“The doc said I should be resting.” Tyler sat in the passenger seat, a frown on his face and his arms crossed. “I’ve got a headache.”
“The doctor said you’re fine. I thought you wanted a job. Would you rather I take you home?” That got his companion to shut his mouth. Ryan rested his elbow on the armrest. It seemed like a good idea at the time but now he was starting to question the whole idea. The last woman in the world he needed to be with was Valentina, yet she was the only one who got his blood flowing. Why was he going back and forth all the time?
If he could get the woman in his bed, maybe that would rid him of the obsession he had with her. Unfortunately, that would be an even worse idea. Roman would have his cleaner, Dominic, chop him up in little pieces and throw his body in the lake. Nope, that was not going to happen.
Nonetheless, here he was driving to her new office with the offering of a juvenile delinquent to brighten her day. Danny was right. He did have it bad, and it wasn’t a good thing. Not many people knew the true history of his family, especially her, and that’s the way it should remain. Valentina was his weakness. She was a woman who could cause a good man to go bad.
“Who is this chick anyway? Some butt ugly—”
The wheels screeched as Ryan slammed on the brakes. Luckily, they were on a side street and there was no traffic. “If I hear one more disrespectful word out of your mouth, I’m turning around and dropping you off at your mother’s. Do you understand me?”
Tyler rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir.”
“I thought you wanted a job.” Kids these days, if it wasn’t one thing, it was ten dozen.
“I do, but I don’t know nothing about working for a lawyer. I break laws, I don’t fix them. Besides, she’s probably going to look down on me just like the rest.”
That Tyler trusted him enough to tell him his concerns was a start. Apparently, Tyler was just as scared about meeting Valentina as Ryan was about asking her out. The kid lacked confidence and it had been rough on him growing up without a father or any strong male role models in his life. “You don’t have to worry about that. Miss Caponelli requested someone just like you.” He eased the vehicle back down the road again.
“What do you mean, someone like me?” Tyler asked. “A charity case, a loser, a—”
Ryan wheeled the squad car along the curb and put it in park. “No, she just wants to help.” He turned to face Tyler but the kid was staring out the windshield. “What’s wrong now?”
“Nothing. Wow, she’s beautiful.” He pointed up ahead.
It was Valentina, and she was in full Miss Caponelli attire. She wore sky high black heels with those red soles, a short, tight, dark skirt, and a burgundy sweater. “That’s your new butt ugly boss.”
“Are kidding me?” It was hard to judge the expression on his face. It was a cross between awe and fear.
“Nope, and I do not want to hear one word of you disrespecting her or you will be gone in two seconds flat.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.
“Yes, sir.” Tyler seemed to be a little more agreeable about things now and soon joined him on the sidewalk. That was until fear marked his face and the kid grabbed his arm.
“What’s wrong now?” Ryan looked around.
“Don’t you know who that is?” he gasped.
“Valentina? Of course.”
“No, I mean the guy next to her. He’s a killer. You’d better get your gun out. Now.” The kid ducked behind him.
Valentina stood watching a long-haired man as he installed an intricate iron railing to her new handicap ramp. It was Dominic—the guy who came in and made any mess, no matter how bloody, disappear. There was no proof of anything. The guy was the best at what he did, but it was still rumored that was what he did. “Relax. He works for her brother.” It was easier said than done. The guy even creeped him out but he would never hurt Valentina.
“Her brother?” Tyler starred up at the red leaves on a nearby maple tree.
“You got a problem with that?” What was the kid thinking now?
“I guess not. You aren’t having me secretly killed, are you?” He peeked up at him.
Ryan placed a hand on the youngster’s shoulder. “No, if I was going to do that, I’d let you know.” He winked and guided him by the arm in Val and Dom’s direction.
Valentina turned their way and shaded her eyes with her hand. A hesitant smile lit up her face and Ryan’s steps slowed. Tyler smirked and slipped from his gasp. “You’ve got the hots for her, don’t you?”
