Taking Care of the Target

by Cindi Madsen

  “We both made it, but barely.” Vince shot another glare at Sal, satisfaction pumping through him when the twerp flinched. “Did you really think a noisy drive-by in a nice neighborhood wouldn’t go unnoticed? You just put unneeded attention on all of us.”

  The muscles in Carlo’s jaw tightened, and he gave Sal a deadly look that made Vince’s blood freeze in place, so he could only imagine the impact on Sal. “You and I are going to have a talk in a few minutes.” He turned to Vince. “So what’s the status with Cassie?”

  “I think it’s best to talk about this without him”—Vince tilted his head toward Sal—“here. He’s already screwed it up once.”

  Carlo pressed his lips together and tapped a finger to them. This would be so much easier without anyone else chiming in on the situation. Vince silently urged him to tell Sal to leave.

  “Don’t go far,” Carlo said, not even bothering to look at Sal.

  As Sal started past, Vince stepped into his path. He spoke in a low, make-no-mistake voice. “Cross me again, and it’ll be the last thing you do.”

  Sal managed a weak sneer and then left the office, head hanging like a scolded dog. Perfect.

  “So if they didn’t kill her,” Carlo said, using a similar no-threat tone, “why didn’t you finish the job?”

  Where to start? It’d help if Cassie’s face would stop flashing into his mind, making it hard to stay detached. He couldn’t look weak right now, but at the same time, he needed to appeal to Carlo’s sympathetic side. “I found out her accident erased her memory. She doesn’t remember the incident behind the restaurant, or even working here. Remember how Sal said she looked right at him but acted like she didn’t know him? She did the same thing to me.

  “I watched her for a couple of days, and all she ever did was go between work and her new place—which I found out she’d already planned on moving into before the accident.” That’d taken a bit of digging at her old place. “I approached her, and when it was clear she didn’t know who I was, I struck up a conversation. I was walking her home so I could find out more about her condition. No one’s following her, either—no cops, no feds.” He gritted his teeth. “Just Sal’s idiots, who were incompetent enough to report the job as done.”

  Vince hoped that wouldn’t compel Carlo to send more qualified people, because the truth was, if he’d spotted that gun even a second later, he and Cassie would’ve died there on the sidewalk.

  Carlo tapped his fingers on his desk. “She doesn’t remember anything?”

  Vince shook his head. “Not about New Jersey. Not about us. Look, you said it before. You liked her—we all liked her. She’s just twenty-four years old, with her whole life ahead of her. There’s no reason to kill her now.”

  Carlo stroked his goatee, his eyes softening a fraction. “You’re sure she’s not acting?”

  “I was there in the alley that day. She never would’ve talked to me if she remembered who I was, and we talked for a while. Then she left with me. No amount of acting could keep her calm that long, and like I said, I’ve been watching her closely for a couple of days.” He purposely left out the fact that someone else might’ve been watching her, too.

  “Isn’t it possible for people with amnesia to suddenly remember? What did the doctor tell her—do you know?”

  “He said it’s unlikely. If they don’t come back right after, they’re usually gone for good.” Now he was just talking out of his ass, hoping it sounded legit.

  “What percentage did he give her? Because even if it’s five percent, that five percent means prison for me.” Carlo let out a sigh and shook his head. “I don’t think I can risk it. If you’re not able to do the job, I understand, but I’ll have to get someone else.”

  His gut clenched, alarm screeching through his veins. “Look, she trusts me. I’ll stick close to her. If she remembers anything, I’ll finish the job.”

  Carlo went back to stroking his goatee, and Vince searched for another way to get him on board with this plan.

  “Killing her right now would actually be more of a risk. Say the police look into her disappearance. Where are they going to go for answers? They’ll see she used to be employed at Rossi’s and come charging in here with a warrant—they’ve had a hard-on for a reason to search this place for years.”

  Carlo’s hand stilled. Clearly, that struck a chord.

