Page 129 of Claimed At First Sight
I sit upright. “That’s not reassuring.”
“No, it really isn’t.”
The amusement in her voice vanishes.
“He took the memory cards.”
For a second I just stare at the wall.
“He what?”
“The memory cards. The backups. Every digital copy.”
My jaw drops. “He can’t do that.”
“Well, he did.”
Of course, because Maximo’s solution to every problem is to confiscate things until the problem ceases to exist.
I drop backward onto the mattress. “That man is unbelievable.”
“You say that like it’s new information.”
Good point.
“I haven’t even seen the photographs.” Even to my own ears I sound whiny as hell, but I can’t help it.
I genuinely loved the session because, for the first time, I got to be whoever I wanted to be. Now I don’t even know what that version of me looked like.
“You could steal the album back,” Rory suggests.
I consider it for half a second. “If I knew his safe combination, I totally would.”
“Or…” I can hear the grin in her voice. “We could do another shoot.”
I bite my lip and start laughing. Of course that would be Rory’s solution.
“I bet he told you we can’t do another session.”
“Actually, I don’t think that occurred to him.” She sounds far too pleased by that fact. “I got the impression that, in his mind, it’s obvious to both of us that he disapproves. And given he’s Don, that’s normally enough.”
“Normally,” I laugh. “That doesn’t apply to me. Plus, he’s not my Don.”
“Well, he’s mine,” Rory points out. “But seeing as he never specifically forbade it, I believe we’re operating in a delightful gray area.”
I chuckle. “That’s not how mafia rules work.”
“Are you sure?”
“No.”
“Excellent. Then I choose to believe the slate is clean.”
“But make sure I get the book this time.” I pause, considering the problem. “Actually, better make two copies.”
“Why two?”
“Because Maximo nearly had a coronary over the first one. Of course I’m going to use the second one to annoy him. And knowing him, he’ll confiscate that book too.” I grin. “But I’ll be prepared this time.”
