The Assassin (The Spitfire Book 3)
Page 3
I grabbed the back of her shirt when she was about to lay into her uncle, she turned her furious glare on me but I didn't give two shits.
"See what you started, are you happy now?"
"Tone it down Mouth, I'm not sure exactly why you think I handed you my balls but I've got news for you, don't fucking push me, and when exactly were you planning on telling me about this imaginary trip of yours? Or were you planning on skipping out without telling me?"
"Of course I was going to tell you, I was just waiting for the right moment." She turned her glare back on her father and uncle. No wonder she thought I should be afraid of her; both men seemed to cower under her scrutiny. Big fucking chance of that happening.
"It's a moot point now anyway, you're not going and Mouth believe me, if you should by some miracle get away and head there, I promise you you will wish you'd never met the likes of me."
"Don't threaten me Joe Scarponi."
"It's not a threat."
I saw her gulp when she got a good look at my face. Good, maybe now she'd take me seriously, because the last time she disobeyed me was the last time she disobeyed me.
"I don't see why..."
"Get this Arianna, there's no discussion, you're not going to fucking Chicago or anywhere else. These fucks found you here somehow; did you stop to think of that? You're being hunted like fucking prey. Kid or no kid I would've never let you go. You wanna sulk, fucking sulk, you want to throw a tantrum do that shit too but you'll be doing it here."
I pulled her into my body and lifted her chin so she could see into my eyes.
"I love you, but you'll never run me, the sooner you learn that the better off we'll be."
I took my phone from my jacket pocket and placed a call.
"Get me the twins."
"Oh shit." Michael shook his head and looked at Arianna with pity.
"Who're the twins?" she looked from Tony to Mikey who just shook their heads at her.
Chapter 5
"What did I tell you Rossi, match made in heaven.” Poppy laughed his ass off.
What the fuck!
"Poppy what do you mean?" I looked from one to the other of the three old mobsters in my father's study, what the fuck was going on here, did they...?
"Poppy what the fuck is going on?"
"Who’re the twins mob boy?"
"Not now Mouth, just know that your days of running wild are over; I have shit to take care of in the next few months so I can't be there every second of every day to ride herd on your stubborn ass so deal with what's coming."
If looks could kill I'd be dead, she better keep her little ass quiet or it'll be worst. Fuck, we weren't even married yet and already she was driving my ass nuts.
I turned back to my wily grandfather and his cohorts, they were busy whispering and gesticulating, probably arguing about how much to tell me.
From Poppy's little bombshell I gathered they think they have something to do with Mouth and I meeting.
"Start talking you three."
They came to a standstill in their little brouhaha as all eyes turned to them.
Alphonso and Rossi looked sheepishly at Mouth, while Poppy the old fuck could care less.
He looked me dead in the eye as he started.
"Listen up boyo, you weren't doing anything about carrying on the family name, I'm old and two steps out of the grave I want to bounce my great grandbabies on my knees for fucks sakes.
"What the fuck?"
"What about me Poppy?"
"James boy you know I love you but I've always been honest with you and I'm not about to stop now. You're not of my blood, doesn't mean I love you any less but I'm an old Irishman, blood will tell."
James looked like he was about to fucking break into tears.
"Poppy, that's fucked up, I get what you're saying but it's still fucked."
I wouldn't say anymore because I knew Poppy would stick to his guns, James will just have to handle his shit. I have bigger fish to fry right now anyway I'll deal with my brother's emotional trauma later.
"So you decided that I needed to be put out to stud?" Did I mention I was getting pissed way the fuck off?
"No,no, don't look at it like that, we were just trying a little matchmaking, it's something her father and I came up with years ago before you were even born, hell your own father wasn't even born yet when we made the deal.
Rossi looked nervous as fuck and Alphonso for some strange reason was silent and seemed to be trying valiantly to disappear into the wall.
"Dad.........."
"Don't start Ari, you fell in love didn't you?"
She sniffed her nose at me, I still had a hold of her shirt, I'd forgotten that. I moved my hand around her waist and pulled her under my arm.
"Whether I did or not you had no right to interfere."
"Of course I did, you're my only kid, did you think I was going to leave something as important as this up to chance? I had to make sure your husband was strong enough to deal with your...quirkiness."
Quirkiness my ass, she's nuts plain and simple, but she's my nut now. I guess I can't be too mad at the meddling old biddies, they did somehow manage to orchestrate the best fucking thing to ever happen to me.
"Uncle Al....."
"What?" He tried to look innocent as he cleaned imaginary lint from his jacket sleeve.
"Wait until I tell auntie on you two."
"Oh shit girl, that's hitting way below the belt, you won't do that to your old uncle now would you?"
What a sap, the guy was really afraid of the women in his family.
"Who's auntie?" I squeezed Mouth to get an answer out of her, seems she wasn't talking to me.
"She's sort of our surrogate sister, use to have designs on Phonso when we were kids but he's playing hard to get."
