Alesso steps aside to let a little girl on a bike pass us. Her mom is jogging behind her, and she waves as she runs past. “Actually, as far as I’m aware, I’m not Italian. My mother just liked the name Alessandro.” He shrugs, and I wonder if his father was Italian, because it’s not just his name. He has that look about him too with his Roman nose, dark hair, and brown eyes.
“It didn’t matter, anyway,” he continues. “Every crime family has their own rules, and while you usually have to be of Italian descent, Ben didn’t give a crap. He has drastically altered the way things run. He has modernized the famiglia, and a lot of the soldiers are men hired through his private security firm. Not everyone has Italian roots though anyone without it won’t ascend any higher in the ranks.”
“Does that bother you?”
He shakes his head. “I like what I do. It was a great honor when Ben chose me as his personal bodyguard and again when he asked me to guard you. It demonstrates trust and loyalty. The same trust and loyalty I have for him.” Alesso halts on the sidewalk across from my house, stepping in front of me. “Ben saved me, and I would die for that man. He has my allegiance for life, as do you and Rowan. I would take a bullet before I’d let any of you get hurt.”
I throw myself at him, hugging him tight. “I know you would, and I appreciate it so much.”
Of course, Ben would choose that moment to step out of my house. His eyes find us almost instantly, and I pull back at the instant scowl that furrows his brow. I curse under my breath and let Alesso go. The one time I’m not trying to purposely annoy Ben through his bodyguard, and he has to see. Typical.
I skip across the road as Ben makes his way toward the familiar black Merc. Three men step out of the car, and Ciro opens the back door for Ben. Leo is not around today, which is strange, as Ben rarely seems to go anywhere without him.
“You’re leaving already?” I ask when I step up on the curb.
“I have a business meeting to attend.”
“I was hoping we could talk.”
“It will have to wait.” He’s all businesslike, and his cold mantle is firmly back in place.
Hurt shuttles through me. I don’t know why I’m surprised. This is the usual pattern with Ben. “Suit yourself.” I stalk toward the house, irritated I’m wearing my emotions on my sleeve again.
“Sierra.” Gravel crunches noisily as he steps up behind me. I stop, but I don’t turn around. His mouth brushes my cheek, sending shivers cascading across my skin. “Things are particularly tense right now. Please don’t take any unnecessary risks. I will call or text you about Thursday.” His fingers dance fleetingly in my hair. “Be safe.”
30
SIERRA
It’s the Wednesday after the charity ball, and the only time Ben has reached out to me is via text. It was a brief message, confirming he will watch the Skywatch Weekly episode tomorrow and FaceTime with Rowan after. There was no mention of us, and I don’t push the issue. Now that I’ve had time to reflect on it, I think Ben is right. There can be no future for us as a couple. Things are complicated enough as it is, and the last thing I need is to be more submerged in his criminal world. So, I lock up my heart and store the key in a mental lockbox.
A knock on my door surprises me, and I glance at the clock on the wall. I’m at work, and not expecting Dee, my next client, for another forty-five minutes. I penciled a free hour in today so I could catch up on paperwork and update my records in our patient system.
Opening the door, I find Alesso wearing a lopsided grin and holding two paper cups. He’s been hanging around inside the building all week, much to the manager’s consternation. I don’t know what’s going on in the big bad mafia world, but tensions appear to be running high, and Alesso and Frank have been extra vigilant. The guys are all sharing rotations at night so Ian can guard Rowan with Frank during the day.
I’m pissed Ben left on Sunday without filling me in. If things are bad enough Rowan needs two bodyguards while he’s at school, then I should have been informed. I was tempted to call him and raise hell, but I would rather wait until I have calmed down and talk face to face. Ben has dragged me and Rowan into this life, whether we chose it or not, and it’s about time I understood it better. I don’t want or need all the gory details—just enough to understand the risks more clearly.
“Green tea,” Alesso says, thrusting one of the cups at me.
“Let me guess. Another peace offering from Lucille?”
Our new receptionist still hasn’t gotten the hang of our computer system, and she has messed up a ton of shit in her few weeks here. Last week, she accidentally wiped out the records for ten of my current clients. Hence why I’m manually adding their records back into the system. Lucille offered to do it, but I don’t trust her. So, she has resorted to other means of making it up to me. I told her she didn’t need to buy me tea every day, but she seems insistent.
“Yep.” He waves his coffee cup at me. “And it seems I’m on the apology list too. This is my third free coffee this week.”
“What’d she do to you?” I ask, setting the cup down beside my printer.
“Nothing. I guess she sees me as an extension of you.” He grins, and I like the easygoing nature of our relationship. I thought he might be embarrassed after telling me his story, but he seems almost relieved to have shared it, and an additional barrier has lowered between us.
Now, I just need to work on loosening Frank up. He’s as tight-lipped as they come but very mannerly and respectful. He’s sweet with Rowan, even though I can tell he’s a little uncomfortable around young kids. The most important thing is, Rowan likes him, and he has taken to having a bodyguard like a duck to water.
“She wants to get in your pants,” I tell him, smirking. And why wouldn’t she? Alesso is hot with his dark hair, dark eyes, and ripped body, and I’ve seen her drooling over his tattoos. He arches a brow, like it’s unheard of for a woman to lust after him. “Why do you look surprised? You can’t tell me women aren’t throwing themselves at you. You certainly got your fair share of admiring glances last weekend.”
“I don’t have time for women,” he says, sounding too much like his boss.
“You don’t have time for them, or you don’t like them?” I inquire, leaning against the doorway. “Are you batting for the other team and you neglected to mention it?” I probe with a teasing smile. “Because I gotta say, the idea of you being into men gets me hot.” I have watched some gay porn, and it seriously gets my juices going. There is just something about two men fucking that gets me all worked up.
“I’m not into men.” He rushes to reassure me. “I like women. I fuck women. But that’s all I’m interested in.”
I push on. “Lucille is pretty.”
“Don’t you have work to do?” he grunts, and I giggle. He’s right though. I’m procrastinating because I freaking hate admin tasks.
“You should ask her out. She’s a terrible receptionist, but she seems like a sweet girl.”
“Go. Work,” Alesso says before drinking his coffee and pulling the door shut.