by J. L. Beck
“Just business. I would like to have a word with you.” His eyes dart back to Amara’s, and I know he’s asking, what the fuck is she doing here? That’s not his problem, though.
“What about her?” He lifts his chin toward Amara.
“What about her?”
His eyes narrow at my attempt at humor. “Does she know?” I watch as Amara looks between us both, completely confused, and utterly oblivious about what is about to take place.
“Leave her be. Let’s go, Amara.” My hand lands on the small of her back, and I lead her into Luccio’s home. The walls are littered with family photos that go back hundreds of generations. His house oozes I-have-money-and-you-know-it. We walk across marble flooring with gold rivets as we pass through the foyer, and head to the first door on the left. It’s his office just as I knew it would be. The door opens and closes behind us quietly as I guide Amara to a seat.
“I haven’t gathered any new information, Enzo. I told you if I found out anything else, I would contact you.”
I smile smugly at his comment. The knife on my ankle feels heavy, as does the gun on my back. Heavy with the need to release bullets in this lying fucker’s ass.
“That’s not why I’m here, actually. See, a very fat and short man came to my house. Unwanted, of course. You know how I get about people who trespass, right?” I watch the blood drain from his face, and I know he had something to do with it. Someone such as him can’t hide from me. He is out for something, and I want to know what it is.
“It wasn’t me,” he immediately claims. My attention slides from him to Amara, who is sitting in one of the chairs. She looks clueless to the whole situation.
“Really? Because the moment before I slit his throat and watched him bleed out, he told me he was a member of your group…” I say, looming over him. He is sitting behind his desk, attempting to look dumbfounded, it’s not working, though. I’m not a dumb man, and I won’t be made to look like one either.
I reach down and pull the knife out. He has about five minutes before I slit his throat open. “Talk…” I growl, pointing the knife at him. I know he thinks I won’t do it, that I don’t have the balls to kill someone I have known for the better part of my life. The person who helped raise me when I lost all my family. It really is sad that I have to be threatening him at all. But lies are piling up, and in the end, you have to protect yourself above all else.
“He-he was sent to see about her…” His eyes move to Amara’s, and her mouth gapes open as if in shock. I’m not much further behind her. I’m a bit shaken up as to what that man would’ve wanted with Amara. No one even knows that I took her, except her father, but I don’t expect him to do much talking. After all the problems he caused, I assume he will stay on the back burner for a while. Maybe I’m wrong?
“What did he want with her?” I ask, dangerously close to putting the blade of this knife in his forehead. There is a pregnant pause, and I grow angrier as time stands still. These people have no need to know why I have her, what I am doing with her, or who she is. Coming around the desk, I slip behind his chair, my hand gripping his mop of hair, I pull him back and place the knife blade at his neck. His eyes peer into mine.
“I won’t ask again, what the fuck did he want with her?” I hear Amara’s gasp, but I ignore it—her.
“He…” His voice stops, his heart rate increases and my need to cut out his fucking larynx grows stronger.
“He’s your guy, Luccio, which means you’re responsible for him. Now answer me before I kill you. Believe me, I have given you far more time to answer than I would anyone else.”
“He… There’s a rumor… I don’t know what it is. It’s just this rumor…” His words circle over and over again as he repeats the same thing. A rumor? There is always some type of drama in the industry, I mean it is a form of crime, after all.
“What kind of rumor?” I ask, pressing the blade into his neck. Blood seeps slowly from a thin line I cut across his throat.
“I…” He sounds like he is about to shit or piss himself. I won’t be surprised if both things take place. Still holding the knife against his throat, I release his head and grab the gun from behind my back, aiming it at the side of his head. If he didn’t think I was serious before, he should now.
“Now, what kind of rumor is it we’re talking about?”
“He doesn’t have to die, Enzo. It’s probably nothing…” Amara’s voice is soft and slightly soothing to the raging inferno that is burning within me.
