I have a hellish deadline, and although I did get some words written while we were gone, they were nowhere near enough.
“You have a book to finish, and I have a starting position to win.”
“Adulting is overrated.”
“We have a few more hours until I have to report to camp.”He quirks an eyebrow.“I could use a workout.You game, baby?”
“Ugh.I don’t feel like running on the treadmill.”
He smirks.“I wasn’t talking about going to the workout room.”
I swallow hard, and the dull ache between my legs that always seems to be there when Vinnie’s around deepens.“Oh.”I bite my lip and push open the door.“You coming?”I swing out my legs, the cold concrete of the garage touching the bottom of my sandals.
He’s out of the car before I’ve even stood upright.“I most definitely am and more than once too.Leave the bags.We’ll get them later.”
“Someone’s in a hurry.”
Vinnie places two fingers under my chin and snakes his other arm around my middle.“I’m in a hurry to bury myself inside you, but what I’m going to do with you is going to take time.Lots of time.”
I grab his hand, extricating myself from his hold, and pull him toward the elevator.“Stop talking.You’re wasting time.Put up or shut up, Mr.Gallo.”
I’m so focused on the ecstasy I know is about to happen, I don’t look anywhere else except straight toward the elevators.But when Vinnie stops, pulling me backward with his face pale, I know something’s off.
“What’s wrong?”My eyes follow his and my heart sinks, and the dreamy love clouds I was just riding high on disappear.“What the…”
The word WHORE is spray-painted in red across the hood of my car.My mouth hangs open as I walk around my car, seeing the same word on the back and sides.
I’m shaking with anger, unable to stop walking in circles around my car when Vinnie reaches out and wraps his arms around me, stopping me.“We’ll get it repainted.It’s not that bad.”
Not that bad?This is awful.In the grand scheme of things, sure, it’s not that bad.I mean, it would be worse to be shot or, hell, get the shit get kicked out of me.But there’s nothing nice about the rageful act bestowed on my car.
“Who would do this?”Tears form in my eyes.
“Maybe a psycho fan.”He holds me tighter.“Breathe, Bianca.It’ll be okay.”
“Okay?”I motion toward the hood of my car and suddenly feel ill.“How is that okay?”
“I’ll ask security to pull the footage, and I’ll call my guy to get your car fixed.Until we know who did this and why, you’re not to come down here alone.”
I turn my head and gawk at him.“Excuse me?First, you have a guy?”
“My dad’s friend.He specializes in cars, and he’ll get the job done quick and without any press.”
“Fine.”I take a deep breath and focus on the next part of his statement that doesn’t sit right with me.“I’m not allowed to come down to the garage alone?”
He tightens his arms around my middle as he places his mouth next to my ear.“I won’t let anything happen to you.Your car won’t be here for a few days anyway.Take a cab or call me or my family for a ride anywhere.Whoever did this is nutty as fuck, baby.Don’t play games with your life.”
My body stiffens in his embrace.“You think I’m in danger?”
I’ve heard about other authors having overzealous fans and stalkers, but I’ve been lucky and have never experienced anything even remotely close to this before now.
“Yes.Promise me you’ll be careful and listen until we figure out what happened or who did this?”
I still don’t like that he’s telling me what to do, but my father or brothers would say the same thing.I’ve always been fiercely independent, and listening to authority has not always been my strong suit.
“I promise,” I tell him, but I hate saying the words.I hate that I’m suddenly a prisoner in my own home and at the mercy of some unknown threat.
“I’ll keep you safe, and we’ll keep this out of the press.Let me handle everything.”
Part of me wants to argue and tell him I’ll handle everything.But for once, I don’t want to go it alone.I want someone to lean on, and I finally have him.
For once, I give in.
