then deletes an hour of video out of the database.
“Thank you,” I say sweetly. “Now keep your mouth shut about this, and you’ll see evidence of my continued gratitude in your Christmas bonus.”
We leave Ronald alone in the security booth.
“You’d better come back to my place tonight,” Cal says. “Or to Mom and Dad’s.”
I don’t love either of those options. Cal has a brand-new baby. While I appreciate my one-and-only nephew on an intellectual level, I’d like to preserve our relationship by not being woken up ten times in the night by his yelling.
My parents’ house is barely more appealing. I just moved out on my own—I don’t want to be back in my old room, especially not with my mother and father fussing over me in the wake of the failed drowning.
“I think I’ll stay at a hotel,” I tell him.
“Someone should keep an eye on you,” Dante grunts.
I know that’s his way of offering to do the job. But Dante has a kid now, too, and a fiancée—he and Simone are getting married in just a couple of weeks.
I shake my head. “I’m fine. I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Don’t check in under your real name,” Cal says.
“I know.” I roll my eyes. “I’m not an idiot.”
“This is serious,” Cal says, fixing me with his cool blue stare. “Whoever that fucker was, he’s a professional. He planned this out ahead of time. He knew the building. The security system. He knew your schedule—when you get off work, and when you swim laps at night. He went out of his way to make this look like an accident. That’s top-tier hitman shit. Whoever hired him for the job isn’t fucking around.”
“I know,” I say again, with less sarcasm. “Trust me, I’m taking this seriously.”
I remember the water closing over my head, and those iron arms dragging me down.
“We need someone to keep watch on you until we figure out who did this,” Dante says.
I frown at him. “Who are you talking about, exactly?”
“A professional,” Dante says.
I cross my arms over my chest. “You better not mean who I think you’re talking about . . . ”
“I called him on the drive over. He’s flying back stateside tonight.”
“DANTE!” I shout, thoroughly annoyed.
“He’s good,” Dante says. “Very, very good.”
“I don’t need a babysitter. Especially not him.” I curl up my lip in distaste. I met Raylan Boone once before, and I wasn’t impressed. His cocky country-boy schtick is the last thing I need right now.
“Who is he?” Cal asks curiously.
“We were in Iraq together,” Dante says. “He helped me save Simone.”
“What’s he done to offend you, sis?” Cal asks, failing to hide his smirk.
“I don’t want somebody following me around,” I say coldly. “Especially not someone . . . chatty.”
Cal and Dante don’t even try not to laugh.
“Only you would prefer potential assassination to someone trying to ‘chat’ with you,” Cal snorts.
“He’s the best man I know,” Dante tells me seriously. “He’ll take care of you, Riona.”
I know Dante means well, but I can’t help scowling.
I don’t want anybody taking care of me.
4
Raylan
Dante drives me over to Riona’s law firm on East Wacker. He warned me that the Irish princess wasn’t exactly keen on having me as her bodyguard, but I was hoping we could get off on a slightly better footing than last time.
“Nice to see you again,” I say, holding out my hand to shake.
Riona looks me up and down like I’m a Bible salesman standing on her doorstep. Her green eyes look cool and frosty, like sea glass. “Is that what you’re planning to wear?” she says.
That surprises me, because I actually showered and put on clean clothes before I caught a flight across the Atlantic. I’m wearing boots, jeans, and a button-up flannel, which seems to me to be about the most normal outfit a guy could wear.
“What’s wrong with this?” I ask.
“Nothing.” Riona sniffs. “If I need somebody to chop wood for me.”
“Do you?” I ask her. “ ‘Cause I’m pretty handy with an ax. Gimme three hours and I’ll buck, split, and stack a cord for you.”
Riona shakes her head at me. “I hope to god I never find out what any of that means,” she says.
She turns around and marches away from me. I assume I’m supposed to follow, so I wave farewell to Dante and stroll along after her.
The law firm of Griffin, Briar, Weiss takes up several floors of the building. I’ve already been briefed by Dante that they handle all legal matters