Vinny: Alvarez Security Series (24 page)

Her heart sank as she looked at the destruction. Moving around the breakfast bar, she stepped into the small hall that led to the bedroom and bathroom. Seeing the bathroom first, she could see where her medicine and sink cabinets had been emptied. Even her towels were tossed on the floor. The bedroom was last.

Stopping at the door, she gasped. Her drawers were pulled out of her old dresser, the contents strewn about as well. Her underwear. Her nightgowns. Her personal items. Tears stung her eyes as the thought of someone rifling through her belongings. The bed had been stripped and the mattress slashed along with the pillows.

Her hand covered her mouth as she stifled a scream of rage. Her body shaking, she peeked into the tiny closet, seeing her clothes all on the floor and the plastic boxes that had been on the upper shelf tossed as well.
Who would do this to me? I’m nobody. Other than a drug carrier. Oh Jesus.

Finally the reality of what everyone had been telling her sunk in. Someone used her. Used her as a carrier for drugs. And they wanted them back.

Tears ran unchecked down her face as she slunk to the floor, next to the closet. Her knees bent, she wrapped her arms around them and rocked herself as the sobs took over.

*

Vinny and Jobe
walked down the hall of Alvarez Security, ready to leave for the evening. Doug, a new employee who was on the security detail, stuck his head out of the surveillance room.

“Vinny. Thought you’d picked up Ms. O’Brian. She left the music teacher’s location about an hour ago.”

“Where the fuck is she?” Vinny growled.

“Her GPS has her at her apartment building. I thought you’d taken her there.”

“Fuck,” Vinny bit out, turning to run toward the garage.

Jobe, on his heels, called out, “I’m driving.”

The two of them raced down the road, Vinny calling her cell phone continuously. No answer. He saw her text on his phone, growling that he had not heard it.

“Why the hell would she go there?” he agonized. “Anyone could have gone back to look again.”

“Vinny, this is our world. Not hers. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”

Pulling up to the building, Vinny was out of the vehicle before Jobe could park. He pounded up the stoop and through the door. Racing down the hall, he felt Jobe’s presence behind him. Her front door stood open, her harp case sitting just inside. His eyes swept the area, seeing no change from when he looked at it when they had arrived back in town.

Pulling out his gun, they moved carefully toward the bedroom. Nodding to each other, Vinny moved in first, seeing no one. Hearing a slight sound coming from the closet, he cautiously stalked forward. The sight nearly took him to his knees.

Annalissa was crouched in the closet, tear-filled green eyes large with fright and her hand clamped over her mouth.

“Vinny,” she cried as she jumped up, hurling herself at him. He caught her in mid-air, feeling her arms clamp around his neck and legs encircle his waist. Jobe slid up next to him, taking and securing his weapon so that he could grasp her with both hands.

Moving backward, he sat on the bed with her still wrapped tightly around his body. “Baby, are you all right?” Not hearing anything other than her crying, he pulled her back slightly so he could peer into her eyes. “Are you all right?”

She nodded and tucked her head right back into his neck once again. Jobe nodded at him and discretely left the room to report in to Tony.

“Why are you here? Why didn’t you wait for Terrance?”

With her tears spent, she murmured, “I needed to get out. I…needed to see my place. Now it seems…not mine.”

Jobe walked back into the room, his eyes seeking Vinny’s for reassurance that she was fine. As usual their non-verbal communication was all it took for Jobe to nod and leave the room again.

“Princess, we can put this place back together again. The guys and their women will all meet and we can have this place put to right in one quick day. But I know that Matt and Shane wanted to know if anything had been taken. I never meant for you to come here without me. Jobe’s called them and they’ll be here soon. Can you do that for them?”

Nodding against his neck, he heard her sigh deeply.

“Yeah, I can do that.” A moment passed before she leaned up saying, “I hate feeling this way, but can I stay with you a few more days until this place can be cleaned up? And I want to get new locks on the doors and windows.”

His eyes held hers as his hands came up to cup her face. “Babe, as far as I’m concerned you never have to live anywhere else but with me. But I don’t want to rush you. You want to stay here, we’ll fix it up and Tony’s men will get it secure.”

Sucking in a deep breath, she glanced around at the trashed bedroom. “I don’t know. I…just don’t…”

“Don’t make a decision now when you’re emotional.”

Jobe stuck his head back into the room. “Matt and Shane are here. Gabe’s here too.”

Allowing Vinny to assist her to a stand, she wiped her face with her hands and smoothed her hair back from her face. Lifting her chin, she said, “Okay. I’m ready.”

Fuckin’ adorable. And fuckin’ strong,
he thought.

*

By the time
Matt and Shane had taken her accounting, she was exhausted. They had her go through each item and room, cataloging what should have been where and what looked missing. Nothing was missing. Not one thing. Just everything tossed around in a hasty manner.

Gabe and Vinny stood to the side with Jobe, as she moved about with the detectives. Vinny kept his eyes on her the entire time, watching for signs of a breaking point. But the more she looked over her items, the angrier she became.

When they left, she turned to face the men still in the room. Seeing her shaking, Vinny stalked toward her, enveloping her in his arms.

“I’m so fucking angry right now,” she said, her voice muffled in his chest.

He lifted his eyebrow in surprise, having never heard her curse before. “I know. Let’s get some of your things and get out of here.”

