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15

Several days later Vinny dropped Annalissa off at Maurice’s home for practice. Kissing her goodbye, he checked to see when her lesson would be over with. “I’m having Terrance pick you up when you’re done, babe.”

“I’ll be here for several hours. Should I call when I’m finished?”

After he agreed she went inside, greeting her teacher. Moving to the back room, they began to practice for an upcoming concert with a visiting symphony. The first hour went by quickly until they were interrupted by a visitor.

Mrs. Baxter walked into the studio with Todd right on her heels. Annalissa’s heart sank. She had hoped to continue to avoid seeing him for a little while longer.

“Maurice. Annalissa,” he greeted.

“Todd,” she said listlessly, lifting her face as he came over to air-kiss her cheek.

“What are you two working on?” he asked greedily .

Maurice motioned for Todd to have a seat as he answered. “The pieces are for the small contingency from the New York Philharmonic that you’ve scheduled for next month.”

“Perfect,” Todd exclaimed. “Look Annalissa, I know you’ve had reservations, but now’s the time to strike while the iron is hot.” Pulling out his Ipad, he quickly found what he was looking for and turned it around. “Look at the press from the concert you just did in LA. They loved you.”

Before giving her a chance to read it, he turned it back to himself and read it aloud. “The director claimed that you were the most talented harpist he has ever worked with. Let’s see, yadda, yadda, yadda. Oh, here it is. ‘The lovely Annalissa O’Brian wowed the crowd at the symphonic concert last night. Her musical interpretation is brilliant, making her possibly the country’s most notable Celtic harpist. Considering her youth, she can expect to have a long and distinguished career ahead of her and here’s one reporter that will be looking forward to having her grace our fine city once again.’”

She was pleased that her performance was well received, but knew that Todd was not finished.

Pulling out a sheaf of papers, he said, “Here’s what I’ve been working on. The contingency from New York is just a preliminary contact that we have with them. This concert will build our reputation and they have already agreed to have you play with them in six months in New York. Before then, there is an excellent opportunity for you with the Phoenix orchestra and I can pair that with a trip to Chicago and then Minneapolis.” Shuffling through the papers in his file, he showed her more concerts that he was proposing. “I’ve worked closely with Gordon to make sure he can book these.”

“Todd, that has me traveling for a week every month for the next year. You know I don’t want to travel that much,” she protested.

“I’ve talked to your father and he agrees?—”

“No!” she said vehemently, coming to a stand. “I don’t want to travel that much.”

“Look, this is what can make your career. I’m working on a CD deal, but you need to make sure you have a name for yourself and a following. That’s what these concerts will do for you.”

Her eyes swung over to Maurice, looking for support. He sat quietly, staring down as he rubbed his hands together. Sighing deeply, he lifted his gaze to hers.

“I know you want to teach, Malyshka,” he said, using his native Russian’s endearment. “But it is hard to make a living at this unless you have something to go along with it.” Leaning forward, he reached over to take her hand. “If you want to ever be free of your father’s dominance, then having this career will do it.”

Her unwavering gaze held his as she plopped back down in her chair.

“Travel some for a few years and then…when you have a bigger name and a bigger following, then you can slow down and teach more. ”

Todd eyed the couple in front of him greedily. He knew she would listen to the old man. She always did.

Her thoughts, a whirlpool of emotions, filled her mind threatening to overwhelm her. It all seems so easy to them. Travel, live out of a suitcase, be surrounded by people who pull me in different directions all of the time. Practice nonstop until my fingers can’t move. And I hate flying…unless Vinny is with me. Vinny. They don’t know about him. And me. And us. Her eyes closed, trying to block out the voices in her head.

“My dear, you’re tired. Why don’t we call our lesson for today over and you go back home to rest. Think of what I’ve said.” Maurice leaned in closer, saying, “And think of your father. Yes, traveling will make him happy since this is what he wants for you, but it will give you freedom. Away from him. And then financial freedom so that you can have your own life, apart from his.”

Maurice knows me so well. Tempted to sign the forms from Todd immediately, she hesitated. But I want to know what Vinny thinks. Or am I just exchanging several men’s opinion of how I should live my life for another’s ?

Standing up again quickly, she packed up Easnadh. Turning to face Todd and Maurice, she forced a smile and said, “I appreciate all you do for me. I really do. I’m going to think about these, Todd and will let you know.” Reaching her hand out, she took the file of possible bookings from him and slid them into her music bag. Bending to kiss Maurice, she whispered, “I’ll be back after I practice those difficult passages.”

He patted her back, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Todd moved in for another air kiss and she followed Mrs. Baxter to the front door.

