“I’m sorry, Bianca. I thought Michael would’ve told you.”
“He’s got a lot on his plate so I guess it slipped his mind.” I rubbed my chin. “I want to get him something special. What should I do? You’ve known him for a long time.”
Burns’s features drew together as he contemplated. “There’s a distillery at the Navy Yard. It’s been in business for over a hundred years and Michael likes their whiskey.”
“Perfect,” I said with a nod. “Can one of the men take me there?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said hesitantly. “Michael has forbidden you to leave the premises unless he’s with you.”
“I know,” I said, waving a dismissive hand. “And I get that—I really do. But what if two men go with me, and one of them can drive. It can’t be far from here.”
“It’s about a ten-minute drive.”
“Great! The two young bodyguards who guard the front...Chris and...Joaquin,” I said, snapping my fingers. “They can come with me. They’re both huge with guns on their hips. One of them can drive me, right?”
“I just...” Burns shook his head. “It’s not a good idea, Bianca. Things are quite dangerous right now.”
“I know, but I’ll be heavily guarded and I want to do this on my own.” Lifting my chin, I spoke assertively. “Let Chris and Joaquin know I’ll be ready in ten minutes. Chris can drive and Joaquin can accompany me inside the distillery. I’ll make it a quick trip, but I want to pick out the whiskey myself.”
“Okay,” Burns said, worry evident across his features.
“And don’t tell Michael,” I said, lifting a finger. “I’ll have two bodyguards with me and be gone for half an hour. This isn’t a huge deal, Burns.”
He inhaled deeply. “I’m still worried, Bianca. Things aren’t always safe in our world. You should know that better than anyone.”
He was right, but I also had been cooped up in the house for weeks and was a grown damn woman. I deserved to buy my husband a birthday present that was meaningful. Firm in my decision, I headed upstairs to get dressed.
When I returned to the foyer, Chris and Joaquin were waiting.
“Ma’am, we’ve heard that we’re to accompany you to the distillery at the Navy Yard.”
“Yes,” I said with a nod.
“Has Mr. Caruso given approval for this?” Chris asked.
“My husband would like me protected, and I’m assigning you both to help me with that. This will be a quick trip, so I see no danger. Chris, if you could drive, and Joaquin, you can accompany me inside the distillery. It’s very important to methat I do this on my own. If you won’t help me, I’ll find someone else who will.”
They shared a look and Chris reached for his phone.
“If you’re going to call Michael, I believe he’s in a meeting at the docks for the next few hours and most likely won’t answer. You can wait for his approval, but I’m leaving now.”
I reached for the keys to Michael’s sports car and opened the front door. I trailed to the car in the driveway and clicked the fob, smiling when Chris appeared and took the keys from my hand.
“I’ll drive. Please sit in the back with Joaquin. In and out of the distillery, okay?”
“Absolutely,” I said, sliding into the back seat.
Joaquin slid in beside me, and we were on our way.
We drove down some residential streets, and I gazed at the homes, noticing that some people had already put up their Christmas decorations. Should I decorate Michael’s home? That would be a nice touch—
Suddenly, my window shattered as a car crashed into our sports car. I gasped as the car door slammed into my body, knocking the air from my lungs as I lurched to the side. Our car spun to a stop, and unimaginable pain coursed through my frame. Patting my side, I felt something impaled there, and realized it was a shard of glass.
Joaquin coughed beside me, and Chris sat slumped over the airbag in the driver’s seat. Someone yanked my door open, the mangled metal creaking ominously, and I was dragged from the car.
“We knew you’d crack eventually,” a deep voice said in my ear. “We just needed to wait for you to emerge. You’re too stubborn to stay locked inside his mansion forever.”
I forced my eyes open to see Simon’s face above me. “Fucking...bastard!” I yelled weakly.
