Page 122 of Cold Hard Cash

Politely turning his head when they got a little too heated, Jimmy just smiled. He was happy for them. Rehearsal ended early, and he wasn’t the least bit surprised. He shook Dario’s hand, teasing, “Try not to overdo it, okay?”

“I make no promises. I am doing to do whatever that woman tells me to do.”

“Well, have fun. And hey, thank you,” Jimmy said, gently pulling his friend in for a hug. “For everything.”

“Hey! Thank you,” Dario gushed. “Rowena told me that you guys talked, and well... I’ll happily get shot any time if it means getting that lady, okay? She’s worth, like, getting shot a hundred times.”

Jimmy couldn’t argue with that, watching the two of them hurry back upstairs into the office, giggling and grinning like kids. They were adorable together, and it was only then that Jimmy realized he hadn’t seen Rowena drinking.

He smiled warmly, overjoyed for his friends. Jerry took him back to the estate, Jimmy peering out the window as they pulled up. He got a glimpse of one of the patrolling men with his dog when Jerry parked up front. It was so surreal that this place was going to be his home now.

Cold was grateful for the receiver and delighted by the records. He was more than happy to add them into his collection, and Jimmy loved how their lives were slowly blending together.

He went to bed that night in Cold’s arms again, and even though he woke up alone like so many times before, Jimmy was content.

The next few days leading up to the party were strangely calm. Jimmy rehearsed at the club with Dario, and he always remembered to knock before entering the office now. Cold took private meetings and made lots of phone calls. He still would say nothing of his plans, soothing Jimmy’s worries each evening before they went to bed.

Everything is going to be okay, trust me, he would say. Jimmy was certainly going to try, but he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of panic fluttering away in his gut.

Thursday had arrived, and Cold surprised Jimmy late that evening by taking him back to the hotel they had first stayed at together. He didn’t know why they were spending the night there, but Jimmy felt an odd sense of comfort coming back to this familiar place. He flopped on the bed as soon as they arrived, stretching out with a cheerful grin.

“Home, sweet home,” Jimmy sighed.

Cold snorted, hanging up a few things in the closet and setting down the small overnight bag he had packed for them. “Missed this, have you?”

“It’s kind of romantic,” Jimmy teased. “This is where we spent our first night together.”

“It’s for our protection,” Cold said dryly. “We’ll be back home tomorrow.”

“Protection from what?” Jimmy rolled over onto his stomach, tracking Cold’s movements with his eyes as he moved around the room.

Cold didn’t answer, replying instead, “I brought that red suit for you. I’d like you to wear that tomorrow at the party.”

“Protection from what, Rod?” Jimmy pressed.

“I expect that tomorrow morning you’d like to visit your father before rehearsal,” Cold continued as if they were having an entirely different conversation. He sat down at the desk as he had all those nights before, leaning back in his chair.

Jimmy groaned loudly, mumbling, “Yes, I would. I’d also like for you to tell me what’s going on.”

“No,” was Cold’s simple reply. He had brought his briefcase, pulling out his ledgers, and it gave Jimmy the oddest feeling ofdéjà vuto watch him put on his glasses and begin to write.

They had come so far in such a short amount of time, their relationship so intense and passionate now. He could have never imagined this was where they’d end up when he spent the night here for the first time.

He now knew that the man sitting there wasn’t just a heartless gangster. He was kind, generous, and fiercely loyal. He could be gentle as well as ruthless, cruel and adoring, and Jimmy loved him completely.

Even when he was stubborn.

Jimmy knew pushing Cold for an answer was pointless, huffing and rolling over with all intentions of ignoring him for the rest of the evening. He couldn’t sit still for very long though, maybe only a few minutes, and then he suddenly remembered something about the last time they had stayed here.

“Hey, I love breakfast, I really do,” Jimmy said quickly, “but if you order room service tomorrow, I just want pancakes.”

Cold laughed, snorting, “You didn’t enjoy your buffet?”

“Lola, the nice lady who brings the food? Always got freaked out trying to carry everything up here on time because you ordered the whole menu,” Jimmy chuckled. “Why did you do that anyway?”

“Because I didn’t know what you’d like,” Cold replied with a small smile, closing the ledgers and standing up to stretch.

Jimmy smiled in return, glancing over at the clock. It was a few minutes after midnight now; he grinned wide as he sprang up to his feet to pounce Cold as he came around the desk.