Page 21 of Checkmate

Gio shakes his head. “No, there’s no need. I know she went to the airport. She’s heading back to the place she now calls home. She’s made it clear where she stands on this family, so let her leave.”

I swallow past my own thoughts that want to be spoken. I want to go after her. I want to know why she just left like that. I want to know that she at least got to the plane safely. I hate the idea of her being out there, unprotected, with her brother’s killer on the loose. What if something happens to her? “Yes, Sir,” I manage to tell him.

“We woke you because the security system will not be fixed until morning, so for tonight, I’m going to the hotel. Luz, Matteo, and you are coming with me while every other man on my payroll will stay here and protect the estate.”

I nod my head in agreement, even though the last thing I want to do is go back to that hotel where I just had Vivianna in my arms. I also really don’t want to spend time with Matteo, but I do know that he holds a certain level of responsibility in this mafia, so I’ll keep dealing with him like I have since I met him.

I get dressed, double checking to make sure my gun is loaded and ready before grabbing my bag and heading down to the foyer. “You will drive us, Luca. Luz will follow behind in case anyone tries to tail us.”

“Yes, Sir.” I turn to Luz. “Are you ready?” He simply nods his head. Gio, Luz, and I, along with some of the other guys, head out to my car. Luz is parked behind me. The guys all scan the area for any kind of threat. Once we are securely in the car, I take off with Luz on my tail toward the hotel. I can’t help but look to the passenger seat out of the corner of my eye. Just hours ago, Vivianna was sleeping there and now she’s gone and there’s no telling for how long.

We make it to the hotel in record time since the traffic in the middle of the night was pretty light. “Do you want me to park or valet?”

“Valet,” Gio answers. I pull up to the valet where I hand over my key in exchange for the number and we head inside. A bellhop comes running outside to take our luggage and hands Gio a key. He follows behind us as we head toward the elevator bank. Once we’re in the elevator, Gio presses the button to take us up to the third floor. I know from experience that this floor is all suites. When we arrive, he heads down the hall until we meet the end where the high roller suite sits. It takes up the entire back half of the third floor. Gio slips the key inside and I step in front of him, my gun ready to be drawn if necessary.

“Oh please, what are you going to do? Shoot someone?” Matteo asks, from where he’s lounging on the couch, eating fresh strawberries.

“Who is to say he wouldn’t have had to shoot someone? At least he was prepared for a threat while you sat on your ass eating fruit. You should know better, Matteo. You grew up in this life and you should know to never let your guard down. What if Luca had been a threat?” Gio raises his eyebrows even though Matteo is staring at the floor like a pouting toddler. “You should never let your guard down, Matteo. I expected more from you. Maybe I should send you to the estate and have Marco come here instead, or maybe I should remove my alliance with your family altogether since you all seem to be so comfortable and easily distracted.”

“I’m very sorry, Sir. It won’t happen again,” Matteo mumbles quietly.

Gio shakes his head. Luz enters the suite much like I did, but relaxes once he sees that everything is fine. We gather around Gio to see what the next step is. “You all will take shifts sitting up and watching the door. Four-hour intervals, day and night, until the security at the estate is fixed.” We all nod in unison.

“I’ll go first,” I volunteer.

Matteo scoffs. “You’re such a suck up.”

“Actually, I was just thinking I’d already had some sleep and it might be easier for me to stay awake right now.” My glare lands on him.

“Very true, Luca. Good thinking. You take first shift. Luz will relieve you in four hours and then Matteo.” Gio turns to Matteo. “That is if you think you can manage to stay awake and not let your guard down.”

Matteo looks like a scolded child. “Yes, Sir.”

“Then it’s set. Keep your eyes open,” Gio says, before he turns and heads down the hallway to the large, intricately designed double wood doors at the end of the hallway. I’m assuming it’s the master bedroom in this suite.

Luz turns to me. “If anything seems suspicious wake me up.”

I nod my head. “I will.” Matteo and Luz leave and go into the other two doors. Clearly, it’s not their first time in this situation. I take off my jacket and toss it over one of the large, lavish leather chairs. I survey the room now that my eyes are free to wander. Along the side of the wall is a fully-stocked, all-glass bar with sleek black bar stools in front of it. The muted lighting gives it the feeling of being in some swanky club. The walls are all painted a light beige color with white moldings encasing the entire room. There is a large wood dining table next to the bar and from the door I can see the kitchen from here. The living area consists of two large leather sofas and two chairs with a large marble-top coffee table. A fireplace sits directly in the middle of the wall and a TV above it with French doors on either side of it that lead out to a balcony. A large chandelier hangs above the sitting area. The floor isa geometricporcelain tile in various shades of browns. The suite has been spared no expense, that’s for sure.

I walk over and check both sets of the French doors. They’re locked and secure. I decide that a little drink couldn’t hurt, so I go over and pour myself some whiskey before heading over to the dining room table where I have a perfect view of the front door as well as the French doors. I pull my guns out from the waistband of my jeans and sit them beside me. Sitting down, I pull my phone out and scroll through the contacts. I type a quick text to my “dad”, actually known as Detective Ratliff. I let him know that I’m doing okay and will see him soon. That’s our code for needing to meet up because I have some new information. I know that in three days’ time, I have to be at our meeting spot, or he’ll assume the worst.

Once that’s sent, I continue to scroll until I see Leo’s name. It’s odd how this was just supposed to be my job, integrating myself into this mafia and family, but somehow it gave me the best friend I have ever had. The weight of his murder is heavy on my shoulders, and I don’t have a clue on where to start to find the answers. I keep hoping I’ll catch wind of something, but it’s hard at the moment, especially with my mind on Vivianna. I can’t imagine why she left. I mean, I thought we had truly shared something. At least to me it was something special, but I guess for her it wasn’t.

I sigh and run my hand over my face. If only I could reach her, but I have no way of getting into contact with her. The only reason I knew anything about her was because of Leo. I know Matteo got her number from his phone after he was murdered, but I don’t have access to that. I don’t do social media, not that I figure Vivianna does either, due to the double lives that my job requires. I wish I could just talk to her again or at least see that smirk she gave me.

Finally, Ratliff texts me with “Check in b4 you come by,” which is code to meet him at four o’clock in the morning at our spot. God, I hate early mornings, but sometimes they have to be done. After that’s all taken care of, I sit back and sip my whiskey while periodically getting up and checking the doors to make sure things look secure.

Luz comes up behind me while I’m doing a check on one set of the French doors. “Time’s up, kid.”

I turn around. “Wow! It’s already been four hours? That went by quicker than I expected.”

“I thought so too,’” he tells me with a chuckle. “Go grab some shut-eye while you can.”

“Okay, everything has been quiet so far. If you sit at the dining room table you have the perfect vantage point of seeing all the doors at one time, in case you didn’t know.” I feel like an idiot for giving him advice on a job that he’s been doing longer than I’ve been alive. “Sorry, I’m sure you already knew that.”

Luz chuckles. “I did, but I’m glad you’re aware enough to notice that as well. You’re good at this kid. Now, go get some sleep.”

I nod and head down the hallway to the room Luz just vacated. I walk over to the couch and get comfortable, but the scent from where Vivianna slept on my chest still clings to me. I take a deep breath trying to memorize it, while hoping like hell it’s not the last time I smell it coming from her.

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