Witness Protection

by Stacey Espino

She unwrapped the box and found a simple gold chain. Sophia set the box down and held up the chain, letting it dangle in the direction of the open door and the lights of the city. A small charm hung on the end with a gold “E”.

  Sophia frowned, trying to figure out what it signified. If Hawk bought her jewelry, she’d expect him to go all out. This necklace was very humble and unlike him.

  Before she could ask about it, he spoke. “It was your mother’s.”

  She clutched it in her fist, feeling the metal pinch her skin. Emotion bubbled in her throat.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Your father kept it. I’m not sure why. I went back after the factory and cleaned out the safes. I thought you’d want to keep it.”

  “The “E”?”

  “Her name was Elena.”

  Tears came out of nowhere. A name made the woman she’d never known feel real, not a fantasy. The brief times her father spoke of her were always angry and negative, but she refused to believe anything he said.

  “I wish I could have known her. Everyone says I look like her.”

  “Then she must have been beautiful.” Hawk kissed her temple. “And she would have been proud of the strong woman you’ve become.”

  “Not even memories. I have nothing but a necklace.” She took a breath, steading herself. “Do you remember your mother?”

  Then she recalled his nightmares earlier in the week. He’d mentioned his family, especially his mother.

  “Blurry images, smells, tastes, and her singing to me.”

  She smiled. “Sounds heavenly.”

  They held each other, sitting on the edge of the bed.

  Both broken.

  Both survivors.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Cayden took a drag from his cigarette, then stretched his arm out the open driver’s side window. He’d been sitting in his parked car for an hour, watching the goings and comings of the house partway down the block.

  He’d be paying Oscar Esperanza a visit tonight.

  Whether Cayden came out of this dead or alive didn’t matter. But that motherfucker was going to burn in hell tonight for putting a hit on Sophia Morenov.

  Once Oscar was pushing daisies, Sophia would be safe, and Cayden could rest in peace.

  It was extra dark where he’d parked thanks the broken streetlights near him. He’d handled that yesterday as his plan took shape.

  A light turned on upstairs in a house across the road. Someone walked in front of the window, and then darkness returned to the house a couple minutes later. His thoughts drifted to family again. A topic he avoided. He remembered Frank Almeida.

  “Do you want to end up in jail? Another junkie no one remembers?”

  “Who the fuck would remember me anyway? I have no history. I have nothing, no one.”

  Frank shook his head, his brow creasing. “No! You have me. My family is your family, Cayden. I won’t watch you screw up your life.” He squeezed his shoulder. A firm grip. “You’re a good boy. Whether you see it or not, you have untapped potential. I won’t sit back and watch you waste it.”

  “Why do you care?”

  Cayden had been on a drinking binge, feeling sorry for himself, his twisted past constantly haunting him. He’d only been a few years older than Sophia.

  “God believes in second chances. I won’t give up on you.”

  He took another deep inhale of his smoke, leaning his head back against the headrest. Where had God been his whole life? Had he forgotten about him, the little Irish bastard? Cayden was forgettable. Something to be used and discarded. The only good things he’d had in his life were gone.

  First, Frank and his family.

  Now, Sophia.

  She’d have her happily ever after, but not with him. Her hero had her now, and he’d give her everything she wanted. It wouldn’t take long for her to forget Cayden. Maybe she already had.

  It didn’t matter. Cayden was a nasty piece of shit, and she deserved the world.

  In those brief weeks together, the Russian princess had stolen his heart, or fucking pissed on it, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was he’d die for her.

  Another car pulled up in Esperanza’s driveway. More trouble. He palmed his duffel bag on the passenger seat. He had a shitload of firepower, and they weren’t expecting him. What fool would kill the man putting up a three-million-dollar bounty? He’d be confident now, and Cayden was about to cut him down to size.

  There was no point waiting any longer. He tossed his butt, and stepped out of the car, slinging the bag over his shoulder.