  “This is why you have me taking care of this. You want it done right, not sloppy. I think things through, where your other goons…” Vince let it hang in the air, hoping to drive the point home without pissing him off. “Well, I’ll handle it without adding a dozen more problems to the pile.”

  A nostalgic gleam flickered through Carlo’s eyes, and one corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. “You’re so much like your dad. When you’re in front of me, talking like this, it’s like I have him back.”

  Even though he didn’t want to feel so proud over the comparison, Vince couldn’t help it. Dad got things done. People respected him. He’d been his hero for most of his life, and until the day he’d been proven wrong, Vince thought he was untouchable.

  “You think long term, too, just like he did,” Carlo continued. “You’d make a helluva number two. I never promoted anyone to Underboss after your father, telling the guys the position was unnecessary. But the truth is, I never trusted anyone else enough, and I always wanted to keep it in the family.”

  Vince knew it was only a matter of time before Carlo brought it up. In another week or so, his uncle would casually mention Bobby to give him more incentive. Just when I think I’m out, he thought wryly. “I’ll think about it.”

  Carlo nodded, a smug curve to his lips, and then smacked the top of his desk with an open palm. “The restaurant’s running fine without you, so you just stick close to that girl for a while.”

  No doubt his uncle thought adding that jab would help sway him into accepting the offered position. But he’d seen the things that’d been forgotten on his way back to the office—he’d just been too bloodthirsty thinking about Sal to stop and tell the employees to fix them.

  “I’ll reiterate to my guys that Cassie’s not to be touched, but, Vince…” Carlo leaned forward in his chair, his good-humored mood fading in an instant. “If she remembers anything, you kill her and hide the body so she’s never found. Capisce?”

  Vince didn’t move, didn’t breathe, simply stared straight into his uncle’s eyes. “If it comes down to it, I’ll do what needs to be done.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Daylight, library nearby, Vince even closer—all reasons Cassie should feel safe. She definitely felt safer with Vince than she would’ve without him, yet she couldn’t help but flinch every time a car drove by.

  Without a word, Vince reached over and took her hand. The panic clawing at her insides eased, allowing her to take a few half-breaths. When the next car drove past, she didn’t flinch, simply held on to Vince a little tighter. Her lungs inflated and deflated as normal. Progress.

  “We made it to the park,” he said, giving her hand a light squeeze.

  Trees. Grass. Water. No streets that allowed cars to come whizzing past, which added another couple of safety points. The last of the tension in her body faded as Vince guided her farther inside George Page Park. She’d expected swing sets and kids running around, but there was only a large stretch of grass, trees with leaves in varying shades of yellow and red, and a stream.

  She lengthened her stride and stomped on a few of the leaves that’d already fallen, the satisfying crunch giving her more courage. The amused smile Vince shot her made her forget why she’d hesitated over his suggestion to take a walk in the first place.

  The sound of a car made her spin around. At least twenty yards and several trees separated them from the blue sedan, but she still watched until it turned down another street. Okay, so maybe he couldn’t help her entirely forget, but his smile was a nice reward for going out despite her fear.

  Vince didn’t say much, simply held her hand
and scanned the area like a silent sentinel. Sunshine warmed the top of her head, and she wanted to stretch out like a cat and absorb all she could before upper sixties temperatures disappeared for several months.

  The pathway led them to an old metal and wood bridge. Their footsteps echoed against the planks, along with an occasional creak.

  “I’m assuming this is an offshoot of the Delaware.” Cassie wrapped her free hand around the cool metal supports and poked her head over the side. The slow moving water below couldn’t be more than a couple of feet deep. “What’s it called? Do you know?”

  “Assunpink Creek,” Vince said.

  Cassie narrowed her eyes. “Ass-a-what? Are you messing with me because of my memory problems? Because that would be so not cool.”

  The smile she’d expected didn’t come. She thought back to this morning, when he asked if she’d ever get her memories back—asked it like so much rode on it. Only she couldn’t tell which way he hoped for.

