The Guardian (The Wolfe Series) (6 page)

“The cuisine here is said to be some of the best in New York City,” Luzaro said as he motioned for the waiter who had been waiting discreetly not far from their table.  “It’s flavors are clean and simple yet the presentations are refined.
  They emphasize regional ingredients and seafood.”

“How may I be of assistance, sir?” the head waiter asked politely.  He’d been warned that
their guest was very hard to please and that he expected perfection in both the food and service.  And as the head waiter, he meant to see that the bistro’s reputation was upheld to the highest standards.

“I’ll have another Manhattan, and for you?”  Luzaro motioned toward Laurie.

“I’ll have iced tea, thank you,” Laurie said, self-consciously, not knowing what else to order.

“Oh, come on,” Julie cajoled.  “Live a little, girl.”  Turning to the waiter she said as she looked at the menu she’d been handed, “I’ll have The Big Apple.  Chilled Van Gogh Apple Vodka with fresh
apple puree served “up”.  Yum.”

“It’s not necessary that you drink alcohol,” Luzaro said, noticing Laurie’s distress.  He was constantly surprised by the feelings he had for this woman.  It had been a long time since he’d cared for another human being and he wasn’t sure he liked it.  It made him
feel vulnerable and that was something he couldn’t afford if he was going to hold onto his position as leader of the Crótalo.  Luzaro sighed.  Even though his mind told him to be reasonable and to draw back from this woman, his heart and body were telling him just the opposite.

“You’re right,” Laurie said, tamping down her misgivings
, determined that she would enjoy the afternoon with Luc and Julie.  “I’ll have The Big Apple also.”

“Thata girl,” Julie said, hoping the drink would help soothe her friend’s
obvious nerves. 

They dined on Duck
Comfit and Chicory Salad followed by Bucatini Pasta Pomodoro served with olive oil and garlic braised tomatoes, fresh basil and shaved Pecorino Romano.  As good as the food and impeccable service was, Laurie still felt uncomfortable throughout the meal with so many eyes watching them.  She was relieved when the meal was finally over and the head waiter approached their table once more.

“
Would anyone care for desert?” the head waiter asked, careful to address Luzaro and not the two women.  “We have a wonderful warm apple cobbler, pumpkin cheesecake, and my personal favorite, our Molton chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and semisweet chocolate sauce.

“Shall we try the chocolate cake, ladies,” Luzaro asked without waiting for the women to respond. 
He nodded his head at the waiter and the man disappeared toward the back of the bistro and into the kitchen, glad to escape the overpowering presence of Luzaro Rivera and his bodyguards. 

Enrique pushed his own plate aside having hardly touched his food.  He was watching and waiting for the woman called Julie to succumb to the poison he’d paid so handsomely to have put in her food
at Luzaro’s request.  Not enough poison to kill her, just enough to make her slightly nauseous and unable to go with Luzaro and the other woman on their sightseeing tour this afternoon.  Luzaro had wanted the blonde woman all to himself and planned to be his persuasive best in convincing her to see him again.  Enrique was surprised that Luzaro was making such an effort with the woman and wondered why he didn’t just take what he wanted and have done with it.  That fact worried Enrique more than he wanted to admit.

             
“What shall we do this afternoon?  The Empire State Building?  Ground Zero?  I’ve been wanting to see that.”  Luzaro glanced at Julie and a smile lifted the corner of his lips when he saw the moisture beaded on her upper lip.  “Is something wrong, Julie?”

             
Laurie placed her hand on Julie’s forehead.  “Are you feeling okay?”

             
“I’m not feeling so great,”  Julie said.  She’d been feeling nauseous and slightly dizzy during the last part of their meal.  There was no way she was going to get any more found down and the chocolate cake the waiter was carrying toward their table made her want to vomit.  She took deep breaths and concentrated as hard as she could on keeping down the food she’d already eaten.  “I think I need to go home.”

             
Laurie jumped to her feet.  “I’ll take you.”

             
“Nonsense,” Julie said.  “I’ll not have yours and Luc’s afternoon spoiled over my little old stomach upset.  I’d never forgive myself.  I’m sure I’ll be perfectly fine once I get home and can lay down for a few minutes.  It must be something I ate.”

             
Luzaro snapped his fingers and two of his bodyguards immediately rushed toward his table.  “My men will see that you get home safely.” 
And that you stay there
. 

             
“Oh, thank you, Luc,” Julie said lamely, not sure that she was going to be able to get out of the bistro without embarrassing herself.  “You guys have fun and don’t worry about me.  I’ll be fine.”

             
“Absolutely not!” Laurie said emphatically.  There was no way she was going to send Julie home with two complete strangers.  Julie gave Laurie a look of gratitude as she was rushed out of the bistro by the two bodyguards.

             
“Your friend will be fine,” Luzaro said, trying to brush aside Laurie’s concern for Julie with a sweep of his hand.  “My men take their responsibilities very seriously.  She’ll be well taken care of, I assure you.”

             
“I’m going with her,” Laurie said as she grabbed her purse and would have hurried after Julie if Luzaro hadn’t jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm stopping her in mid-stride. 
What the hell?
Laurie jerked her arm out of his grasp, her emerald eyes flashing green fire.

             
Luzaro realized his mistake and backed off immediately.  “I apologize.  You’re absolutely right.  We should all go and make sure your friend is all right.”  He turned toward the table where Enrique and the two bodyguards sat watching the drama unfold.  “Enrique, get my car, we’re leaving.”

Laurie’s expression softened immediately, glad she had misjudged
Luc’s intentions. “Thank you for being so understanding.”

