Caught In Between - Book 1

30

CHAPTER 30
Catalina

"Good afternoon, miss. What can I help you with today?" A man with a name tag that read Todd looked up and asked me as he worked the front desk lobby of the hotel.

"Hi Todd, how are you?" I smiled. "I need to speak with Domenico Mariano. It's urgent."

"Domenico Mariano, you say?" he asked, and I nodded before he looked back down at the computer in front of him. "Just one second, ma'am."

After what felt like forever, he furrowed his eyebrows. "Hmmm.

Looks like Mr. Mariano has a do not disturb order on his room. I'm sorry, ma'am."

"It's a family emergency." I tried to sound panicked. "If you could just—"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but do not disturb means just that." Todd offered me a weak smile. "There isn't anything I could do. Did you try calling his mobile?" I did on the way over here, but both their phones went straight to voicemail.

Shit. How was I going to get to his room?

"I did. He didn't answer." I bit my bottom lip. "If you won't give me his room number, could you and least call him down?"

"No, ma'am, I can not. Maybe come back at a later time?" Todd suggested, clearly frustrated with me at this point. Come back at a later time. No, sir, I've come too far to leave now. I needed to speak with him. Now.

"Look, Todd, I know you're doing your job, and I've tried to be patient with you, but as I said, I must speak with Mr. Mariano. I need to see him, and I'm not leaving until you call him down here."

"Well, then, miss, I will just have to call security to escort you off the premises," he announced, picking up the phone, and pressing three numbers into it.

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" Shit, what was I doing? "I AM THE MOTHER OF DOMENICO MARIANO'S UNBORN CHILD!" I yelled, and heads turned in our direction while I caused a scene. "I CAME HERE TO TELL HIM HE IS GOING TO BE A FATHER AND IF HE KNEW YOU THREW ME OUT, HE WOULD HAVE YOUR HEAD!" I finished, and Todd's eyes went wide. He immediately hung up with security and called Nic's room.

"Yes, sir, I understand you didn't want to be disturbed, but there is a young woman down here who refuses to leave until she speaks with you." Todd cut his eyes at me before he winced from the obvious tongue lashing he just received from Nic.

"He will be down in a moment." Todd hissed before he motioned his hand to a row of chairs that were behind me. "You may sit over there."

I turned on my heels and took a seat in the chair that faced the elevator door. Holy shit, I really did that. I shook my head. What was wrong with me? I could have just left and saved myself the embarrassment.

What was I even going to say to him? Though I didn't have too much time to think on it because a ding came from the metal box in front of me, the double door slid open, and there stood one of the men who ripped my heart out and threw it into a blender. I then rose from my seat and walked towards him. I knew Nic couldn't have seen me because he was too focused on barreling towards Todd at the front desk, but that changed as soon as I found myself next to the six-foot-something sexy as fuck tattooed Italian man.

Without a second thought, my hand was across his face, and everyone in the lobby went silent as the slap echoed through the foyer. Nic remained unmoved by something that took so much energy from me as his cornflower blue eyes burned right through my hazel ones.

"Sir, I had no idea she was going to be a psychopath." Todd picked up the phone again. "I will call the police right aw—"

"Don't you even think about calling the cops on her." Nic turned his death glare to the man standing in front of us. "I also suggest you reframe from referring to this woman in anything less than a respectful manner, or I'll snap your fucking neck." Again, he turned his hardened gaze back to me. "And I suggest you, little one," he pointed to me, "keep your hands to yourself unless you would like me to carry you back to my room, put you over my knee, and redden that little ass of yours.''