  Maybe I answered the wrong way and now I’m just reminding him I’ve got issues. Not like she could do much about it. She nudged him with her elbow, trying to lighten the mood. “I was kidding.”

  Finally, his lips curved, but only a fraction. “Hey, I didn’t name it.”

  She watched the water until it felt like the bridge was moving along with it. Slightly dizzy, she glanced at Vince. She wondered whether long stretches of silence bothered him or not. She was used to them, but she didn’t want it to reach the awkward level, especially since her attempt to tease him hadn’t gone so well.

  “You know, with all the craziness last night, we sorta skipped the get-to-know-you talk.” Last night’s near death experience made her automatically feel bonded to him, and she wanted to explore that connection and see if it ran deeper—she certainly hoped so. “What’s your last name?”

  “DaMarco,” he said.

  “Mine’s Dalton. Okay, so what do you do for work?”

  “I…manage a restaurant.”

  “Hmm.”

  His shoulders tensed. “What’s the hmm for?”

  She shrugged. “Nothing. Just not what I pictured you doing. I expected you to say, like, bodyguard. Or professional gym rat. Something like that.”

  This time she got the full smile, and it warmed her from the inside out.

  “The manager thing explains why you were so interested in my job last night, though,” Cassie said. “What? Checking out the competition?”

  Vince pulled her in front of him and wrapped both arms around her waist so that her back met his firm chest. His whiskers tickled her ear when he said, “I told you. I was interested in you.”

  The blood in her veins turned to liquid fire, and just like that, they were back to where she wanted to be. For a moment she’d been afraid he only felt responsible for her. Or that they were turning into friends, and she definitely had more-than-friendly feelings for him, common sense telling her he was way out of her league be damned.

  She brushed her thumb over the coarse hair on his forearm and leaned back into his embrace. “My manager’s a bit…I can’t think of the right word. ‘Eternally grouchy’ is pretty accurate, although he took a chance on me, so I can put up with a little grouchiness. What kind of manager are you?”

  “I’d like to say that I’m the perfect blend of grouchy and friendly.” His low voice rumbled through his chest and echoed in hers.

  “I don’t think that’s a blend,” she said with a smile. “So, what’s the name of the restaurant? Not that I’ll know it unless it’s a chain that’s been around for a while.”

  His fingers splayed across her stomach and electricity zinged down her core. “I’m actually taking a break now. Looking to maybe get into another position somewhere else. Think your grouchy manager is hiring?”

  Cassie laughed. “I think that’d be a bad idea. You don’t seem like the type to take direction very well.”

  His lips brushed her neck, the intoxicating scratch of whiskers following right after. “I’m not,” he said against her skin.

  Thoughts grew fuzzy and she was having a hard time focusing on the conversation. She turned in his arms, her chest rising and falling against his. She’d never felt so drawn to someone she’d just met, and instead of it scaring her, she wanted to dive in and enjoy the rush.

  His eyes darkened, and he seemed to be fighting for control. She wished he’d stop. Who needed control right now?

  “Cassie…”

  “What? Am I making you nervous?” She leaned closer, her carpe-the-hottie motto running through her head—it was definitely time to seize all the things.

  “Always,” he said, and then he took hold of her hand and started across the bridge, leaving her with hormonal whiplash.

  ***

  Holy shit. Vince kept his eyes carefully forward as he strode across the stupid bridge. The woman fried the link between his brain and the rest of his body.

  First he’d told her he was a restaurant manager. He should’ve thought up a better cover story, but he also knew telling mostly truths was the best way to not get caught up in your lies, and his were quickly stacking up.

  Then he’d tried to distract her from the fact that he hadn’t really answered her question, only to get distracted himself. Staying away from her had been easier when he’d had the restaurant to keep him busy. But with nothing else to do…

  You have something else to do. If she gets her memories back or if Carlo decides to give the kill command anyway, you’re going to need a clear head.