Luzaro’s insides churned at the thought of their outing being postponed.  He wasn’t used to being denied anything he wanted and had looked forward to spending the afternoon with Laurie.  “Nonsense, it will give me an excuse to see you again.  Tomorrow afternoon?” he asked hopefully as he ushered her toward the bistro’s exit.

Laurie didn’t have the heart to deny his request, especially after the way he had helped Julie.  “Yes, that would be nice.”

             
“Are you feeling any better,” Laurie asked later that afternoon as she pressed a fresh ice pack against Julie’s forehead.  Julie had lost her lunch the moment they’d gotten back to her apartment and had vomited several other times since then.  She was pale and listless but at least she’d stopped vomiting which relieved Laurie to no end.

             
“This damned food poisoning is a bitch,” Julie said, determined to erase the worry lines from Laurie’s face.  “I’m sorry I spoiled your afternoon.”

             
“You didn’t spoil anything,” Laurie said as she sat on the bed beside her friend.  “Luc and I will being seeing the sights tomorrow afternoon so you don’t need to worry about that, okay?”

             
Julie expelled a deep breath.  “I’m glad to hear that.  So what do you think of your Mr. Rivera?”

             
“First of all, he’s not my Mr. Rivera.” Laurie found she was uncomfortable with that thought.  “Secondly, I’m not sure about him.  There’s something off about him, I just can’t put my finger on it.”

             
“You’re probably uncomfortable with all of the bodyguards he has surrounding him.”

             
“Yes, why does he need that many men to protect him?”

             
Julie struggled to sit up and propped several pillows behind her.  Leaning back against the pillows she said, “Men with the kind of wealth that Luc obviously has often travel with bodyguards.  Nothing unusual in that, but if you’re really worried about it I can have him checked out by a friend of mine who considers himself a hacker extraordinaire.”

             
Laurie thought about it for a few moments.  “Let’s hold off on that.  I don’t know if I’ll be seeing him again after tomorrow.  He’s a little too intense for me.  I think he wants something from me I’ll never be able to give him.”

             
“Are you sure about that?  He’s awfully handsome and charming.  And all that money sure doesn’t hurt anything.”

             
“I don’t think I could live the way he does,” Laurie mused.  “You’d never have any privacy and you know how I feel about that.”

             
“Yes, loner Laurie.”  Julie shook her head.  “I thought you were going to try and change that.”

             
“I’m trying,” Laurie said in her own defense.  “I agreed to go with Luc tomorrow, didn’t I?”  She didn’t need to tell Julie about the mace she carried in her purse at all times, nor about the kick-boxing lessons she’d been taking the past six months.  She had no doubt she could defend herself if necessary if Luc tried anything. 
What about his bodyguards, hum?

             
“I know you are, honey,” Julie sighed.  “Just call me the worrier.  Hell, I’m turning into my mother!”

             
Laurie laughed at Julie’s exaggeration, glad that her friend was finally on the mend.  “We’ll see how tomorrow goes.  He’s leaving town in a few days so that will probably be the end of it.”  She hoped so anyway.

              The Central Park Suite was located on the third floor of the Ritz Carlton and looked out onto a magnificent view of Central Park. It boasted a large entry foyer and two living rooms and the adjacent dining room with private service entrance seated eight comfortably.  Seven-hundred count linens, plush terry robes, and the very finest in toiletries pampered guests from around the world.

             
The two men seated in the main living room noticed little of the details of their sumptuous surroundings.  They were used to the finest and had become jaded to the point where very little impressed them.  That’s why Luzaro’s declaration had stunned Enrique to such a degree.

             
“I’m telling you she’s the one,” Luzaro said quietly, knowing that particular tone of voice would make more of an impression on Enrique than if he’d shouted the words. 

“How can you be so sure?” Enrique asked sourly.  “You’ve only known her for a few days.”  He wasn’t used to this whole courtship thing that Luzaro had been pursuing the past week and thought the woman a complication they just didn’t need.

“I’m willing to change my life for her,” he said simply.  “That’s how I know.”

“You’d be a fool to do that,” Enrique declared as he got to his feet and paced before the windows that looked out onto Central Park. “Where would you go?  What would you do?  You know your enemies would follow you.”

“There are ways to disappear, my friend,” Luzaro said pointedly.  “I’ve been studying those ways in great detail.” 

A stop at a good plastic surgeon’s would be the first order of business for both he and the woman.  He felt no regret at knowing he would have to eliminate those who performed that surgery.  He couldn’t allow anyone to live that might be able to divulge their new identities.  He’d been salting away money in off-shore accounts for years so money was not going to be a problem.

“Have you talked to her about any of this?  She doesn’t seem that enamored of you to me.”  Enrique knew he was walking a thin line with that statement but couldn’t seem to help it.  He had to get Luzaro to discard the rose-colored glasses he had been looking through.

             
“She’ll be my wife and you’ll act accordingly,” Luzaro snarled.  “You can have the drug business.  I’m sick to death of the whole damn mess anyway!” 

             
Enrique couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  “You are serious, aren’t you?”

             
“As a heart attack,” Luzaro said.  He rose and walked toward the bedroom.  “And I intend to stay here as long as it takes to convince her to marry me.”

C
hapte
r
N
ine

            
 
H
e licked at the flesh wound on his right foreleg that was seeping blood with every step he took.  If the bullet had hit several inches further to the right it would have hit his heart, not that it would have killed him.  His kind healed quickly and were nearly invincible, even though they lived long lives.  Jake knew the time had come for him to find his mate.  He’d seen her in his dreams and even fantasized that he’d smelled her on the wind which was little compensation for the real flesh and blood woman he knew was coming his way.