“You witnessed something you weren’t supposed to witness, and now the mob is after you.” He grins, and I roll my eyes.
“The mob? Sure.”
“The Santorini Crime Family, to be specific.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yep.”
“Are you telling me you guys have dealings with the mob?”
“Well, not dealings exactly, but they know us and we know them. There’s an uneasy truce.”
“And I thought Snake was the scariest thing I’d deal with.”
“The mob is not coming into your life. I promise. It’s just a cover story.”
“Still. It’s freaking me out that you actually know a mafia family.”
“Well, not me personally. Besides, there’s probably nothing they’ve done that we haven’t.”
“Don’t tell me that. The less I know, the better.” I plug my ears, close my eyes, and hum. “La la la.”
He grabs my hips and tugs me against him. My eyes pop open when our crotches make contact. “You are a goofball.”
Then his mouth lowers to mine, and I forget all about Snake and the bar and the mob.
“I could take your mind off it for a couple of hours,” he offers, lifting his chin to the bed.
“I bet you could, but I have a boss to meet.”
“Right. Damn it. Later then. Come on, let’s get this over with.”
He leads me to the stairs, locking up the apartment. We stand on the landing.
“Heather, keep this door locked whenever you leave, got that?”
“Yes, of course.”
We move down the stairs and find a man in the back office.
He looks up when we appear in his doorway and then stands.
“Ray?” Cody says.
“Yep.”
“I’m Cody.” He offers his hand.
“Yeah, Cole told me you were coming and why. This her?”
“Yeah, this is Annie Benson. Annie, this is Ray, your new manager.”
I’m thrown by the fake name, but I have no choice but to go with it.
“Welcome aboard, Annie.” Ray shakes my hand, then moves to a bookshelf and sorts through some t-shirts. “I’m guessing a size small?”
“Yes.”
