Calavera. (Den of Mercenaries #4)

by London Miller

  “You’re forgetting one thing though, Mr. Harrington.” Luna gave a lazy shrug of her shoulder. “I’m already dead, or at least that’s what you’ve told Carmen Rivera, no? Because if I remember correctly, you made sure to reassure her that you had everything under control. You lied to your own client. What do you think will happen if she finds out the truth? Do you think you’ll become as expendable as Caesar? That can’t be good for business or your reputation”

  Elias tried to hide his growing agitation, but that tic in his cheek was clear for anyone to see, and despite his intentions, he had tipped his hand.

  “Carmen isn’t stupid.” Even Luna had gathered as much over the months she had spent studying the woman and the moves she made. “She knows not to trust the Kingmaker implicitly. If she did, she wouldn’t have hired you, would she? Just as she planned to double-cross him, she fully expects him to double-cross her.”

  “You speak of what you don’t understand.”

  “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Luna asked as she caught Skorpion at the edge of her vision, watching her with his arms folded across his chest.

  He didn’t move toward her, not just because he had Soliel with him, but because he knew she would signal him if she needed him.

  “With your husband, in fact,” Elias said, straightening his already straight tie. “Next time—”

  “I can promise you, Elias,” Luna cut him off, “there won’t be a next time.”

  “There will always be a next time, girl. I assure you.” Elias turned away. “Good day, Luna.”

  She didn’t move until he disappeared into the crowd of people, taking the melting snow cones back over to Skorpion.

  He already had his phone in his hand. “Call your man and tell him to speed things up.”

  Emotions, he’d been taught, should never be a part of a successful job.

  If he had wanted to make it far in the Lotus Society, he had to turn off everything inside him that might have meant he would hesitate, or stop him completely from completing an assignment given to him.

  “Kill it,” he’d been told as his handler pointed a gun at the smallest dog Kit had ever seen.

  He had never been much of a pet person—his father would have never allowed it—but at that moment, he had wondered what his life might have been like if he’d had a puppy trotting along behind him during his youth.

  Would he have been happier because he finally had a companion?

  Would he have spent his nights confiding in his little friend until he felt better?

  But even as Kit’s mind had run with the possibilities, rationale bled back in, and he knew without a doubt had Alexander ever allowed animals in his home, he would have tried to use it against Kit.

  If not killed it outright during one of his moods.

  So as that dog sat before him, looking up without fear of what might happen to him, Kit knew what was expected of him, even before the gun was pushed into his hand.

  It was a decision, arguably one of the hardest he had ever been forced to make, but as he aimed, inhaling once to steel his nerve, he knew what he had to do.

  From that moment on, Kit had learned how to turn it off, how to detach himself from the job he had to do. It had served him well over his fifteen years or so in the business.

  He wanted to believe he no longer acted without careful thought and consideration, but as he waited in the hotel room, a glass of scotch in one hand, he didn’t think anything he had done over the past two years was based on cold logic.

  “I fail to see how you think you can order me around,” an annoyed voice called as the elevator doors opened into the suite. “Speak quickly, or I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut this visit short.”

  “Yet, here you are,” Kit remarked dryly, raw hatred burning beneath the surface of his skin.

  Not five minutes prior, Luna had called, telling him all about the conversation she and Elias had. She hadn’t sounded rattled or upset at all, but that didn’t matter to him. He wasn’t supposed to contact her at all.

  Smiling as Elias fell into his line of sight, Kit said, “A pleasure, as always.”

  Taking a seat, the Englishman rested his hat on his knee. “What do you want?”

  “It’s not what I want that should concern you,” Kit said. “I only want to see how quickly I can make you bleed out with a rusty pair of scissors, but it’s not always about what I want, is it?”

  Elias wasn’t amused by the question, but he didn’t seem to be in a pleasant mood at all really. “If you have a point, make it.”

  “I will, in time.”

  Elias grabbed his hat. “I’ve had enough. Good day, Mr. Runehart.”

  “Oh, let’s not be overly dramatic, Elias,” Uilleam called as he entered the room, deftly peeling an orange as he came to sit in the chair to the right of Kit. “Only one of us can have that honor, and I’m far better at it than you are.”

  In the span of two-seconds, Elias’ mood worsened at the sight of Uilleam. He sat up a little straighter, squared his shoulders, and narrowed his eyes, a muscle clenching in his jaw.

  Suspicion bled from him, but he did his best to hide it.

  “I’ve always wondered,” Elias said, a false cheeriness to his voice, “how often are the pair of you in a room together? More often than not, you’re always at each other’s throats, no? I’m amazed you’ve made it this far without killing each other.”

  “And who do we have to thank for that?” Uilleam asked, his own humor laced around the words. “I must admit, you’ve held my attention far longer than any other adversary I’ve had, but truth be told, I have grown rather annoyed with you.”

  Purposely angling his body in Kit’s direction, Elias ignored Uilleam. “We have an arrangement, you and I. This feels dangerously close to violating it.”

  Kit placed his glass on the table next to him. “You violated any arrangement we may have had the moment you decided to threaten my wife.”

