Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“Blistering. You should stay indoors.”
“How long is this heat wave supposed to last?”
“How the hell would I know? I’m not a fucking weatherman. Just stay inside until the UV rays come down. Until then, I’m gonna ship you another gallon or two of sunscreen.”
“I got it covered. I don’t need more sunscreen.”
He raised his voice. “You need what I tell you that you fucking need.”
Blood pumped through my veins. It was insulting he thought I couldn’t handle protecting his daughter, especially if we were on freaking lockdown. Yet I swallowed the urge to argue. “Have you told our mutual friend?”
“That’s your job.”
Great. I had to give the news to Juliette.
“The line sounds staticky,” Vince said. “Maybe you should get a new phone. When you do, text Frankie Knuckles the number. Make it soon.”
“Got it.”
“Good.”
The line went dead without so much as a goodbye. I glanced around the street. Juliette wasn’t exactly safe sitting at an outside table on Hollywood Boulevard, but with people and cars everywhere, they’d have to be idiots to take a shot at her here. Then again, these guys weren’t the brightest. As I watched, the waiter walked over to their table and handed her lunch date what I assumed was the check. I figured I’d let her finish up and then break the good news about lockdown at home.
Ten minutes later, Juliette walked down the block to where I was parked behind her. That asshole Jett didn’t even walk her to her car.
I turned on the ignition and rolled down my window. “I need to make a quick stop before we head home.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
Great, she’s in a good mood for a change, and I get to ruin it. “Follow me.”
I made a pit stop at a 7-Eleven, keeping a hawk’s eye on Juliette’s car in the parking lot while I paid for a burner phone.
When I walked out and she saw what I’d purchased, she rolled down her window. “What’s wrong?”
“Let’s talk when we get home.”
She frowned, and I climbed into my car and fired off a text to Frankie with my new number before following her home. When we walked in, I asked her to wait just inside the door.
“Why?”
“Just give me a minute, please.” I did a quick sweep, then nodded. “We’re good.”
She huffed. “Can you tell me what’s going on now?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but the burner rang in my pocket. I held up a finger. “Give me another minute.”
Juliette rolled her eyes. “Like I have a choice…”
I brought the phone into the bathroom for privacy. “What’s up?”
“Blue Ford Mustang GT. Consider it the only car that’s safe until you hear otherwise,” Frankie said. “Eddie G and Tommy just picked it up as a rental. They’ll park on the block and be your extra set of eyes. I’ll text you their numbers after we hang up so you can reach them, if you need to.”
“What’s going on?”
“Direct threat to the boss’s family. Juliette was specifically mentioned. We got intel that Sonny Altieri is on the move, searching for her. Look him up so you know his face. His mug shots shouldn’t be hard to find.”
I raked a hand through my hair. “All right.”
“I’ll call this phone when I have an update.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, and Wes, the boss asked me to pass along one more message.”
“What’s that?”
“Lockdown is not an opportunity to become friendly with his daughter.”
I clenched my teeth. “Anything else?”
“Nope. Just do your job.” Click.
Was there anyone in that organization who knew how to end a conversation like a human? I shook my head and walked out of the bathroom.
Juliette was waiting with her arms crossed in the kitchen. “What’s going on?”
“We’re on lockdown.”
Her eyes flared. “What? For how long?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“This is ridiculous!” She flailed her arms, then smacked them down at her sides. “I have a date with Jett tomorrow night!”
At least there’s one good thing about this situation… I shrugged. “Looks like you’re going to have to cancel.”
“I am not canceling.” She dug into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “I’m calling my father.”
“Go right ahead. This wasn’t my decision. I’m just doing what I was told.”
Juliette tapped a few buttons on her phone, then held it to her ear, glaring at me the whole time. When I heard a voice start talking, I figured she’d been sent to voicemail. She growled and tried again—same result. On her third attempt, her face turned bright red with frustration. Without a word, she marched into her bedroom and slammed the door.
I didn’t hear from her for hours after that—not until she walked out to the living room with her hair blown out, a full face of makeup, and a little black one-shoulder dress that stirred something in me instantly.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She lifted her chin into the air, marched to the table, and swiped up her purse. “Karaoke with Pam and a few friends. We go every other week.”