  This was it. He almost looked forward to ending his time on this earth.

  Sweet relief.

  If he stuck around any longer, he’d end up numbing the pain with drugs and alcohol, becoming another waste of space. He had nothing to ground him, nothing he gave a shit about.

  Maybe he’d get some points with the man upstairs for putting an end to two notorious kingpins.

  Probably not.

  He walked down the street, a Glock in his right hand. Cayden was good at one thing—killing. These motherfuckers didn’t know what was coming.

  Those words replayed in his head, like a mantra.

  The most dangerous man in the world is the one with nothing to lose.

  ****

  Sophia was twenty-five years old plus three days. He’d kept his hands to himself since her birthday so she could heal completely. She may have denied it, but he knew she was sore after losing her virginity. His thoughts were getting more and more filthy by the damn hour, and the wait time would be coming to an end very soon.

  Hawk answered his phone. “Yeah.”

  “You wanted information on Esperanza?” asked Danny.

  “Go on.”

  “Something big is going down at his place right now. I heard his men on their secure line. It’s some crazy guy. One guy. He’s got a fucking arsenal.”

  Cayden.

  “Okay, thanks, Danny. Good work.”

  Fuck, that guy was going to get himself killed. Did Cayden have a death wish?

  It wasn’t Hawk’s business, but it was. Morenov had killed both their families. They had that in common. And a lot more.

  He knew Cayden was doing this for Sophia. She was an addiction. And he wasn’t stupid to think nothing happened between the two of them when they were holed up together.

  Regardless, he couldn’t let Cayden do this on his own. Hawk’s duty was to protect Sophia, to kill Esperanza and anyone else in his way. He wouldn’t let Cayden take the pleasure of the kill from him again. And he wouldn’t let Cayden die a martyr for Sophia to pine over.

  She’d just taken her evening shower and was getting ready for bed.

  “Baby, I have to go out for a bit.”

  “Where?”

  “I need to settle some scores. Make things safe for you.”

  Sophia scowled. “And you’ll leave me alone? Maybe I’ll get kidnapped again.”

  She was testing him, but he couldn’t play games with her now. Shit was going down as they spoke. “Don’t be smart. Just stay put and I’ll be back before you wake up.”

  Hawk opened his gun case on the kitchen counter, preparing everything he planned to bring along for this party. The more he thought about leaving Sophia alone, the more he second-guessed his decision. What if someone had followed them home from the restaurant the other day? A bounty hunter could be watching their room right now.

  He didn’t want an encore of their last hotel stay.

  Shit, he’d have to bring her along.

  When he returned to the room, she was already dressed. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “I’m not going to be able to sleep wondering if you’re dead or alive.”

  “Here. Take this.” He held out a 9mm and pressed it to her palm. “But you’re waiting in the car.”

  “What? I don’t want a gun, Hawk. I don’t even know how to use them.” She followed behind him. He grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and t
ugged in on, covering his harnesses.

  “This is top of the line. Has a silencer on it, too. Don’t pull the trigger unless you’re ready to kill. Otherwise, aim and have at it.”

  He took her hand as they walked down the hallway to the elevators. On the ride down, he went over the different variables in his head, zoning out. If things went their way, this could be the start of a beautiful new beginning.

  “Hawk, you’re scaring me.”

  He refocused, tilting her chin up. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just that this is the day I’ve been waiting for. It’s a chance to clear the contract on your head, to get out of hiding for good.”

  “What about the contract on Cayden?”

  “Taken care of,” he lied. He still couldn’t get hold of Antonio. That shifty bastard was up to something.

  He took the fastest route to the address.

  Esperanza liked the finer things. The property took up half the block with a high, wrought-iron fence surrounding it. Hawk parked a block down the street and killed the engine, the silence settling in immediately.

  “Okay, I’m going in. Stay here, keep down, and whatever you do don’t leave the damn car. Understand?”

