“Do you have family you can stay with for a few days?” I ask, my eyes never leaving the parking lot.
“No, all my family is gone.” There’s a sadness in her tone that I just can’t relate to. It makes me a bit jealous. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Who would want to harm me?”
“Someone who doesn’t like a cheerful woman who can bake,” Capone says, reaching for a second cupcake. “I don’t know what these are exactly, but they’re fucking amazing.”
The compliment has her beaming with pride, and I almost envy her. There’s just so much joy in everything she does. It’s been so long since I last felt even the inkling of happiness that I’m not entirely sure I remember what it feels like.
“I don’t think it’s nothing,” I say, and Capone nods in agreement.
That’s when it hits me. He feels the same thing I do. It feels mob-like.
Kannon glances between us. “You don’t?”
“No, I think this needs to be taken seriously. If not, we won’t havephabpastries to eat anymore,” Capone says, taking a third one. “Seriously, these are like crack.”
“You really need to have sex more often,” Rooster says.
“Coming from the man who screamed like a bitch when he got cornered by a rooster? Yeah, I’ll take your comment under advisement.”
As much as I love giving Rooster shit for his fear of large birds, I’m actually worried about Phoebe. “You shouldn’t stay at your place, Phoebe. If someone’s casing out this place, they probably know where you live, too.”
“And if someone wants to hurt you, that would be the prime place to do it,” Jethro agrees. “Better safe than sorry.”
“You can stay with me,” Sarah offers.
Phoebe shakes her head, a few blonde strands falling out of her hair tie, making her look a bit like a sexy librarian. “No. If I’m really in danger, it’s bad enough you work here with me. I’ll find a hotel or something.”
“How are you planning to pay for that? You just paid my tuition and rent, and we lost twelve grand in the break-in last night, remember?”
“The clubhouse?” Jethro offers.
Zep shakes his head. “I don’t think that’s a great idea.”
“If she promises to bake for me, she can stay at my place,” Capone says.
“Seriously, dude, go find a woman,” Rooster says. “You’re going to get fat eating like this. She can stay with me.”
“No, she’ll stay with me,” I blurt out withoutthinking.
Jealousy at the thought of Phoebe under the same roof as any of these assholes takes over, and I’m as shocked as they look.
“I’m the reason we’re here right now. She’s a client,” I say. “My responsibility.”
No one looks like they buy it, and honestly, neither do I. And as it settles over me, I think it may be a mistake. Having two complete opposites under one roof doesn’t sound like the best combination.
Great job, Pacino.
Chapter Four
Phoebe
To call Tucker’s home a house would be like calling a semi truck a car. It’s more like a mansion. No, not a mansion. It’s a fortress.
“You have a very nice home,” I say, taking in my surroundings.
There’s a gate that goes around the property, and it requires a code. A code I doubt I’ll ever get, but it’s not like I’ll be staying here all that long. It’s only a matter of time before this blows over.
I mean, who would be afterme?
