“I’m fine,” I assure her.
“This is all my fault. I’m so, so sorry. I should never have gone after that man.”
“You shouldn’t have,” I agree, stacking a mountain of fries and a chicken burger on my plate. I add some salad to offset the coronary-inducing feast.
If I wasn’t so pissed at Ben, I would be angry at my friend now. Truth is, Esme’s recklessness almost cost me and Pen our lives. If Ben hadn’t been there, who knows if either of us would be standing here right now.
“Are you sure you aren’t hurt?” she asks, biting down on her lower lip.
“I’m not. At least not physically.” I proceed to fill them in on everything as we eat, and they listen attentively. Esme interrupts, cursing like a sailor when I get to the part where Ben insulted me and then basically kicked me out of his place.
“That fucking bastard,” Esme seethes. “I’ve a good mind to head over to the Venetian and give him a piece of my mind.” And there’s that reckless streak again.
“It’s not worth it, and it’s far too dangerous.” I doubt Ben and his friends carry guns as accessories. “Besides, I never want to lay eyes on him again.”
“That sucks, babe.” Pen pins me with a sympathetic look. “I remember how badly you were crushing on him.”
“He wasn’t worthy of your devotion,” Esme says. “But it’s weird he keeps your picture in his pocket.”
“Do you think he knew we would be there?” Pen asks, looking newly concerned.
“I don’t see how.” I stuff the last couple fries in my mouth. “Esme made the booking in her name, and we only stumbled across Scarface Salerno by accident.”
“Then, shocker, I agree with Esme. It’s weird he’d be so cruel when you clearly meant something to him. He wouldn’t have kept the picture otherwise.”
“And it’s not like you were a shit lay,” Esme supplies, and my mind instantly recoils in horror. “Babe. Stop freaking out.” She squeezes my hand. “No guy fucks a girl all night long unless he’s really into the sex. He came, right?”
I nod. “Multiple times. On me and in me.”
“So, it’s not that.” Esme taps a finger on her chin.
“It doesn’t matter anyway.” I set my empty plate down on the table. “I don’t want to think about Ben anymore. As far as I’m concerned, he’s dead to me now.” I uncap a bottle of water, glugging a few mouthfuls. “He wants me to forget last night ever happened, and I’m A-okay with that.”
“That guy he sent here said the same thing,” Pen says, and I almost spit my water all over the floor.
“What guy?”
Pen glances over her shoulder to ensure no one is listening. She lowers her voice. “That dickhead Renzo brought me back here, and he insisted on taking my cell and disconnecting the phone in the suite so I couldn’t call anyone. I was losing it, close to breaking point, when Ben’s friend Leo showed up.” Her cheeks flush, and I arch a brow.
“You didn’t give me any of these deets earlier,” Esme says, wearing a curious expression. “Spill.”
Pen purses her lips, but she can’t contain her grin. “He was hot and ripped and a bit scary but super sexy.”
“Poor Eric.” Esme licks yogurt off the back of her spoon.
Pen elbows her in the ribs. “Poor Eric nothing. I still love my fiancé, but I can acknowledge a hot guy when I see one.”
“What did he want?” I ask, keen to get to the meat of the story.
“He got rid of Renzo. Told me not to worry, that you were safe, with Ben, and he would take care of you. He stayed with me, disappearing for a few minutes when the others arrived back totally smashed.”
“I have the headache to prove it,” Esme says, dumping her empty yogurt carton in the trash.
“I got everyone to bed,” Pen continues, ignoring Esme, “and when I came back out, Leo had made coffee.”
“How cozy.” Esme waggles her brows, and Pen flips her the bird.
“He was pretty vague, yet he still managed to drive his point home. Basically, he said what Ben said but in a nicer way—those men from the basement are dangerous, and we need to keep quiet about last night. It’s why I only told Esme the truth. All the others know is you met a random guy and went back to his hotel.”
