CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Angel
WE MADE IT back to the suite. Markie crashed on the sofa with a pillow over her head while Bones and I packed our things and collected her bag. My phone rang again, this time with an anonymous number. Wondering who it could be, I closed the door to my room before answering so as not to wake up Markie.
"D'Angelo."
That was all he said, and I didn't recognize the voice.
"Yes?" I asked.
"What the fuck is a Mariani doin' in my city?"
Staring at the ceiling, I tried to puzzle out who it could be. There were a few minor crime families in San Diego, but it was mostly run by a couple of powerful gangs. We had an understanding with them all. They stay out of our way, we stay out of theirs.
"Who is this?"
He snickered. "Wouldn't you like to know? Play your cards right, and maybe I'll tell you."
"How'd you get my number?"
"We got a new tech guy. Might even be better than you."
Goosebumps sprang up my back. He knew what I did for the family. Few people did and most were within our ranks. Someone had loose lips.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"You enjoying your little vacay with that pretty little blonde?" he asked. "Did she enjoy my flowers?"
"Stay the fuck away from her," I growled.
"I knocked, but lucky for her, she didn't answer. I left her alive and untouched, D'Angelo. Remember that."
I had no reply, so I glanced at my phone. The built-in tracer was already busy tracking the caller's location, but I needed to keep him talking. Preferably not about Markie.
"You gonna cut the bullshit and tell me what you want?"
He chuckled. "Right down to business. Just like your old man."
Was he trying to tell me he knew my father?
"You should have my location by now," he said. "Don't worry, I left you a present, too. You're welcome."
The call disconnected.
I glanced at my phone as the software I'd customized zeroed in on the exact location the call was made from. I sucked in a breath as the dot materialized.
Right outside the hotel.
My phone dinged with an incoming text.
"Ps. Tell your old man Adamo sends his regards."
Adamo? I only knew of one Adamo, and he was the capo of the Pelino family. Our families had once been allies, but that ended the day he shot and paralyzed Uncle Michael. Dread settled between my shoulders as I forwarded the text to my old man.
Father texted back, "Get the fuck out of there now. And be smart about it."
Markie was passed out on the couch, so I crept into Bones's room and gave him the rundown on the conversation.
"Gift?" Bones asked. "What gift?"
We looked through the peephole and saw nothing waiting for us in the hallway. Bones opened the door and I angled a handheld mirror to check it out. The hallway was clear.
"Has to be on the Hummer," I said.
We left Markie asleep in the suite and carried the luggage to the parking garage. Easing toward the vehicle, I pulled out the device scanner and went to work. The scanner picked up a small, unknown device under the engine.
"Want me to get it?" Bones asked.
As my bodyguard, it was his duty. But we both knew I had a better chance of keeping it from exploding.
"No, man, I got this."
I handed him the scanner, got on my back, and slid under the front of the car. Sure enough, a bomb was attached to the undercarriage. It wasn't even a good bomb. Sensors angled at the driver's and passenger's sides. One good look at the cheap piece of shit, left no doubt I was looking at the work of the wiseguys Bones and I had picked up from the airport. Since I'd seen the specs, I knew how to disarm it. The Pelinos had to know this. Did they think I was stupid? Why the fuck would they warn me?
"Sloppy piece of shit," I muttered, cursing the bomb, its makers, and the whole Pelino family for that matter.
"Can you get it?" Bones asked.
"Yeah. This is... this is bullshit." My tools were in the Hummer. Since I couldn't open any of the doors without exploding the vehicle, I whipped out the pocket knife I kept strapped around my ankle and cut the sensor wire. Then I severed the rest of the connections and pried the piece of shit from my engine. I climbed out from under the Hummer, gently handing the bomb to Bones.
Bones held it as far away from his body as possible. I climbed into the back of the Hummer and he passed it back to me. I disassembled the rest of the bomb and stashed it in my bag while Bones loaded up the luggage.
Bones stayed with the vehicle while I went back for Markie. She was out cold, making me wonder what was in the drugs she'd taken. I carried her back to the Hummer, belted her into the passenger's seat so I could keep an eye on her, and then we got the hell out of there. I don't think I breathed until the lights of San Diego faded from my rearview mirror.
Markie slept and Bones and I sat in silence, both of us keeping watch for a tail. I stole glances at Markie, wondering what to do about her. I tried to imagine her in my apartment, and with my family, but couldn't. The disassembled bomb in the back of the Hummer tugged at my thoughts, reminding me of how selfish I'd been to put her in harm's way to begin with. Scenarios of her opening a car door and triggering an explosion played in my mind. I forced myself to see every one of them, hoping they would change my mind. Hoping they would somehow give me the strength to push her away. Instead, I reached down and laced my fingers in hers. She stirred, but didn't wake.
I could always tell her. I could come clean about my family and let her decide her own future.