I look up at her, my eyes growing dark. “He does have to die. When I ask a question, he answers, if he doesn’t, he dies. Loose ends get me nowhere. If someone doesn’t have the answers I need, they become useless.”
“They think she’s with someone,” he blurts out as my eyes still linger on Amara.
“What do you mean, I’m with someone?” Amara shoots back. I hold her gaze, my eyes narrowing. Is she with someone? I never asked if she had a steady boyfriend. Jealousy burns inside me, and I would be lying if I said it doesn’t hurt like a fucking bitch.
“I ask the fucking questions,” I growl at her. My attention turns back to Luccio, who is shaking in his boots. He is a pussy. He is supposed to be this big guy who knows all these people, who can kill anyone. It’s all a lie, obviously. His men aren’t even in the room with him. He is a fake.
“I mean… Not with someone. She’s a pig. They think she is anyway.” His words are coming out a little easier, meaning I’m losing my effect. “I sent someone to check her out to protect you. That idiot was not supposed to try and break-in.”
Amara’s face is full of placid rage. “A Pig? Like a cop? I didn’t even know about any of this until I was forced to stay with him—” Her voice cuts off as I shoot her a look that says shut those fucking lips before I shut them myself.
“Who told you that? Who’s working for you, or are you working for someone?”
He shakes his head. “I’m not working for anyone. I work for no one. One of my men told me that someone is working in connection with the FBI.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. FBI is serious shit. I mean, the shit I do is serious, and I’m not afraid of anyone, but if an FBI agent got in among us, we would be screwed.
“Tell me which man it was. Was it the insider? Or maybe an FBI agent?” I’m no longer going to be patient. People will start fucking falling over dead left and right if I don’t get answers soon.
He laughs gruffly. “The one you fucking killed.” Releasing him with a shove, I walk away. I’m angry—no, I am livid. I need him. I need to know who the pig is if there even is one. Now I have no connections because I acted too soon. Fuck. It’s her fault. My mind is playing games with me. I know it isn’t her fault, but I still want to take my rage out on her.
“You killed another person?” She acts as if she is in shock, but at the same time, wants to scold me for my ill-mannered behavior. Like I’m anything aside from this fucking monster.
“Yes. I did.” I hiss. “And I’ll fucking kill many more, sweetheart, don’t get your panties in a bunch.” I’m crude, and I’m slightly unhinged. Her behavior is not helping.
“You’re digging yourself deeper and deeper,” she murmurs under her breath. She isn’t afraid of me, or at least not at the moment. Moving from my position, I go to sit on the stool near the window. The FBI could be on our asses, and I need to figure out who it is that squealed.
My mind is racing, I should kill them both. That would be the safest bet. Time stands still as I stare deeply into Amara’s eyes. Can I really bring myself to put a bullet in her head? Never to see her body flush with desire? Never to see her beautiful brown eyes full of anger and hate?
Running a hand through my hair, I pick up the gun and point it at her. Her eyes don’t close, nor does she cry out or scream. It is as if she isn’t afraid at all.
“Who are you with?” I demand.
Her eyes narrow as she leans into my face, her arms leaning on the side of the chair. “If I were with someon
e, I would’ve already had them get me out of this fucking place.”
I blow out a breath. I need to clear my head. For once in my life, I can’t just start killing people, I need to get answers.
“Let’s go…” I growl, grabbing her arm. She stands abruptly, and I reach out with both hands steadying her. Her body collides with mine, and as I’m evening her out, I hear the cocking of a gun behind me. I turn just in time to see Luccio pointing the gun straight at us.
Bone crushing fear courses through me for the first time since the day my mother died. She could die, I could die. I know it will happen someday. But she… She can’t die.
“You aren’t fucking going anywhere. You come into my house, talking all this shit, thinking that you know everything. I sent that man to you for a reason.”
I turn to him, placing my body directly in front of Amara’s. Not a word passes her lips, thankfully. There will be no talking ourselves out of what we are about to get into.
“You sent him to lure me out, didn’t you?” It isn’t really a question. I now know the answer.