"Fuck off Roberto." I can't believe the sap was actually blushing, whatever, back to the matter at hand; their meddling asses.
"There's no way you three could've orchestrated everything that transpired here."
"Not the crazy shit no, we just needed to get her into the city under your nose. Your grandfather knows you very well, he knew if he maneuvered it so you could find out what the owner of the pub was up to you'd take action there. He was actually supposed to be here looking after her but shit went wonky and there was a change of plans. Things still worked out fine though don't you think? She was here a good month or so before you knew she was here, we had to step things up, but after that you crazy kids did everything else on your own."
I gave this some thought, I had to admit they were pretty fucking slick and like I said, I couldn't really be mad at them, but I had a feeling they weren't done.
"So you got us together, now what?"
"You're just going to let them get away with it?"
My bloodthirsty mafia girl wanted somebody's throat between her teeth.
"Leave it Mouth, no harm done.
There was a lot of throat clearing, James was still sulking and the Bobsie twins were quiet for once, probably sucking up every word to retell to their wives and laugh at me later.
I gave them the finger with just a look; they got the message, trying to look all cool and shit, fucking yentas.
I finally took a seat pulling Mouth down on my lap as I waited to hear what fuckery they had in store for me next.
"Here's the thing." Rossi once again took the lead "You're trying to go legit, in fact you're well on your way to being that, but I'm roads ahead of you. I've been going straight behind the scenes for two years now that's why those assholes decided to band together, the fucks."
I felt her stiffen on my lap; apparently this was news to her as well.
"Anyway your biggest problem seems to be the law, as we all know, it is more profitable to be a criminal than to be a law abiding citizen. Your grandfather, Alphonso and I will take care of that no problem; us old dragons know how to handle dinosaurs. Some of the families back in Chicago weren't too happy with my decision to go legit, but some were
on board; I gave up some of my old contacts to the more upstanding of our brothers and told the others to go fuck themselves.
There're still two families left who are a thorn in my side, it's one of these two that sent that fucking gumbah after my kid I'm sure. We take out these two fucks and it's smooth sailing." He stopped to take a sip of water, so far so good.
"Okay, what else? You're cleaning up your end of things I'm cleaning mine, this is a good thing but your business is in Chicago mine's here, Mouth isn't going back to Chicago to run your shit, legal or otherwise so what was the point?"
"You'll run them both together."
The fuck! okay, that was some serious shit he was saying here. Rossi's organization made mine look like kids play, he controlled more than five times what I did.
"You'll have fifty five percent interest in the business, Ari gets the rest, plus you have your own business here."
"That's a very sweet deal, tell me, why would you do that for someone you just met and hardly know?"
"Boy I've been studying you for the past two years, even before your Poppy sold me on the idea, you see I got started later in life but the deal was my kid would marry his kid; since he got started way ahead of me I figured it was dead but then I started hearing good things about young Shane Flanagan so I started tracking you. When I called your Poppy a few months ago asking for help stashing Ari, he brought up the idea of a match between you two."
"Two years, when she was seventeen?"
"Boy that girl was born old, besides we thought we'd wait until she was eighteen, it's one year later but what the hell?"
The ball of fire was about to explode on my lap but there was a knock at the door. Michael got up to answer and the two men walked in.
"Hello boys." I stood with Mouth next to me. " Meet your new assignment."
"Boss...."
They both spoke at the same time with pained looks on their faces.
"I see you've heard the stories already."
They nodded their heads in unison.
"I'm sure you boys can handle it, didn't they teach you how to handle explosive weapons of mass destruction in the Seals?"
"Boss, uhm yeah, but she's yours."
"So you handle her with care in all things, if the situation warrants it I give you permission to use force."
I got an elbow to the gut as Mouth finally caught on to who the two new men in the room were.
The twins were anything but, Zane was a six foot four African American and Alec was a six foot six Native American, they got their nickname because of the way they moved together, like fucking magnets. It was from their days in the seals together.
"Arianna meet your two new best friends."
"I think I liked it better when you called me Mouth, every time you call me Arianna it's followed by bad news. No offense boys."
She smirked at the two men who were sizing her up. Probably wondering how someone so tiny could've pulled off all the shit they'd heard about. They'll learn.
Chapter 6
The Assassin
I heard the big boss man giving out his orders, he didn't know I was listening, sniggers, what he doesn't know won't hurt him.
He thought I was tucked away nice and comfy in bed. Of course he'd done his best to see to that, but as amazing as the sex was, he hadn't quite achieve his goal of knocking me out.
I was waiting to hear my name called, to see what he expected them to do where I'm concerned, but he was playing it safe.
He'd obviously called them as soon as he left the room and since they were now stationed on the same floor in a room set up no doubt to spy on me, I needed all the info I could get.
I was enjoying their frustration as to what was the best course of action though I did take offense to being called a little rascal, until he mentioned his ex skank, and what he had to say made me see red.
