It’s him.
I need to call Rocco. I shoot up from my spot on the couch and head to the kitchen counter to grab my cell phone.
“What is it, Evan? Do you think it’s something bad? It might just be Sebastián. I could call him and ask if he’s been sending me flowers.” She wrings her hands nervously. “Or maybe it’s that guy …” she whispers to herself.
“What guy?” I ask as my finger hovers over Rocco’s name on my phone. Amelia looks like she’s about to cry, so I sit back down next to her and try to reel in my rage. I hold her hands in mine. “Go on sweetheart, what guy?”
Amelia bites her lip and eyes me nervously before she starts. “Okay, so it’s probably nothing, but last Sunday when I was walking to my apartment, I spotted a man who looked a little off, like suspicious.”
“Suspicious how.”
“I don’t know how to explain it. I just got a weird feeling that I was being watched, and when I looked up this guy was looking at me, but then turned around and walked in the opposite direction once I spotted him.”
There are plenty of bizarre people roaming the streets of the city, so this could be nothing.
“But then today …” she continues, and I feel my shoulders tense up again. “I saw the same man while waiting for a cab. And I know for a fact he was trying to not be seen by me because I acted like I didn’t see him, and then turned around suddenly and he looked like a deer in headlights. As soon as I got in the cab, he vanished.”
I feel the blood drain from my face. Amelia is being tailed, and it’s all my fault.
Twenty minutes later, Rocco is at my door with his security team.
“Evan, this could be nothing. Don’t you think this is a bit much,” Amelia says while biting her thumb nail.
“No. I don’t. Stay here. I’ll just be outside the door in the hallway discussing this with the team. Have a glass of wine and try to relax.” I give her a peck on the cheek.
“Oh sure, super relaxing night in with the Navy Seals at your front door,” she mumbles under her breath.
I close the front door and move down the hall so Amelia can’t hear us.
“Status update. Now,” I bark.
“We’ve kept eyes on him, sir. Mr. Valentine has been out of town for the past week. He’s been in Puerto Rico attending his mother’s funeral. He is due to fly back today, so there is no way he could have been the one tailing Amelia,” Rocco explains.
“Fine, but we know he doesn’t do his own dirty work, he could have sent someone in his place.” I rub my neck roughly.
“True, but Mr. Valentine’s team is exclusively Puerto Rican. I have yet to hear of an associate of his to be white. Is Amelia sure about the description?”
“The only thing she’s sure about is that she’s annoyed and scared on her birthday,” I sneer.
“We’re looking at all of the florists nearby Amelia’s apartments and will follow any leads to figure out who has been delivering the flowers.”
“That’s gonna be a waste of time. It’ll take you forever to track down all the florists, especially since he didn’t sign for the card. And if it really is him, we know that he hand delivers the flowers to his targets, himself. That sick fuck.” I say, fuming.
Rocco places a heavy hand on my shoulder. “We got this, Evan. We’ll have two guys stationed downstairs for the night, plus two in your hallway. Set the alarm when you get back inside and try to focus on her tonight. We’ll take it from here and reconvene tomorrow morning with updates. Okay?”
I nod hesitantly. “Text me with any updates. I’m serious. Keep me in the know.” I point at the team.
“We will. Goodnight, Evan,” Rocco says.
I enter the apartment and immediately activate the alarm system.
I look over at Amelia on the couch. She’s pulling her knees to her chest and looking at me nervously. “Hi.”
I walk over to sit on the couch, then pull her legs onto my lap. “Hey baby. It’s gonna be fine.” I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.
“Are you some kind of CIA operative? Is being a CEO a front for some kind of international sting operation?” she asks with a weak smile.
I start rubbing her feet. “Sorry to disappoint, just a regular old CEO I’m afraid.” I lightly tease.