“No, our relationship is strictly professional.” But, oh, how he wished that would change.
“Yeah, right.” Tyler shook his head.
“Morning, Valentina,” Ryan said, and Tyler bumped him with his elbow. Obviously, the kid was more observant than he thought.
She stepped forward and greeted them. “Officer Ryan. To what do we owe this unexpected surprise?”
He noticed both Dom and Tyler glancing back and forth between him and Val. “Got a proposition for you.”
Val’s eyes widened and she blushed.
“This your new office?” He knew it was but it seemed like whenever she was around, the words came out all wrong.
“Yes, just put up the shingle today.” She pointed to her new sign. ‘Valentina Caponelli, Attorney at Law.’
Her handyman came and stood next to her, a hammer in one hand and a threatening expression on his face.
“Dominic.” Ryan glanced at the railing. “Looks like the place is coming along great. When is opening day?”
“If I can get the ad in the paper this afternoon, I hope for Monday. Who do you have here?”
“This is Tyler Wilson.”
She offered him her slender hand. Even her hand was elegant with her red nails and slim fingers. “Tyler. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He shook her hand without pause. Gone was the snarky kid from the car. He seemed to be in awe of her.
“I heard at the station that you were looking for someone to mentor and I brought Ty here in that hopes that we could work something out.”
“That’s wonderful. Come on in.” She motioned for them to follow. “I’ll make some coffee and we’ll chat.”
Dominic grabbed her arm and spoke a few words in Italian. Color sparked her cheeks and she shook her head, brushing him off. “Whatever, you can go get some if you want.”
“I’m just warning you,” was his response, and he went over to continue his work.
They followed her up the stairs and into her new law office. It was hard not to stare at her sleek calves and ankles. If he wasn’t a leg man before, he was now. Ryan stepped in front of her and opened the door.
“Ladies first.”
“Thank you.”
Tyler shook his head at Ryan and followed behind.
“Would either of you like some coffee?” Tyler answered yes but Ryan declined. She poured the kid a cup and handed to him. “There’s sugar and creamer in the fridge if you like.”
“Thanks, Miss Caponelli.” He grinned and was either as taken with her as he was or scared that her brother would have the handyman cut him into little pieces.
“At least someone trusts my coffee making skills.” She marched over to Ryan. “Don’t tell me you speak Italian and heard what Dom said.” Her fists clenched.
“No, I’m afraid not, but now you’ve got me wondering.”
She shrugged. “It’s a long-standing joke in my family that I make the worst coffee possible. Dominic was just reminding me that it wouldn’t be a good idea to poison a cop.”
Ryan’s eyes met Tyler’s as the kid sniffed what was in his cup before he poured half into the sink.
Valentina twisted to see where he was looking. “It’s not that bad, is it?”
Tyler shook his head and showed her his cup. “No. See, half gone already.”
“Wonderful. There’s more, so help yourself.”
The poor kid’s eyes were huge and met Ryan’s again across the room.
“Well, thank you for your hospitality but he’s not here to socialize. You said you needed some help around here.”
“Yes, of course, please take a seat.” She motioned them over to a seating area. Her office space was small but seemed the perfect size for a solitary lawyer. It was just a waiting area complete with a small counter with coffee and a small fridge with bottled water. There was a burgundy-colored couch, two tan side chairs, and a coffee table in the center with the local newspaper and a few magazines on top. There were a few photos of the lake on the walls. He’d not seen her office but it was a good bet that was equally as nice.
Valentina sat in one chair and crossed her ankles to the side. He took the one opposite and Tyler settled down on the couch and placed his empty cup on the table. Spying it, Valentina jumped to her feet. “Can I get you another?”
“Oh, no. Thanks. I’ll be up all night if I drink too much.” Tyler turned toward Ryan, as if asking for help. It was all he could do not to laugh. The kid tried his hardest to come across as a badass, yet not wanting to disappoint a mob boss’s daughter struck fear into his heart.
