No one knew or would guess that I was there. I’d paid with cash, used a fake ID of my mom’s, and kept a low profile. Besides, I’d only stayed one night before staking out Nico’s place, finding the perfect moment to approach him.
Once everything seemed as it should have, I slipped the key from where I’d hidden it beneath a rock and fit it into the lock. As soon as the bolt released, I shoved the door wide and quickly went in. Cool air greeted me in a jolt of relief. I closed and bolted the door behind me. The bungalow was small but luxurious, decorated in earthy tans and browns with crimson accent pillows and throws. It looked the same as when I’d first stepped foot inside. The only thing I’d done there was sleep for an hour or two max and shower. Aside from that, the space remained untouched.
I rushed into the bedroom and retrieved my black backpack. I’d ditched Mom’s duffel and put everything into an easy-to-carry bag so I could quickly run if the situation called for it.
Its weight would make it impossible to run back to Nico’s place, but I could take a cab. After a quick stop in the bathroom to splash water on my face, I headed out, leaving the key in the kitchen.
Once outside, I had to pause, adjusting to the heavy, damp air. The sun glinted off the sea, rippling before me, inviting me to take a moment and dive under the water. I wished I could’ve. A day at the beach in weather like that would have been heaven—not a freedom I’d had the pleasure of experiencing, thanks to my father. He’d let me go to spas now and again but only with a contingent of “babysitters,” as he called the guards.
Since I wasn’t running, I twisted my hair on top of my head, formed a bun, and tied it by threading the end through the wrapped strands. With the slight breeze on my neck, no matter how hot, I felt marginally better.
I headed to one of the large hotels not far from my rented bungalow where I could get a car to drop me a few feet from the driveway leading to Nico’s place.
I shifted the heavy backpack, tightening the straps, even though it only increased the heat against my back. As I trudged forward, I couldn’t help but remember the light in Nico’s eyes when I’d surprised him on the beach.
Rather than take the sidewalk adjacent to the road, I walked along the boardwalk, wanting to blend in, if that was possible, given that I wore a black shirt and white capri pants when everyone else was in bathing suits. Still, I felt more inconspicuous on the beach.
With each step closer to the hotel, I scanned the guests, looking for anyone who shouldn’t have been there, not that I expected to come across any others from the Mafia. No one knew I was there, and from Nico’s reaction, very few were aware of his being in residence either.
Sand peppered my leg as two kids raced within feet of where I walked, their laughter lightening my mood and drawing my attention to their speedy game of tag. I grinned at one of their moms, waving away her apology. Tearing my gaze from the beachgoers, envying their fun-filled day, I forced myself to study the guests mingling by the hotel’s pool.
Twice, I had to pick up my pace. It was hard not to shift to vacation mode with all the people around me enjoying the beach and hotel amenities. I took in the many colorful bathing suits, beach balls, and Frisbees flying through the air until one person caught my eye. He stood out in his black suit amidst the casual attire. My heart kicked into a gallop, and I froze on the boardwalk, praying I hadn’t been seen. Slicked-back dark hair, a receding chin, and an instant ick factor were dead giveaways—Guido.
CHAPTER EIGHT
NICO
From a discreet distance, I followed Mia as she left the beachfront bungalow and made her way along the boardwalk. The oversized backpack she wore was a recent addition. The bitter taste of betrayal lingered in my mouth, but I held it back, determined to observe her behavior before making any hasty decisions—like putting a bullet in her forehead.
The thing I couldn’t piece together was why she was running now. She’d gotten a promise, a blood oath from me to protect her with my name, a binding union that no one in the Five Families took lightly. Something wasn’t adding up, and that was what stayed my hand.
Several beachgoers were between us, providing coverage as I trailed her. I scanned the area in a wide sweep, taking in everyone there and checking for any abnormalities. It wasn’t until the hotel’s pool that I spotted Guido talking to one of the staff members.
His hair had grown out, and I wanted to laugh, knowing he’d done it to cover up the tattoo on the side of his head we’d forced on him. But his presence wasn’t a laughing matter, and my gaze jumped back to Mia.
So that was where she was headed… Everything she’d told must have been bullshit. I ground my teeth, deciding on how long to wait to ambush them, when Mia stiffened, stopping abruptly on the wood planks.
I held back, waiting.Will she wave him over?
When she ducked behind a group of people, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession, I could tell she was panicking. She slowly backed away from the hotel, which solidified that Guido’s presence was a surprise to her. I shifted to intercept her as she pivoted to flee.
I weaved between people, veering off the boardwalk. Sand spilled into my shoes as I angled myself to reach her. A foot away, her eyes widened in shock when she spotted me. I closed the distance between us, locking my arm around her waist and anchoring her against me as I pulled her across the walkway and toward the nearby beachfront restaurant.
A band played on a small platform in the outside seating area, the singer softly crooning to the accompanying acoustic guitar. The height of the lunch hour neared, and the restaurant was pretty full. Releasing my hold on her hip, I clasped her hand, pulling her behind me while I kept an eye out for Guido in case he’d seen us. So far, he hadn’t. Conversation swelled as we made our way around the tables then through the inside of the restaurant, making our exit onto the street.
We didn’t talk. Mia’s pace matched mine, her grip even tighter. After putting distance between Guido and us, I studied her features. They were taut, the color leached from her cheeks. The way her clothes clung to her and the perspiration that had coated her brow made no change to the fear evident behind the mask she’d erected seconds after I’d intercepted her retreat.
“The car is by the bungalow.” It was within sight. She nodded then tugged at my hand as she broke into a jog. I increased my speed. When we were at the black Range Rover, I circled to her side, scanning the street as I opened her door. Before she slid in, I crowded her, my hand wrapping around her neck. Her pulse fluttered beneath my fingers, and I squeezed just enough so that she knew she was at my mercy. “We’re not playing games here, Mia.” I increased the pressure, constricting her airway even more, and her hands flew to mine, nails digging in. “I’m not playing around here. Betray me—and it’s looking like you were about to—and I’ll put a bullet between those pretty eyes of yours.”
Another few seconds then I released her. She fell into the passenger seat, not bothering to take off her cumbersome backpack.
I rounded the vehicle and then got into the driver’s side. “I’m not even going to address Guido being here.” My gaze cut to hers, conveying my dark promise and displeasure with one look. “Why the fuck did you leave?”
She clasped her hands in her lap, raising her chin with false bravado, given how white her fingers were turning in her too-tight grip. “I have a hard time trusting, and I wasn’t sure you would agree to stop and get my stuff. I didn’t want to leave it behind. And then on the way back, it seemed easier to go to the hotel and catch a ride. I thought I could make it there and back without you knowing I was gone.” She pursed her lips, and a beat passed between us. “How did you know?”
“I saw you.” She didn’t need to know that I had gone to her room with Tylenol, only to find her gone and the bed made to look as if she was in it. The urge to hunt her down had been nearly impossible to resist. If she was a plant and here to fuck with my family… things wouldn’t end well for her. But those emotions I caught glimpses of stilled my hand. The tiny sliver inside me that was good wanted to give her a chance to prove herself.
Silence stretched between us. I periodically checked the mirrors for a tail. Once we pulled into the airport, I parked in our jet’s hangar. The pilot had the plane fueled and waiting for us. I got out and opened Mia’s door, ushering her with a firm grip on her forearm up the rollaway stairs and into the plane. For the short flight, we had only the pilot and copilot aboard.