“They left me with one guard,” she says. “I tried to get out through a bathroom, but that didn’t work, so I seduced him, kneed him in the groin, and hit him with his gun. I then locked him in the room and sneaked out. I hid in a closet when you detonated your explosion because I knew the guards would come running past, and I didn’t want to get caught again. Once I thought it was clear, I came upstairs and bumped into you.”
“You talk a lot,” I say. “You could have just said you kneed the guard and sneaked out.”
She glares at me. “Don’t ask if you don’t want to hear the story. I’m so sorry that I have an extensive vocabulary.”
I roll my eyes. “Do you always talk this much?”
“Do you always talk so little?” she snaps back.
I smirk. “I’m not a man of words, it’s true, but I am a man of action.”
She rolls her eyes and looks back at the television.
“Stay here,” I say. “I’m going across the road to get us some food.”
“Am I safe here?” she asks.
“You asked that earlier. You’re not safe anywhere, but I can see this room from across the road, so I will keep an eye on you, don’t worry.”
She nods and hugs her knees. She looks so vulnerable. A small part of me twitches with a tiny need to protect her, but I bury that strange feeling fast. Emotions cloud your judgment, and that gets you killed quickly.
I leave the room, locking it behind me. I walk across the street to the fried chicken place, keeping an eye on the room as I place my order.
I sit at the window and watch the room as I wait for my order to be called. Twice cars drive past slowly, catching my attention, but they pass by without circling back. Something just feels off to me.
How did they know we were in the Holiday Inn?
The guy calls my order, and I get up, hurrying to pick it up before I walk back across the road. I keep checking my surroundings to ensure that no one is watching me or following where I am going, but it seems oddly quiet. I glance at my watch, it’s after nine, but there should still be some traffic.
It makes me feel uneasy, but I go back into the room and drop the food on the bed. “Help yourself. I just got chicken pieces, gravy, chips, and soda.”
She pulls a face, looks at me, and I deadpan her. She shrugs and opens the food up, starting to eat. I wait for her to take some for herself before I dig in, sitting on the edge of the bed with the cardboard container in my hand as I rip into the chicken.
She sits opposite me, watching me. I roll my eyes. “Please stop staring at me as though I’m going to grow a third head or something.”
“You mean you have two?” she asks curiously.
I smirk and wait. She finally gets the joke and pulls a face. “Seriously childish.”
Chapter 6 - Sofia
I’m still full from the chicken earlier. Unlike Dominic, who seemed ravenous, I ate my chicken as politely as possible before moving on to some chips and gravy. I’m not generally a fan of greasy food, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers, and it’s not like this place would have room service.
The clothes feel baggy on me, and I feel awkward, almost naked, in front of him. I didn’t like how he looked at me when I came out of the shower.
Dominic throws his box of chicken bones away and goes back to his guns. I know it’s stupid to try talking to him, but I’ve always been curious, and I want answers.
“Why did my father send you? Why didn’t he send someone from our family?”
“It’s complicated,” he says in his short, gruff way.
“Uncomplicate it then,” I say. “How do I know you’re not working for Jose, and this is all just a rouse?”
He snorts. “You think if I worked for Jose, you’d still be in America?” He looks at me. “I’m starting to question your intelligence, Princess.”
God, I fucking hate how he calls me princess. If he keeps it up, I don’t care how scary he is. I’m going to slap him. I shake my head and take a deep, calming breath. “So why didn’t my father send someone from our family?”
He huffs and puts his gun down, turning to me. “I’m going to explain only once, so keep up and don’t interrupt.”