“Lure you wasn’t really what I wanted to do… I do know who killed your mom.” His voice is full of hate as if he had a reason to hate me. I haven’t hurt him up to this very day.
“Who was it then?” I ask, pushing Amara closer to the door. Her steps are small and uncertain. I can feel the fear rolling off her. She thinks we are going to die. Which we will unless I get a grip on this shit. My gun is still in my hand, it’s all about who can get the first shot in.
“The FBI is onto you, Lorenzo. Every move you make puts you closer to getting caught. They came for you that day, they killed your mother, and they were fully intent on taking you. I got my hands on you first, though…” My mind is reeling as I place everything together in a timeline in my mind.
“What are you saying?” I ask between clenched teeth. My hands are shaking with anger as I raise the gun and point it at him. He doesn’t cower in fear. I don’t expect him to. He will die with dignity.
“I’m saying the FBI killed your mother, and we took you as our own before you could be taken by them. You have made us millions of dollars. My family is very grateful for all that you have done… But now, you’re becoming more of an inconvenience for our family. You’re powerful—too powerful. In this case, you must die.”
The words slip from his mouth as everything registers within me. It’s as if everything is playing in slow motion. I pull the trigger the same time he does—my weapon aimed at his chest, and his at mine.
My shot lands precisely where I hoped it would. Directly in his heart, and I watch him slip to the ground. My body is full of adrenaline, it takes a moment to realize that his bullet hit me in the shoulder. My skin burns, my muscles ache, and my body feels heavy. This isn’t the first time I’ve been shot, and won’t be the last, I’m sure.
I can hear Amara’s screams as her arms lock onto me. She turns me to face her as a coldness sweeps over me.
“We need to go,” I say quietly, pushing her back.
“You’re fucking crazy, you just killed someone, and he shot you. He fucking shot you.” She is losing it, and I need her to stay with me. I need her to stay calm because she will be the one thing to help us get out of here.
A crazed look crosses her face as she helps me stand. “We need to leave. Now. Once his men come in and find him dead, they will come for us.” My shoulder burns like a motherfucker as we make our way to the door. It’s too late, though. The doors in front of us push open. I pull myself from Amara’s side and push her behind me, shooting the two men before us directly in their chests before they can even raise their guns.
They’re so young. Their blood seeping onto the gold flaked marble, reminding me that it doesn’t matter how many nice things you have. In the end, none of it matters if you’re not alive. I need to stay the fuck alive.
I pull my phone out, handing the gun to Amara as I pull her along and down the hall. The rest of his men will be on alert. They will come, I know it.
I push Jared’s contact name, and the phone starts ringing.
“Sir.”
“We need to leave, we’re on our way out. I will meet you by the road,” I huff out as we push down the hall.
“What happened?” he asks. He knows better than to not assume something has happened. Maybe it is the way I sound or the fact that usually when things like this happen, it isn’t good.
“I’m shot. I need you to contact Mack and Eli, let them know. We need backup. Then I need you to take us to the cabin.” Fuck, I should have brought them in the first place.
“The cabin?” He knows what the cabin is. It is our hideout. It’s to be used for emergencies only. This, I think, will qualify as a fucking emergency.
“Yes, the cabin. We need to go into hiding. I just killed Luccio.” As soon as I say it, I hang up, not wanting to waste any more time rambling.
“Are you going to be okay? You’re bleeding a lot,” Amara says anxiously. She is pulling me along, and as soon as we make it to the front door, I know shit is about to get bad.
“Where are you going?” A man barks behind us. He’s bald and heavyset, but it isn’t the fat kind. It is the fuck you up kind. I am in no shape to be beating the shit out of this guy. We need to run.
“He’s going to kill us, he’s going to kill us…” Amara keeps chanting as we move down the front steps. I can hear the man’s feet pounding across the ground.
“What the fuck are you doing?” the voice growls. We are moving faster, barely, but we are, crossing the pavement outside.
