“Sir, I wanted you to know that I saw some men scoping out Ms. Grasso today. She ran out to get some dinner an hour ago and two men spoke to her, but she wasn’t afraid of them. I looked into it, and they work for her father. They’re her personal guards who were supposed to keep an eye on her in London.”
“Okay. Have they harassed her?”
“No, they haven’t bothered doing more than stand outside the building, keeping a distance but not too far.”
“That’s not great service.” I have Shamus outside her door and two others sitting in the lobby and rotating for breaks.
“It’s not just that. We dug a little deeper, and her father is the Don of the Grasso Family. She’s the daughter of a mob boss.” It strikes me what he’s trying to put gently, but my ears hear it loud and fucking clear.
“Are you saying you think she’s playing me?” I bite out, taking out my anger for my stupidity on him. I’d been so infatuated I hadn’t dug past her ID and the way she looks at me.
“I don’t know, sir. It’s just what I learned. I thought you should know.”
“You’re right. I needed that information. Goodnight. Don’t change anything. Keep everything as is.” There’s a pain in my chest, sending my temper to an uncontrollable state to speak at the moment.
I shoot her a text. Goodnight Gloria. I have to handle some things. I lie.
Okay. Goodnight, Cormack.
Can a heart fucking crack? Am I being foolish? I have to look into this, but I can’t right now. Searching up her father, I’m saddened to see Gloria standing there in a beautiful gown at a gala with a handsome prick at her side. She’s smiling up at him and I want to gut the fucker. What’s in it for her? She gave me the gift she can only give once, so maybe I’m making something out of nothing. Either way, I need to clear my head. Getting out of bed, I head down to the gym and run ten miles on the treadmill. Finally in the wee hours of the morning, fatigue hits me, so I shower and then sleep until it’s time to get ready for the funeral.
After the service, I speak to Father Flanagan and head back to deal with Gloria who refuses to answer her phone this morning.
Chapter Four
Gloria
I don’t know what happened last night to change Cormack’s mood, but I’m guessing it was important. I fell asleep with my heart aching as if something’s not right. I didn’t care for that goodbye in the least. His level of indifference was clear as day and it’s best I walk away from this relationship, so he doesn’t destroy my heart. Maybe it’s already too late for it.
With a shitty night of sleep, I get ready to head out in a pretty dress. Since the weather’s warm, I think it will be the perfect day to wear my cute green polka dot fifties’ style with white pumps. I need to clear my mind and decide if I’m going back to London tonight. When I leave the room, the one guard that was there last night isn’t there and no one else has taken his place, adding to the unsettling feeling that he was done with me. Felipe and Maximus stand guard outside of the building. “So you can’t stay away can you?”
“Yes, but we’ve been keeping our distance. Although your father doesn’t care for the goons that were at your room door last night.”
“How did he know about that?” I challenge, glaring at them
“We did our recon.”
“Leave me alone. Don’t follow me. In fact, go fuck off and never approach me again or so help me God, I’ll castrate you.” I storm past them and onto the main street, feeling unease fill me up. I head over to a large open park area where there are a lot of people gathered for what looks to be a festival. Needing to shake off the sadness, I head into the thick of the crowds, keeping my knife in the right pocket with my wallet inside my light sweater. I’d been almost mugged before; it won’t happen again.
I keep my phone off and roam around the place, looking for something special for my sister. She’s a few years younger and most definitely not allowed to leave the country without my parents. It’s nearly three in the afternoon when I check my phone. I have several messages from Cormack. Where are you? We need to talk, is the reason I power my phone right back off. It’s not the conversation I want to have. That’s the always it’s not you, it’s me conversation that breaks hearts. Did he use me? I don’t know if it’s the case, either way, I can’t deal with him right now.