I sigh when Benny motions for me to stand. He reclaims his office chair, pulling me onto his lap.
Stephanie’s eyes widen before a smirk creeps onto her features. “Oh. Is this the man behind that sexy Italian voice?”
“I’m Sicilian,” he says.
“And he’s grumpy?” Her tone matches her grin. “What’s this about a mafia boss?”
“What I’m about to tell you cannot leave our trust circle,” I say carefully.
“The lockbox?” She arches a brow.
I nod and explain how my solo vacation turned intoGoodfellaswith a dash ofTaken. Benny stays quiet, rubbing circles into my thighs. He doesn’t censor what I say or threaten Stephanie to stay quiet. We’re loud, but we’re not dumb. I’d kill Benny if he ever tried to hurt her. She wouldn’t snitch anyway.
Stephanie’s face goes through a spectrum of emotions but lands somewhere in rage. “Where is Diana, with her two-hundred-meter dash running ass? She needs her ass beat.”
“She’s dead.”
“For real?” Stephanie and I say.
I stayed in a dead woman’s penthouse?
“Sometimes you get what you get.”
“Stephanie.“ I frown. She might as well pick out her subdivision in hell now.
She shrugs. “I’m not speaking ill of the dead like that. I hope her wig catches fire wherever she is. She was an agent of chaos who listed her penthouse on a housesitting site while on the run. That lady knew what she was doing, requiring you to pretend you were her.”
“Now I need to pretend to be a whole don because this one here just lies his ass off while putting me in harm’s way,” I pout.
“I told you I’d protect you,” Benny reminds me.
“Which is why you’re marrying me.” The look I aim over my shoulder dares him to challenge me.
“Marriage?”
“In four days,” I add.
“Bitch!”
“Don’t yell! I meant to tell you earlier, but I’m a little high,” I say to Stephanie. “Nobody will touch his wife, which gives me protection until I go home.”
“You’re not leaving there, Ms. Tuscan Sun.” She smirks. “Are you calling Vince? He’ll flip if he finds out.”
“The marriage won’t be real, and I don’t want him worrying or getting himself killed. When Vince walks me down the aisle, I want it to mean something.”
Benny’s hands still.
Marriage and family got pushed to the back burner with everything else in my life. The union I’m entering for my safety will be for show, witness protection paperwork for crime bosses to leave me alone. No one falls in love with their captor after weeks together.
“Can you get out of Wyoming early?” I ask.
Stephanie’s chin wobbles. “Are you asking me to be your maid of honor?”
“My consigliere too,” I say through a string of tears. “I need my sister.”
Benny rubs his temples at our sobs. He can blame his weed dealer for why I’m so emotional. The marriage will be a sham, but that won’t stop my best friend from being with me every step of the way.
“I gotta start my shift.” Stephanie fans herself. “I’ll be out there the day after tomorrow. Save my number, Sally. Miss you, bitch!”
