Loving the Enemy (Enemy Duet Book 2)

by Amy Cecil

  “Success column?” I ask, shaking my head. “Where the fuck do you get this shit?”

  “I’m an optimist, big brother,” he says and laughs.

  “So what’s next?” Ricco asks.

  “That’s the tricky part. I want to wait, see what Romeo does and how he reacts to what we just did. Actually, let’s send Gio down there. He can watch, maybe get an in, and keep us apprised of Romeo’s activity.”

  “You know he’s gonna come after us with everything he’s got,” Ricco says.

  “Yeah, I know, but he’ll wait. And Gio will be able to tell us when it’s gonna happen, giving us the advantage to be prepared. And then he goes down.”

  “I’ll talk to Gio,” Ricco says.

  “Good. Now if you gentlemen don’t mind, I’m gonna go spend some time with my wife.”

  They both look at each other and laugh.

  “Fuck you both!” I say as I leave the room.

  After checking our bedroom for Zaira—where I expected her—I find her on the back patio. It’s really late, and I thought she had already gone to bed, but she’s relaxing in one of the chaise lounges. It’s chilly tonight. She’s got herself bundled in a sweatshirt and jeans, not the normal pool attire I’ve seen her in. She’s reading, using the light from her phone, and there’s some fruity drink on the table next to her. I have to chuckle at the sight. She’s so fucking adorable.

  “Whatcha doing?” I ask as I approach.

  She looks up from the papers she’s so focused on. “Oh, Michael, I was just going over some financials of Bella Celeste.” She smiles. “I guess you could say I’m studying.”

  “Studying?” I ask. “But, Zaira, it’s after midnight, and it’s cold out here.”

  “I know, but I’ve got a big meeting with the department heads on Monday. We are gonna revamp the budget, and I want to make sure I know where everything is before I make changes. I want to be on point with each department’s spending and their budgetary needs.” She shivers. “And if I did this in bed, I most likely would have fallen asleep. The cold keeps me awake.”

  “Damn woman, you’re making me hard just listening to you.”

  She laughs.

  “Have I told you how proud I am of you?”

  “You have.”

  “Well I’m gonna tell you again. You are taking the bull by the horns. It’s as if the job was meant for you.”

  “I’m loving it, Michael. I’ve always wanted to do something that had purpose instead of just being a pretty face. Thank you again for this opportunity.”

  “But, baby, you still are a pretty face.”

  “Yeah, that may be true, but I have a brain too, and you recognize it.” She is beaming, and it is so good to see her so happy.

  “Mind if I join you for a little bit? I’ve just finished for the night, and I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do than spend it with my beautiful wife.”

  She puts her paperwork down and smiles. “Oh, I’d love that.”

  I take the chaise next to her and sit. “So tell me what you have been doing at Bella Celeste.”

  Her eyes light up. “Oh, where do I begin?”

  I can help but revel in her happiness. “Tell me everything.”

  “Well, there is so much to tell you. Did you know that finding a great model isn’t just about good looks?”

  “It isn’t?”

  “No!” she says excitedly. “It’s more about personality. A designer can easily fall in love with a pretty face and a sexy body, but it will just be replaced next season when a new face comes along—someone who's even prettier, thinner, taller, and younger. What's harder to forget is someone's personality. The other day we had an open call with about a hundred people, and we signed only two. Yes, those two had the physicality of being a model, but what made us remember them in the sea of pretty faces was their sense of humor.”

  “I never thought of it that way.”

  “Yes, and I’ve realized we are always on call for our clients, our models, and the companies they work for. We are, essentially, at their mercy. We may seem to play hardball with them, demanding ridiculous fees for our models, but the truth is, given the current climate of the industry and with an overabundance of modeling agencies, we need them more than they need us. There are too many agencies, many of which make very little money, and there are too many models. Everyone is very disposable, with the exception of only a handful. But I’m determined to change all that and make Bella Celeste stand out above the rest.”

  “And how do you plan to do that?” I ask. She’s now got me intrigued. I’m always game for new ways of doing things, and I think she might be on to something.

