Page 11

B oyd

I finish my cigarette and first drink of the day.

Sarah is still working on whatever blue concoction Freddy made, so I refill my glass without bothering the older man.

Her hand is still resting on mine. I’m lightly caressing the tip of her finger. There’s something stirring inside me. I can’t deny it. Something that goes a little deeper than the lust that easily lingers on the surface when I look at her.

“Was there ever anyone like that for you, Boyd?” Sarah asks, her pretty blue eyes flickering with curiosity. “Someone you… cared about?”

Here she goes unpacking me again. Peeling back the layers. Trying to peer into the darkness some people call a soul.

“Yeah,” I admit. “Once. A long time ago.”

“Did something bad happen to her?” Sarah’s curious glance shows a hint of apprehension. “Like Massimo’s first wife… And Leo’s girlfriend…”

“No, nothing like that.” I shake my head. “We were barely more than kids. I was the only bad thing that ever happened to her. She couldn’t handle this—my life. Most can’t. I didn’t blame her for it.”

“You’ve been alone since then?” Sarah puffs her vape and turns her attention back to me. “You mentioned dating a showgirl. Was that her?”

“No, no,” I answer. “That was much later, and like I said, it was never serious. Just two fucked-up people looking for something. I don’t think we ever figured out what it was.”

Silence. Sarah sips her drink. I down some of my scotch. The adrenaline has worn off now. The alcohol isn’t doing a damn thing for me, but hopefully it’s helping her. I’m sure I traumatized the fuck out of her, going off the deep end, like I usually do.

“What about you, Sarah?” I ask, deciding to unpack her for a change. “Why are you still alone? You haven’t broken any hearts since middle school, right?”

“No,” she replies. “I mean, I’ve been on a few dates. I get hit on sometimes at the restaurant where I work. I have weird fans who email me after listening to my podcast. But I’ve always been kind of standoffish with guys, especially after what Bill did.”

“Fucking asshole,” I mutter. “You’re young. You got plenty of time.”

“Yeah, but I don’t know about all that.” She bites her bottom lip and takes another sip of her drink. “I don’t see myself ever getting married. I like my freedom too much.”

I can see that. She’s the carefree type, even when it could get her into trouble.

That might be why I like her so much. Why I’m thinking about things I shouldn’t be thinking about.

Those pouty lips. Those pretty blue eyes.

Her, over my knee again, showing me how wet she can get while I spank her ass and feel her squirm.

I don’t even need a reason to bare her ass and turn it red.

“You sure about that?” I ask. “You were pretty eager to get the boss lady’s bouquet at the wedding.”

“You noticed that?” She looks down and I get a glimpse of a smile, but it quickly disappears. “I just wanted to catch her bouquet, honestly. When we were kids, we always talked about that. Whichever one of us gets married first, the other gets the bouquet.”

Freddy returns and Sarah pulls her hand away.

“Ye two doing a’ight?” Freddy asks, motioning to Sarah’s drink. “Ready for a refill, lass?”

“No, I think I’ll stick with one, but thank you,” she replies politely.

“Yeah, I guess we should head back to Salvalagio.” I down what is left of my drink and put out my cigarette. “We need to work on your notes.”

“Right, my notes!” Sarah blushes slightly. “That’s what we were doing, before…”

“Thanks, Freddy,” I say, tossing some money on the counter.

“Ye bills are no good here, Boyd!” Freddy waves a hand and slides the money back. “I’ll chase ye down with my bat if ye don’t put that back where it came from.”

“Fine,” I grumble, collecting the money. “See you next time.”

“Tell my boy to come around sometime!” Freddy says. “Ain’t seen the lad in almost a month.”

“Will do,” I reply, nodding to him.

I stand and motion for Sarah. She sucks the watery remnants of her drink through the straw before pushing the glass across the counter and following me.

The door opens before we get to it, and a big, burly brute with scars on his neck and jaw walks in. He’s not as big as me, but he sticks out in a crowd. He nods in my general direction, and I nod to him.

