Luckily, it had been parked in the space close to the elevators. It also looked out of place among the luxury cars surrounding it.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Fiore,” one of the guards spoke. “We’re not permitted to let you leave the building.”
I loved how he worded the command. He was basically telling me I wasn’t allowed to leave without Phoenix’s permission.
Ah, and so it starts.
I looked up at the man. “Excuse me,” I said, doing my best to contain my irritation. Flies, honey, vinegar, and all that. “What’s your name?”
He had dark black hair and whiskey colored eyes. He was a good-looking man, by all accounts, however, his eyes were dead. Not completely empty, but devoid of emotion. Well, at least, they were right now. “Martin,” he answered, and his voice was just as impassive as his eyes.
“Well, Martin,” I started, a smile on my face, “Phoenix isn’t available right now, and I have a bit of an emergency.”
“We’re not permitted to let you leave the building, Mrs. Fiore,” he repeated. Never mind the tingle I kept getting down my spine whenever he called me Mrs. Fiore.
Christ, I was such a girl.
It’s amazing how my wedding rings suddenly felt heavy as hell. And it wasn’t because the five-carat diamond rock with the band of equally brilliant diamonds surrounding it was excessive as it was. It was because it resembled the chain of bondage that it was. The set was extraordinary, for sure, but Phoenix wouldn’t hear any objections on its extravagance. Plus, his name was engraved inside the diamond band.
“Am I not allowed to leave at all?” I asked. “Or am I not allowed to leave without an escort?”
“My understanding is you cannot-” He caught himself, no doubt aware of my resistance to being told what to do. “It’s my understanding we are not permitted to let you leave the building under any conditions.”
I only had one card to play here. I hated that I had to play it, but Robbie was in trouble, and I was wasting time trying to secure my freedom here. “How exactly do you plan on stopping me, should I be determined to visit my friend? I already told her I was on my way.” I wanted it to sound as if I wasn’t in any danger, and I was just going out to meet a friend.” His face went from stoic to mildly confused. “I’m just curious about your direction on this. Did my husband say you could put your hands on me if need be?”
I watched his Adam’s Apple work up and down and I knew using the word husband was a good move. “Mrs. Fiore, we’re-”
“I honestly don’t mean to put you in an awkward position, but I guarantee my husband will be more…upset at another man putting his hands on me than he would be at me simply visiting a friend.” This is where my lie came in. “I’ve already sent him a text letting him know where I’m off to.” Christ, I sounded like an uppity socialite. I almost cringed at the haughtiness in my voice. I pulled out my phone and shoved it in the poor man’s face. “Of course, he’s busy and hasn’t had a chance to text me back, but I assure you, if he was against the visit to my friend, he would have texted back immediately, forbidding me to go.”
“Mrs. Fiore-”
“Now, kindly get out of my way before you have no choice but to have to physically restrain me, and I end up calling my husband, brother, and best friend.” I did it. I played the do-you-know-who-I-am card, and I hated it. But Robbie needed me, and I had to keep that in mind.
Martin paled a bit, but he knew he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. However, he was smart enough to know that letting me leave without permission might incur a reprimand but putting his hands on me would sign his dead warrant.
He gave me a tight nod before asking, “Would you like an escort?” And that’s what was going to lead to poor Martin’s death. He gave me a choice. I felt bad about it, but Robbie’s cry for help pushed that guilt down. Besides, she asked that I come alone.
“Thank you so much, Martin, for the offer, but I’m not going far.” Another lie, but I’ll deal with that the next time I’m in church.
Martin looked uncomfortable, but he finally stepped aside, and his command vibrated in everyone’s earpiece