  “Is that what this little endeavor about? Did she call you and tattle on me?” Elias laughed. “Perhaps you should keep her on a shorter leash then we might not have needed to have this conversation.”

  Uilleam snapped his fingers to get Elias’ attention. “I knew a man once who was suicidal. He was so determined to end his life that he often sought out others to help him. You can’t trust those kinds of men—you never know what they’re capable of.” His gaze drifted over Elias before venturing back up to his face. “I didn’t think I would meet another, but all the same, I won’t mind seeing you put out of your misery.”

  “Of course you wouldn’t, but you prefer having everyone else handle your problems for you, isn’ that right? It must be terribly easy for you to try to take over everyone’s organizations when you have a team of mercenaries to do your bidding. But they’re not as good as you think they are or have you forgotten that unfortunate event three years ago?”

  Once, that would have been enough to get a rise out of Uilleam—he had a tendency to react without thinking when anyone mentioned the Jackal and the attempt on his life. Not that Kit blamed him—had he ever been that close to death, he wouldn’t like to be reminded of it either.

  “I’ve never realized,” Kit said before his brother could get a word in. “You talk too much.”

  “Have you not been listening, then?” Uilleam asked his brother. “Because he hasn’t shut up since this whole ordeal started.”

  “I’ve had quite enough of you,” Elias snapped, losing that careful control on his temper.

  “Patience, Elias,” Uilleam said. “We’re merely waiting for our other guest to arrive.”

  Elias didn’t speak again, merely watched them. Anyone else might have gone off, but Kit knew the man—he knew that despite his annoyance, he would remain there because he was too curious not to.

  Then again, he didn’t suspect that anyone could outsmart him, and that had been his first mistake.

  Another handful of minutes passed before the elevator beeped once more.
The doors slowly slid open and out walked Carmen, wearing a fur coat despite the weather.

  Her head was tilted up a fraction, at least until she saw whose company she was in.

  First, her eyes went to Elias—there was no fear in her eyes when she looked at him—but when her gaze fell on Kit first, then Uilleam, apprehension quickly filled her.

  No one made the connection between them—they were rarely ever in the same room together—and when they spoke of one another, it was with the same detachment they acquainted with anyone else.

  But when they were together, it was clear for anyone to see if they paid attention.

  “Carmen, you’re right on time. Please, have a seat. We’ve only just begun.”

  “What is this?” she demanded of Elias, but it was Kit who answered her.

  “Allow me to introduce you to my brother,” he said with a tilt of his head in Uilleam’s direction. “You may know him as the Kingmaker.”

  Carmen did her very best to hide her surprise, but as quickly as it came over her, anger replaced it as she glared at Elias. “Did you know of this?”

  “Know of it?” Uilleam asked, enjoying himself. “He set it up. Tell me, did you not think it the slightest bit strange that he had Nix brought in for you without any warning? And, only after we had our meeting discussing the death of your former husband.”

  “You don’t—” Elias started, but Carmen cut in.

  “Why would he do this?”

  “Why do desperate men do anything?” Uilleam asked. “To guard their secrets.”

  “Mind your tongue,” Elias said before Uilleam could get another word out.

  “Or what, exactly?”

  “I’ll have yours removed.”

  Kit butted in. “As interesting as that may be, I’m not going to let that happen.”

  “The truth is Elias has been trying to steal a number of my businesses over the last many years—let’s call it a difference in opinion as to the rift between us. But we managed to come to an understanding a little while ago—a favor for a favor, if you will.”

  “Uill—”

  “Speak my name, and I’ll slit your throat.”

  Kit placed his hand on Uilleam’s shoulder, a silent command for him to stand down.

  “What my brother is trying to say is Elias agreed to allow him to continue his deal with you to kill Caesar, so long as he didn’t take any action against you until he got what he wanted.”

  “You’ll gain nothing from this,” Elias said easily, expression never changing.

  “Is this true?” Carmen asked, hair flying over her shoulder as she whipped around to face Elias. “Did you agree to this?”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “If you’re wondering why I’m here,” Kit said, “I’m here to keep him in check.”

  “That’s not the only reason you’re here, is it?” Elias asked. “Because while you’re trying to give her every reason not to trust me, I can give her just as many reasons not to trust you.”

  “See, here’s the thing about trust, I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not. Every request she has ever demanded of me, I’ve delivered.”

  “Except for the death of her daughter, you mean?”

  Carmen looked between the pair of them, confusion on her face. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Yes,” Uilleam said, “what are you talking about?”

  “Are you playing oblivious now, Kingmaker? Her daughter, Luna Santiago, is still alive. If you recall, Carmen paid you handsomely to end her life.”

  Now, it was Kit’s turn to smile. “Are you quite sure of that?”

  Elias actually looked in disbelief. “Have you gone mad?”

  “By all means, if you have evidence, please share it with the rest of the class,” Uilleam suggested.

  Elias didn’t hesitate in reaching for his phone, but as he did so, Kit hid his smile.

  One thing he had always appreciated about hackers, they had the power to accomplish anything without ever being in the same room.

  “We’re waiting.”

