Page 43 of An Eye For Illusion

Dino is taller and much larger than Carlo and Frankie. He towers over the four of us with ease. He isn’t someone I’d want to piss off, which makes me assume he’s the muscle.

“I’ve told you about calling me that,” he grumbles to Frankie.

“Whatcha gonna do, DD? Cry to Vin?” Frankie mocks Dino’s annoyance. Clearly, he knows Dino well enough to poke fun and not get his face smashed in.

“Vinny’s got his hands full with that dumbass agent he brought on. I don’t know what he sees in him. So far, he’s brought a whole lot of nothing to the table.”

Carlo’s statement piques my interest.

“He’s got Steph on him hot and heavy, but she’s coming up with nothing,” Dino adds.

Moore must be the dumbass agent, and Steph must be the mystery woman.

“He’s not banking on Elliott, you dumbasses. Vinny’s got a plan,” Frankie explains.

I think I have an idea of who Vinny is banking on, and I don’t fucking like it.

“You did good, kid,” Donovan says as he pours a hefty shot of bourbon into a glass. He raises the bottle and tilts it towards me, silently asking if I want some.

I nod. After that, I need something to take the edge off. It isn’t even from my anxiety caused by what we did tonight. After the initial introduction, the guys seemed to want to get down to the nitty gritty of why I was there. Cars.

I did enough research to save my ass in front of them, but I need to do more. The deeper this goes, the more I’ll need to know my shit.

That’s the least of my worries, though. It was hard as hell to focus after Frankie mentioned Vinny had a plan beyond Elliott. I’m pretty sure I know what they were talking about, and the plan isn’t a what. It’s a who.

Just thinking about it causes a sharp tightness in my chest that spreads. I fought all night to push the feeling at bay so I could concentrate on the assignment. It was a battle I barely won, and I hope it wasn’t obvious.

“I was a little worried when they alluded to Moore being used. Thought your head might pop off right there in the middle of the warehouse, and I’d have to figure out how to get us both out of there alive.” Donovan sighs, then takes another swig of his drink.

I spin the glass he just placed in front of me before scrubbing a hand down my face. “I’m sorry, man. I should’ve been prepared for them to pop off something like that, but it surprised me.”

We’re standing in Donovan’s apartment next to the kitchen island. His place isn’t far from mine, so we came here after finishing up at the warehouse. We figure if any of them plan to watch us, it’s safer to come here.

All the guys try to stay close to the home office. Well, everyone except SJ, who moved back home to Sutter Creek with his fiancé, Nora.

The move for SJ seems to be working for him, and I’m glad he’s happy. We were all a little skeptical that it could work, but SJ was willing to do whatever it took to make it successful. Nora is an amazing woman and an exceptional dancer. They met when Nora’s parents snuck around and hired SJ behind their daughter’s back to be her bodyguard because she had a deranged stalker.

One thing led to another, and the two of them fell head over heels for each other. It’s a sweet story of how they met, but falling for your client is a big no-no. It worked out for them. He took the stalker down and got the girl.

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have someone to come home to every night. I even want it sometimes, but I haven’t found the person I crave.

Jade pops into my head out of nowhere, and I’m taken aback by the image that plays in my mind. Us lying in my bed, our arms wrapped around each other while watching a movie. It’s so wholesome I almost laugh out loud at the thought.

Never in a million years would Jade Foster be content staying in to watch a stupid movie with me instead of having a night out on the town. She’s a wine and dine kind of woman, not someone who would be happy with a quiet life.

We had a hot and heavy moment the other day in the hallway of her apartment building that confused the shit out of me. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to devour her whole right then or protect her at all costs, even from me. The feelings warring in my body were so strong I lost all common sense while standing in front of her doorway.

I shake my head, freeing myself of thinking about what I wanted to do to her. Like strip her bare in more ways than one. That thought alone was enough to make me take a step back that night.

What happened the other night was just built up sexual tension, and I’m pretty sure she hates my guts now. Not that I blame her. My explanation for the flowers came out all wrong, but there wasn’t much I could say to save myself from my word vomit.

Do I think she’s a raging lunatic at work? A slave driver who underappreciates her employees? No. However, I do think the woman could stand to be a little nicer and a little more understanding. She needs a hug, dammit.

“Dude, did you hear me?” Donovan asks.

He’s standing in front of the kitchen bar, waiting impatiently. I was too lost in my thoughts of Jade Foster that I have no idea what he just asked me.

“Sorry, I was thinking about tonight. What’s up?”

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