Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Get the fuck out.”
“And miss the show? Hell no.” Tony saunters over, grinning. “Well, hello, Kacia Florakis. Holy fuck, Luca, look at her. She’s sexy as hell.”
Fio leans forward and whistles. “That’s an understatement. She’s like that, what’s the fucking name, that Greek goddess bitch. Adonis?”
“Adonis is a guy,” Tony says, laughing. “You mean Aphrodite.”
“Whatever. She’s hot, that’s what I’m saying.”
I lose my patience and turn from Kacia, my gun lowering.
“Both of you, shut the fuck up,” I snap at them, jaw grinding. Fio looks surprised.
“What’s your problem?”
“Stop talking. I’m changing the plan.”
“What the fuck?” Tony asks, looking genuinely confused. “The girl’s right there, Luca. We’re just kidding around. Kill her and let’s get out of this piece-of-trash country.”
“Yeah, boss.” Fio’s eyeing me cautiously. “End her and let’s go.”
I shake my head and shift my weight so I’m standing between her and my guys.
“I’m keeping the girl.”
Both men stare at me like I’ve lost my mind. I look back at Kacia and she’s edging away, but now she’s stopped and she’s staring too, her pretty lips hanging open.
Nobody makes a move.
Maybe I have gone insane. I’m keeping her? That’s probably the craziest shit I’ve ever said in my life, but there’s something about the girl I can’t deny, something that’s making my chest bleed and my bones shiver. I’ve killed before and I’ll kill again, but right now, I can’t pull the trigger.
Instead, I grab her by the hair and yank her over.
She yelps in pain. I get a better grip on her arm, wrench her wrists behind her back, and zip-tie them together.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Fio asks, eyes dangerously narrow. I know what he’s thinking. His weapon remains pointed at the floor, but drifts toward Kacia. “We have orders.”
“No, Fio. I have orders.”
“You’re supposed to kill her.”
“I’m not going to.” I grip her wrists and yank her tight against me. “I’m keeping the girl. Let’s get out of here.”
I start to drag her toward the door. Tony looks shocked, but he follows. Tony’s loyal, but he’s not too smart. Fio though, he’s clever and he knows what’s happening here. If I keep this girl and don’t follow through with ending her, there’s going to be trouble when we get home, and it’s very possible that trouble’s going to fall on the shoulders of the men I brought with me. I’m the prodigal son, after all, and Fio’s fucking nothing. Someone will have to pay, and it might be someone in this room.
“Stop.”
I turn back. Fio’s got his gun up, aimed at the girl’s face.
“Be smart,” I say quietly.
To her credit, the girl doesn’t do anything. Kacia doesn’t move, though I can feel her trembling. She’s terrified, and I can’t blame her. The end of her life is staring at her down the barrel of that gun, and the man holding the trigger doesn’t look stable.
Fio’s lips pull back. “We got orders, Luca. I can’t just roll over and let you walk out of here with that girl. Your father will thank me when it’s over, and maybe you’ll be pissed, but you’ll get over it.”
“I protect my men. You know that.”
He nods to himself. “I know.”
“I’ve been good to you. I paid for your mother’s new teeth. Got her a better car. Paid off her mortgage.”
“You did.”
“Put the gun down, Fio. I’m taking the girl and you’ll be fine. Don’t do this.”
“I can’t. The girl’s got to go, Luca. We have fucking orders.”
I bring my weapon up fast, yanking Kacia to the side, and fire seconds before Fio pulls the trigger. I wrap my arm around Kacia, pulling her tight against my body, her warmth spreading into my side. Fio screams in pain as my shot strikes his hip, spraying blood across the carpet, and his bullet whizzes through the air and embeds itself into the ceiling above the doorway, missing Kacia by inches. Fio drops down to one knee, clutching his side, and Tony tackles him, ripping the gun from his hands.
Fio groans on the floor, blood dripping through his fingers.
“Fuck you, Luca, you fucking shot me.”
“I told you, the girl’s mine.” I pull a bandage from the medical pack on my chest and throw it at him. “Cover your wound. Limp to the nearest hospital. I’m sure they’ve got a car outside.” I glance at the girl and she just shrugs.
“You can’t leave me here.” Fio looks torn, the pain in his expression breaking my heart. Stricken, like I’m betraying him.
Like he didn’t already try to betray me.
He wanted to kill her, and I can’t forgive that. He took a shot when I ordered him not to. I don’t care that he’s been like a brother on countless missions—he turned his back on me. I can’t forgive him for that. Not when I said the girl is mine, not when I made it clear I wanted her alive.