  “Oh, Michael, the plans that I have. First, we are going to crack down on the budget, which is why I’m having this meeting on Monday. Then we are going to take a serious look at the models—who we take in and what they are modeling for. We’re gonna bring class to this industry.”

  “If anyone can, you can. Sounds like you have some amazing ideas, darling.”

  “I do. I even want to expand our models to plus size for both men and women, and I want a children’s line as well.”

  “Sounds fantastic. I can’t wait to see what you do.”

  “Oh, Michael, I’m so excited.”

  “Oh, baby, you are going to rock the fashion industry.”

  Chapter 32

  Michael

  It’s been a month since Sainte and the MC got Romeo’s money and the women. Sainte tells me the ladies are doing fine. I’ve set up US passports and new IDs for them, and they are going to travel abroad for a while. I guess the farther away from Romeo they can get right now, the better. I think Sainte said they wanted to go to Italy. There’s no better place, in my opinion, but perhaps I’m biased.

  Gio is now working for Romeo, or at least that is what Romeo thinks. Ricco had him go in as a disgruntled employee, saying he was pissed at us for not taking a lucrative deal and that he needed money. We even faked some serious debt for him so if Romeo checks, he will see Gio is in need of fast cash. That’s always a good sign that someone has really turned. They get themselves in a pinch and become desperate.

  From what Gio tells us, Romeo is planning to hit us on Friday. His plan is simple. He wants me. I guess he figures if he takes me out, he destroys the whole family. The best part? He’s asked Gio to make the hit. He figures Gio can get close to me without suspicion. Gio told Romeo he didn’t just leave the family but that he took an extended vacation to care for a sick relative, so there would be no reason for me to question his return. What a stupid ass. If Romeo were a smart player, he’d check all angles. His stupidity works in my favor.

  It’s Thursday, the night before my assassination, and Sainte and Ice are back in Mexico. They will hit Romeo tonight, before his plan goes into effect to get me. It’s time to take Romeo Gallardi down.

  The plan is simple. Marina told Sainte that every Thursday night, Romeo visits one of his clubs and usually stays there until the early morning hours, sometimes never coming home until daylight the next day. She suspects he’s got a mistress. Ice and Sainte are at the club. The hit has to look like an accident, which is exactly what will happen. Ice and Sainte will get into a brawl, draw guns, and accidently take Romeo out. They have to ensure Romeo is in the vicinity and within shooting distance, so they have to plan accordingly. I trust both of them to see this through, and if something goes wrong, we go to plan B. I have no fucking clue what plan B is, but there is always a plan B.

  Now we wait. Sainte is to call the minute they get out of there and on the plane. The only thing that could go wrong is they may not be able to make an escape, but both of these guys know what they are doing, so I have all the faith in the world in them.

  My phone rings, so I pull it out of my pocket and look at the caller ID. It’s Gio. Oh, this can’t be good.

  “Hello,” I answer.

  “Michael, fuck, Romeo changed everything on me at the last minute. This is the first chance I ha
ve gotten to contact you. He’s not in Mexico. He’s at the hotel here with me, and as soon as he gets back, he’s coming for you. He decided he wanted to take you down personally. Fuck, Michael.”

  My eyes go wide, and I feel my heart race. “Fuck! How long do we have?”

  “Two, three hours tops,” he replies.

  “We’ll I guess were going with plan B.” I exhale and rub my eye with the heel of my palm. “Thanks for the heads-up, Gio. Be ready. I’m sure he’ll bring you with him. One of us is taking him down tonight, one way or another.”

  “You got it, boss.” He disconnects the phone.

  Knowing this man is coming here to kill me, I am surprised to see how steady my hands are when I message Ricco:

  Get all guards on high alert!

  Romeo is on his way here!

  Contact Sainte and tell him to come home.

  Ricco is usually the calm one, but he doesn’t like being taken by surprise. He’s frantic when he barges in my office. “What the fuck, Michael?”

