“I’m really grateful you saved me, but can we also get me some clothes and some food?” I ask. “‘Cause I’m fucking hungry, and your clothes are literally falling off me. Again, I’m super grateful you saved me.”
Dominic mumbles, something I don’t catch, but I don’t ask him what it is. He takes the next turn-off, and I see a sign that says Islandia. I know more or less where we are—about another half an hour or so away from New York City, in a normal car.
Dominic pulls into the parking lot of a casino hotel and gets out. “Let’s check in, grab some food, eat in the room and relax a little.”
I nod. “Sounds like a plan I can go along with,” I say.
Dominic glances at me and then leads me inside the hotel.
“Welcome to Jake’s Fifty-Eight Casino Hotel. Are you checking in?”
“We’d like to book a room,” Dominic says. “Cash. You can book it under Mr. Sam Miller.”
The receptionist’s nails click-clack against the keyboard, “We have a room available on the fourth floor, single bed.”
I open my mouth to protest, but Dominic cuts me off, “That’s fine, we’ll take it.”
After more typing, a payment, and a rather generous tip from Dominic, we walk toward the elevators. The receptionist wanted to get a bit flirty, but to my amusement, Dominic wasn’t having it.
We go to the fourth floor, and in a few minutes, we find our room. Dominic lets me go in first and locks the door behind himself.
“I’m not sleeping in the same bed as you,” I protest, looking at the double bed.
“I’ll take the sofa,” he says, pointing to a two-seater in front of a television. “Just don’t snore.”
I offer him a smile, but he doesn’t return it. “I’ll be back in a little while. I’m going to go get some food.”
“Why don’t we just order room service?” I ask. I don’t like the idea of him leaving. Every time he does, we land up running for our lives.
“Because if I go get food, I can scout around and make sure we weren’t followed,” he says shortly. “Now, don’t go anywhere.”
Chapter 9 - Dominic
I leave the hotel room and make sure the door closes behind me. I just need five minutes without this stupid woman whining at me. You’d swear she thinks she’s some important Don the way she carries on.
The door opens almost immediately, and I stare at her. My face goes red. “Did I not just say to sit tight?”
“I’m not staying up here by myself while you get food. I’ll gamble or something if you don’t want me near you,” she says stubbornly.
I let out a deep breath and count to five in my head. “You are supposed to stay safe.”
“Didn’t you say I’m safer with you?”
If I were the kind of person who hit women, she’d be knocked out.
I turn and start walking. There is obviously no point arguing with her. I hear her hurried footsteps trying to keep up. I could slow down and take smaller steps, but she can work for her right to irritate me constantly.
We reach the elevator and take it down to the ground floor. I follow some signs toward the casino while Sofia tries to fall into step with me.
“Can you slow down a little?” she asks. “You’re always striding everywhere as though you are in a hurry.”
“I am in a hurry,” I say, “that’s the point.”
We find the casino, and nearby is a place called Bistro58. It looks like it serves good food, so I divert to walk there. Sofia follows, and a hostess comes to us. “Table for two?”
I look at Sofia, then sigh. “Yes, a table for two, please. Somewhere private.”
She leads us to a table in the back, and I pull the seat out for Sofia. “Here.”