Page 37 of The Agreement

“And I really don’t go after those or didn’t. My eye was always drawn to the ones who would give me coy looks over their shoulders and then turn around as if I wasn’t anything. They still let me chase them though we both knew exactly where the night would go.” Odd that wasn’t something she would have picked up on from this man. Not when she had seen him at various events or clubs and the women would flock to him. But looking back, yeah, she could see that he didn’t give those types of women much attention. “Surprised?” The thought intrigued her for many reasons and it was something she was going to keep in the back of her mind.

“Maybe a little,” she said, lifting the glass to her lips again. “I guess I just always thought you screwed anything that walked to you.” He laughed at that.

“No, I had my morals you know.” Vinny sat his glass on the table between them and leaned forward. “What will be going on, I need you for. There will be playtime, and I do plan on spoiling you, but there will be business deals and I will need you there because I trust you. And though the crew knows where we are landing, they don’t know where we are going, no one does.”

“At all?”

“My dad, Salvatore, and Frankie, because he will watch over us, but that is it, no one else knows.”

~ Chapter 29 ~

Val took another sip, the meaning clear to her; no one knew where they were and that meant that so many things were private and for sure things she couldn’t spread, she got that. And after downing her drink, she nodded at him that she understood. She would just have to treat this like everything else, just more hands-on than what she was used to, but she could do it.

“Am I going to have to be a pretty face as well?”

“Yes, but one who speaks her mind and questions things; you aren’t just a silent beauty.” She sat back and crossed her legs as she watched him. She had to give him props; she hadn’t thought that he would want her help like this but she was glad he did. She saw him lean back as well and she had to smile at him. “What is that for?”

“Just this,” she said, waving her hand around them. “I would have thought hell would have frozen oven before we flew somewhere and before I helped you with anything. It’s just as odd.”

“Yeah, it’s very different, won’t lie. But you know,” he paused and waved the attendant away when she asked if they wanted more, “it’s not a bad thing.”

“I never said it was Vinny, just unusual. I mean, in some ways, you and I were like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.” He made a face and she laughed again. “What was that for?”

“That story has always annoyed me. I know many people talk about how it’s this great love story, but to me, it’s not.” Before she got a chance to ask why the voice of the pilot came on overhead saying they were landing in New York within a few minutes.

“Would I be coming to New York with you in the future?” she asked as the plane touched down and they taxied to the private area.

“Depending on how this goes, yes. If the dealings work out as I want, your sharp mind will for sure come in handy.” She nodded as she stood up and turned to walk off the plane, Vinny right behind her, his hand on her lower back. She couldn’t pass up the chance to look over her shoulder at Nicole, who was openly glaring. And as they walked down the stairs to the private door into the terminal, she couldn’t help but think if that’s what things would be like for her every time she and Vinny went out.

“Tonight we have a dinner to go to and a dress should already be in the room.” Val glanced at Vinny, a confused look on her face.

“Did you buy me clothes?”

“Some. You have a dress for tonight, an outfit for tomorrow, and an evening gown for the opera for the last night.”

“Oh, that’s your treat for working?” She climbed into the car and he followed her.

“Is that not something you like?”

“No, I do, I used to go with my dad or friends, and just amazed you would want to go.”

“Well, I wanted to treat you so I will be there because you are.” Val lifted a brow. Yes, it might be her treat, but she knew that there was something else to it; she just would have to wait and see what it was. Val’s attention drifted away from Vinny and to the sight that had risen up around her. She had always found downtown Chicago gorgeous, and the lights of Vegas were a sight to behold but she thought both paled in comparison to the buildings of New York. Her breath caught as her eyes tried to capture everything and she knew that she would have to come back to this city, no matter if business brought them out there or not. “It’s jaw-dropping huh?” Vinny asked as he put his head close to hers.

“I have always loved the skyline of Chicago but these, God, there is more here than in Chicago.”

“I was the same way when I first made the trip out there. And every time since, it’s no less beautiful.” He took her hand and she glanced at him. “I have many friends here in the city but I havenemici(enemies) too. Many don’t know who you are exactly, other than maybe a daughter of a Don since your dad has no dealings out here. So when I tell you to be careful or to mind Frankie or me, you need to, okay?” She knew enough of the big bad mafia world to know when it was best just to listen and so she nodded.

She wasn’t a fool; she knew there were men from various parts of the US after her dad. Even though he may not have dealings out here, didn’t mean that people wouldn’t be after him. “You have my promise Vinny; I will try not to do anything stupid.” The side-eye glance he gave her was enough to make her giggle. But he said nothing else as they pulled up to the hotel and once more her jaw dropped in shock. Though truth be told, a fancy hotel wasn’t out of her norm, but the size of this one was far bigger than any place she had been at before.

“Should I be expecting this look every time I take you somewhere while we are here?” he whispered into her ear and she smacked him.

“Some of us just don’t get to see so many big things.” She threw a wink his way as she walked away and laughed at his expression. A virgin she might be but that didn’t mean that she didn’t flirt or didn’t know how to rile a man up. And that expression, that look, made every bit of it worthwhile.

She strolled around the lobby while Vinny checked in and once he got the key, he went to a private elevator that the only way to access was by that key. She nodded to the key he put in his pocket, “is that reserved for the penthouse?”

“Yes, it is. I wasn’t sure if you were comfortable having the same bed, so I thought the penthouse would be perfect for our stay.”

“And are you expecting any company?”

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