“Okay.” She sat down. “If there is anything else I can get you, just let me know.”
“Thank you. I came here to get a job,” Tyler said, encouraging her to get back on track.
“Yes. I need someone to help out. Someone to run errands, greet clients, help clean up the place. Does that sound like something you would like to do?”
“How much does it pay?” the kid asked.
“Hey,” Ryan interrupted. “You should be happy to get the experience.” He knew she would pay him but it seemed rude to ask up front.
“I’m happy to pay you and give you experience.” She told him a wage that was quite a bit more than either expected. “Have you ever been interested in becoming a lawyer?”
“Me? Oh, hell no.” Tyler laughed. “I mean, no.”
“Tyler here has unfortunately been walking the line between the right side and the wrong side of the law. We are hoping that you might be a good influence and he’ll gain some valuable work experience.”
“Believe me, with my family, that is a situation I can relate to,” she said, trying to put Tyler at ease.
“I’ll work hard,” the kid added.
“I’m sure you will. When can you start?” Valentina asked.
Tyler turned Ryan’s way before finally answering, “I guess anytime.”
“How about today?”
“Sure. I guess so.”
“He’s not in school today but he will need to work after school hours or on the weekend.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
A bell over the front door jingled as Dominic came in carrying a box with a bow on top. Ryan had to fight the grin when he saw it contained one of those single serve coffee makers.
“Where’d that come from?” Valentina tapped her finger on the arm of the chair.
“Gift,” he grumbled before dropping it on the counter and then leaving by the same door. Her face turned bright red. Obviously, her handyman was a complex man. Was the gift for her or her customers?
Tyler broke the silence. “My mom wants one of those.”
“Well, you can—” Val started before Ryan held up his hand and interrupted.
“That’s the good thing about having a job. You can save up your money and surprise her with one. Wouldn’t that be a nice thing? Especially knowing that you earned it the right way.” The last thing he wanted was for her to just give Tyler everything. He had to learn to accomplish things on his own and the value of hard work. It would be so easy for her to spoil the boy. Even though she came from a cruel family, he knew she was a kind-hearted person.
“Yeah. She’d like that,” Tyler agreed.
Ryan got to his feet. “Well, Val.” The use of her name seemed to soften her expression after being rudely interrupted. “I better get going.” What was the point of staying around and trying to put the moves on her when they were surrounded by her employees?
Dominic came in again, this time carrying a lamp.
“Dom,” Valentina also stood, “this is Tyler. I just hired him to help out around here. Why don’t you have him help you carry in all those files?”
A man of few words, the guy just motioned for the kid to follow and they both left the room.
“Thanks again for taking him under your wing. He’s had a rough time of it lately.”
Her beautiful eyes glanced up at him. She now stood so close her perfume drew him nearer. It was sweet and spicy, just like the woman herself. Her lips parted and her eyes widened.
“I’m so sorry to hear that. I know he mentioned his mother, but where is his father?”
“He was killed in a car accident, and if anyone knows how hard it is to grow up without a dad in your life, that would be me.”
She bit her lip and her gaze dropped to floor before shifting to the door. “Well, I don’t want to keep you.” She rushed to open it, giving him no choice but to leave. “Thanks again. We will give Tyler a ride home.” And then the door was slammed in his face. What the hell? Did he misinterpret that knee shaking kiss?
His gaze drifted back and forth between the entrance to her office and his car. That didn’t go as planned, but hopefully it would work out well for both Valentina and Tyler, and that was the most important thing. Ryan studied the unlikely duo of Dominic and Ty carrying some law books inside before striding to his vehicle. He had the door halfway open when the ring of his cell phone sounded.
“Donavan.”
“Ry.” It was Danny. “We’ve got another one.”
“Another what?”
“Another dead body.”