Once on the sidewalk, she realized she had not called Vinny, but desperately wanted to be alone for a little while. I’d love a walk but…she looked ruefully down at Easnadh’s case in her arms. Lifting her hand, she hailed a cab. Giving the address of her apartment, she sent Vinny a text letting him know where she was. Settling back in the seat, she decided that it was time to take charge of her life again. And the first thing on her list? Take a look at her home.

The cab driver let her off at the entrance to her building. The old, red-brick apartment building was located in a decent part of town—not expensive by any means, but not in a scary location. The apartments were mostly filled with university graduate students. They did not seem to mind her practicing and she ignored their occasional parties.

Lugging Easnadh up the front stoop, she entered the building and made her way down the first-floor hall. Her apartment was located in the back of the building, her windows overlooking a small courtyard. Letting herself in, she stopped dead as the doorway swung open.

Oh my God, Vinny wasn’t kidding. Her apartment looked like something from a movie. The cushions were off of her old brown sofa and the shelves were empty of her books and CDs. They too had been strewn onto the floor. Her chair and music stand next to the window were the only things still in place in the entire small room. Stepping carefully, she set her case down and walked the few steps to her kitchenette. The cabinets were empty of their contents and even the refrigerator had been searched.

Her heart sank as she looked at the destruction. Moving around the breakfast bar, she stepped into the small hall that led to the bedroom and bathroom. Seeing the bathroom first, she could see where her medicine and sink cabinets had been emptied. Even her towels were tossed on the floor. The bedroom was last.

Stopping at the door, she gasped. Her drawers were pulled out of her old dresser, the contents strewn about as well. Her underwear. Her nightgowns. Her personal items. Tears stung her eyes as the thought of someone rifling through her belongings. The bed had been stripped and the mattress slashed along with the pillows.

Her hand covered her mouth as she stifled a scream of rage. Her body shaking, she peeked into the tiny closet, seeing her clothes all on the floor and the plastic boxes that had been on the upper shelf tossed as well. Who would do this to me? I’m nobody. Other than a drug carrier. Oh Jesus.

Finally the reality of what everyone had been telling her sunk in. Someone used her. Used her as a carrier for drugs. And they wanted them back.

Tears ran unchecked down her face as she slunk to the floor, next to the closet. Her knees bent, she wrapped her arms around them and rocked herself as the sobs took over.

Vinny and Jobe walked down the hall of Alvarez Security, ready to leave for the evening. Doug, a new employee who was on the security detail, stuck his head out of the surveillance room.

“Vinny. Thought you’d picked up Ms. O’Brian. She left the music teacher’s location about an hour ago.”

“Where the hell is she?” Vinny growled.

“Her GPS has her at her apartment building. I thought you’d taken her there.”

“Shit,” Vinny bit out, turning to run toward the garage.

Jobe, on his heels, called out, “I’m driving.”

The two of them raced down the road, Vinny calling her cell phone continuously. No answer. He saw her text on his phone, growling that he had not heard it.

“Why the hell would she go there?” he agonized. “Anyone could have gone back to look again.”

“Vinny, this is our world. Not hers. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”

Pulling up to the building, Vinny was out of the vehicle before Jobe could park. He pounded up the stoop and through the door. Racing down the hall, he felt Jobe’s presence behind him. Her front door stood open, her harp case sitting just inside. His eyes swept the area, seeing no change from when he looked at it when they had arrived back in town .

Pulling out his gun, they moved carefully toward the bedroom. Nodding to each other, Vinny moved in first, seeing no one. Hearing a slight sound coming from the closet, he cautiously stalked forward. The sight nearly took him to his knees.

Annalissa was crouched in the closet, tear-filled green eyes large with fright and her hand clamped over her mouth.

“Vinny,” she cried as she jumped up, hurling herself at him. He caught her in mid-air, feeling her arms clamp around his neck and legs encircle his waist. Jobe slid up next to him, taking and securing his weapon so that he could grasp her with both hands.

Moving backward, he sat on the bed with her still wrapped tightly around his body. “Baby, are you all right?” Not hearing anything other than her crying, he pulled her back slightly so he could peer into her eyes. “Are you all right?”

She nodded and tucked her head right back into his neck once again. Jobe nodded at him and discreetly left the room to report in to Tony.

“Why are you here? Why didn’t you wait for Terrance?”

With her tears spent, she murmured, “I needed to get out. I…needed to see my place. Now it seems…not mine.”

Jobe walked back into the room, his eyes seeking Vinny’s for reassurance that she was fine. As usual their non-verbal communication was all it took for Jobe to nod and leave the room again.

“Princess, we can put this place back together again. The guys and their women will all meet and we can have this place put to right in one quick day. But I know that Matt and Shane wanted to know if anything had been taken. I never meant for you to come here without me. Jobe’s called them and they’ll be here soon. Can you do that for them?”

Nodding against his neck, he heard her sigh deeply.

