“It is to most.”
He just stares after that, waiting for me to say something. I don’t know what else to say, and this isn’t relevant to me getting to Nate, which is the only thing I’m interested in, no matter who this man is.
I move to step around him again, that room and nothing else on my mind. “What are your intentions with Marco?” The grip on my upper arm sends a wave of ice through my veins, and I’m turned back to him before I can take another breath.
“None of your business.” I wrestle but can’t shake his hold.
“Oh, I don’t think that’s accurate. See, Marco is an associate of mine, so his businessismy business. You’re included in that now.” He looks me over again, still gripping so tightly I can feel a bruise forming. “Unless you’re one of his whores. Are you?”
The slap is hard and clean. He didn’t even see it coming. Fury rushes over his features, but he releases me with a shove the instant my palm connects with his cheek.
“Don’t ever call me that again.”
He rubs his jaw and stretches his mouth, laughing a little and testing out the sting to his face. “You won’t like what you see in there. He’s not in a good mood.”
I’ve had just about enough of this stranger. “And who exactly are you to say anything to me?” All the time I’m wasting I could be looking for Nate.
“I’m an interested party. And he told me to get rid of you.” Get rid of me? How dare he? My stomach convulses, but not enough to stop me getting to him to give him a piece of my mind.
“Hired muscle?” Well, that’s not what I was expecting. Seems Nate might have been keeping a few secrets himself. “What’s your name?”
“Not relevant. You need to go.” He moves towards me, but I hold my ground. I won’t be bullied from the building by this guy. Not after everything I’ve already done this evening.
“No. I’m going to find Nate.”
“Even if you won’t like what you find?”
“Stop talking in riddles.” This man is infuriating.
“Gabriella, you’re still here?” Mortoni comes to stand next to me and looks at the security guard with an air of concern. They look at each other for several seconds, giving Marco enough time to slip an arm around my waist again. I pull away, fed up with the whole scenario and ready to walk, but the guard notices and smiles at the move like something is hilarious. Nothing is that I can tell.
“Marco. With me.” He steers Marco away from me and I’m left with the means and the knowledge to see Nate. “Oh, and Gabriella?” I turn back to look at the guy. He’s still smiling, although there’s a hardening of his eyes setting in. “Security will let you through. Tell them you’re there for Nate, and act like a whore.”
My heart leaps in my chest, but the warning curdles my stomach. In a place like this, my imagination doesn’t need to run far to come up with a conclusion that has me seeing red. If I burst through those doors and find Nate with some hooker, I’m liable to draw blood the way I’m wound up now. I detour to the nearest bar where I order whisky. Neat.
The gentleman behind the bar gives me a curious glance when he delivers the glass, and all I do is stare at it like the drink has done me physical harm and I’m sizing it up for a fight. I channel all of my frustration and annoyance towards that drink and then pick it up and toss it down my throat.
The heat is pleasant at first, warming me from the inside, but it soon turns to a burn in the pit of my stomach, stripping away the mellow smokiness of its flavour.
“Can I get you another?” The southern drawl of the bartender would have melted me at the knees a month ago. He’s tall, young and full of possibilities for a woman who’s only ever passing through, but all that has changed.
Now, I need to go, and hope the feelings I have locked away for Nate are even in the same realm as the ones he held for me.
