but when the action only pushes my boobs ridiculously higher, I huff and drop them again. “I guess I don’t really notice my words come out differently sometimes, and none of my friends seem to mention it anymore. Have you traveled back to your homeland since you became an adult?”
“No.” She slaps the tap off and stomps to the paper towel dispenser. Tearing out two sheets, just like I did, she wipes her hands with fast, hasty swipes. “I arrived here when I was nine years old, and I have not returned since.” She balls the paper and feigns a smile. “You should not be speaking to me, Doctor Mayet. It is not proper.”
“You know my name, but I don’t know yours.” I camouflage my nerves with a casual tilt of my head. “I suppose I find it peculiar that you know both my name and vocation, considering I’ve never met you before in my life.”
“I listen very carefully to my husband’s business dealings.” She tosses the paper towels into the trash can, then turns, stalking my way and stops when her shoulder brushes mine. “Anthony knows your name, too, Doctor. He speaks of it while you dance with your police officer husband.”
Coolly, she continues to the door, grabs the handle, and swings it wide.
“Wait.” I spin and follow her into the hall, my heart in my throat and nerves blocking every avenue for air to reach my brain. Throwing caution to the wind, I do to her what others have done; I clutch her arm and drag her to a sudden, sharp stop, then I stride around and meet her face-to-face. “It’s my understanding Anthony is Mr. Cordoza’s guest. If Anthony—or you—pose a threat to my family, I’d like to know about it immediately.”
She peels my fingers off—one, then two, three, and four—then she tugs herself free and releases me far gentler than I would if our roles were reversed. “As I said, Doctor Mayet, I listen toallbusiness dealings. I do not believe Anthony is a threat to those you love tonight.”
Tonight? “But tomorrow?”
She grins, soft and almost sweet, her long mascaraed lashes coming down to kiss her cheeks. “Not tomorrow, either.” Leaning closer, she whispers, “I am married to the man, Doctor Mayet. But I do not particularly care for him. It is my belief he is not, and cannot be, a threat to your family. He lacks the resources in his current state, which is why he so diligently kisses Estefan Cordoza’s asshole.” She drops her chin in farewell.
I want to ask if he’s a threat to someone else, if not my family? Is he a threat to her? Or to anyone in attendance tonight. But Agosti himself steps around the corner fifteen feet from where we stand, mild concern making way for curiosity when he spots us, then a smarmy smirk, like he thinks he’s the cat and I’m a canary caught in his trap.
The woman’s smile disappears, replaced by a tightening of her jaw.
“Good evening, Doctor Mayet.” Anthony grips his wife and yanks her to his side. He looks me up and down with dark, deviant eyes that, once upon a time, would have made my skin crawl. Now, I feel something else entirely. “It surprises me to see you out here all alone without your guard.”
I glance along the hallway and find all the suit-wearing muscle men are, in fact, somewhere else.
Fantastic.
“The Malones were more organized when Timothy the Second steered his ship.”
“The Malones were divided when he was the captain. Made him weak. Ineffectual.” I show him my friendliest, fakest grin. “Kinda like you, I’m told.”
His eyes flash with a lava-like temper that no doubt leads to women with yellowing bruises on their skin.
“The Malones are strong now, with an accomplished leader. I’m sorry—” I turn to the woman. “I didn’t catch your name. Certainly, you have one?”
“Not one you should bother yourself with.” Agosti tugs her closer, his spidery fingers trapping her arm and matching the fingerprints still on her flesh from the last time he manhandled her. “Do you require an escort back inside, Doctor Mayet? It would be my honor?—”
“She’s fine without.” Archer stops behind me, a shadow in the night, a guardian I didn’t know was near. His chest touches my back, his hand pressing lightly on my hip. Tension rolls from his body in waves, anger nothing more than a pulsing dragon ready to burn his adversary. “Move along, Anthony. Don’t speak to her again.”
Agosti’s eyes brim with arrogance and approval. “You left, young Archer. But I’m thrilled to witness the control you exude within your marriage. As a man should.” He drops his gaze to me, only to bow and do exactly as he was told:not speak to me. “Bravo, Malone. Your father would be proud.”
Furious, Archer nudges me back until I’m seated against his crotch. “My father feels nothing; he’s busy rotting in the orchard. And I have no desire to control my wife. I merely wish to save her the displeasure of spending even a second in your company. Fifty feet,” he spits out. “And not a single fucking inch closer.”
Anthony raises a hand in submission and uses the other to drag his nameless wife away. Eight feet from where we stand, he wrenches her around and gives us his back, then he stalks to the reception room door and leads her inside without a single backward glance.
