Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 84219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
He moves, and I watch as he grabs a coat from the closet near the door. Seeing the confused look on my face, he explains, “You have blood on your pants. This will cover it.”
I glance down and see the red stains all over my gray pants.
I take the coat from Mr. Vitale and shrug it on. The fabric swallows my body, and I’ll probably die of heat on my way home.
“Thank you, sir,” I whisper, and when I have to walk past Mr. Vitale, my muscles tense up, and a tremble rushes through me.
“See you after your vacation, Miss Blakely.”
“Yes, sir.”
God. Everything he says sounds like a threat.
The moment I pull the front door shut behind me, I let out a breath of relief. I dart down the steps of the mansion and run toward the subway station.
Franco
As the front door shuts, I walk to the living room and pour whiskey into the tumbler Samantha used earlier. I pick it up and down it all in one go.
Fuck.
Now that I don’t have to keep my emotions in check anymore, I throw the tumbler across the room, and it shatters against a wall.
Christ. I lost Lorenzo.
And Samantha knows I’m a capo.
There’s a good chance she won’t come back to work, and God only knows how today has affected her.
Within seconds, men pour into the living room.
Milo looks tense as he says, “I heard glass shatter.”
“I threw it against the wall,” I mutter, upset with myself for stressing Milo even more.
Lorenzo was his best friend, and the last thing he needs is making his already shitty day worse.
“Take some time off, Milo. I’ll be fine.”
He shakes his head, and when he walks closer to me, the other men leave to give us some privacy.
“I’m not leaving your side until every last one of those Slovakian fuckers are dead.”
Lifting my hand, I grip his shoulder. As I stare at him, I can see he’s struggling to keep his grief at bay.
I tug him closer and give him a brotherly hug. “We’ll kill them all.”
He nods as he pulls back and sucks in a deep breath. He crosses his arms over his chest and looks down at the floor as he murmurs, “It was a quick death. At least he didn’t suffer.”
Marcello enters the living room and holds the burner phone out to me. “You got a text from Samantha.”
During the day, I leave the device with him so Samantha doesn’t accidentally see it. I take it from him and read the message.
Samantha: I need to see you.
Samantha: Please.
I quickly type out a reply.
MMM: I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Open the window.
“I’m heading over to Samantha’s place,” I inform Milo and Marcello. “Send two men to check what happens at the building we were attacked at. I want to know who comes and goes when those fuckers collect their dead.”
“I’ll get Santo to assign a couple of guys.”
“Make sure they're not seen. I don’t want to lose anyone else today.”
Marcello nods, then says, “I’m coming with you. You need the extra protection. Santo can take over from me and run things here.”
“That sounds good.” When I walk to the archway that leads to the foyer, Milo mentions, “You need to change your clothes.”
Fuck. I need to get my shit together before I give myself away tonight.
I don’t think Samantha is ready to find out I’m her mystery man.
I head to my bedroom and quickly strip out of the suit. I put on my Paradiso uniform and grab the balaclava before leaving the house with Milo and Marcello.
During the ride to her apartment, I make a call to Renzo.
When he answers I ask, “What did you do with Lorenzo?”
“His body is at the morgue.”
“Thank you.”
“Anytime, brother.” His attention is pulled away by someone else, then he says, “Damiano wants to know when you’re coming over. We need to have a meeting.”
“I just want to make sure Samantha is okay.”
“I understand. It must’ve been one hell of a shock for her.”
“Yeah,” I murmur. “Thanks for the help today, Renzo.”
“You’d do the same for me.”
I end the call and suck in a deep breath of air.
As soon as I’m sure Samantha’s doing better, I’ll deal with the Slovakians.
When Milo stops the SUV at the side of the apartment building, I quickly pull on the balaclava.
Marcello gets out of the vehicle with me and escorts me to the fire escape.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be,” I tell him.
“Take your time. I’ll get Milo something to eat from across the road.”
Nodding, I climb up the steps, and when I enter Samantha’s apartment through the window, I find her sobbing on the couch.
She’s changed out of the pantsuit into a pair of leggings and a T-shirt, and her hair hangs in damp curls around her shoulders.
“Hey,” I whisper so I don’t scare the shit out of her.