Free Vinny: Alvarez Security Series by Maryann Jordan Page A

windows pulled directly next to their vehicle.
    Giving her fingers a warning squeeze, he let go of her hand and said, “Annalissa, stay in the car. Don’t get out, you understand?” Seeing her nod her head, he moved out of the rental and walked around, meeting the man who emerged from the other vehicle.
    Vinny instantly assessed the man, knowing that he was being looked over as well. The other man took off his aviator glasses and stuck out his hand. “Taggart,” he said, introducing himself while lifting his hand forward.
    “Malloy,” Vinny answered back, shaking the man’s hand. He liked what he saw. The man oozed confidence, but not arrogance.
    “Bryant talked to Tony and says you have a package for me to deliver.”
    Nodding, Vinny walked to the back of the SUV and lifted the hatch. The harp case lay on its side in the back. Before he could stop her, Annalissa jumped from the passenger seat and came to the back, her fingers fluttering.
    He started to growl, but she lifted her chin. “I can’t stay in there. Not when you’re talking about Easnadh.”
    “Who?” Taggart asked, his gaze quickly scanning for someone else.
    “Easnadh,” she said softly, her hand reaching out to touch the case. “My harp.”
    “Harpists will sometimes name their instruments,” Vinny explained, then offered his fiercest glare to her indicating that he wanted her back inside the vehicle.
    Ignoring him, she turned to Taggart, begging, “You’ll take care of her won’t you?”
    Before Vinny could say anything, Taggart took her hand as he introduced himself to her. “Ms. O’Brian, I’ll take the best care of your harp.”
    A brilliant smile beamed at Taggart and Vinny found himself uncharacteristically jealous. Jealous? I never get fuckin’ jealous! But he could not deny that the sight of her hand in Taggart’s made him see red.
    “You gonna hold hands all day or take this off of ours so we can hit the road?”
    Chuckling, Taggart dropped her hand and leaned in to open the case. Seeing the packages of white powder inside next to the instrument silenced his mirth.
    “Someone went to a lot of trouble with a half-million dollars of cocaine,” Taggart said. Closing the lid and securing the latches, he lifted the harp carefully and put it in the back of his SUV. Turning to Annalissa, he looked her in the eye and said, “Ma’am, it’ll be completely safe in my hands. Malloy here knows how we operate and I promise you’ll get your harp back.”
    She wanted to ask more. Where are you taking Easnadh? What will you do when you get to where you are going? How will you get her there? But she knew this man would not answer and Vinny already looked angry enough that she had gotten out of the car. And that Taggart had held her hand. Was he jealous? No way, not over me.
    Taggart drove away as Vinny took her gently by the arm leading her over to the passenger side. Assisting her up, he leaned over to buckle her in, putting his face right in hers. Their lips almost touching.
    “Next time I tell you what to do and you don’t do it…you’re gonna find out just what kind of punishment I can hand out.” With that, he slammed the door before walking around and hopping up in the driver’s side. As he got in, he noticed her head slightly down. Fuck, I don’t want to scare her but she’s got to listen to me if I’m going to keep her safe.
    As he started the vehicle, she spoke. “I just had to explain about Easnadh. He had to understand,” she said, her eyes imploring Vinny to synpathize.
    Sighing, he reached over and clasped her hand again. “I should have realized that parting with your harp was going to be difficult and I’m sorry. But, babe, I can’t keep you safe if I don’t know where you are or what you’re doing. So you gotta listen and obey. Can you do that?”
    He saw her chin lift slightly as she answered him, “Yeah. I can do that.” With a final squeeze of her fingers, he pulled back out onto the highway, heading