While Gabe and Jobe got trash bags from the kitchen, she began moving about the room picking up things that she wanted to take. Collecting her sheet music, she was startled by a voice at the still open door.

“Lissa? What the hell happened here?”

Turning she saw her neighbor and fellow musician standing there with grocery bags in his hands and a surprised look on his face. She approached him only to be stopped by a growl at her back.

“Who the hell are you?” came Vinny’s bark.

Turning to glare at him, she said, “He’s my neighbor, Vinny.” Turning back, she smiled and apologized. “I’m sorry, Les. I was gone and my place was broken into. We’re here to get some things for me to take.”

Les started to step into the room, but was stopped when a wall of large men created a barrier. Annalissa looked up to see Vinny, Gabe, and Jobe shoulder-to-wide-shoulder blocking the entrance. Her eyes wide in irritation toward them, she made the introductions.

Receiving reassurances that she was fine, Les headed off to his apartment after inviting her to play with his band that weekend.

Closing the door behind him, she turned to face the wall. Of men. All glaring. Putting her hands on her hips, she said, “What? What is wrong with you all?”

“Did he know where you were going to your last concert?” Vinny growled again.

“Yes. Several of my friends know when I’m out of town.” She looked confused momentarily, then her eyes widened in understanding. “Oh, my God. You think he’s a suspect? Well you’re wrong. I know other musicians that I play with and there’s no way they would have been involved. No way.”

“We need their names,” Jobe said softly.

“Oh no,” she began to protest, putting her hand up.

Vinny, losing patience, said, “Don’t you get it, babe? Anyone who knows you could be a suspect. You don’t think some other musician could have done this?” he said, sweeping his arm out across the trashed room.

Standing, lips pursed, chin quivering, she refused to cry again. Lifting her chin, she looked over at Jobe. “I’ll make a list of my friends who knew I was traveling. It won’t be a long list. I don’t have many friends and it seems that you all are determined to take even them away from me.”

Vinny watched as she moved from the living area back to the bedroom and he stood, rubbing his hand over his face. Sighing, he looked up at his twin and friend. “How the fuck do you do this?” he asked Gabe.

“What?” Gabe asked back, a grin on his face. “Fall in love or keep the love or keep the woman you love happy?”

Jobe chuckled, nodding in understanding. “She’ll be fine, you know. She’s tougher than she looks.”

Gabe slapped his twin on the back, saying, “Bro, you’ve never spent more than a few hours with some chick. Falling in love and creating a relationship takes time and energy. And yeah, there’re fights and misunderstandings.”

“So what do you do?” Vinny asked.

“Just take care of her, man,” Jobe said. “And never…never let her go. Even if for some fucked up reason that seems like the best thing to do.”

“Let’s go,” Gabe said to Jobe, deciding to leave Vinny with Annalissa. “She can give the list of friends to you and we’ll have Lily and BJ run them tomorrow.”

As the two walked toward the door, Gabe turned with a smile. “Oh and Vinny? The makeup sex is phenomenal.”

“I can hear you all, you know!” Annalissa shouted from the bedroom.

Laughing the two men left the apartment, leaving Vinny to decide if he should stay put or wander in to face her wrath.

A
rriving back at
Vinny’s apartment, they began the task of moving her things to his place. Grabbing a cart from the concierge’s closet, Vinny and Annalissa loaded it with the bags of clothes, a few books, all of her music, her violin and Easnadh, as well as her laptop. Another suitcase filled with clothes and toiletries completed the pile.

“This looks like I’m moving in,” she said softly, eyes avoiding his.

“Look at me. Please, baby,” he added. Seeing her gaze move up to his, he continued. “I told you the truth earlier. I’d love for you to move in permanently, but know that your world has been turned upside down.” Stepping closer, he towered over her, lifting her chin to keep her eyes on his. “I’m sorry, babe.”

Nodding, she said, “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you and the others.”

“It’s okay. Let’s get your stuff upstairs and then eat. After that we can talk more about who we need to check out.”

They made an easy dinner of enchiladas with leftover rotisserie chicken, sautéed peppers and onions and tortillas. Afterward he walked into the bedroom, seeing her hanging up her clothes. He stood in the doorway for a moment watching her in the closet, trying to keep her things to a small corner of his large closet. He waited for the moment of panic or unease. Nothing.
Never even brought a woman to this apartment. Never wanted someone knowing where he lived and showing up unannounced. Never wanted a woman to leave any of her shit around. This was his space. His retreat.
Smiling, he continued to watch as she bent over to the bag, pulling out an article of clothing and then hanging it in the corner.

Never wanted any of this…until now.
Seeing her things hanging next to his felt right. Good. Normal.

Walking up behind her, he reached around her body and scooted her hangers out over more of the bar. “Babe, I don’t need this much space for my shit. You’re here now, so take as much room as you need.”

She turned, his arms still around her, and looked up. Words left her so she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him instead. His arms left the clothes bar and slid to her back, pulling her in tightly. Allowing her to take the kiss where she wanted it to go, he gave her control.

She felt his gift, understanding what it meant for a man like him to give her the power. But she was not interested in just a kiss of thanks. Or a kiss of now. She wanted to give him the kiss of forever.

She opened, welcoming his tongue. Sucking on it, she pulled it deeper into her mouth. This time she captured his moan. Her tongue tangling with his sent sparks through her body as her breasts were crushed against his chest. Moving her hips, she pressed her pelvis closer to him as she rubbed her core against his jean-clad leg.