But knowledge about my family would only put her in greater danger. I needed to process, weigh my options, and figure out what the hell to do.
Markie woke up right before we reached the Vegas city limits.
"Hey, how you feeling?" I asked. Her skin had returned to its normal sun-tanned hue and her eyes were once again bright and lively.
She stretched. "Much better, thanks. My head still hurts, but it's manageable now."
Her stomach growled.
"Hungry?" I asked.
"Yeah, breakfast..." She rubbed her stomach. "...didn't exactly stay down. I can just whip up something when I get home, though."
I was still holding her hand, and didn't want to let her go. Knowing I'd need to so I could go meet with Father, I asked, "Am I taking you to your sister's?"
"Let me check." She released my hand and pulled her phone out of her purse.
I missed the contact, and immediately regretted asking the question.
She sent off a text, and then a few moments later her phone buzzed.
"Ari's working. Any chance you can run me by The Pelican so I can get the key to her apartment?" she asked.
"Yeah, of course," I replied.
"What does she do at The Pelican?" Bones asked, leaning into the conversation.
Markie turned in her seat. "She waits tables at the restaurant just inside the front door. Not exactly what she came to Vegas to do, but it's a job."
"She come to be a showgirl or something?" Bones asked.
"Not exactly. She wants to sing."
"Like everyone else in Vegas," Bones groaned.
"You don't understand, she has a phenomenal voice. And I'm not just saying that because she's my sister. She's really talented, Bones. Matt was supposed to set her up with some auditions, but..."
"But Matt's a chooch."
Markie arched an eyebrow.
"A loser," I clarified. Not quite what it meant, but close enough.
We stopped by The Pelican, Markie got the keys from Ariana, and then we drove to their apartment. I helped Markie with her luggage, while Bones checked out her apartment.
"You guys want something to eat?" she asked, heading for the kitchen. "I'm gonna make myself a grilled cheese."
We declined. I would have loved to hang out and eat sandwiches with Markie, but Father would no doubt have Tech tracking our progress. I didn't want him to see the Hummer parked in front of her building for too long. While she was in the kitchen I scanned the apartment, finding it clean of any unexpected devices. Bones slipped out the door to give us some privacy.
Markie filled the sink with soapy water and started dumping dishes in while her sandwich was grilling.
She spun around and leaned against the counter, looking up at me. "This was the best weekend of my life. Thank you, Angel."
She tugged a rubber band off her wrist and put her hair up into a messy bun. Little wisps escaped the sides and fell back against her cheeks. She blew them out of her face and dumped a few more dishes into the sink.
My conscience kept tugging me toward the door, reminding me the right thing to do was to leave, delete her number, and forget her. Markie was a good girl who didn't need to be wrapped up in my family's mess. We'd danced, we'd kissed, we'd fucked, and now it was time to end the fantasy and get back to reality. A stronger man would have done the right thing, but I wasn't that man. I was weak, and Markie was my strength. I breathed in deeply, and let the tropical scent of her invade my common sense. I couldn't walk away.
I tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears, letting my hand linger against her face. Eyes bright and full of passion, she stared at me. I leaned in and covered her mouth with mine. Warmth exploded on my lips and spread through my entire body. Her arms wrapped around me, and she pressed in, opening her lips to me. As I explored her mouth, my hands roamed, sliding down her back and to her waist. I instantly grew hard. My hands slid up her shirt, but Markie broke away and rested her forehead on my collar bone.
"There's something I need to tell you, Angel," she said, her voice somber.
"Okay?"
"I really can't stay in Vegas." Her chest expanded as she sucked in air. She took a step back, putting distance between us I couldn't seem to breach. "This weekend was incredible, but it doesn't change anything. I don't want to hurt you, so I need to make sure you understand that."
Regardless, her words did hurt. And they pissed me off. "Why do you have to leave?" I asked.
"I don't want to talk about it. Just know that it's unavoidable. I couldn't get out of it if I wanted to."
What the fuck?
"How long do you have here?"
She frowned. "I'm not sure. I never expected this. Never expected you. I'm sorry. I..." Tears flooded her eyes and she turned her back on me. "I need to get to these dishes. Will you please lock the door on your way out?"
"That's it?" I asked. "You're just kicking me out?"
Her shoulders shook with a sob. Straightening, she let out a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. I should have done it a long time ago. I'm sorry."
"Markie, whatever this is, tell me. We can get through it."
She looked at me over her shoulder and shook her head. "No. We really can't. I told you from the beginning, and the longer we do this, the harder it's going to be. On both of us. I'm sorry, Angel. Please go." It was barely more than a whisper, yet it shattered me like a roar.
"Yeah. Me too." Pissed and frustrated, I fled from the apartment.
The one person who made me feel like I was something more than a mob boss's son had rejected me. My chest hurt so damn bad I wanted to punch something. Vacation was over, and I was back to business as usual.