Page 115 of My Broken Bodyguard 2: Ritchie & Tori

His jaw ticked like he was angry. Why would he be upset about that?

He placed the dry side of the handkerchief over her nose. “Blow.”

She did as she was told. Once she was done blowing her nose, he removed the handkerchief.

“I told her I’d tell her as soon as I could about what’s been going on for years.”

For years. I tried to wrap my mind around her statement. Simone had been hiding things from me and the girls for years.

Be her friend, listen, and be understanding.

As I sauntered toward the door, I wondered about the expensive diamond ring Simone was wearing. Who was Ezra? I mean, he probably made good money working for a mafia boss. But I couldn’t see him getting paid millions of dollars. My wedding ring had to cost half a mill. Which wasn’t necessary. However, Ritchie and Catch came from mafia royalty so they could afford it.

It was time for Ezra to come clean.

I halted at the door and turned. “Ezra, the wedding ring you bought for Simone looks expensive. I apologize for asking so many questions, but you work for me, and I feel I should know who’s guarding me. Did you receive a windfall or something?”

Simone curled into Ezra’s side.

“I come from a well-off family. My mom is a doctor, and my dad owns a successful law firm. My family has always been wealthy.”

I shook my head. “And now you work for the mafia?” I scrunched up my nose. “That’s interesting.” I blew out a breath.

To be honest, I was a little annoyed he was running around playing bodyguard and didn’t have to. He didn’t know what it was like to go hungry. The girls and I did.

“All right, have a good night,” I said.

“Nope, I’m not leaving you just yet. I know you’re upset because your best friend has kept secrets.” He gripped Simone’s neck. “She was loyal to her husband. Again, be upset with me. Not her. In the meantime, get settled. I’ll bring your luggage to your bedroom. Simone and I will stay out of your way. When Ritchie arrives, we’ll leave.”

“Yup.” I walked into the house.

It sounded like he’d never been out of her life. It was confusing.

My jaw dropped in awe as I took in the sprawling off-white kitchen fit for a chef. The center island boasted a sleek grayand white granite countertop, with an industrial eight burner stove. My fingers moved over the massive stainless steel double door sub-zero refrigerator on my right. There was plenty of cabinet space for all my pots and pans, and a row of chairs around the counter, perfect for entertaining friends. As I looked up, I noticed the off-white ceiling beams and oversized white chandeliers. I slipped off my shoes and relished the coolness of the marble floor beneath my feet.

Despite everything we had been through, Ritchie had managed to find us this amazing home. It was hard to believe that he had only known me for a short time, yet he spoiled me as if we had been together for years.

With everything we’d been through, he’d managed to take the time to locate homes for us to live in. He hadn’t even known me that long. Yet he spoiled me like we’d dated for years. I heard Simone giggling behind me as the door clicked closed.

“Come on, Mrs. Costa. I’ll show you to the guest bedroom,” Ezra stated.

I glanced into a few of the cabinets, sucking up the new wood smell.

This new home reminded me so much of our house in Chicago; it felt surreal that Ritchie and I now owned homes together. But to be honest, I would have been happy just sharing a bed with him at the warehouse.

Did this home make me feel relaxed? Absolutely. It was like Ritchie had intentionally bought a home that mirrored our Chicago one. Clever. I laughed inside. My husband was very clever.

After admiring the grand crystal chandelier in the atrium, I casually ascended the elegant staircase. I wondered which bedroom would be ours, or if it even mattered. Skipping the first bedroom on the left, I ventured down the hallway to my right. Each room was exquisite, but most were missing furniture.I was left with the daunting task of furnishing this massive house. I’d make time to get it done. I halted in front of a closed door and twisted the knob back and forth. It didn’t budge. Ezra and Simone were probably inside. I turned and headed back down the hallway. With a deep breath, I reached for the gold doorknobs and pushed open the double doors, stumbling back in awe.

The ceiling above the king-sized bed was covered in gold squares that sparkled, reminding me of a grandiose door to a palace. A chandelier suspended over the bed added a touch of Hollywood glamour to the stunning room. It was definitely a place where I could easily spend days on end. The opulent gold walls continued into the walk-in closet and oversized bathroom, where six people could comfortably shower together. Despite changing clothes, I still smelled like smoke from earlier, so I wasted no time turning on the shower and discarding my clothes. Retrieving a scrunchie from my purse, I pulled my blonde hair into a tight bun atop my head. Before entering the glass shower, I snatched a washcloth off the rack.

Did he choose this house for its luxurious black and gold bedroom, or perhaps for the state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen? It didn’t matter; I already loved this house.

The steaming hot water pelted my aching muscles, providing momentary relief from the pain. I grabbed the shower gel off the shelf and poured a generous amount onto the washcloth. It felt good scrubbing my skin clean.

Don’t think about it, Tori. Focus on this moment.

My eyelids lowered as I enjoyed the hot water rinsing away the smell of smoke.

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