Page 32 of The Don

“Um.” I lower my chin and scan the top of my thighs as I try to remember what happened, word for word. “I splashed water on my face.” I lift my hands simulating the act. “She came in and asked me if I was okay, and I said I was. She went into the stall, and when she came out, she said something like I could always leave and I don’t have spousal privilege because you and I aren’t married, and that I can go to jail along with you, Dominic, and Rose,” the words vomit out of my mouth in one continuous sentence. “Rose can’t go to prison. She can’t—”

“No one is going to prison, but you do need to tell me what else was said. How do you know the room was bugged?”

“Oh, she said I shouldn’t keep apologizing to you.”

He gently grips my chin and lifts my head so I can look into his eyes. “Very smart.” He kisses my forehead.

“I just thought, how would she know what I said to you, especially considering it’s only us in the room. Which means, the room had to be bugged.”

“I’m proud of you.”

I feel my face split into a massive smile. “I wouldn’t say anything, Ruben.”

“I know.” He kisses my forehead again. “I owe you lunch.”

“Can we go back to the house? I don’t think I can take any more excitement today.”

“Of course.”

I sit back and cuddle into Ruben’s side. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. He has a distinct aroma, somewhere between coffee and fiery ash. As crazy as this is, I feel protected when he’s close. Even in a room filled with strangers, knowing Ruben is nearby gives me the reassurance to keep breathing.

As far as I’m concerned, Ruben Sacco is nothing like him. Not even a little. Not when it comes to me.

And no FBI agent is going to try and convince me otherwise.

Chapter seven

Ruben

The knock on my door forces me to stop focusing on the screen. “Yeah.” I sit back and roll my shoulders. Dante opens the door. “Come in.” He walks in and helps himself to a scotch before sitting opposite me. “What is it?”

“Eliza.” I push the chair back, ready to leap to my feet and run upstairs to find her. “She’s safe.”

“Then what is it?”

“She was right, the room was bugged. I checked the security of the restaurant, and there was an hour when it looped.”

“How did you find it?”

“I had Andre go over the footage. He found a time loop.”

“Fucking FBI.”

“I’ve already authorized a sweep of all the other businesses.”

“Good,” I say. Dante slowly lifts the scotch to his mouth and swirls the contents around in the glass. “What else?”

“There’s been talk about what Adrian did to Eliza.”

I sit back in my chair and cross my arms in front of my chest. “Who the fuck is talking?”

“Two soldiers.”

I run my tongue over my teeth as I lift my chin and stare at Dante. “What are they saying?” the words come out with anger.

“They’re saying he used to pimp her out to his men.”

“They are, are they?”