  “Hawk, you can’t go in there alone. It’s crazy.” She grabbed his sleeve. “Please, I can’t lose you, too.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes. Only one thing would get her approval for him to get out of the car. “Cayden’s already in there alone. I’m going to help him.”

  “What?”

  “Two are better than one, no?”

  She kept quiet as he left the car.

  The streetlights were broken, giving him added cover as he walked up the street. Tonight would decide their next move—more hiding or Sophia’s dreams coming true.

  He slipped in the iron gates, conveniently left ajar. The distant drone of the alarm system sent a chill up his spine. It reminded him of the night Vasily was murdered. No gunfire could mean everyone was dead, and he was too late. He pulled a balaclava over his face before entering the house, not wanting his image on their foyer security footage.

  Hawk stepped over a body in the foyer. With his gun outstretched in front of him, he did a sweep of the main floor. All he found were bodies.

  So many fucking corpses.

  Blood everywhere.

  The plaster walls were shot to shit, glass broken, and the massive chandelier a heap on the floor. What the hell went down here?

  It looked worse than the massacre at Vasily’s place.

  “Don’t move, motherfucker.” The barrel of a gun pressed to his skull from behind.

  Hawk acted on instinct. He ducked, spun around, and aimed his gun up at the bastard’s face.

  “Cayden?” He pulled the mask up to his forehead.

  “Hawk? What the fuck are you doing here?”

  “I came to help you.”

  Cayden lowered his weapon. “I don’t need help.”

  “Where’s Esperanza?”

  He pointed his gun up the stairs.

  “Dead?”

  “Not yet,” said Cayden.

  Hawk stepped around the chandelier and raced up the stairs, broken glass crushing under his boots. Cayden was right behind him. No way was he losing the chance to give that fucker some payback for putting Sophia through hell. Half the lowlifes of the city were looking to cash in on her death thanks to Oscar and his hunger for power.

  When he entered the master bedroom, Oscar was sitting on the ground against a wall, his hands tied behind his back, his mouth duct taped. He looked like he’d been through a fucking meat grinder.

  “Holy shit.”

  Cayden joined him in the room, standing next to him. “No one fucks with Sophia.”

  Oscar whimpered.

  Hawk walked back and forth, scratching his head with the muzzle of his gun as he addressed Oscar. “You couldn’t leave well enough alone? Vasily was dead. You could have ruled the city, taken his place. But you went after his little girl like the sick bastard you are. Now what?” asked Hawk. “Now you get to die. All the money and power in the world can’t save you from your fate now.”

  “You want to do this?” asked Cayden, talking as casually as discussing the weather.

  “I’m just thinking about all the weeks of hell I went through because of him. I wanted to take my time, make him suffer. But it seems you’ve already taken care of that.”

  “You have no idea,” said Cayden.

  “Okay, then.” Hawk aimed and fired. One head shot. Oscar’s body slumped to the side.

  He took a deep breath, knowing it was over and trying to digest it all. He’d take Sophia back to the hotel for at least another night until they planned their next move. It would take a while for word to get around about Oscar’s death and the fact there was no one to pay out the three million.

  “She’s safe now,” said Cayden.

  “Well, she’ll never be completely off the radar.”

  “That’s why she has you, right?”

  He watched as the other hitman left the room. Not another word. Hawk almost felt guilty for being the winner. Fuck, he felt like shit. He wasn’t sure how it happened, but he knew Cayden loved Sophia. True love was a rarity in their world.

  Hawk had done his research on Cayden Walsh. He never had an easy life.

  Whatever. Not my problem.

  He cautiously made his way out of the house and walked back to his vehicle. Cayden was getting into his own car, only a few away from his.

  Just another day at the office.

  Hawk opened the door and looked inside, then checked the backseat. Sophia was gone. He looked up and down the street and saw no sign of her.

  You’ve got to be kidding me.

  There was a pool of blood on the sidewalk. Panic flooded his veins.

