Chapter 39
PAOLO
Three Hours Ago
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I removed my device, hoping it was Alba. But to my disappointment it was Ciro.
“Yeah, Boss,” I said, answering his call.
“Where’s Isla?”
“Inside her apartment.”
“Listen to me carefully. Fabio will be sending additional men as soon as he can get a crew together to help guard Isla and the baby. I could be overreacting, but I don’t want to take any chances.”
“What’s going on?” My body stiffened as I looked up and down the hallway. Nobody was around, which wasn’t unusual. Things seemed to quiet down after six each evening. But it was a little unusual for a Friday night.
“Cara Clemente is alive and she knows about Pippa.”
“Jesus.”
“I’m trying to get to San Francisco, but this fucking city is slowing me down. My jet is having mechanical problems. It’s a shitshow here. I need you to stay with Isla. Don’t take your break tonight.”
“Okay.”
“If all goes well, I’ll be there by ten and all of this will have been like a practice drill.”
“Kind of a fucking scary practice drill.”
“No, shit. My heart hasn’t slowed down since I left Courtney.”
“What do you want me to tell Isla?” Usually, I’d check in with her before I left at nine o’clock when Fabio’s man covered for me so I could have a six-hour break.
I’d go to Alba’s, indulge in her sweet pussy, take a shower and sleep until returning to my post outside of Isla’s door.
I guess none of that was happening tonight.
“Don’t tell her anything. The last thing I need is for her to freak out. I might be overreacting.”
I grunted.
“Well, maybe tell her I’ll be there around ten.”
I grunted again.
“If anything seems off, call Fabio. He’s on alert.” Ciro paused and spoke to someone. “Shit, they said it would take another hour to get my jet fixed. Maybe I can rent a helicopter. Yeah. I’ll see if I can do that. I’ll be in touch.” The call ended.
I sent Alba a text to let her know I wouldn’t be coming tonight.
Alba quickly became my obsession. She was intelligent.
Pretty. Adventurous in bed. I was falling hard for her, but I knew nothing more could happen between us.
Soon, I’d be returning to Canada with Ciro and my fling with Alba would end.
Paolo: Can’t come over tonight. Maybe tomorrow.
Alba: Bummer. Is everything okay?
Paolo: Yes. My replacement had an emergency.
I didn’t like lying to her but in my line of work, we did a lot of lying and deceiving. It was just what Mafia men did to achieve their goals.
Alba: Okay. No worries.
I waited for another text, but it didn’t seem to come. Most women would have asked a million questions but not Alba. I assumed Isla had given her tips on how to be with someone like me.
Without giving it another thought, I put my phone away. It would be easy to keep texting with Alba. I was getting attached, which meant she might be getting attached too. That couldn’t happen. One of us had to keep things casual and it appeared it had to be me.
At nine o’clock, Isla’s door opened right on schedule like the other nights. I turned around to face her.
She stared at me with a smile on her face.
“What?” I asked.
“Can you give Alba this for me?” She held out a paper bag. “It’s a book.”
I didn’t take the bag. “I’m not going to her place tonight.”
“Why not?” She frowned. “You go every night at nine when the other guard gets here.”
“He’s running late.”
“So, take it when he gets here.” She raised the bag in front of my chest and smiled again.
“What kind of book is it?” Not that I really cared but it seemed to be important to her.
“A romance book.” She smiled wider. “A spicy romance book about Mafia men.”
“You should give it to her yourself.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Oh, jeez. Are you too tough to carry a book?” she asked teasing me. “You might like it. There’s lots of sex in it.”
I growled and took a step back. “Give it to her yourself. Also, Ciro said to expect him around ten.”
“Ten, tonight?”
I grunted.
“Oh, heck no. I’m going straight to bed so he can just wait until tomorrow.” She twisted her lips and furrowed her brow the way women do when something was off. “Wasn’t he supposed to be here an hour ago?”
“He hasn’t left LA yet. His jet is having mechanical issues.”
“Wait. I thought he was in Canada?” She tilted her head, considering me. “Why is he in LA? Or more like, who is he visiting in LA?”
Oh, shit.
“He had business and will be here by ten.”
“I’m not letting him in and you’d better not either.” She pointed her finger up at my face.
I groaned. “He’s my boss. I don’t call the shots, Isla.”
“Then get a new job. Good night.” She shut the door and heard her set the electric lock.
Great. Now she was angry and would probably tell Alba. It was fine. I didn’t want Alba to like me more than she would like someone who stopped by her place for a booty call.
I shook my head.
Dammit.
It was more than a booty call. The sex was incredible. We showered together and had more sex. Then I cuddled with her for a few hours while I slept, before reporting back to Isla’s.
It was obviously time to break things off with Alba.
I forced myself not to think about Alba or Isla for the next half hour. Ciro couldn’t get here soon enough. I had a weird, almost unnerved feeling inside me, reminiscent of the night my father was murdered. I had sensed something bad was coming that night and I had the same feeling now.
The usual occupants nodded at me as they went to their units. But two new faces strolled towards me. My shoulders stiffened as I watched them. They stopped at Elsie’s place. Roy opened the door and they went inside.
My jaw twitched and I put my hand on my gun. I didn’t like that motherfucker. I was sure he was a drug dealer. Any man that abused their girl was a worthless piece of shit. I would enjoy giving Roy a taste of his own medicine, a brutal beating to rival what he did to Elsie.
But I couldn’t worry about Roy or his friends.
I checked the time. The last text I received from Ciro an hour ago said he was on a helicopter. He would let me know when he made it to San Francisco.
Fabio’s guards were covering the outside of the building and the exits.
All felt secure. I would be glad to go back to Canada because I hated the stench in this place.
Isla and the baby deserved to live in better conditions.
Not saying they were better than anyone else.
Nobody should live in this dump, but I understood how expensive it was to live in California.
Shouting came from Elsie’s apartment. Every goddamn night those two argued. I tried to ignore it, but I’d dialed into an unfamiliar voice. It had to belong to one of the men Roy had let into his place. What was that accent?
My phone rang in my pocket, distracting me from the shouting. Probably Ciro. I removed my device and saw Fabio’s name.
“This is Paolo,” I answered.
“What the fuck is happening there?” Fabio asked, sounding furious.
“What do you mean?”
“Nathan’s sensor says he’s dead!” Fabio was a lot more hi-tech than Ciro. All his men wore vests with sensors imbedded in them that measured things like heart rates.
I whipped my head toward the exit. “I haven’t heard anything.”
“I’m on my way. But my other guys’ heart rates are through the roof. Are you sure there isn’t fighting going on?”
“I don’t know.”
Suddenly, Roy’s door opened and the two men ran out, heading for the exit. One yelled to the other. I recognized the accent now. They were Russians.
“Russians!” I shouted and chased after them.
“Fuck!” Fabio barked orders to his people. “We’re fifteen minutes out.”