“I can’t call you a pretty girl anymore. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman. Talented too.”
“Oh,” she said. “Thank you.”
Did she have to be so fucking charming? It was disarming. She had the Ann Darrow affect in spades—all of the dangerous men in the world were her King Kongs.
“What brings you to New York? Last I heard you were in…”
“Baton Rouge,” Stone answered. “I didn’t stay long. I’ve been in New York ever since, just like my old man. Just made detective last month.”
“Congratulations.”
“Same to you. A few buddies and I caught one of your shows a while back. I tried to get backstage but it was no go. Even for a cop. You’re a big star, beautiful woman.”
The fuck? How raunchy and pathetic is this guy.You’re a big star,beautiful woman. Romeo narrowed his eyes and then nodded at me, like he could read my thoughts.
“Notthatbig.”
He gave her the smug smile and then touched her arm. Romeo put a hand on my arm. Guido and Nino must’ve sensed something, impending doom, because they both hopped out of the Range Rover, cautious looks on their faces.
Stone didn’t even spare them a glance. His eyes followed Scarlett as she came to stand beside me. She set her body next to mine and I pulled her closer.
“Is your business with my husband done?” she asked. “I have an early morning.”
He stared at her, not answering, and I knew it made her uncomfortable. I went to take another step forward, but she stopped me with a firm hand to my side.
“Non avviare,” she whispered.Do not start.
Romeo cleared his throat, loud enough not to be ignored.
“Oh, right,” Scott said, almost like he was lost in thought and then remembered where he was. “Yeah. We’re done. For now.”
“Goodnight, Scott. It was nice to see you again.”
“Same here, but don’t worry. We’ll see each other. Soon. We can catch up some more then.”
“What was that supposed to mean?” Scarlett asked me as we got into the car.
“We’ll see,” I said.
Stone smiled at me as I drove away.
* * *
After we pulled up to the brownstone, the sun’s light started to touch earth. But it was weak, and before long, I knew a thick cover of clouds was going to make for a bleak day.
Scarlett sent Guido and Nino into the house, she but asked me to stay with her in the car. “I don’t have long,” she whispered. “Then I need to go inside and get ready.”
“I refused to leave you here,” I said, answering what she didn’t say. That I kept her up all night, even though she had early and long day. “I wanted you with me.”
“You wanted to prove to me that you were going where you said were,” she said.
I said nothing, and we both stared ahead through the windshield. Drifts of flakes caressed the glass, but the day held the promise to be sharp and bitter.
“Brando?”
It took me a second to look at her. My thoughts had drifted, and I had found peace in her quiet presence. She was next to me, I was next to her, and all was right with the world.
We stared at each other for a little while. The connection between us started to move in the cold air like fire. Then, in a burst of energy, she threw herself over the console. Her body collided with mine in an awkward twist. She was so supple that she hardly noticed.