Now I've been ignoring that bitch all this time, all the snide remarks and bitchy looks and all the other bullshit she pulled when I was at the club. I'd let it all slide, after all it wasn't my place...then, but since Don Umberto thinks he owns me, threatens me with his kid and all manner of things, what's his is mine.
Plus the three old meddling ya yas decided to sell us out, building their own little empire on our backs, so to speak. Sheeeeiiiiiit, we're a team made in mafia hell.
That said, mob boy can't get mad at me for what I'm about to do, we're partners after all.
Right?
Prince of The City
"She's gone."
"What?"
"Arianna, she's not in the apartment."
"How do you know, you didn't even leave the room."
"I just know, we're like connected or some shit.
I pulled out my phone to call her other detail out on the street, she'd fooled me once, not gonna happen again plus I knew her hardheaded ass wouldn't stay still for too long.
I'd known she was feigning sleep when I left her well fucked ass in my bed, what I didn't know is where the hell she was off to now.
"You got her?"
"Yeah, right on her, I don't think she made us... yet, if she does what do we do?"
"Nothing, you stay on her until she's back here. Where's she off to anyway?"
"It looks like she's heading to the club, she's walking kind of fast, looks kinda pissed."
"I'm heading out, keep her in your sights at all times, you guys got the picture of this Joey fingers fuck right so be on the lookout for him.
I hung up with them and turned to Alec and Zane.
"Let's go round up my little hellion, I doubt she's going to the club to work so Lord knows what she's up to."
They looked like they were fighting laughter, fuck, I'm surrounded by comedians, first the two sisters in law, now these two.
My phone beeped just as we jumped into my car.
My boy Dominic calling me with the news that Mouth had indeed entered the club; I was only about three minutes behind her.
I didn't see her anywhere on the floor and no one mentioned her as I exchanged greetings with the staff as I passed them.
I didn't bother asking anyone if they'd seen her, If she'd wanted to be recognized they would've noticed her entrance, not knowing why she was here I thought it prudent to keep her presence a secret just in case.
Alec and Zane brought up the rear as we headed towards the offices in the back.
We heard her before we saw her.
I held my hand up for them to stop and wait; we crept forward towards the door of Ricci's office that was slightly cracked open giving us enough room to see the two women inside.
"So what was your plan skank, get me out of the way so you can have him, how stupid can you be, if he'd wanted your psychotic ass he would be with you, not me."
Damn my baby was being all female, didn't know she had it in her. So that's what she was doing, I'll have to be more careful in the future if I had something I wanted kept from her, like drugging her ass to sleep so I could have a conversation in peace. Little sneak.
"Well if you hadn't shown up and thrown yourself at him we would be together now."
"Do you even hear yourself, what kind of fucked up shit are you on, seriously if he loved you it wouldn't matter who came on the scene he'd still be with you, besides didn't he drop your ass long before I came along?"
"That was just temporary..."
"What the fuck ever Alex Forrest."
"Who?" Ricci looked lost as fuck, that'll happen if you got caught up in conversation with the mouthy one.
"You ever seen Fatal Attraction?"
"You're so juvenile, I don't know what he could possibly see in you, in fact I bet if your father wasn't some big time mobster he'd never have given you the time of day."
She clapped her hand over her mouth as if to pull the words back in.
Too late.
"How did you know that? No one here knows about that so how do you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about of course everyone knows I must've hea
rd it from one of the others.
"No you didn't, who've you been talking to about me what else you've been up to? That James guy is an easy mark for a tramp like you, who else did you trap with your funky coochie?"
"How dare you, you little bitch."
"We can't all be Amazons lurch; now back to how you knew about my dad."
Teresa suddenly was all smiles, like she knew something that no one else did. I didn't like that shit.
"We found it out James and I, we also found out that your old man is dead and you're his heir but there are some who want you dead. So I placed some calls and let it slip, anonymously of course, that you're here, but it looks like I didn't need their fancy hit man after all, I'll get to do you in myself and collect the money anyway, nice bonus."
She pulled a silver semiautomatic glock from her drawer and pointed it at Mouth.
What the fuck?
I moved quickly into the room but Mouth was faster.
She moved so fast it was like a blur, her hands and feet in constant motion, when it was all said and done Teresa laid on the floor with a broken neck, the gun was in Mouth's hand and I still didn't know what had happened. Fuck me I'm so screwed.
My crazy fucking fiancé looked down at the no longer breathing woman on the floor and said "Oh by the way, you're fired."
"Fuck boss where did you find her, Moussad?"
"What?" I turned to Alec and Zane who I'd somehow forgotten was there, I was still trying to get my breathing back under control and my heart to go the fuck back where it belonged. This girl was going to be the death of me no joke.
"That's Krav Maga, I think we need to renegotiate boss, how long did you say you needed us on her?"
"Oops."
This from the nut who just realized that she had company.
"Oops? Oops? That's it mouth, for fucks sake you just took ten years off my fucking life. I'm locking your ass away somewhere, somebody somewhere must've made something that can keep your ass secured"
Chapter 7
The Assassin