Giorgio (Vigilance #1) - Silvia Violet Page 0,9

to still think he’s invincible. “Does he know what the meeting is about?”

X’s hesitation gave me my answer. When he finally spoke, he said, “Sandra said she’d get him there. I left it at that.”

“So I never let your son out of my sight, I keep his ex-boyfriend from murdering him, and I don’t mention you. Any other rules?”

“Keep your hands to yourself.”

“Isn’t that the rule with any client?” I’d only ever fucked one person I’d worked with, and he’d been a fellow soldier. What Thomas and I had shared started as one of those coming-down-off-adrenaline, celebrating-being-alive fucks, but we’d both wanted more. I’d fallen for him, and that had been a mistake, one I knew better than to make again.

“Like you said, we don’t usually do bodyguard work. Normally you’re too busy saving the client’s life to have time for anything else.”

“I can handle it. I’m a professional after all.”

“When it comes to missions you are, otherwise you’re a fucking slut.”

I laughed. “You know me so well, boss.”

“I want my son out of the city while I find out more about this asshole. Sandra has a friend who owns a cabin you can borrow. I want to make his stalker pay, but I don’t want to risk a public confrontation.”

“Understood. I assume I’ll get directions and further information at the meeting.”

“Yes. I’ll send all the information to your secure account.

“When is the meeting?”

“One hour.”

“And if I’d said no?”

“I would’ve changed your mind.”

I hated his smug tone. “Well, there goes my morning plans.”

“Not that I care, but what did you have planned?”

“Drinking and Pornhub.”

“Fucking asshole.”

“Later, boss.”

I flopped onto my couch and laid my arm over my eyes. Why did I have a feeling this job was going to be harder than missions that put me in far more danger?

4

Lane

My mom called and insisted we meet for lunch. I hadn’t even known she was in town. I didn’t want to meet, but I was stuck on where to go with the piece I was creating, and getting out of my apartment might help me return with a fresh perspective.

She told me to meet her at DiGiulio’s. I was surprised she’d been able to get reservations so quickly. I’d heard the place was impossible to get into.

I barely had time to shower and change, but I’d managed to turn up in gray dress pants and a black button-down with my hair tamed. No one needed to know the amount of product that had taken.

The food was as good as I’d heard, maybe even better, but I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more if my mother hadn’t spent the entire lunch trying to convince me to let her hire a bodyguard for me.

I’d been shaken by Alan showing up at Ignite a couple of weeks ago, but since then, he’d only texted a few times. I hadn’t seen him around my apartment building, and I’d gotten a security system.

Before I could gather steam for a defense, Mom dropped her bombshell. She’d set up an appointment for me to meet with someone a friend of hers had handpicked to protect me. The appointment was scheduled for right after lunch.

“Look. This really isn’t necessary. Nothing has happened at my apartment since I got the restraining order and the security system.” But he found you at the club. What if Giorgio hadn’t intervened? “I don’t want someone following me around.”

“He’s not going to be following you around, darling. Remember Mary Ellen?”

I didn’t, and I wasn’t sure what on earth Mary Ellen had to do with the conversation at hand. “Maybe.”

“You know, she and I ran the animal shelter’s charity auction together a few years ago?”

I couldn’t keep up with all my mother’s friends or all her charity events. I rarely listened closely when she explained them to me unless she was expecting me to attend something, but it was usually easier to just agree with her. “Yes, of course.”

Mother eyed me like she didn’t believe me. I was growing more exasperated by the second.

“What about Mary Ellen? What does she have to do with my situation?”

“She has a cabin outside North Adams, and she’s agreed to let you and your bodyguard stay there.”

My mouth dropped open, and a few seconds passed before I could speak. “I’m working on pieces for a gallery show. I can’t go running off to some cabin.”

“The… security firm my friend works for thinks it’s best if you leave town. They truly believe Alan could be dangerous.”

I studied her for a moment.