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“Mrs. Adamov, I don’t think Mrs. Guilia is coming by today. She always reserves a table.”
My heart is starting to thud a little faster, but I’m determined to salvage this lunch. “Just get me any available booth, please. I’ll sort this out.”
The hostess shows me to a private table in the corner. As she leaves, she closes the privacy screen behind her, giving me a sympathetic smile that makes me feel like the pathetic woman being stood up for a date. Which, considering Guilia is twenty-five minutes late, I might be.
I pull out my phone.I’m here waiting for you. Can you still make it?
I drum my fingers on the table, days’ worth of nervous energy working out of me. When my phone buzzes a few seconds later, I almost fly out of my seat.
GUILIA:Did we have plans today? I’m so sorry, darling, but I’m out of town. It was a last-minute family thing. I’ll be back tomorrow. Let’s do something then. Maybe lunch at Nonna Guilia’s!
I stare at the screen, trying to make sense of it. Guilia sent me a formal invitation for lunch and then just… forgot?
Cool dread slithers down my spine as I realize why the letter was typed instead of handwritten… and delivered to the house rather than texted from Guilia’s phone…
Oh, God…
The sliding doors part and a tall man steps into my space and drops into the seat across from me.
“Laila Barnes. I was hoping I’d find you here.”
48
LAILA
I lunge for my phone, but Jasper is faster. He snatches it off the table, and then, suddenly, I’m staring down the barrel of a gun.
“Nuh-uh-uh,” he titters. “Another move and I’ll be forced to pull the trigger.”
I freeze, but I shift my eyes to Jasper rather than the gun. “You sent me that invitation.”
“Actually, no. That was my partner’s work.” He glances around the table, his eyes lingering over the empty seat next to me and the air above my shoulder. His fingers twitch on the gun.
“You’re high.”
“Only out of necessity.” He puts both his elbows on the table and leans towards me. The gun stays tucked in his palm. “Your husband is the one that drove me to it.”
“My husband was trying to save you.”
He snorts. “You think he’s some hero? I got news for you, baby: he’ll disappoint you just like he disappointed me.”
I consider calling for the waitress, but there’s nothing she can do. Jasper wouldn’t hesitate to kill her. He looks so strung-out that he could pull the trigger without even being aware he’s doing it.
“Arsen gave you more than your fair share of chances.”
“He fed me to the fuckin’ wolves!” Spit flies out of his mouth, speckling the table.
I cringe back, trying not to be obvious that I’m waiting for some sort of interruption. My entire guard detail is camped out front. The only reason they didn’t come in with me is because I assured them that Guilia’s security had me covered.
I should have told Arsen I was coming here. What was I thinking?
The doors slide open again, and Jasper tucks the gun under the table. As the waitress enters with two waters, I feel the cold metal pressed against my thigh.
I gasp as she turns to me with a nervous smile. “Is there anything I can get you, ma’am?”
“Yeah, is there something you want, Laila?” Jasper asks, one corner of his mouth quirked up into a smile.
I suppress the shiver running down my spine. “No, I don’t need anything,” I insist, wondering if I can alert her to what’s going on without risking losing a leg in the process. Jasper pokes the gun harder into my skin, and… no, probably not. “You were right: Guilia isn’t coming in today. I was mistaken.”
