13
DOMINIC
By the time we found parking and walked into the beautiful old library building on Vine Street, it was late morning. Traffic sucked, and parking was always an issue. I held Gia’s hand. To anyone who glanced our way, we looked like a normal couple walking into the building.
Gia’s hand felt clammy in mine, and I knew she was nervous. I didn’t think she had any reason to be, although if anything did happen, we’d be unarmed, since I’d left my pistol in the SUV, assuming I’d have to pass through a metal detector.
“Lead the way,” I said casually even though I looked at every single person in the place as we headed toward the long row of public-use computers.
“Hey, Gia. You missed your shift the other day.”
A man came toward us, his face beaming at Gia. A frown replaced that stupid smile, though, when I moved in closer and put my arm around her waist, feeling much more possessive than I maybe should.
Of course she’d run into people she knew. She fucking volunteered here.
Gia tensed beside me.
“Smile,” I told her.
“Hi, Ron,” she said, her voice tight. “I wasn’t feeling well. I asked my friend to call. She must have forgotten.”
Ron’s gaze kept shifting to me, and I almost laughed at his struggle to keep smiling.
“No, she never did. I covered for you. No worries.”
“Thanks, Ron.”
I cleared my throat. “Aren’t you going to introduce me, honey?” I had to bite my tongue not to laugh outright at the look on Gia’s face.
“Um, Ron this is…um…Donnie.”
She recovered fast and relaxed. Even smiled. At least for a minute.
“Her boyfriend,” I said, gripping her tighter and pulling her close.Donnie? WTF?
“Oh, uh, nice to meet you. I guess. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend,” Ron said, trying not to look at me.
“Yep,” I chimed in. “Haven’t been together long, but once you get a taste of Gia, well, nothing quite like it…” I winked at her mortified face. “We’re on a tight schedule, though,” I said, checking my watch.
“Nice to see you, Ron,” Gia said, walking stiffly toward the public-use computers.
“Nice to see you,” Ron called out.
It took all I had not to flip him off.
“What was that?” she asked in a sharp whisper. “How could you say that?”
“Donnie? What the fuck kind of name isDonnie?”
She stopped and turned to me, one hand on her hip, one eyebrow lifted.
“Did you want me to tell him your real name?”
“You couldn’t come up with anything better thanDonnie?”
She only grinned. “That one,” she said, dropping the conversation as an elderly woman vacated a computer.
“Let’s go.” Someone else tried to take the seat, but I shoved Gia ahead and onto the chair.