“Boyd,” he growls.

“Nikolai,” I answer, then walk past him.

Sarah gives him a curious look, stopping for a moment before hurrying to catch up. I open the door for her and wait for her to exit before I step outside the bar.

“Am I crazy, or did that guy look a lot like Massimo?” Sarah asks, glancing back at me.

“Yeah,” I grunt. “Salvatore’s bastard.”

“I guess he wasn’t invited to the wedding?” Sarah questions, trying to keep up with me as I walk to the SUV.

“He was, but he never shows up for any of that shit,” I explain. “Salvatore’s wife isn’t fond of having him around and he knows it. Can’t blame her. Salvatore knocked up a cocktail waitress while his wife was pregnant with Massimo.”

“Damn,” she says. “And she stayed with him? I guess so, since Massimo is the oldest.”

“That’s their business. I don’t know what happened, exactly, but they’re still together.” I shrug and open the passenger door.

“I really hope Massimo doesn’t do anything like that while Lea is pregnant,” she says apprehensively, then climbs up and gingerly sits down.

“Nah, not Massimo,” I assure her. “He’s too loyal.”

I close her door, walk around to my side, and get in the vehicle. We make small talk on the way back to Salvalagio. Sarah tries to unpack me a little more, but I turn it around on her, and once she starts talking about her podcast, all I have to do is listen.

The excitement is back in her lovely voice.

Like it was in her older podcasts. My hard, callused hand and rage-fueled justice didn’t traumatize her too much.

Considering how much she likes true crime, it might have even excited her a little.

She got to see the action firsthand for a change, instead of just talking about it.

“Run upstairs and get your notebook,” I say as I turn into the parking lot of Salvalagio Hotel and Casino. “We’ll find a bar to work on your notes in.”

“Or you could just come up to my room,” she offers, her eyes flickering with something other than curiosity. “I’ve got a mini-bar, and I don’t mind if you smoke.”

Damn. I should refuse. This could lead to trouble. I’m already thinking about things I shouldn’t be. I think she’s having the same thoughts. I see it in her eyes. That lingering need. That gnaw for something she’s never had before.

Her virginity isn’t enough to stop me. Not if I give in. If I give in, nothing will stop me from claiming her, dominating her, and making her mine in every fucking way. That part is easy. It’s letting go that becomes a challenge.

“Alright,” I relent. “If I’m filling in some blanks, privacy might be best.”

I’m not much of a liar, but that’s a half-truth. Privacy might be best for sorting out her notes, but it also leaves the door open for other things. Things that require a lot more privacy, even if everyone on her floor would hear her screaming my name.

I park the SUV, get out, and walk around to open her door. She waits for me this time. I like that.

Several members of the Morandi family are inside when we arrive. The meanest motherfucker in a kilt is front and center, so I acknowledge him with a nod.

“Ye a’ight, Big Boyd?” Rowan asks. His accent isn’t as thick as his father’s, but he spent a lot of time in Scotland when he was younger, so it’s noticeable. “Ye were on a mission when I saw ye earlier.”

“Yeah,” I answer. “Just had to handle something.”

“And how are ye doing, lass?” Rowan asks, turning his attention to Sarah. “Is Big Boyd taking good care of the boss lady’s best friend?”

“He is,” Sarah answers, flashing me a smile. “Best tour guide ever!”

I can’t help but laugh quietly under my breath.

“Aye, Big Boyd knows Las Vegas better than most,” Rowan says.

“Your father says hello.” I motion toward Rowan. “We stopped by the Broken Lily earlier for a drink.”

“This early?” Rowan scoffs. “We aren’t seventeen anymore, Big Boyd. Can’t be downin’ them before noon, my friend.”

“Meh,” I mutter. “I’m about to have another one. Go see your old man. He misses you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Ye two have fun,” Rowan chuckles, glancing at Sarah and back at me. He winks, but she doesn’t notice. “I’ll go see Freddy tomorrow.”

