I do one of those shuddering inhales you see in the movies. “Yeah, I hear you. Seriously, I’m not losing who I am over some asshole.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” She smiles before tucking me under her arm again. “And, honestly, the job…it might not even be your thing, but it’s there until you don’t want it. Okay?”
It’s easy to agree, because she makes me feel safer than I did at the police station. I don’t experience even an ounce of hesitation when leaving with her and her Alpha, either.
I try to trail behind them. I also try to carry the food bags, since their hands are full with their luggage. But I end up tucked between them as we power walk through the airport, along with all the other early morning commuters.
Sunlight starts to streak over the horizon as we leave the parking garage, and these two strangers feel safer than people I’ve only just met should.
“We can do the grand tour another time,” Tomas says as he merges into traffic. The massive SUV we’re in barely makes a sound.
“Breakfast wrap coming over. Except it’s not the usual bacon and eggs one, it’s different and divine. Sublime even,” Jana says, handing me a football-sized package.
“Oh my god. Where am I supposed to put that?” I laugh.
“Right? They’re so good,” Tomas says as he uses his knee to steer while he unwraps his.
Once I see what the wrap looks like, my mouth waters, and I dig in with a hunger I hadn’t properly acknowledged. After the first bite—full of fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, and diced roast chicken, drenched in an incredible, spicy aioli—I understand why Tomas is a fan.
“Holy crap,” I mumble, my teeth already back on the wrap, ready to take my next bite.
We don’t talk; we eat. The radio keeps us company, and Tomas and Jana grunt, pointing out landmarks in the city, all based around food—coffee shops, produce markets, cold-press juice shops—until we take a turn, and then Jana twists in her seat to watch me as I come face-to-face with the most breathtaking sight.
The road we turn on is cobblestoned, and it runs along the water’s edge as far as the eye can see, both the shimmering wide blue river and the street that is. On the water’s side, there’s a wide strip of grass, with benches sitting along the edge of a walking path, and piers in all different shapes and sizes jut out over the water. The area is full of people doing everything imaginable—running, having an early morning picnic, fishing, skateboarding, and even street performing. I open my window and can literally feel the hum of life pulsing from the space. It’s amazing, but so is the opposite side of the road we drive slowly on.
Restored warehouses, demonstrating a mix of architecture and modern building methods and materials, line the street. Each building is unique but complementary to the others around it. The result is a pretty picture that would feature in any urban design or architecture magazine.
“The whole riverfront is designated historically preserved. There are different precincts, but this”—Jana waves her hand—“is commonly known as The Dock. It’s an entire precinct that the city council, with the help of local investors, redeveloped. The idea was to repurpose what was already here, instead of bulldozing and building again.”
“It’s incredible,” I say as I wipe my mouth, saving the rest of the wrap for later.
“There were a lot of building regulations and requirements that needed to be adhered to, as part of the heritage redevelopment during construction. I think our building is a wonderful example of everything coming together cohesively while it also compliments the rest of the precinct.”
You can clearly see the warehouse structure, in the shape of the building and the sheer size, but the remodeling Jana tells me about means they’ve cut out parts of the building and refilled the space with buildings and apartment blocks made withmaterials that look like they’ve come from the pages of history—lots of gray and stone-colored flagstone, with a slate-colored roof matching the concrete finishes. I can’t help but admire the details everywhere—small things, like cornets under the roofs and window trims, examples of craftsmanship from generations past.
Jana keeps talking as we travel down into a garage. “The remodeling took years, but our pack jumped in and signed a contract as soon as it was announced. We have a great spot for the restaurant, and the views from our penthouse are to die for. And all that happened, despite this being on the edge of Cosa Nostra territory. But The Dock is neutral ground. You need to remember that, Layne.”
“Neutral ground? What?” I ask, praying I misheard. I’m a long way from home, but at the same time, it’s not far enough.
“Don’t worry. Neutral ground is fiercely adhered to, and the consequences are brutal. The Gambrillo Family is the collective, encompassing both the Gambrillo and De Luca family, to a lesser extent the Valhesse. They have all been around for a while, though there are lots of rumors circulating that a leadership challenge is on the wind, which is also attracting the other players. There’s literally a cast of one hundred waiting for the opportunity to be crowned Boss, like circling sharks. It might all be nothing but whispers and innuendo to keep us away from their business, but all you need to remember is The Dock is a safe zone. Any area of the city outside of that belongs to them.”
The history of underground crime syndicates in this country is well documented. As are the campaigns to stop them. People are elected to office because of their passion and dedication to rid the world of criminals, but I know firsthand that even people who appear good can be the vilest—and most dangerous. Power and greed do strange things to people, irrespective of whether you’re a criminal or not.
Tomas parks the SUV in an empty space in the huge underground parking garage. We’re surrounded by more money than I’ve seen for a while, but neither of them acts entitled, so I choose not to be intimidated.
He twists around once he’s switched the engine off. “Most of the buildings have parking under them. Council is keen to keep The Dock pedestrian friendly. Each building has public car parking, but the secure areas are for residents only. Security is important to us, and we haven’t had any issues.”
“Awesome,” I mumble, still distracted by Jana’s warning that this is all neutral ground.
“Tomas, make sure Layne has access won’t you,” Jana says climbing out of the SUV.
I bite my tongue, considering I’m not one hundred percent sure I’m staying. The way Jana keeps pointing out the building’s features, I think she’s already made her mind up that I’m not going anywhere. I walk next to them, helping to carry their bags, and Tomas shows me how to use the security fob for the elevator further confirming my suspicions they’ve all but adopted me.
When the elevator doors open, Jana sails past me. “Darlings, we’re home, and I have a wonderful surprise,” she sings out before spinning to face me. “Welcome to our home, Layne.”
The inside of their penthouse is as impressive as the exterior of the building, but it’s clearly the views of the river and park that Jana paid lots of money for. I turn away from the windows when the rest of the pack joins us.
The other members of their pack are as warm as Jana and Tomas. It’s not overwhelming the way they swarm around me, either. Maybe it’s because they’re older or because I’m tired of being alone, but either way, I sink into their hospitality.