“Stop now, or we’ll shoot!” We are outnumbered. I don’t want Amara to get shot, but we need to get out to have a chance of surviving this. And then the bullets come.
“He killed Luccio!” Someone yells directly behind us. Amara is breathing heavily as she helps carry my weight.
“We’re going to die,” she says, crazed, as we run into the bushes. We have to climb the wall, and I’m not sure I’m going to make it. I’m a tough son of a bitch, but bullets are whizzing past us at every fucking angle. If I have to make a choice between Amara and myself, it will be her. She will get over that fucking wall if I have anything to do with it.
“They’re over here…” A voice yells as the branches poke at my shoulder. I’m burning up, and my body fucking burns like I’m being eaten by the fucking sun.
“Go...” I say, bending down and grabbing her leg, so I can lift her up and over. She hesitates only for a moment as I watch her hand reach up and grip the wall. The men are descending on us quickly, one of the bullets comes shooting through the bush and lands mere inches from my face.
“Come on!” she screams over the bullets, her small hand showing just over the edge of the wall. My eyes are blurring as I push forward, my hand landing in hers. Reaching up with my shot arm, I grip the side of the wall to pull myself up.
“Come on, Enzo.” I can hear the panic in her voice as I push myself up. It’s a slow movement, and I feel I’d rather rip my fucking arm off than continued doing this. Just as I’m about halfway over, a hand grips my foot.
“Oh, no, you don’t. You’re going to pay for what you did.” I look down to see the asshole who had been barking at us as we ran from the house. He has a gun pointed at my back, his hand is on my foot, pulling me downward.
It’s now or never. If I don’t make the selfless decision to let go of her hand, he will find her, and she will die, too. I don’t care about anything in my life, but I have slowly grown to care for her. Even a smidge of pain or hurt to her body will push me over the edge.
My hand is slipping from hers as the man pulls me down. “You’ll pay. We’ll torture the fuck out of you. Rip that tongue of yours out, beat the shit out of you, and then…” Silence. I hear the sound of the gun being shot, but I’m not sure if it is his gun or someone else’s.
I turn around to see the man lying on the ground, a pool of blood already starting to form around him. Then I look back up and see Amara s
itting on the top edge of the wall, her small body shaking, the gun is in her hand, and she looks scared shitless.
I don’t say anything to her, but I’m fucking proud. I’m more than proud. I’m now the one indebted to her.
“Can you make it over the wall?” Worry fills her eyes as she scans the area. “We need to get out of here before more guys come.”
Nodding, I push through the pain and start to climb back up. She grabs my uninjured arm, helping me up as best she can.
The second she has me over the wall, I slump to the ground, and my body goes limp. I know Jared will come. I just need to hold on a little longer. It doesn’t last, though. My mind slips from my body, and suddenly everything goes black. I hope to fucking God I’m not dying.
I need to tell Amara how fucking hot it is that she not only shot a gun but that she killed a man.
19
Amara
“Is he going to be okay?” I ask Jared over and over again as I look at Enzo’s lifeless body. My body is still shaking. I’m scared to death. Never in my life have I been shot at until I met Enzo. I’ve only shot a gun a couple times with my dad. He wanted me to know how to shoot in case someone ever attacked me. I don’t think this was the type of attack he meant when he taught me, though.
“He’ll be fine. We need to get to the cabin, then I can remove the bullet, so he can heal.” Jared is calm and collected, acting as if I haven’t just told him Enzo has been shot.
I’m about to hand Jared the gun, so I can help him get Enzo in the car when tires screech behind us. I turn and raise the gun at the same time.
“It’s Eli and Mack,” Jared yells. “Don’t fucking shoot them.”
I do as he asks and lower the gun, even though I wouldn’t mind shooting Eli in the knee. Mack and Eli jump out of the car and run toward us.
“Come on, get in the car,” Mack says and ushers me into the back seat.
Eli and Jared carry Enzo together and lay him next to me with his head on my lap.
“Put pressure on the wound,” Jared tells me as he gets back behind the wheel.
