I flashed her a smile and told her I would only be a moment because I needed to check on someone. I pointed to Henny.
“We have the same boss, and he told me to make sure he was okay.”
Her eyes widened. “You work for Pharrell? Mr. Lyon, I mean.”
Bingo.
She was getting it now. I made my smile as relaxed as I could even though I wanted to hurt her for blocking me from Henny. No one could do it for long and stay safe.
“Yes, I do. I can show you the text from him if you'd like.”
I reached for my pocket, and she quickly put her hand out.
“Oh no, that's fine. Totally fine. Thank you for explaining. Go right ahead, sir.”
She waved her hand, then quickly focused on whoever was behind me. It was easier to move on than to keep putting her foot in her mouth.
It was fun to see how everyday people reacted to Rel's power.
In the mafia world, they respected him for what he'd done. They saw him and his wife as a power couple controlling the entire western part of the country with connections reaching to the east.
But here, he was their high-powered boss. They knew he had money. They knew he owned several properties and businesses, but they had no clue how much deeper it went. Had no understanding that this man could end your life if you wronged him.
Sure, he wouldn't do that to most normal people, but no one was ever truly in the clear.
As I approached this table, Henny's eyes found mine. Rather than shock, I saw what I would have guessed to be relief.
It wasn't pity, but it was damn close, and my skin itched with the desire to flee.
I pulled the chair out across from him and sat down. Steepling my fingers, I placed my elbows on the table and regarded him as he did the same with me.
"Good morning, Pip," he said.
"Morning, Henny," I said, though it was clearly afternoon by the fact that he was eating lunch and I had slept in. "You didn't wake me.”
He shrugged.
"I figured you needed the sleep. Besides, Pharrell is indisposed at the moment. There was nothing for you to wake up for."
"But what about you?" I replied.
His brow dipped. "What about me?"
"Who’s watching over you?"
He shook his head, those lips of his tipping up again as he looked down at his plate. The move was shy. I could see his cheeks turn that pink I loved, but this time it wasn't from agitation.
"You don't need to worry. I'm safe and covered, and I can handle my own," he eventually said once he regained his composure.
Reaching across the table, I laid my hand palm up.
I waited for him to touch it in some way. I didn't care what it was—a single finger or laying his palm on it all the way.
It took him a moment before he laid his fingers across mine. His palm stayed on the white fabric of the tablecloth, like the slight difference would make this any less close.
We might as well have been fucking.
"Henny," I said, drawing his eyes to mine. "I’m going to worry about you. I want to make sure that you’re safe and taken care of as much as I want to be sure Rel is. If he’s busy, then that means you’re the next person for me to keep an eye on. Don’t worry. I’ll be your perfect shadow. You won’t even notice me.”