  A muscle worked in his jaw, but besides the tightening of his fingers around the phone, he neither spoke, nor looked at them.

  He knew almost immediately, without them having to ask, what they had done.

  He also knew there wasn’t shit he could do about it.

  “I’m here to make you another deal,” Uilleam said. “Should you do something for me, I will ensure that you never have to deal with Elias again. And as witnessed from our experience together, you know I’m good for it.”

  “He’s playing you,” Elias warned her, but if there was one thing Uilleam had always been good at, it was persuading someone to come over to his side.

  “Haven’t you wondered why your businesses have been getting attacked lately? Why your daughter was held at gunpoint to access files she didn’t know were there?” Kit asked, laying on the charm. He may have despised the woman, but he could pretend for a few moments more. “Didn’t you ever ask yourself how whoever attacked you knew about the shipping yard when you only ever mentioned it to one man?”

  Carmen ate it up, her eyes narrowing as she falsely realized how Elias had tried to ruin her.

  It was almost too easy, getting her to believe the lies they fed, but this had always been part of the plan.

  Kit couldn’t just kill her and be done with it—Uilleam had shown him why it was important for them both to face ruin first before they were put in the dirt.

  Like cattle herded to slaughter.

  Glaring at him, Carmen cursed him in Spanish. “I’ll see that you’re cut into pieces.”

  “You’re going to regret this day, Kingmaker. I assure you,” Elias said, not fazed by the woman’s threat at all. “All of you.”

  As he got to his feet, so did Kit.

  “And to ensure that we all leave this place in one piece, let’s all walk down together. Who better to ensure peace than a renowned assassin,” Uilleam said with a blinding smile, Carmen’s surprise returning. “And to think they were using him as no more than a glorified babysitter.”

  The ride down to the lobby was silent and tense, and as the doors opened once more, Carmen walked out first without looking back.

  Now, it was time for the finale.

  They were hardly out the front doors of the hotel before men in tactical gear swarmed the entrance, guns trained on Carmen.

  “What the hell have you done, Elias?” Uilleam demanded, voice loud enough for Carmen to hear as she was quickly dragged away, an agent in an inexpensive suit reading her rights.

  “Law enforcement?” Elias demanded, frozen in shock. “This will ruin you! No one will work with—”

  “You know,” Uilleam said as he watched the surprise and anger mix on Elias’ face. “I’ve never had a use for the United States federal government—oftentimes, they only get in my way. But I’m starting to see that they have their uses. Believe me, I would have much preferred having Calavera shoot her in the face, but this, this is so much better, no? Not only does she have to answer for her crimes—and the FBI doesn’t seem to take too kindly to trafficking, so I’ve learned—but once this gets out, how much do you think your clients will trust you then?”

  Kit clapped the man on the back. “You’re finished, Elias.”

  His face mottled with red, Elias looked as though he was a second from blowing a blood vessel. “You’ll be finished,” he said. “Both of you.”

  “Oh, but haven’t you noticed?” Uilleam asked, gesturing around them. “We were never here, and as far as Carmen knows, you did this to her. And as she tries to exhaust every avenue that she can to gain her freedom, she’s not going to be shy in mentioning your name.”

  Despite their standing there, not a single one of the agents looked in their direction. They might as well have been invisible.

  “You have a three-hour head start, Elias,” Kit said, dropping his smile. “I suggest you hide somewhere well because once I start hunting you, I
will find you, and I’ll show you in the worst of ways how patient I can be as I cut you apart, piece by piece.”

  What color had entered the man’s face drained away. “This isn’t over,” he said, bravado still in place despite his pale face.

  “I was just starting to like him,” Uilleam said as Elias hurried off, his head down to avoid the camera crews that were quickly setting up. “A shame—I’m going to miss that little bastard.”

  “Only you would, Uilleam. How’d you manage this?” Kit asked, just as curious as Elias had been. “You failed to mention this part of your grand plan.”

  “I have friends in low places and even a few in high places,” Uilleam said vaguely. “Truth be told, I was a bit surprised they were as eager as they were to arrest her.”

  “It won’t stick,” Kit said, donning his sunglasses as they stepped out of sight. “She has too many friends in high places. She won’t spend a day in prison.”

  “Of course not,” he agreed too easily. “But that’s not my job—it’s yours. I’m sure you didn’t want me to have all the fun, yes? I got what I wanted from Elias, so now you can do as you see fit with Carmen. Win-win.”

  “I wasn’t joking when I told him I was hunting him down,” Kit reminded his brother. “I won’t wait for you.”

  “Then may the best man win. You gave him three hours, but I promised no such thing. Give the missus my regards.”

  Kit watched him go, disappearing into the crowd of onlookers with an ease that almost made it seem as if he had never been there at all.

  Turning away, he allowed himself one last look back at Carmen seated in the back of the government truck before he too made his way through the spectators.

  She should have been sad as she watched the shell-shocked expression on Carmen’s face as handcuffs were fastened to her wrists and she was tucked into the back of an agent’s truck.

  Film crews were everywhere, and every station Luna turned to covered the spectacle of her arrest.