Hidden Rocco (Hidden Alphas Book 5)

by Victoria Pinder

  And find out for sure Rocco was absolutely free. If he was, he could leave or go, but it would be his choice that she’d given him.

  Hopefully he would choose to stay with her. Hope soared as he said, “One of the perks of the job is watching out for Jacob.”

  “I trust you.” She rushed up the main stairs.

  She hung up her jacket in her closet, then opened her laptop in case there was an email from her legal team. Nothing.

  Mica called Julie on her speakerphone and her secretary answered on the first ring. “Julie, what did IT find out about your computer?”

  Her secretary sounded wary as she said, “They still haven’t figured out what, if anything, was compromised. I’m so sorry, Miss Murphy.”

  Her reputation as a boss couldn’t be so bad that her employees were afraid of her, could it? She’d send Julie a bonus check next month to make up for any shortness. Mica typed her payroll department to add money to Julie's salary as well. “You didn’t hack it yourself. Any news from legal?”

  Julie then said without typing as was her usual background noise, “Yes. All the papers are filed. Let me connect you to Cardona so he can brief you now.”

  Mica sent the email to payroll so hopefully whatever Julie was feeling was smoothed over. She was a decent assistant.

  Hopefully IT would find out what was hacked, if anything, including her location soon.

  She perked up as Cardona asked, “Miss Murphy?”

  If she’d freed Rocco, he needed to know. She glanced out the window. Rocco was not in the courtyard but she saw the blue and white birds near the tree. “Yes. How’s the case I put you on?”

  “Going well. I should have Mr. Hellsworth’s record expunged today,” Cardona delivered in his hard-edged voice.

  Confidence in her lawyer was justified. She crossed her arms to ensure she was correct when she said, “I want to tell him he’s a free man.”

  “I'll call you the second the paperwork is complete.”

  “Hurry.” She checked her nail polish was still clean as was her habit since being a teenager, one she’d never shaken.

  Cardona continued in a faster tone, “I did everything on our end. Just waiting for the clerk in the court in Nevada to finalize the paperwork—the judge has already signed off. It could be five minutes, or five hours.”

  “I understand. Keep me posted.” She hung up without another word.

  She’d found if she spoke in short sentences, workers responded better and she got quick results.

  Mica needed this done now. Today. Rocco didn’t need to worry anymore.

  This was her gift to him.

  So why was she so wound up about telling him? If he was free, did he just leave her? Was she hesitating out of fear for herself? If so, that was weak-willed and bad on her end.

  He deserved to have something good in his life.

  She tucked her phone in her back pocket and headed downstairs.

  The hotel was quiet. She reached the lobby and glanced out the windows as the trees gently swayed in a mountain breeze.

  She headed into the library, denying her feelings for Rocco just in case he left her. Her defenses melted as she noticed that he’d built a fire, and had two bowls of ice cream on a low table before the sofa, along with a bottle of chilled white wine. Jacob slept in his playpen. She joined him and a zap of desire hit her the moment she brushed against the muscles on his arm. “Rocco.”

  He took her hands and led her to sit beside him near the fireplace. “I thought our ice cream would melt.”

  Today was perfect and beautiful. She ate a few spoonsful and set the bowl beside her. “The call took longer than I thought.”

  He finished his too and then poured them both wine. “Are we in the clear?”

  He absolutely was. She sipped the sweet Riesling that went with their ice cream and brushed against his knee. “IT doesn’t know what files were accessed yet, if any. I was firm with Julie and she’ll call me the moment she finds out anything.”

  He chuckled. “I can’t imagine you having much of a wrath.”

  She took another sip and saw the outline of a dimple on his cheek. Seriously? It wasn’t funny--she crossed one of her arms like she did when she ran a meeting and said, “I’ve headed my family’s business since I graduated college. I learned the ropes in high school.”

  He drank his wine and beamed at her and that somehow relaxed her to lower her arm. “At least your parents gave you a head start in life. How many hotels do you manage?”

  Telling him wasn’t news. This was her life. She sipped from her glass and decided to answer his questions as a means of bridging how she had the power to fix his situation. Mica lowered her glass. “My portfolio has over one thousand hotels worldwide, but I’ve been growing that to twelve hundred. I want to have over ten thousand when I turn fifty, so when I turn the company over to Jacob, he’ll have a healthy bank account for whatever he wants to do.”

  He gulped his wine like he suddenly saw her differently.

  His cheeks were red as he said, “That’s a lot of hotels.”

  Her billions bought her whatever she wanted in life, but it hadn't even brought her into contact with any man worth his salt.

  She lowered her lashes. Perhaps now wasn’t the time to tell him. He needed to process who she really was, so she sipped her wine. “I’m Mica Murphy.”

  “That’s a prettier last name than Hellsworth.”

  She shouldn’t have expected more. It’s not like he read the business pages. Besides, she had more important things to worry about. Ali’s family could find her with the computer breach.

  She had her helicopter on standby. Rocco’s name was about to be cleared so he could be with her. Her car was in her lot. Her room was secure as a panic suite. And she had her gun. Mica met his gaze. “My brothers never bothered with the company as they were happy with their shares. I took over for my father when I was twenty-four, and I liked having control.”

