Taking Care of the Target

by Cindi Madsen

  “Now, like I said. Bobby’s out. He’s under my protection. I’ll discuss it with my uncle, and make no mistake, he’ll be back under Carlo’s protection soon. So unless you want a war with us Jersey boys and your neighbors to the east, all you have to do is take your money and leave my brother alone.”

  “You know how easy it’d be for me to grab the blonde from the club? One of my guys is watching her right now.”

  Vince tilted the gun up and let the fury show through so Big Al would know he wasn’t bluffing about pulling the trigger. “Your heart would have to be beating to do it.”

  One silent second passed, then two. By three the tension was so thick it smothered the air. “Fine,” Big Al said, his face so red it’d morphed into purple territory. “Take your brother back. All he does is use the supply, anyway. Useless fucking junkie.”

  “For extra reassurance, Bobby’s going to take all the guns, including yours. We’ll leave them with the bouncer on our way out.”

  Big Al gritted his teeth. “If you weren’t Carlo’s nephew—”

  “Ah, but I am.” Once Bobby collected the guns, Vince slowly released his grip on the tie. “Nice doing business with you.” Keeping his pistol trained on Big Al’s forehead, he and Bobby slowly backed out of the room. He didn’t doubt there were more guns in the near vicinity, but he hoped he’d made enough of a point, and they were scared enough of Carlo’s retribution, that they’d let them grab Cassie and get the hell out of there.

  ***

  Cassie checked the time.

  If Vince and Bobby didn’t come out in seven minutes, she was supposed to leave. But how can I just leave not knowing if they’re okay, or in trouble, or… Her lungs deflated. Still breathing?

  She considered ducking out and calling the cops. Thirty minutes was way too long to exchange money.

  The feel of a hand on her shoulder made her turn. She’d expected Vince but got an enormous bald bouncer instead. “I need you to come with me,” he said.

  Cassie swallowed. “No thanks.”

  “It’s not really a question.”

  Her heart took off on a high-speed chase, battering the inside of her ribcage. She reached deep down, found every ounce of courage she could muster, and wrapped her ankles around the barstool so that if he used physical force, she’d at least be able to cause a noisy scene. “Well, my answer’s still the same.”

  His massive hand clamped onto her arm. He tugged and her stool rocked, along with her jumpy nerves. Just as she was about to release a scream, a familiar voice said, “If you’d like that arm to remain attached to your body, I suggest you let go.”

  The bouncer turned, and Vince gave him a death glare that made him release her. The hand wrapped around the handle of the gun tucked into his jeans probably helped, too.

  “I think you’ll find your boss has changed his mind about whatever he told you to do.” Vince’s gaze remained on the bouncer as he extended his free hand to her. “Cassie baby, we’re going.”

  She leapt off the stool, abandoning her barely touched drink, and slapped her hand in Vince’s. They rushed toward the exit, and right before they left, Bobby handed three guns to the bouncer at the door. “Your boss needed you to hold these.”

  Utter confusion creased his features, but he took the guns.

  Vince glanced at Bobby as they sprinted to the Jeep. “Did you—”

  “The clips are behind that ugly sculpture by the VIP lounge,” Bobby said.

  The second they were all inside the Jeep, Vince slammed on the gas, the tires squealing as they peeled out of the parking lot. He drove out of the neighborhood in a hurry, constantly checking the rearview mirror.

  As soon as the holy-crap sensation faded a bit and the freeway was in sight, Cassie stretched across the console and kissed Vince’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “I’m safe, too,” Bobby said from the back. “Don’t you want to show me how happy you are that I made it out?”

  Without looking, Vince reached back and smacked his brother. The tension in the Jeep broke and they seemed to all draw a breath at once.

  “So…it’s done?” Cassie asked.

  “You should’ve seen Vince,” Bobby said, poking his head between the seats. “I thought he was going to get us killed there for a second, but he scared the shit out of those guys. They just stood there with dumfounded looks on their faces. Except Big Al, who was more pissed than I’ve ever seen him, and I’ve seen him really—”

  “Okay, that’s enough, Bobby.” Vince shot her a sidelong glance. “He exaggerates. I just took care of it; they’ll leave him alone now, and that’s what’s important.”

  Cassie looked from one brother to the other. “I feel like I’m missing pieces of the story.”