I nod and say hello to other members of the Morandi family before leading Sarah to the elevators. Once we’re inside, she turns to me with a curious look on her face.

“What is it?” I ask, watching the question bubble up.

“Do you have a best friend? Rowan and Massimo are best friends, and Freddy said you were the Four Musketeers… five, when Emilio was around,” she asks.

“Leo,” I say. “Well, used to be. If he hadn’t become a priest, I would have been his bodyguard. We haven’t talked much in recent years.”

“I guess a priest and a Mafia bodyguard wouldn’t have much in common,” she remarks.

“No, the only thing we have in common is memories,” I mutter. “Not all of them are good ones.”

“Because of what happened to his girlfriend?” she asks.

“Something like that.”

The doors open and I hold them for her before stepping off the elevator. I walk a little slower so she can keep up with me and swipe my keycard when we get to her room.

“Wait, they gave you a keycard?” she asks, her eyes widening. “That’s how you got into my room?”

“Yep,” I chuckle, pushing the door open and motioning for her to enter. “I don’t kick them open unless I have to.”

“You’re not going to, like, sneak into my room during the night, are you?” she teases playfully, walking over to the mini-bar and looking at the options. “Want some whiskey? There’s no scotch.”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” I mutter, closing the door and walking behind her, pointing out the one that looks the most drinkable. “That one.”

Sarah pours the whiskey for me and some water for herself. I guess Freddy loaded her cocktail up, or it took enough of the edge off. I’d need a bottle to do that.

“Alright,” I say, sitting down on the bed she didn’t sleep in and sipping my drink. “Let’s try those notes again.”

We focus on business for a while. Her business, which is my business, because I have to make sure she doesn’t say something that will make someone slit her throat.

I help construct her notes, so they are vague and presentable, but more important, don’t contain any names.

I fill in some gaps where I can, elaborating on the stories that are safe for her to talk about on a podcast. There’s plenty more I don’t share, but that’s for the best.

“Want another drink?” Sarah asks, motioning to my glass as I drain it.

“Sure,” I say, holding it out to her.

Sarah’s fingers brush against mine as she takes my glass. A current of electricity shoots through me and makes my mind wander for a moment, but I shake it off.

“Maybe I will do a podcast about that asshole,” she muses. “Even if it’s just a public service thing, so other people know to be more careful than I was.”

“Not a bad idea,” I concede.

“But now that I’m done with my notes, and I have a great story about what happened today, I guess I should think about going home,” Sarah says apprehensively while she pours my drink.

My chest clenches in a way I don’t like.

“I thought you had another day, at least,” I say.

“Yeah, but after the last couple of days, I assume I’ll have even more content after spending tomorrow with you.” She walks over and hands me my drink, then sits down and takes a hit of her vape. “I’ll still run everything by you, of course, but I don’t need to be in Las Vegas for that.”

Damn. When Massimo told me I would be babysitting the boss lady’s bratty best friend, I couldn’t wait to get rid of her. Now I don’t want her to leave. I’m in trouble. A lot of fucking trouble.

“You said you were going to make it into a series, right?” I ask. “I’ve still got plenty of stories to tell you myself, and if you’re hanging out with me, you never know what kind of content you might get.”

“Are you asking me to stay longer?” Her eyes flicker with a mixture of curiosity and excitement.

There it is. This was a test—still is. She’s gauging my interest. Treading carefully. I thought the spanking would scare her off. If that wasn’t enough, my rage should have sent her running.

But here she is. Right in front of me. Waiting for me to decide what comes next.

“A few more days wouldn’t hurt,” I shrug. “To make sure you get everything you need for your podcast.”

“Okay!” she says, reaching for her phone. “Let me text Lea so she can extend my reservation.”

“No need.” I shake my head. “I’ll handle it.”

Massimo won’t like it if he finds out I’m the reason she’s staying, but I’ll keep her out of his way. She cashed in her personal favor to get content for her podcast. At the end of the day, I’m still a guy who likes to do his job well.

And… I like having her around.

A lot more than I should.