inner circle, there were a lot of hands involved. But we’re on it, bro.”
“How’s she holding up?” Tony asked. “I got the feeling that she isn’t made of very strong stuff.”
Vinny glanced to the passenger side, seeing her pale face with slight bruises forming on her lips from the assailant’s hands. Dark circles were under her red-rimmed eyes, but she was still beautiful to him. And her fuckin’ chin was lifted. “She’s shaken, but okay,” he answered.
She jerked her head toward him, knowing he was referring to her, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth.
“She’s a lot tougher than she looks,” he added.
“You want me to see if I can get a private pilot to meet you at some airstrip and get you here quicker?”
“Nah. It’s already getting late today and I want to stop soon to get some food in her and we’ll rest for the night. We can get through to Kentucky in several more hours and will stop at Louisville. Find us a place to stay and rent a room. I’ll get there and rent one too, but we’ll stay in your room as added protection.”
“What about tomorrow?” Tony asked.
“Yeah, see what airstrip is close to Louisville and we’ll meet someone tomorrow.”
As they ended the strategy call, Vinny tossed his cell into the cup holder between the two front seats and took her hand again.
“You said I was tougher than I look,” she said, smiling at the compliment. Watching his handsome profile, she could not take her eyes off of his lips. Strong. Soft. And wanting them back on hers.
“Lots of women would be screaming hysterically. Hell, lots of men would have been pissing in their pants. But you, girl, you bit that man, screamed for help and stayed out of my way to let me do what I had to do.” Squeezing her hand, he said, “I couldn’t have asked for more.”
He looked over at her, seeing her eyes focused on his lips. As angry as he still was about the attack, he felt his blood rush from his head to his dick. Oh hell no! “Babe, you staring at my lips like that makes me want to pull over again and take those lips and hell, take anything else as well. But I’m not doing it. Letting my guard down last time got you attacked and almost kidnapped. Not happening again.”
“That wasn’t your fault, Vinny.” Seeing him about to answer, she continued, “No, it wasn’t. I know I’m your mission and you never fail. But even you said this goes beyond a mission.”
“Never done this, Annalissa. Never mixed work and pleasure.” He thought for a moment and amended, “Not just pleasure. But feelings.”
Her smile grew, but she turned to look out of the front window at the woods surrounding them. The sun was almost set and she leaned back, closing her eyes. Her mind churned. Drugs, her crew, unknown assailants, her father, Todd, Gordon, Easnadh. And Vinny. He had just admitted to having feelings for her. And I have feelings for him too. Sleep was not going to come, but to not distract him she continued to sit quietly as the highway lines passed by.
Chapter 8
A s they came to Louisville in the dark, Vinny called Tony and received the name of the hotel they were staying in and the closest car rental facility. “Room’s gonna be 113, on the back side. Lily’s got you a rental reserved at the local car rental. It’s under the name you used last year.”
Pulling off the highway, Vinny acknowledged the information. He and several of the others had various identifications, including driver’s licenses.
They made a quick stop at the rental facility, the young man behind the desk more interested in the ball game on his TV than he was seeing who was renting the car. He looked over at Annalissa after they had transferred their belongings to the smaller car. They had not stopped for supper, but then there had been little opportunity. There was an all-night pancake house next to the little hotel. Perfect. Not about to leave her alone again, they both walked into the lobby as he
“How’s she holding up?” Tony asked. “I got the feeling that she isn’t made of very strong stuff.”
Vinny glanced to the passenger side, seeing her pale face with slight bruises forming on her lips from the assailant’s hands. Dark circles were under her red-rimmed eyes, but she was still beautiful to him. And her fuckin’ chin was lifted. “She’s shaken, but okay,” he answered.
She jerked her head toward him, knowing he was referring to her, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth.
“She’s a lot tougher than she looks,” he added.
“You want me to see if I can get a private pilot to meet you at some airstrip and get you here quicker?”
“Nah. It’s already getting late today and I want to stop soon to get some food in her and we’ll rest for the night. We can get through to Kentucky in several more hours and will stop at Louisville. Find us a place to stay and rent a room. I’ll get there and rent one too, but we’ll stay in your room as added protection.”
“What about tomorrow?” Tony asked.
“Yeah, see what airstrip is close to Louisville and we’ll meet someone tomorrow.”
As they ended the strategy call, Vinny tossed his cell into the cup holder between the two front seats and took her hand again.
“You said I was tougher than I look,” she said, smiling at the compliment. Watching his handsome profile, she could not take her eyes off of his lips. Strong. Soft. And wanting them back on hers.
“Lots of women would be screaming hysterically. Hell, lots of men would have been pissing in their pants. But you, girl, you bit that man, screamed for help and stayed out of my way to let me do what I had to do.” Squeezing her hand, he said, “I couldn’t have asked for more.”
He looked over at her, seeing her eyes focused on his lips. As angry as he still was about the attack, he felt his blood rush from his head to his dick. Oh hell no! “Babe, you staring at my lips like that makes me want to pull over again and take those lips and hell, take anything else as well. But I’m not doing it. Letting my guard down last time got you attacked and almost kidnapped. Not happening again.”
“That wasn’t your fault, Vinny.” Seeing him about to answer, she continued, “No, it wasn’t. I know I’m your mission and you never fail. But even you said this goes beyond a mission.”
“Never done this, Annalissa. Never mixed work and pleasure.” He thought for a moment and amended, “Not just pleasure. But feelings.”
Her smile grew, but she turned to look out of the front window at the woods surrounding them. The sun was almost set and she leaned back, closing her eyes. Her mind churned. Drugs, her crew, unknown assailants, her father, Todd, Gordon, Easnadh. And Vinny. He had just admitted to having feelings for her. And I have feelings for him too. Sleep was not going to come, but to not distract him she continued to sit quietly as the highway lines passed by.
Chapter 8
A s they came to Louisville in the dark, Vinny called Tony and received the name of the hotel they were staying in and the closest car rental facility. “Room’s gonna be 113, on the back side. Lily’s got you a rental reserved at the local car rental. It’s under the name you used last year.”
Pulling off the highway, Vinny acknowledged the information. He and several of the others had various identifications, including driver’s licenses.
They made a quick stop at the rental facility, the young man behind the desk more interested in the ball game on his TV than he was seeing who was renting the car. He looked over at Annalissa after they had transferred their belongings to the smaller car. They had not stopped for supper, but then there had been little opportunity. There was an all-night pancake house next to the little hotel. Perfect. Not about to leave her alone again, they both walked into the lobby as he
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