  He bumped into her shoulder playfully as he asked, “Liked?”

  Her heart thumped differently and her lips tingled. “I like being here with you and Jacob even more now, but don’t tell anyone.”

  “I won’t.” He took her glass and placed it on the fireplace mantel next to his.

  Her pulse zipped and then he came back, wrapped his arms around her sides, and kissed her.

  It was like the heavens had opened just for her and she'd found someone she wasn’t afraid to be herself with.

  His kiss made the rest of the world and all her worries just disappear.

  Chapter 12

  In that moment, Rocco Hellsworth knew three things. Mica's soft skin smelled better than any floral perfume. Two, Mica was the kindest and sexiest mom he’d ever met and couldn’t imagine anyone like her. And three, he had no right to even dream about her like he did.

  The scene was quite domestic as they finished their ice cream in the library and patted their bellies in satisfaction.

  Currently he’d like to strip her naked and claim her.

  The sleeping baby in the playpen was probably her best armor and honestly he hated himself for having these thoughts right here, right now.

  He stacked their empty bowls to take to the kitchen and get a breather when suddenly a pounding sounded from the front lobby door. He recalled locking it.

  Mica rose and hugged her waist as she stared at the closed white library door that led to the hall and hotel foyer. He stood in front of her. “Were you expecting another package?”

  Her face was pale and she sucked in her breath like she wasn’t in full control as she said, “No. Go see?”

  This was why she'd asked him to stay and given him clothes and food.

  He wouldn't let her down so he headed to the door, squared his shoulders like he was a human shield, and reached for the handle. “Stay here with Jacob.”

  As he opened the door, she asked, “Knock four fast knocks and one slow one so I’ll open the door?”

  Right. Good. Hop
efully this was nothing. His entire body away aware of every sound in the distance listening for more than just the birds.

  The white fabric chairs in the hall were empty and he jiggled the door behind him to ensure it was locked. Rocco strode toward the front door.

  Outside the bay windows he saw no delivery trucks or police cars parked.

  Not a package, then, unless it was left at light speed. He cautiously opened the door—no box waiting to be taken in.

  He relocked the door. Nothing near him was out of place wherever he went and every window in all the main rooms was closed and locked.

  He ensured he made no sound but he entered the kitchen and even here, nothing stirred.

  Yet he’d heard the knock and so had Mica.

  He would swear they were alone.

  He opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of formula for Jacob, the powder mix from the pantry, and a gallon of milk, tossing it into a sack. He remembered to get Mica’s medicine from the fridge and an ice pack. If they had to run, it was good for the baby to have food, but his skin buzzed with adrenaline.

  Something ate at his gut to run.

  The police usually had loud sirens so it wasn’t them.

  This was something else.

  He checked all the rooms downstairs—the chalet had over fifty empty units, then went downstairs to the parking area. Nothing. He returned to the library. Rocco knocked with her designated signal and she unlocked the door to let him inside. He handed her the bottle for Jacob. “Every window is bolted and the doors are locked.”

  She waited until he locked the library door behind him. “Was someone there?”

  Her eyes were big as saucers. He pressed his hand against her arm. “There were no packages, and nobody was there. I went through each room." He had to be honest with her. "I thought I heard a knock.”

  “Me too,” she said. “Bad guys don’t knock though, right?”

  In his desperate escape he’d have broken into anything to evade capture, like he'd done in this chalet.

  What would he do if someone came at Mica? His gut twisted as he said, “Maybe we shouldn’t have kissed like that.”

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “Just that wanting you confuses me.”

  “Or you’re trying to keep me calm.”

  “Maybe.”

  “I can play.” She reached up and brushed her fingers against his rough skin. “Maybe it was the thumping of my heart?”

  Her eyes were pools that made him ache to stay right here, at her side, forever, but her words made no sense. “What?”

  "The knock we heard." She pushed her lower lip out, tempting him to kiss her. “Rocco, I’ve never wanted any man like I want you.”

  Yet he was here to protect her, not bed her. He stepped back. “You shouldn’t.”

  Her lips quivered as she held Jacob’s bottle in her hand for her sleeping son. “But I do. I’ve never known anyone like you.”

  He glanced at the floor as his heart raced. “I’m not a good man for you.”

  She let out a sigh which made him stare at her and she hugged her waist. She never seemed nervous, ever, so he stood taller as she said, “If you’re thinking I should only marry a man with more money than me then you’re wishing me back to men like Ali.”

  No man had the right to hurt her, no matter how rich or poor. “Not every man is evil.”

  She stood in front of him with her lips slightly pouting and captivating as she said, “You’re not. Why can’t I crush on you?”

  If he hadn’t literally waded through sewage, or gone to jail, maybe he’d have a different viewpoint but money was not the only thing that divided them. His mind returned to his recent past as he shook his head, “Because I’m not fit to wipe your feet.”

  She swayed like she trembled, but Mica was too powerful of a woman to ever do that so he had to be mistaken. “Who is then?”

