Page 35 of One Filthy Kiss

Amber stands up then, with the dog cradled against her chest, and nuzzles him between his large, pointed ears. “I think he likes me.”

“It’s fine, Ric.” Amber loves animals, and it makes me sad that I can’t afford to get her a pet. “It’ll only take five minutes.”

He holds my gaze, indecision playing out behind his dark eyes. Finally, he says, “I’ll have to make a call first.”

While he turns his back and speaks in hushed tones to someone on his cell phone, Roma eyes me coolly. “You’re not a member of the British royal family, are you? Is this going to be one of those embarrassing moments that will come back to haunt me every time I give an interview on TV?”

I smile. “No, nothing that glamorous.”

I’m just being protected from the fucking psychopath who murdered our mom.

“I’m coming with you.” Ric rejoins us. “Five minutes, and then we’re on our way.”

We talk to Roma Fielding in her hotel room until midday.

She’s easy to get along with. She drops the names of famous actors into the conversation the way other people drop cuss words. She isn’t trying to impress us. This is simply the world she lives in. She talks about falling in love with Alan Rickman on the set of a movie they made together, early in her career. She tells us that she often visits George and Amal Clooney, she once had a brief fling with Adam Ant and chats to Nicole Kidman on the phone whenever she needs some woman-to-woman advice.

I’m fascinated. I could talk to her all day, and even Ric relaxes a little in her company although he remains standing by thewindow where he also has an unobstructed view of the door to Roma’s suite.

I catch her glancing at the weapon strapped around his waist a couple of times and find myself wishing that I could talk to her about Gio. I miss Nikki.

Finally, Orion, the chihuahua, climbs off Amber’s lap, stretches his fragile back legs and curls up again in his bed as if we’ve kept him awake with our incessant talking.

Roma shakes my hand when we leave and ruffles Amber’s hair. “I’ll be sure to come and find you the next time I’m in New York.”

I’m still buzzing with excitement when we exit the hotel via the lobby. Amber is chatting about Orion and pleading with me to get her a dog when we go back home, so I don’t notice the dark-haired man talking to the concierge.

“Gio!” Amber cries out and runs over to him.

My heart flutters with excitement.

He’s back? Was his flight cancelled? Why didn’t he call me? Unless he wanted to surprise us.

I go to follow Amber, when Ric moves closer to my side and calls her back, his voice cracking like a whip and making her freeze.

The man turns away from the concierge to face us, and disappointment settles in my stomach when I realize that it isn’t Gio. This guy has the same dark hair, the same brown eyes, and the same smile, but he’s younger than Gio, and there’s something slightly off with his features that make him stand out a little less. Or perhaps I’m just biased.

Amber, uncertain now, doesn’t move. Her gaze flits between me and the stranger, and the realization that this man could snatch her and run before I could react takes my breath away. Has Gio lulled me into such a false sense of security I’ve forgotten that she is, and always will be, my responsibility?

Before I can move, Ric says, “Your brother isn’t here.”

Brother!

Of course he is. The resemblance, the charming smile, the attitude.

My pulse calms a little, enough for me to remember my manners anyway. I step closer and shake his hand. I don’t want him to tell Gio that I was aloof and unapproachable and … well … British. Gio didn’t mention his brother, but I guess we’ve had other things on our mind.

“Hello, I’m Megan.”

His grip is firm. But before he releases my hand, he pulls me towards him and kisses my cheeks three times. Heat spreads from my neck upwards. This must be the Sicilian way. It would be warm and sociable if it were anyone else, but my senses are telling me that Gio’s brother has an ulterior motive behind every gesture.

“Enzo.” He pointedly ignores Ric who is so close to me that I can feel his body heat through his jacket. “My brother failed to mention that he had a friend staying with him.”

“I-I’ve only been here for a few days.”

“And this must be your daughter.” Enzo offers his hand to Amber who skirts around him and leans against me, peering at him from the safety of her big sister’s skirt. “It’s okay, I don’t bite, I promise.”

Enzo’s promises are not like Gio’s. Following hot on the heels of ‘I don’t bite’, I get the sense that he uses the word like sweeties dished out to get what he wants, and I’m not sure that I’m buying into it. So, I don’t correct him about my relationship with Amber.