  “I’d rather we just put it behind us.” The finality in Vince’s voice made her swallow her other questions. Not because she thought he’d get mad, but she could tell he felt conflicted about…whatever happened in the club, and he’d rather her not know what he’d had to do. Honestly, she wasn’t sure she wanted every detail. The entire day didn’t even seem real. If one of her girlfriends—well, if she had any—told her they were dating a guy like Vince, she’d probably tell them to run.

  But since she was the one dating him, and he’d proven just how far he’d go to keep his brother and her safe, she knew that despite everything, she wanted him more than ever.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Vince eased off the accelerator and hit the cruise control. With the city in his rearview mirror, he was finally able to breathe.

  Cassie reached over and played with the hair on the back of his neck in that way that calmed and revved him up at the same time. Bringing her to New York was a horrible idea; she probably would’ve been safer in Jersey. The entire experience just proved that the sooner he cut things off, the safer she would be.

  Any day now he’d get the balls to do it.

  He kept thinking about how close he was to pulling the trigger when Big Al threatened her. The only thing stopping him was then he’d be dead and so would Bobby and most likely Cassie, because she never would’ve left that damn club without him. Crazy woman. Crazy, amazing, sexy woman.

  “So, Bobby,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at him. “Need me to look up places for you to go to narcotics anonymous meetings in Jersey?”

  “It won’t be anonymous, then, because you guys will know I’m there,” Bobby said.

  “Well, I won’t tell anyone, and Vince doesn’t talk about anything that might tiptoe into emotional territory, so you’ll be safe there, too.” She gave him a playful pinch on the arm and then immediately kissed the spot. “Or I could always call my friend who works at the Parker Valley Hope rehab center in Parker, Colorado. Small town. Nothing but time and space to get clean. No bad influences to tempt you into old patterns, lots of support, and people who know what they’re doing. My friend Annie works there, and she’s amazing. I could tell her to save you a spot.”

  “I’ll go to the damn meetings,” Bobby said.

  A triumphant grin spread across Cassie’s face. “Great. I’ll give you a ride there. My car’s so sexy that you’ll beg for rides every day.”

  “Man, she’s a persistent little thing, isn’t she?”

  Vince glanced at her. She certainly was. Tougher than he’d expected, too. Harder to scare away as well, and he wasn’t sure that was a good thing. Hope shone in her features, and he worried about the crash she’d experience when Bobby wasn’t so good at following through on his promise to get clean. How did she keep seeing the good in everyone after being shot at and nearly taken by one of Big Al’s men in the club?

  One day trusting the wrong person was going to get her in trouble.

  The realization he might be that wrong person hit him like a punch to the gut.

  By the time he pulled up to her place, it was just after midnight, and she’d fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder. “Baby?”

  She straightened, blinked, and
covered a yawn with her hand. “I guess I’ll see you boys later?”

  “I’ll walk you up,” Vince said.

  “It’s okay.”

  “You’re right. It is okay. Thank you for agreeing with me for once today.” He took the keys, because while he loved his brother and hoped he wouldn’t take off with his Jeep, trust was still tricky. “I’ll be back in a few.”

  “After the last place I slept, the backseat of the Jeep is practically a suite at a luxury hotel. Little cold, though, so don’t be so long I turn blue, ‘kay?”

  Vince tossed his jacket at Bobby and then walked Cassie inside her complex. When she turned to tell him goodbye in the lobby, he put his hand on her back and guided her into the elevator. He stepped inside her apartment for a quick check around; she looked at him like he was crazy, but he’d rather be crazy and sure the place was secure.

  Once he cleared every room, he walked back into the living room where she stood, obviously tired but as beautiful as ever. He brushed her hair off her face and cupped her neck. “How bad did I scare you today?”

  “Pretty bad,” she said, and his heart snagged, afraid to take another beat. She smacked his arm. “Don’t ever go deal with shady drug dealers in the back of a club and take so long again.” The cute dirty look she added totally undid him, sending every one of the walls he’d built crashing to the floor.

  “I meant how bad did I scare you?”

  She tilted her head, and he could tell her thoughts were spinning but had no clue as to the direction. “After my accident, I had this goal to be bolder, to live life fuller. To have more adventures. But maybe I’d like just a smidgen less adventure in the future. I’m thinking more like… try that Thai place down the street that looks interesting. Skiing. Rollercoasters. That kind of thing.”

  He didn’t know whether to laugh or yell at her for not kicking his ass to the curb the second they left the club. But how could he be upset at someone who used the word “smidgen?” It made him want to scoop her into his arms and never let go.

