Chapter 155: Bad Introduction

WARNING: Spoiler for Undressed By the Mafia God ahead.

He turned around.

Naomi was coming after him.

"Naomi, go back inside. I just need a break."

She stopped several feet away. "From me? You need a break from me?"

"That’s not what I said."

"You have no right to be mad at me!"

Dorian frowned when he saw tears gathering in her eyes.

"You shouldn’t be mad at me," Naomi insisted. "You said you like me talking."

"Yes, I do." He took a step toward her. "How does that even factor into this situation?"

"You say you like me talking, but you forgot that my mouth is faster than my brain! And sometimes I say things before I even realize what they sound like, and then two seconds later I’m standing there wishing I could drag the words back into my mouth. And I’m sorry!" she continued. "I’m sorry, Dorian."

"I didn’t mean it." Naomi stepped closer. "I’ll try to make my brain keep up." She took another step. "Dorian?"

He wasn’t looking at her anymore.

Naomi’s brows pulled together. "Do you hear me?"

He did.

But something else had caught his attention. A car had been moving slowly down the street when Dorian first turned around.

Then the moment he faced Naomi, it stopped. The argument disappeared from his mind.

"Dorian?"

He kept his eyes on the vehicle. "Naomi. I need you to calmly walk back inside."

"What?"

"Do not run." Dorian spoke evenly, giving nothing away to whoever might be watching them.

"Dorian, what is going on?"

"Walk back to the house." His hand remained inside his pocket, but every muscle in his body was tense now. "Don’t look back. Listen to me."

Whatever argument they had been having was officially dead.

"Get into my car and grab my gun."

Her face went pale. "Your—"

Dorian kept his gaze trained past her shoulder.

"What’s going on?" Naomi’s eyes widened with fear.

"Grab the gun, open the garage door a crack and slide it out. Go now."

"Okay... kay." She could barely breathe.

Everything had changed so quickly that her brain was struggling to catch up.

"Do I call 911?" she asked as she started backing toward the house.

"No." Dorian immediately moved behind her, placing his body between Naomi and the car. "Keep moving."

Naomi swallowed hard and hurried toward the front door.

Dorian waited until she disappeared inside before turning fully toward the street again.

The car had not moved.

Dorian walked toward the garage and stopped beside the door, keeping his attention fixed on the vehicle while he waited.

A few moments later, the garage door lifted slightly.

Just enough.

His gun slid out from underneath. He bent down and picked it up. "Stay inside!" he called. "Don’t come out until you hear only my voice. Do you understand, Naomi?"

"Yes..." Her answer came from somewhere inside the garage.

Dorian could hear the fear in it. "It’s okay, sweetie. Probably nothing." He didn’t believe that.

But Naomi didn’t need to know that right now.

Dorian checked the weapon, then started toward the car. His entire focus remained on the person inside.

The street was quiet enough that he could hear his own footsteps. Then the engine shut off. The driver’s door opened.

Someone began climbing out.

Big.

Bulky frame.

Bald head.

Dorian raised the gun. His arms locked into position. "You have three seconds to tell me why the fuck you are watching me." He kept walking.

The man straightened beside the car.

Apparently having a gun pointed at him did not bother him nearly enough.

"Down, boy..."

"Start talking."

The man lifted his hands slightly, though his posture remained irritatingly relaxed.

Dorian moved closer.

One stupid movement and this conversation was going to become considerably shorter.

"You have a bounty on your head."

Dorian stopped. "So what? Should I shoot you in the head and send a message to every other bounty hunter?" he asked.

"You think you would’ve been able to take the first shot if I actually wanted to collect?"

The stranger sounded almost offended by the suggestion.

"I’m keeping an eye on you," the man added.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"I’m Marco. Luciano asked me to look out for you before he relocated."

The name clicked.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "You’re Valentina’s husband?"

Marco ignored the question completely. "You’ve pissed someone off."

Dorian lowered the gun a fraction. "It’s not the first time." His mouth twisted. "It’s practically in my job description to piss people off."

"I heard the ripple," Marco continued. "Haven’t had enough time to look into it properly yet. I decided to watch you myself tonight until I was sure you got home safely."

"How long have you been following me?"

"Since the restaurant." Marco sighed. "Look, I don’t have enough information yet to hunt down whoever put out the bounty. But until I do, you need to get back inside that house and make whatever arrangements you need for your safety."

"So someone wants me dead?"

Marco shook his head. "Roughed up. Either whoever ordered it is a coward, or they don’t want the heat that comes with killing you."

That narrowed absolutely nothing.

He had spent half his career making enemies out of criminals, angry relatives and people who thought losing a court case entitled them to personal revenge.

Dorian lowered the gun fully. "Thank you, but I have it from here."

"I’ll stay until you get back inside."

Marco stood there like a human wall, completely unbothered.

Dorian stopped directly in front of him. They were roughly the same height, but the similarities ended there. Dorian was broad and controlled, built like a man who knew exactly what he could do in a fight.

Marco looked like he had been constructed specifically to end one.

"I am a criminal lawyer, as you already know," Dorian said. "I defend the likes of your boss. Not necessarily in the Mafia, but people who are just as dangerous. So, Marco, I know the threats that come with my job, and I’m prepared for them. I can handle my business."