This man was insufferable.
That didn’t mean she had to stay. She could just take her wine and leave. Kathleen just did not have the energy for this. She opened her mouth to tell him off when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, glanced at the screen, and stood. “I need to take this,” he said, lifting one long, elegant finger as he brought the phone to his ear. “I’ll be right back.” He got up and walked out of the dining room
Kathleen watched him go, frustration seething through her. “Damn him,” she muttered. He was insufferable. This was so annoying. She took a sip of her wine and lifted her brow. It was divine. Because of course it was, which annoyed her all the more.
Antonio returned and set a basket of bread in the middle of the table. He started to turn away, and she caught his arm. “You know what,” Kathleen said, “I’ll take my food as room service. Just bring it up when it’s finished. And also, send me a bottle of this wine. Oh, and throw in some of that warm bread too.”
Antonio glanced at the empty seat, hesitating.
“Oh, Mr. Valardi will be having dinner down here,” Kathleen reassured him.Take that, you smug bastard.
“If you’re sure…” Antonio glanced around as if looking for Valardi.
“I’m sure,” Kathleen replied, but softened her biting tone with a large smile.
“Of course, Signora Drake.” Antonio nodded and then started back toward the kitchen.
Kathleen picked up her wine and glanced toward the door, only to realize Enzo was just outside the dining room, firmly between her and the elevators.
She whirled back around and called out to Antonio. “Is there another way out of here?”
The waiter nodded. “Yes, of course. Follow me.”
She moved through the restaurant behind him, past the restrooms, until he pointed down a hallway.
“Go down this hallway,” he said.
Kathleen followed his directions, slipping through a door at the end of the corridor and finding herself right in front of the bank of elevators, yet still around the corner from where Valardi stood. Perfect. She jabbed the up button.He thinks he can order me around. I don’t think so.She snickered. No point wasting the food, though. If the wine was this good, chances were whatever he ordered would be amazing.
CHAPTER FIVE
“You’ve really pissed her off,” Jameson Drake said.
Enzo chuckled. “I know. That was the plan.”
“How is she really?”
“She’s getting there. When I arrived, she looked shell-shocked. I think she was… struggling.”
“That’s why you’re getting her angry,” Drake commented.
“Exactly. The anger snapped her out of it. Now she’s just pissed off, which is much better than being lost and in shock. She’ll be fine, but I’ll keep an eye on her. I’ll get her through dinner, and then we’ll see. I’ll make sure she feels comfortable in her room. It might be good to have your security just review it with her, so she knows she’s safe.”
“That’s a great idea,” Drake commented, then let out a long breath. “Thank you.”
“It’s not a problem. Happy to do it. I’ve got nothing but time on my hands these days.”
“How is retired life?”
“Slow,” Enzo replied.
Drake laughed. “You should be happy you are still alive. I imagine not too many people get to retire from the mob at such a young age. At any age, for that matter.”
“Yeah, well, retirement may not be all it’s cracked up to be.” He’d made it sound like a joke, but it was very much a reality for him. He was bored out of his mind and totally at a loss about what to do with the next chapter of his life. He had to keep reminding himself that he was happy to be out of the mob business. And he was. He just thought he would be busier somehow. Sitting around drinking wine was only fun for so long, then it was a problem.
Drake chuckled. “Well, let me know if you want a job.”
“I don’t think so, but thanks for the offer anyway.” He’d already thought of working for Drake and knew his friend would give him any job he wanted, but it wasn’t for him. It smacked too much of a handout, and there was no way in hell he was going to take any kind of charity at this stage in life. He’d hated asking for help at any point, but now he supposedly had the world by the tail, so no way would he tell anyone he wasn’t happy.