“Yeah, I can do that.” A moment passed before she leaned up saying, “I hate feeling this way, but can I stay with you a few more days until this place can be cleaned up? And I want to get new locks on the doors and windows.”

His eyes held hers as his hands came up to cup her face. “Babe, as far as I’m concerned you never have to live anywhere else but with me. But I don’t want to rush you. You want to stay here, we’ll fix it up and Tony’s men will get it secure.”

Sucking in a deep breath, she glanced around at the trashed bedroom. “I don’t know. I…just don’t…”

“Don’t make a decision now when you’re emotional.”

Jobe stuck his head back into the room. “Matt and Shane are here. Gabe’s here too.”

Allowing Vinny to assist her to a stand, she wiped her face with her hands and smoothed her hair back from her face. Lifting her chin, she said, “Okay. I’m ready.”

Fuckin’ adorable. And fuckin’ strong, he thought.

By the time Matt and Shane had taken her accounting, she was exhausted. They had her go through each item and room, cataloging what should have been where and what looked missing. Nothing was missing. Not one thing. Just everything tossed around in a hasty manner.

Gabe and Vinny stood to the side with Jobe, as she moved about with the detectives. Vinny kept his eyes on her the entire time, watching for signs of a breaking point. But the more she looked over her items, the angrier she became.

When they left, she turned to face the men still in the room. Seeing her shaking, Vinny stalked toward her, enveloping her in his arms.

“I’m so angry right now,” she said, her voice muffled in his chest.

He lifted his eyebrow in surprise, having never heard her curse before. “I know. Let’s get some of your things and get out of here.”

While Gabe and Jobe got trash bags from the kitchen, she began moving about the room picking up things that she wanted to take. Collecting her sheet music, she was startled by a voice at the still open door.

“Lissa? What the hell happened here?”

Turning she saw her neighbor and fellow musician standing there with grocery bags in his hands and a surprised look on his face. She approached him only to be stopped by a growl at her back.

“Who the hell are you?” came Vinny’s bark.

Turning to glare at him, she said, “He’s my neighbor, Vinny.” Turning back, she smiled and apologized. “I’m sorry, Les. I was gone and my place was broken into. We’re here to get some things for me to take.”

Les started to step into the room, but was stopped when a wall of large men created a barrier. Annalissa looked up to see Vinny, Gabe, and Jobe shoulder-to-wide-shoulder blocking the entrance. Her eyes wide in irritation toward them, she made the introductions.

Receiving reassurances that she was fine, Les headed off to his apartment after inviting her to play with his band that weekend.

Closing the door behind him, she turned to face the wall. Of men. All glaring. Putting her hands on her hips, she said, “What? What is wrong with you all?”

“Did he know where you were going to your last concert?” Vinny growled again.

“Yes. Several of my friends know when I’m out of town.” She looked confused momentarily, then her eyes widened in understanding. “Oh, my God. You think he’s a suspect? Well you’re wrong. I know other musicians that I play with and there’s no way they would have been involved. No way.”

“We need their names,” Jobe said softly.

“Oh no,” she began to protest, putting her hand up.

Vinny, losing patience, said, “Don’t you get it, babe? Anyone who knows you could be a suspect. You don’t think some other musician could have done this?” he said, sweeping his arm out across the trashed room.

Standing, lips pursed, chin quivering, she refused to cry again. Lifting her chin, she looked over at Jobe. “I’ll make a list of my friends who knew I was traveling. It won’t be a long list. I don’t have many friends and it seems that you all are determined to take even them away from me.”

Vinny watched as she moved from the living area back to the bedroom and he stood, rubbing his hand over his face. Sighing, he looked up at his twin and friend. “How the hell do you do this?” he asked Gabe.

“What?” Gabe asked back, a grin on his face. “Fall in love or keep the love or keep the woman you love happy?”

Jobe chuckled, nodding in understanding. “She’ll be fine, you know. She’s tougher than she looks.”

Gabe slapped his twin on the back, saying, “Bro, you’ve never spent more than a few hours with some chick. Falling in love and creating a relationship takes time and energy. And yeah, there’re fights and misunderstandings.”

“So what do you do?” Vinny asked.

“Just take care of her, man,” Jobe said. “And never…never let her go. Even if for some fucked up reason that seems like the best thing to do.”

“Let’s go,” Gabe said to Jobe, deciding to leave Vinny with Annalissa. “She can give the list of friends to you and we’ll have Lily and BJ run them tomorrow.”

As the two walked toward the door, Gabe turned with a smile. “Oh and Vinny? The makeup sex is phenomenal.”

“I can hear you all, you know!” Annalissa shouted from the bedroom.

Laughing the two men left the apartment, leaving Vinny to decide if he should stay put or wander in to face her wrath.