Feisty Repartee

TSOTF, Part 14

(Some details required more research than I was willing to do, so if there is a glaring error, forgive me.)

The second McKay jet arrived at Ciampino airport a mere twelve minutes behind schedule. The limo was waiting to take Jack and Kate to The Grand Hotel Plaza, one of the oldest and most prestigious hotels, situated in the heart of the historical center of Rome. Jack had reserved one of the ten suites in the two hundred luxury room hotels, with a view of the Trinita dei Monti, home to Via dei Condotti and many of the biggest names in fashion and jewelry, including Armani, Prada, and Versace. He figured Kate, with her love of exorbitant spending, would be thrilled with the prospect of indulging in the best shopping in Rome.

Kate herself had expressed a desire to visit the Sistine Chapel, to gaze upon Michelangelo’s depiction of the Last Supper, which was cleaned and beautifully restored just over a decade ago. Her request had surprised him, given that he had never pictured her as religious, or even particularly interested in art, but he’d promised her they would. As a matter-of-fact, he found himself thinking a lot about what would please Kate, and that bothered him.

He’d spotted the tail the moment they stepped into the limo, and recognized him from the photo Fermi had sent. If anything went wrong, Fermi had assured Jack that his man would protect Jack even if it meant giving his life to the cause. What worried him was that he knew they had been followed by a second man. He’d first seen him, a short ox of a man with almost white blonde hair and brows at the airport. The man hadn’t even looked away when Jack caught him staring. Now, standing in the elegant lobby of the hotel, that same man was no more than thirty feet away, and still openly staring.

“I am exhausted,” Kate said, her head resting on his shoulder as they waited to get the key to the suite. Jack pulled her protectively closer, doing his best to ignore the fear that was creeping into his chest. He just knew that something had gone wrong, and that suspicion was confirmed when he saw that Fermi’s man was also watching the bold ox. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that he had known when he entered into his agreement with Fermi that the situation could become dangerous, even deadly.

Damn it, he thought angrily, grabbing the key from the clerk and hurriedly escorting Kate to the elevator. He should never have invited her to join him. He’d pushed aside the realities of his trip in order to enjoy her body, and he had wanted his father to see Kate with him when everything fell apart. He wanted to hurt him further by humiliating him with the knowledge that his own son had stolen his pretty wife. He glanced over at her when the elevator door closed, and realized that when he had first asked her to accompany him, his father had been the last thing on his mind. He had simply wanted to be with her.

When the elevator door opened, Jack stepped out into the hallway cautiously. He needed to call Fermi, needed to get Kate back on the jet and safe. For an irritating moment, he thought of his father, and felt the first stab of regret.

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