  “Gio just called. Romeo changed his plans and is coming here to kill me. Get Zaira, Gina, and my parents out of the house ASAP. All guards must be ready. Gio says we’ve got two, maybe three hours.” I lean over the desk and take a deep breath. Breathe, Michael. You got this.

  “Got it, Mikey.” He rushes out of my office.

  I go to my office closet and pull out my bulletproof vest. I don’t usually wear this, but if someone is coming to gun me down, I want to be protected. Quickly, I remove my shirt and put the vest on, then put my shirt back on.

  I walk down the hallway and see my family gathered in the foyer. “Michael, what’s going on?” Zaira asks.

  “I don’t have time to talk right now. Follow Ricco’s instructions. We’ll notify you when it is safe to return.”

  “Michael, you’re coming with us, right?” Her voice is shaking with fear as she knows what the answer to her question is.

  “No, baby, I’m sorry. I can’t.”

  “Michael, I’m scared.” She starts to cry.

  I look at my father, and by the look in his eyes, I know he has been here before. He’s watching me closely, and I don’t know if he wants to ensure I handle this properly or if he is looking for answers I will not give him. That’s the last thing he needs.

  I take her hand in mine and caress it gently. “Listen to me, darling. Everything is going to be okay. Do what Ricco says, and I will call you as soon as I can.”

  My mother and sister look at me warily, but they know better than to ask.

  “I promise, baby, now go.”

  “Okay,” she says through her tears and gives me a hug. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, baby. Forever and always.” I place my hand on her lower back as she pulls away from me, and I give her a comforting smile. “Now go, please. I don’t need to be worrying about you tonight.”

  She follows Marco and the rest of my family out the door. They’ll be safe.

  After they leave, Ricco says, “I’ve called Vince and the other three families. They are sending over all their available men. This place is going to be a fucking fortress, Michael. Romeo doesn’t stand a chance.”

  “I hope you are right, Ricco.” I look at the door my family just closed behind them. “I’m not fucking ready to die.”

  ***

  It’s been two hours. We’ve got roughly twenty-five guards surrounding the house out of sight and fifteen posted throughout the house. Ricco is right outside my office door, as usual, but he’s also got three other guards standing post with him. Alex insisted on staying, and he’s sitting across from me while we wait.

  My phone beeps with a text from Ricco:

  Romeo just pulled up to the front gate.

  He’s got Gio and two other men with him and surprisingly nobody else.

  I’ll tell you one thing, that fucker has balls.

  I text back:

  Keep me posted of his every move.

  A few minutes go by, and my phone beeps again.

  Told Benny at the gate he wants to meet with you

  to renegotiate your business deal.

  That fucker really does have balls. I have half a mind to tell him to go to hell. Normally I would, but thanks to Gio, we’ve got things in place. And, dammit all to hell, the curiosity of how he’s gonna do this is getting the best of me.

  By all means, send him in.

  A few minutes later, Ricco comes in with Romeo, Gio, and two other men I don’t recognize. Alex and I stand when they enter the room. Gio immediately walks to Alex and makes a stand. He is showing Romeo and me where his true loyalties lie, which I never doubted for a minute.

  Romeo narrows his eyes, staring at Gio while he processes his thoughts, then an evil grin spreads across his face as he squares his shoulders and faces me. “Mr. Vitali, I apologize for the surprise visit, but I believe we have business to discuss.”

  “Our business ended a long time ago, Romeo. We have nothing to discuss.”

  He smirks. “Oh, but I believe we do. You see, young man, nobody tells me no and nobody takes what is mine.”

  “I may have told you no, but I’ve taken nothing,” I reply.

  “The games are over, Mr. Vitali. You have my wife, my niece, and my fucking money.”

  “I personally don’t have them, and well, they were payback for what you did to my wife.”

  The anger on his face is more than a little satisfying. I’m glad I have pissed him off. I want him to be angry. I want to egg him on even more when he leans forward and jabs a finger across my desk toward me. “Your wife was treated like a queen.”