  As Cayden’s car drove by him, he rushed to the street and slapped the roof, making him hit the brakes. He lowered the passenger window. “Car trouble?”

  “Sophia’s gone.”

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

  Hawk took a shuddered breath, his reality spiraling out of control. “She was waiting in the car. She’s gone. There’s blood.”

  Cayden hopped out of the car, slamming the door shut. He came around the back of the vehicle, coming face to face with him. “Tell me you’re fucking joking.”

  “I couldn’t leave her alone at the hotel. You know how that worked out for me last time.”

  Cayden did a little spin, staring up at the stars. “I entrusted her to you! You were supposed to keep her safe. Love her. Make her fucking happy.” He turned around and punched Hawk in the face. Once, twice, three times.

  He didn’t move. Hawk deserved it, wanted the pain.

  Cayden laughed out loud, a man on the edge. “Here I thought I wasn’t good enough for her. Maybe it was the other way around. You’re the one who doesn’t deserve her!”

  Hawk pulled out his cell. One of his informants may have heard something. He wouldn’t stop until he had her back. He wouldn’t entertain the idea should could already be dead.

  “When I find her, I’m keeping her,” said Cayden.

  “Fuck you.”

  This time Hawk blocked him when he tried to strike him. He’d had enough. His mind had already switched to find and recover mode.

  “Danny, you hear anything new? Anything about Sophia Morenov?”

  “No, nothing. Just the bounty.”

  He dropped his arm, feeling defeated.

  Cayden leaned against his car, bringing his own cell to his ear.

  “I need information on Sophia Morenov, Randy. This is top priority shit.”

  After a couple minutes of talking and listening, he tucked his phone back into his pocket.

  He looked pissed off.

  “Well? Anything?”

  “Word’s gone out that there’s going to be a wedding.”

  Hawk ran a hand through his hair, his face aching. “I don’t give a shit. Anything about Sophia?”

&nb
sp; “It’s her wedding, asshole. She’s marrying Antonio Baretti, Jr.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Cayden opened the door to his basement apartment, making sure it was safe before entering. It was good to be home. If he could even call it home any more. Now that he was off the radar, he didn’t need to worry about hiding. He still wouldn’t keep this place, too risky, but it was somewhere close to Antonio Baretti where they could lay low.

  “Let me get this straight.” Cayden tossed his keys on the coffee table. “You made a deal with Vasily’s enemy to find Sophia?”

  “I wasn’t thinking. It was right after you’d stolen her from me.”

  “That happens a lot doesn’t it?”

  Hawk’s fist clenched, but he kept his mouth shut. The tension between them was growing by the second. It was hard to be civil with Sophia MIA.

  Cayden flicked on his computers, then went to the fridge. It was empty. Life had been in a toss-up for months.

  “You realize he planned this the entire time, don’t you?” asked Cayden.

  Hawk sat on the sofa, leaning over his knees. He looked like shit.

  “He played me. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him, but I just thought he was focused on killing you. He said he wanted to help out of respect for Vasily. I never for a minute thought he’d be after Sophia.”

  “Oscar wanted to kill her. Antonio’s smarter. He’s going to marry into the money and power. By force.”

  “Just shut the fuck up,” said Hawk. “I can’t think about him touching her.”

  This was Hawk’s fault. Cayden wouldn’t have been so stupid.

  “Maybe he’s fucking her right now. That’s on you, big boy.”

  Hawk leapt over the back of the couch, toppling it, taking him down like a wrecking ball. They were equal in size, both pissed off, both with nothing to lose.

  And they loved the same woman.

  They fought, punching and wrestling on the ground like crazed men. Furniture knocked over as they rolled on the floor. Cayden’s boot went through the drywall. They didn’t hold back, expelling all their pent-up energy in a blind rage.

  Cayden dominated, choking him out, and then Hawk would take control, making him submit.

  It came to a stalemate.

  They sat against opposing walls, staring at each other, both breathless.