Page 9 of Caruso
We head down the hall, past the huge living area but not as far as Giorgio’s playroom. There is a guest bedroom we use for passing relatives, and it suits my purpose now.
As we head inside, she remains in the doorway, and as I turn, I note the steel in her eyes as they flash, noting she has swapped one bedroom for another and is probably fearing the worst.
“It’s private. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do with you yet.”
“In what way?”
“Relax, I’m not that man. I’m able to keep my hands to myself if that’s what you’re thinking.”
She nods, with no trace of her thoughts in her expression.
“So, Taylor–”
I point to the bed. “Welcome to your new home until I do.”
“I don’t understand.”
This time I face her with the promise of what happens if she steps out of line and a flicker of fear lights her eyes as I hiss, “I take the reputation of my hotel very seriously and the last thing I need is a scandal attached. Until I discover exactly who that man was, you will remain here until I decide what I’m going to do with you.”
I point to the bed. “You can call this home for as long as it takes and only come out when I unlock the door. Nobody knows you are here, and I’m known for taking no shit, so I must warn you against trying to escape. Take this as an unexpected vacation and enjoy your stay because this may be a five-star hotel, but your cage is a prison all the same.”
“I’m your prisoner?”
She raises her eyes and once again, I detect no fear, just curiosity, and I nod.
“For now. Until I have decided what to do with you.”
She nods, standing tall and without any fear, and as I make to leave, I hesitate and then turn, asking casually, “What happened to your stepfather?”
“He is at home.”
“You never–”
She shrugs, a small smile playing on her lips as she answers me. “He’s alive, if that’s what you’re asking—for now.”
“For now?”
“Yes, Mr. Caruso, for now, because if I ever see that man again, he won’t be for much longer.”
I turn away before she can witness the smile stretching across my face right now because as the words fell, and she stared at me with a defiant smile, I believe I fell a little in love with the ethereal beauty who has stumbled from one kind of hell right into another and this particular devil can fight back if necessary.
Chapter Five
Taylor
The door closes softly behind him, and as the lock turns, my heart is released from its cage and beats wildly inside me.
Fuck, what just happened?
I killed a man. He lay at my feet staring up at me, and I felt nothing but pride. He won’t hurt another woman again. I have saved humanity from a monster, and I love how that empowers me.
I glance around the pretty room, and as prisons go, this one is delightful. I almost can’t believe my luck as I stare at the huge emperor-sized bed with tasteful coverings, more sumptuous than the ones in the hotel room. Luxury on a grander scale.
The carpet is impractical, white and plush, and the simple furnishings contain tasteful objects like lamps and sculptures. There are fresh flowers in a vase on a table near the window, and as I move across, I note the view of the Vegas Strip, lighting the darkness outside.
Beneath me, life carries on, but not for some. Not for the man who is currently being dealt with by my host. I move away from the view and head into the bathroom, gasping at the sheer size of it. The tub is freestanding and made of copper, and the low-level lighting bathes the room in a warm glow. It’s almost intimate.
There is a huge mirror that covers one wall and a shower that covers the other. I could die happy in this room, which could be a possibility because I will not underestimate my jailer. His reputation precedes him because I researched everything about the Caruso brothers, which is why I came here in the first place. For them.