  It was time to tell her who he was. His heart raced but he said, “A man who doesn’t…”

  Another knock. This time he didn’t wait for instructions. He headed toward the door to find out who was there. “Stay here.”

  As he reached for the handle, she said, “Stop. Rocco, I’m nervous.”

  He wouldn't let anything happen to her. “Lock the door behind me.”

  She met his gaze and shook her head. “No. Wait. I’m picking Jacob up. Walk us to my room. It’s secured to be a panic room, and I can get the keys to my car and helicopter, just in case.”

  If she was in danger, then he’d do everything he could to protect her. He carried the bag he’d made for her and nodded. “Yeah. That’s a good idea.”

  She reached for the baby while he checked the hall.

  Nothing stirred.

  Everything seemed normal, except his skin flamed with hyperawareness of everything, making his vision more acute. The glass windows only showed the gentle sway of the trees. Everything seemed in order.

  Mica came behind him, and she carried her sleeping son in her arms.

  He glanced at the elevator but that would make more noise and give her less places to hide if someone was here. Rocco guided them toward the stairs. She didn’t object but quietly said, “The hotel has a hundred doors that look all the same.”

  "I checked everyone already.”

  “If someone breaks into the hotel, I have security cameras in my suite.”

  “I should have brought you there first then.”

  She stopped speaking after that and they headed up the stairs quietly.

  Neither of them let their footstep echo. Rocco stayed in front of her and ushered her into her bedroom.

  He intended to stand outside like a bodyguard would, but she tugged on his shoulder. Rather than argue, he followed her inside. She went right for the crib and placed her son in it as he said, “This is big.”

  She glanced up and down at him and pointed toward the open space of the next room. “It’s technically four rooms. Three of the doors outside are fake and built into the wall.”

  He walked away from the crib and her bed.

  In the next room, she had a modern glass desk and white leather chairs that overlooked the back instead of a balcony. Glass bookshelves took up an entire wall. “Your office is pretty self-contained.”

  “Yeah, except my refrigerator broke and I didn’t realize I’d have an immediate need for one.”

  “I have your meds in the cooler so it should be good for a few hours.”

  She walked past him, patted his arm like he should follow and then opened a cabinet that had a TV. “Thank you. Let’s check the security cameras.”

  “Good idea.” He sat on the edge of one of her leather chairs.

  She flipped through channels that showed all areas of the chalet. “I don’t see anything.”

  Rocco blinked and thought he saw a movement. He pointed toward the screen. “Wait. Go back.”

  “What?” She scrolled backwards via the remote.

  He motioned stop with his palm in the air and then jumped out of his seat.

  A small bouquet of cut flowers he’d made from the garden were in a vase that billowed in the wind. He pointed toward it and said, “The second floor window is open.”

  She narrowed her gaze and just stared at the screen. “How did you see that?”

  “It’s my room and my flowers. Maybe I left it open for a fresh breeze and forgot to close it and didn’t notice earlier?” The yellow flowers he thought of like himself, unwanted but hopefully nice. “Stay here. I’ll be back.”

  “Wait. Take a gun.”

  Guns would just add time to his record. Yes he knew how to use one. He’d been a Marine and in prison; he’d handled himself by staying fit. “I’ll be fine, Mica.”

  She walked next to him and bumped into him until they reached the door and she said, “Okay. Hurry back. Knock three times fast and one slow so I know it’s you.”

  Without thinking, he kissed her cheek and headed out.

  The dange
r was likely just his imagination. Nothing seemed to stir. But his window was on the second floor and too high in the air for someone to climb.

  The other rooms were locked on his way.

  Nothing moved while he walked down the hall. However, his hair stood on end and his gut was tight like he expected a prison fight to break out any second.

  But nothing happened. He entered his hotel room and everything was in order. His boxes of Armani, Saks, Versace, and Calvin Klein were all stacked near the door.

  His cut flowers he’d put in vases he’d found in the kitchen area were on his nightstand and hotel toiletries were all lined up exactly where he’d left them.

  Rocco shut the window, locked it tight, and returned across the hotel as fast as he could without making any sound.

  At her door, he lightly knocked three times and then one slow as requested, watched all around him, but again nothing happened until she opened it and he slipped back in. Once she locked the door he said, “I closed the window--nothing was disturbed.”

  She crossed her arms like this was a meeting. Her posture struck him as decisive with her one leg out as she stood. “Soon I’ll have the whole place automated and I’ll control all the doors and windows electronically, but the system hasn’t been installed in every room yet. I made my room to be like Fort Knox, you understand why that was my first priority.”

  “Yes.”

  She motioned for him to follow her into the office.

  He glanced behind him toward the crib.

  Best to keep the door open in case they needed to get the baby and run. Though he'd seen nothing, he remained uneasy. “Why the automated system?”

  She took a seat at the desk and let the surveillance footage continue to circle on her TV screen on the wall. “A couple of reasons but mostly for me to control my energy and security costs.”

  Her business attitude was better for her to take on than wine and romance. He stepped back. “I understand. I should go.”

  She jumped out of her chair and came toward him. “You could stay. I’d like that.”