“I need to know she’s protected. That if something does happen, you’ll get her out of here to somewhere safe. I don’t trust her to anyone but you. I’ve got extra protection on me. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“I’m gonna see if Diego has someone to send in. Be careful. We need you.”
“Love you too, babe,” he responds, blowing me a kiss as he walks out the door.
Cocky sonofabitch.
I call Diego. “So let me get this straight. You come to town on a case, go undercover, your contact gets killed, you pick up a girl and want to play house and now one of the worst crime bosses in town wants all three of you. You’re fucked.”
“We don’t know if he knows about us, but we are protecting our girl.”
“And your bosses are helping, how?”
“If we tell them about the girl they’ll want to put her in protective custody. Truthfully, I don’t trust her with anyone but us. We’re assuming Phil burned his own cover, but what if he didn’t. I won’t trust her to anyone I don’t know personally.”
“I’m not under the radar anymore. My wife, my testimonies. I’m known. I’ve got a friend. She’s in town. Let me see if she can help out. She may be on assignment. There’s a guy who’ll be heretomorrow. He’s a big mother fucker but surprisingly can blend in.”
“You said the company you work with might be looking for more agents?”
“Yeah. Are you serious?”
“This thing with Fancy is serious. Rico and I may be ready for some changes.”
There’s a blaring silence from the other side of the line. “You straight up with this girl?”
“She knows. She’s in.”
“Alright. I’ll vouch for you. Give me a day or two to see what I can do.”
“When the hell did I become an employment recruiter,” he mutters before hanging up.
CHAPTER 16
Fancy
I wake up alone in bed. I hear Kade’s voice but can’t make out the words. He and Rico must be trying to be quiet so I can sleep.
Rico and Kade. Two men. Two lovers. I never saw this coming. Never felt this sexual if I’m honest. No one I’ve dated has ever appealed to me the way these men do. But gamblers and thugs have never been my thing.
Mom’s example in love sucked. Most of the men she dated were assholes. Except Phil and she was too dumb to choose the good man.
I’m so over Vegas. I realize there are good people here but my memories, the influences I’ve had… I just want different. A clean slate.
Vegas has never been my ideal home. I dreamed of getting away, to go anywhere else. I snort back a laugh. I’ve barely been out of the city.
Now with both Phil and Mom gone, there’s no reason to stay. I’m free to leave. The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.
As soon as I get my revenge.
I want Adorno and DeStefano to pay. The rage inside me demands that I be the one to deliver retribution. They took fromme. I want to be the one to deliver their downfall. My mother wasn’t innocent, but she didn’t deserve what they did to her.
Phil is… was a good man. He died trying to protect me. I have to make this right.
Climbing from bed, I go to the bathroom. Geez, my backpack is still in the corner. I check the box inside making sure I reset the lock. Everything will be there when I need it.
Dressing, I go in search of my men. A woman with thick red hair twisted on top of her head, held in place by hair sticks, sits at the breakfast bar eating an orange. She glances my way and gives me a very detailed head-to-foot inspection.
Kade turns. The warmth in his expression eases my—oh damn, is that jealousy?
