I don’t know much about men in the Mob, but I do know that if Declan put Spider on my security patrol and Spider saw that beast come out of the restroom I was in, Spider would’ve lost his mind.
I doubt he would’ve been quiet about it.
Holding the envelope of cash behind my back, I push the door open a few inches and look through.
Spider stands sentry two feet away. I peer cautiously up and down the hallway. Other than Spider, it’s empty.
“Lass? You okay?”
“You already asked me that.”
“I know, but your glasses are all steamy.”
Of course they are. A large, handsome, terrifying man just set my endocrine system on fire. “I’m fine, thanks. Did you see someone come out of here a minute ago?”
“No. Why?”
“Oh, no reason. He just—”
“He?”
Spider bristles like Wolverine and steps forward, eyes blazing. He whips his hand around under his suit coat to the small of his back, where I suppose a large loaded gun is nesting.
I say quickly, “I meant she! Sorry. Um, she…whoever was last in here…left something on the counter.”
“Oh. Right.”
Like a light switch has been thrown, Spider settles back into his usual amiable, attractive self. He folds his hands in front of his crotch and smiles at me. “You ready to go back to the table, lass?”
The cash in my hand has gained considerable weight since I opened the door. I have no idea what I should do with it.
Leave it on the sink?
Stuff it in my underwear?
Try to find its owner?
I dismiss all those ideas as quickly as I think of them but am still in a quandary. I don’t want to leave this kind of cash lying around a ladies room, but I can’t keep it, either. And I can’t exactly smuggle it out and devise a plan later on—a single bill would make a bulge under this obscene dress I’m wearing.
And what if it does belong to Sloane?
In that case, I should flush it down the damn toilet.
But I compromise with myself and ask Spider if he’d mind if I wore his suit jacket.
He hesitates a moment, his gaze unreadable.
“Sorry, it’s just that my dress is air-conditioned. Sloane made me wear it. I think I’ve already caught pneumonia.”
When he still hesitates, I understand. “Right. You need your jacket to camouflage all the weapons you’ve got stashed under it.”
“None of us need to hide our weapons.”
“Oh. Does Bermuda have an open carry law or something?”
His expression turns amused. “No, they have strict gun laws here. But who’d dare to challenge us?”
Wow. It must be nice to work for the king of the jungle. From the sound of it, anything goes.
“Here, lass.”
Declan shrugs off his jacket and holds it out, waiting to help me put it on. I step through the door, my hands behind my back, then turn around, moving them to the front as Declan drapes his coat over my shoulders.
It’s warm and smells like him, spice and musk. Must be the testosterone.
Tucking the envelope into a pocket inside the jacket, I turn back and smile at him. “Thank you. Handsome and a gentleman.”
His cheeks turn ruddy. He clears his throat and says gruffly, “You’re welcome. But do me a favor and tell Declan if he asks that it was your idea.”
“It was my idea.”
“Aye.” Embarrassed, he runs a hand over his hair. “I just don’t want him to think…you know…that I…”
I laugh. “Spider, he’s not going to be mad because you let me wear your jacket. It’s a nice thing to do!”
Shifting his weight from foot to foot, he shakes his head. “There are protocols, lass. I can’t…” He makes a vague gesture that includes the two of us.
I get what he’s trying to say and am instantly horrified.
“Oh, shit! Oh, my god, you’re not allowed to flirt with me! Not that you would, I’m just saying. You’ll get into trouble if you even look at Sloane’s kid sister sideways. Ugh, no wonder I make you so uncomfortable.”
He stares at me for a beat, then says softly, “That’s not quite the word I’d use to describe it.”
Taken off guard, I blink.
Before I can form a reply, Spider turns and walks away, shoulders stiff. He waits for me at the end of the hallway, acting as if he’s desperate to look anywhere but in my direction.
O…kay.
Wondering if maybe I ate some THC gummies I forgot about, I walk down the hallway, then follow Spider back to the table.