Page 192 of The Slayer
The second they were alone, Chuito had kissed her, and the two of them got sidetracked, because the driver in the front couldn’t see them. Chuito looked a little too handsome in that tuxedo to resist. When they pulled to a stop, Alaine was flat on her back on the long bench, with Chuito’s big body over hers. The top three buttons to his shirt were undone, and his tie was abandoned somewhere on the floorboards.
So Alaine sat there, straightening her hair, rice falling into her lap while someone knocked on the window.
Chuito stuffed the tie into his pocket and opened the door faster than Alaine was ready for.
“Mr. Garcia.” A man in a suit looked past Chuito to Alaine. “Mrs. Garcia. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Alaine said with a smile as she kept running her fingers through her hair that had been up but was now a tangle of curls, bobby pins, and flowers. She worked faster at taking it out.
“My name is Raul. I’m your personal concierge assigned by the management. They also send their congratulations.”
“Gracias,” Chuito said and then went on in Spanish as if sensing Alaine needed the break.
The two of them had a conversation while Alaine did the best she could with making herself presentable. Then she leaned forward and rubbed at Chuito’s neck, because there was lipstick there.
At least she hoped it was lipstick.
The two of them really needed to work on that bad habit.
She thought she heard the name Moretti in there a few times, but then Raul said to her, “Anything you need, I’m here to help.”
“Do we need help with anything?” Alaine asked Chuito.
“No,” Chuito said with a smile but reached into his pocket. “This is gonna be the easiest gig you’ve had all year. We’re not leaving the room.”
Alaine hit him, but Raul just laughed.
“Well, if you do, I’m giving you my personal number. My assistant will be available during the late-night hours.” He held up a hand when Chuito pulled out cash. “Mr. Moretti already took care of it.”
“Take it, bro.” Chuito put the cash in his hand. “Mr. Moretti won’t know.”
Raul looked behind him, and Alaine noticed for the first time some of the Italians who had been watching the house had followed them to the hotel.
“They’re not gonna tell,” Chuito assured him and then grabbed Alaine’s hand. “I think they got my back.”
“It’s between us.” An Italian Alaine knew as Tony gave Chuito a smile. He’d been working guard duty a lot, and he was very intense about it. “You’re sorta causing a scene, though. We should probably get upstairs.”
Alaine saw what he meant when she got out. People were standing around, taking pictures and filming with their phones. At first she just thought it was the spectacle of their mafia entourage. It was surely what tipped everyone off, but that wasn’t why they stayed around. The real reason didn’t hit her until someone called out, “Slayer, one picture?”
“Not today.” Tony held up his hand, giving the man a harsh glare. “He just got married.”
“Oh my God,” Alaine whispered, staring, because after five years, this was the first time she got to see Chuito’s celebrity status in person.
It was really amazing, until she realized he was giving it all up.
Then it was just sort of sad.
“It’s okay, mami,” Chuito whispered in her ear as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
She nodded, feeling her eyes get misty, and she was suddenly glad for their new Italian friends clearing their way through the lobby, even if it did make them more of a spectacle.
People took videos and pictures until Chuito and Alaine got into the elevator. The other Italians stayed downstairs, but Tony stepped in the elevator with them as Raul slipped a card into the slot and pushed the top button for them. Then he handed the key card to Chuito. “It’s just your party on the top floor.”
“Are y’all staying?” Alaine asked Tony with a frown.
“In another room. We’ll be invisible,” Tony said as he held up his hands as if he understood her concern. “You won’t know we’re there unless you need us.”
“We’re not gonna need you.” Chuito grinned. “You guys need to get some rest. You missed both parties. I dunno why you keep ending up with the shit jobs.”
