“You do.”
“Yeah, I work at a restaurant, Angelo’s Place. I play the piano and sing. It’s how I make an honest living.”
“It is?” he asked.
“Yes. Everyone is always so nice there.”
“I bet they are.”
There was something in his tone, but she didn’t understand it.
“Would you like to get out of here?” he asked. “I can call whomever you want or book you a cab?”
“Please, a cab if it’s not too much trouble.”
She slid to the end of the booth and stood up, waiting for him.
“How do I help you?” he asked.
“If I can just hold onto your arm, that would be easy.”
He took her hand again, making her tense, but as soon as she touched his arm, which was an impressive arm, she was able to relax.
“Is this why your friend stays with you at all times?” he asked.
“No, she doesn’t need to stay with me. This is a new place, so I’ve not learned the general layout. When I know a place, I’m quite capable of getting around myself. It’s easy, but this is all new.” She was rambling, and she really needed to stop.
Diego walked her out of the club, and she was amazed no one bumped into her or stopped them.
The moment they were outside, the immediate silence was a relief. She closed her eyes and looked up to the sky.
Paused, on the street, she finally acclimated herself to the new sounds. The sounds of the street, passing cars, and the sounds of conversation of people walking by.
“Is there a car?” she asked.
He chuckled. “No car.”
“Oh.”
“In fact, there are no cabs. Would it be okay for me to drive you? I’ve got security footage that shows you leaving with me. You’re perfectly safe.”
She smiled. “If you don’t mind. I’d hate to cause you too much trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
“Okay.”
He started to move, and she followed him. Her heels clicked along the pavement and he made a point to stop at a crossing and allow her to step off before proceeding to the next path.
“Have you done this before?” she asked.
“No, I haven’t.”
“You’re very good. My dad when I first became blind completely forgot about the steps, and I tripped so many times. He always felt bad, especially if I fell.”
“He doesn’t sound like a good man,” Diego said.
“Oh, he is, believe me, he is. It was all a little adjustment for us.”
“You haven’t been blind your entire life?” he asked.
“No.” She then told him about her accident and how her eyesight was gradually lost. They came to a stop at the car, and she heard him talking to someone in a low voice. She stayed silent while he conducted his business, not wanting to get in the way.
A car door opened, and Diego helped her inside. She reached for the seatbelt, but he moved her hand out of the way and strapped her inside.
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I insist.”
She liked that he insisted.
Sitting back, she was aware of the back of his knuckles as they brushed across her breasts. The door closed, and she waited, counting the seconds before he climbed in beside her.
Giving him her address, she felt the car move.
She gripped the door handle, hating cars. She’d always hated cars since the accident. There was a time her parents couldn’t get her in one. Her fear had lessened over the years but never disappeared.
Diego didn’t say anything until they got to her apartment building. Without another word, he climbed out of the car, went to her side, and helped her into her place. When she was at the door about to thank him, his words stopped her.
“I wouldn’t go around telling complete strangers where you live. You have no idea who you’ll meet along the way.”
She didn’t see him, but listened to his retreating footsteps.
Chapter Two
Diego wiped the blood from his hands, being careful not to leave any behind. His pristine white shirt was still impeccably clean, so he didn’t even need to worry about burning his clothes. The body of the barman was currently being dealt with, and the warehouse where he liked to do all of his killings was being cleaned.
There would be no evidence linking him to the body or to anything else. Not that he’d ever go to prison for killing a man. He had way too many connections and knew how to dispose of a body himself.
With his job done, he grabbed his jacket and left the warehouse. The barman was a bad seed that needed to be dealt with. If he’d brought too much attention to the club, it would have caused problems. He didn’t like to have the law sniffing around him, unless he was the one in complete control.
Taking a deep breath, Diego turned toward the building, knowing it had seen a lot of death. He’d burn it to the ground soon so no one could see it.