  “Are we speed-racing through the rest of the park for any particular reason? Or are we on a deadline I don’t know about?”

  He slowed the pace and dared a glance at her. “Sorry. Just don’t want to make you late for work.” Luckily she didn’t look annoyed or mad. Just confused, which made him feel like a dick. Damned if he did, damned if he didn’t.

  Maybe he should just do it, then. Gather her to him, cover her lips with his, and get lost in her for a while. Every minute he spent with her, the more attached he grew, and he knew one kiss would never be enough.

  There was just no way this was going to end well.

  If Carlo even suspected Vince felt a fraction of what he did for Cassie… He shuddered at the thought. And if Cassie ever got her memories back, she’d feel like he’d used her. Say he got lucky and they were permanently gone, she’d still be horrified if she knew all the things he’d done. Hell, only a few hours ago, he’d wanted to choke the life out of Sal. Justifiably so after he’d nearly killed them, but he doubted Cassie would see it that way.

  What I wouldn’t do to start over. Just forget about my screwed up family and start a whole new life. If anyone could help him start over it would be Cassie.

  Too bad that was a fantasy and nothing more.

  “I was just thinking about your lost memories,” he said as they came around the final loop of the trail. “Maybe you’re better off without them.”

  Two creases formed between her eyebrows, and her steps slowed. “When you have them, I think it’s easy to feel like they don’t matter that much. I’ll admit I even had this moment shortly before I left the hospital when I thought, of all the memories that could be erased, why wasn’t it watching my dad get worse and worse?” She put a hand over her heart, rubbing it like she was trying to soothe the ache underneath. “But if I lost those, I might’ve lost all of him. Or had to find out that he was gone and then spend the rest of my life feeling like I didn’t get to say goodbye, even if I had. My mom died when I was younger, so he was my whole world. And the thought of not knowing him…” Her voice cracked.

  Another brick of guilt added itself to the pile that’d formed in his gut. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…I just thought it’d be nice to forget a few of my memories.” He stared off into the distance, wishing he could erase the image of Dad sputtering for air as he bled out on the lawn. The memory of finding Mom and her bottle of pills and calling the ambulance even though he knew it was too late. Of how Bobby had gone from
a sharp kid to a guy forever looking for his next fix.

  So much he’d like to forget.

  Cassie lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of his. Longing flooded his system, so strong he could hardly focus on anything else.

  “I don’t deserve that,” he said, turning to face her. “You think that I’m some bodyguard do-gooder guy, and I’m not.” Considering he needed to stay close to her, he probably shouldn’t have confessed that.

  “I also gave gym rat as an option, and that type is usually full of themselves and plan their lives around their workout schedule.” A tiny smile ghosted across her lips before blowing away with the breeze. “So don’t worry, I fully expect you to tell me that you need to go because you just remembered you have to pump some iron, or do the personal training thing or whatever. Even though I know you’ll really be leaving because things got too real, and you’re not ready for that or in a place to start a relationship with a girl who has a weird memory thing.”

  The vulnerability swimming through her features slayed him. “Cassie…”

  She closed her eyes like she feared she couldn’t handle the rest. In a way, it made it easier for him to say what he needed to.

  “My past is messy, and my current life’s not much better. You should know that going in.”

  Her eyes slowly opened, the pale green translucent and shining with hope. “So there’s an ‘in’ we’re going to?”

  Say no, say no, say…

  She stepped closer and put her hand on his chest, and then every thought, every thump of his heart, they all filled up with her.

  He slid his hand behind her neck and brought his lips down on hers, like he’d wanted to for months. He took in her gasp and parted her soft lips with his tongue, taking his time so he could memorize the flood of sensations and sweet taste of her mouth.

  But then she wrapped her hands around his biceps, her nails digging into his skin as her mouth moved against his, and the need to be closer turned into a living, breathing thing. The moan that escaped her drove him over the edge.