  A queen? I reach across my desk and shove him away. “Yeah, especially the way you hog-tied her like an animal!” I yell. I’m pissed off. Ricco gives me a look, and I know I need to get my temper in check.

  “Michael, what’s done is done. You know what I did, and I know what you did.” He crosses his hands in front of him and says, “Even Steven.” He stands there waiting for me to agree. When I say nothing, he keeps talking, “And I am sure you are aware by now that I am untouchable. I have the backing of the CIA and the FBI. You lose, son.” The condescending tone in his voice makes me want to jump over my desk and fucking strangle the bastard with my bare hands.

  “If I gave a fuck about the CIA or the FBI, Romeo, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My family would have died out a long time ago. You are not as untouchable as you think you are.”

  “So what, you’re gonna shoot me down in your own office?”

  “Of course not. That’s not the way I do business.”

  He reaches inside his jacket and pulls out a gun and aims it directly at me. Within seconds, Ricco, Gio, and Alex move in on him and his men, each having a gun to each of their heads, including Romeo.

  My life with Zaira flashes in my mind. I can’t die—not now. I take an exasperated breath as I look around the room to each of my men. The seconds pass by slowly, and I know I don’t have much time to make a move. But then I smile when I realize we got him. My men are good, and without a second thought, I know he won’t pull that trigger. The odds are against him. Knowing this gives me the calm I need to get Romeo to lower his gun. “You can’t shoot me without dying, Romeo, and I believe your ego is too big for you to allow yourself to die.”

  Romeo drops his gun, but my men continue to stand ready. “Okay, okay. Let’s call a truce. You give me back my money and my wife and niece, and I’ll walk away never to bother you again.”

  I look at Ricco. We had no idea what to expect from him, and frankly, I’m winging it right now. I also know Benny is planting a bomb on his car as we speak, so I’ll give him what he wants. I’ll give him a bogus address where he can find Marina and Katie as well as his precious money, and he’ll be dead before he ever gets there. “Fine,” I say and nod at Ricco, who then stands down, followed by Alex and Gio. “And do I have your word that if I give your possessions back, you will leave me and my family alone?”

  “Yes, you have my wor
d.” His word isn’t worth shit to me, but I’ll play the game.

  “You can find them in a safe house in Brooklyn. Ricco will give you the address on your way out.”

  He smiles as if he’s just won a Nobel Peace Prize. “See, I knew we could come to an understanding. That’s why I wanted to see you face-to-face.”

  I walk to him and look him in the eye. “Let’s get one thing straight. We’ve come to no understanding except this: You will crawl back into your Mexican hole and never—and I mean never—come into contact with any member of my family or associates, including any members of the other four families of New York, again. Understood?”

  “But I do what your government tells me,” he says sarcastically.

  “Fuck my government! Do you understand my terms?”

  He nods.

  “Now get the fuck out of my house!”

  Ricco, Gio, and Alex grab Romeo and his two men and escort them from my office.

  Just as they’re walking out the doors, Romeo says to Gio, “I had high hopes for you, son. It’s a shame because we could have done great things together, but now, you’re nothing but a fucking rat. And you and I both know what happens to a rat in our world.”

  “Oh, Romeo, I wasn’t a rat. I was a plant to get you exactly where we wanted you. Don’t you ever forget I work for Michael Vitali, and you aren’t fit to stand in his presence. Now get the fuck out,” Gio says.

  Ricco returns a few minutes after they leave my office.

  “Is the bomb in place?” I ask, hoping we detained Romeo long enough for Benny to do what he needed.

  “Yeah, right before he pulled the gun on you, Benny messaged me and told me it was all set.”

  “Good. It won’t be long now, and our hands remain clean.”

  “I have to say, boss, that was some quick thinking on your part.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without the help of you and your men, Ricco. Once again, you’ve saved my ass, as well as the family.”

  “It’s what you pay me to do,” he replies, and Alex and I both laugh. Truth is, I couldn’t ask for a better bodyguard and friend. Ricco and I were friends before he ever worked for me, and luckily for me, we’ve remained friends.