“What? Why?”
“Because I’m on the board,” he replies simply, winking. “I made a sizeable donation, and they made me a member.”
I feel my jaw drop. He… actually wasn’t lying? “Why did you do that?”
“Because the board gets special treatment, and now Rosemary Vazquez is a VIP client. I’m going to get her moved into a room with a bit more luxury and special attention. Phillip mentioned a contract with a security company; I was thinking we could get a guard for her door. How does that sound?”
I swallow down a thickness in my throat that feels suspiciously like happy, relieved tears. He’s… taking care of Abuela? Making sure she’s safe? “You… um… maybe two guards—one in with her as a companion so she doesn’t miss my visits quite as much. She likes Manny.”
“Done,” he nods.
My intake of breath is a sharp slice through my lungs. “Really?” I croak.
He cocks his head. “She’s important to you. And you’re important to me,” he replies simply.
With that, he turns to head back into the building, but stops and glances at me sideways. He offers his hand out to me, and I know it’s not just a silent offer to escort me back inside. It’s a question. A test. My stomach flops as the importance of the moment settles on my shoulders.
I take his hand, and we walk back inside together.
19
Madison
He is so unbelievably charming.
I don’t know how long it’s going to be before I get another chance to visit Abuela, so I decide to spend as much of the day with her as I can. I’m even in the room when the VP of Sunset Hills drops by after his meeting with “a board member” and breaks the good news that she’s getting an upgrade. In true Abuela fashion, she takes the news with a show of polite gratitude for him and prickly old lady cynicism to me, once his back is turned. Manny kicks me out when visiting hours end, and I shoot Wesley a text that I’m going home as I head to my car.
As I pause at my mailbox, I inhale the amazing scent of someone’s dinner, and my stomach growls. Must be my upstairs neighbors, the Morettis, because it smells like tomato sauce, garlic, and home-cooked Italian love. Maybe I’ll dig out that packaged lasagna in the freezer… unless Wesley wants to order takeout.
Warmth smacks me in the face as I throw open the door to my apartment, and I register a few things at once: the lights are all on, that smell is gettingstronger, and… Wesley’s in my kitchen, leaning on his elbow on the counter and giving Some Bills a scratch so thorough that his purring is audible from here.
“What… the fuck?” I manage.
“Hello Madison.”
“Wesley? You… Did you break into my apartment again? To… cook?”
With a smirk on his lips, he straightens, ignoring Some Bills’s meow in protest of the interruption. “You wanted to besatisfiedin all ways, yes? Well, I have a chef friend who gave me a recipe ‘simple enough a child could do it.’ And if it tastes half as good as it smells, I’ll be quite chuffed.”
“You can’t just…” I trail off, heaving a breath.
Damn, it really does smell good in here. My stomach flips over, both in hunger and at the thought that he took my offhand comment to heart, and now he’s doing something about it. Hecookedfor me. Hesurprisedme with it. And, yeah, he totally broke in to do it, but it’s not like it’s the first time…
My ability to rationalize creepy behavior ought to be studied.
“I knew it was a waste of money to get the locks changed,” I sigh dramatically, hanging my purse on a hook.
“It was,” he smiles, like he knows how half-hearted my protest is. “It won’t matter soon anyway. We’ll be leaving for the safe house tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, willwe? Good of you to let me know whatourplans are.”
He chuckles. “My pleasure.”
“Hmm. Getting a bit high-handed there,Sir.”
His lips quirk up, but he refuses to rise to the challenge. It’s like he knows I’m needling him, trying to evoke a reaction. “Do you want to sit and relax while I finish up? I’ve got a bottle of red wine.”
“Fancy,” I drawl, though my heart is hammering at this ridiculously sweet gesture. I consider him as he turns back around and stirs something on the stove. I know if I sit and watch this gorgeous man cook, I’m going to want to jump his bones. And I really need to do some prep work before that happens. I’m a hairy girl—it grows thick and fast—and I swear my pussy has a five o’clock shadow by noon. “I want to shower.”