  “So, yes, I was a little scared, and I’d rather never do that again. But you? You don’t scare me.” She tipped onto her toes and kissed his jaw, leaving her lips there when she added, “I know I’m safe with you.”

  He needed to contradict that. Needed to come clean. Needed to run. Hell, he didn’t know anymore.

  “I know you’ll be busy getting Bobby settled, but give me a call when you can, okay? And I’ll drive him to meetings—you tell him I meant that and I’m ridiculously stubborn when I want to be.”

  “When you want to be? So all the time?”

  She grinned. “Po-tay-toe, pa-tah-toh.”

  Vince peered into her pretty face, catching a glimpse of his love-struck reflection in her lenses. He barely recognized himself, and it awed him that after everything he’d done today, she could still bring out that side of him.

  Without her, he’d drift.

  Stay with her, and he’d drag her down.

  In three more days, the supposed doctor’s appointment would happen. He’d call Carlo, report that the doc said she was never getting her memories back, and then he’d have no excuse to watch her anymore. In fact, being around her would endanger her even more than his actions today had.

  Three more days.

  Tipping her chin up with his thumb, he softly kissed her lips. “Whatever happens, just remember the time I told you I loved you and know that I meant it.”

  “What do you mean whatever happens?” She got an adorable crinkle between her eyebrows. “And is this the time you’re telling me? I’d hate to miss it.”

  His insides turned to mush, and he smiled down at her. “Yes, this is it. I love you.” He brushed his lips against hers. “I’m sorry if I screw it up down the road.”

  She wrapped her hand around his wrist. “Sometimes you talk like you can see the future, and you only ever see bad things.”

  “I wish I could see the future. It would make things a lot easier.”

  “Just tell me I’m in it.”

  He drew her closer for another kiss. She put a hand on his chest, stopping his lips just before they met hers, and he thought he was going to get in trouble for not doing as she asked. But then she said, “I love you, too.”

  And the world he thought he knew completely crumbled around him as she sealed the words with a mind-blowing kiss.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  No one knew where Dante was, and he wasn’t answering his fucking phone. Carlo paced from the dining room to the kitchen as he tried him again, clenching his teeth to keep from yelling out in frustration when he didn’t answer. He always answered.

  Dante was one of his best, most-trusted men. The younger generation was getting soft, and it wasn’t easy to find guys who’d take care of the good and the bad without complaining. Everyone wanted to be number one and make a ton of money their first day, respect their last priority.

  But Dante knew his place. His dad had served as one of Carlo’s capos until an unfortunate heart attack last year, and Carlo promoted Dante to take his position. While he tended to get himself in trouble with the ladies, he was solid.

  In fact, if Vince refused the underboss position after this push, Dante was his next choice. Carlo could use a filter between him and everyone who came crying with all their problems. Vince would do a better job of being fair, taking time to think it over instead of always resorting to violence, but at this point, maybe some of them needed smacking around, a reminder of who was in charge.

  Of course, before he could deal with that, he needed to figure out what the hell was going on. He’d pumped every source he had for information, including his police contacts who worked both sides of the line, and so far, no one had anything useful.

  Guess I’ll use this temporary lull to check up on my prodigal nephews. He’d been busy, but he’d also been delaying, not sure he was ready to hear the truth. Because that meant he’d have to figure out what to do about it.

  Big Al answered after the third ring.

  “You get your money?” Carlo asked.

  “I got it,” he said with an inordinate amount of spite for someone who’d gotten paid. “Then Vince choked me with my own tie, jabbed a gun under my ribs, and told me Bobby was done.”

  Ah, that explained the anger. Big Al told him Vince and Bobby took his and his men’s guns, and while he sounded pissed as a cat in a dunk tank, pride radiated through Carlo. This is exactly why Vince belongs at my side.

  He toned down his smugness so it wouldn’t transfer to his words and asked the question he didn’t want to ask but had to. “And the girl? How’d he react when you mentioned her?”

  “He nearly pulled the trigger, so thanks for that. Last time I do you a fucking favor.”

  Trepidation replaced the pride. Carlo wanted to come up with ifs and maybes, but lately he was coming up with far too many of those for Vince’s behavior. “I owe you one.” No need to get your panties in a twist. I’m the one with the problem.

  He hung up and dialed his nephew.

  “You didn’t call me back yesterday,” Carlo said as soon as Vince answered.

  “I was busy getting Bobby out of trouble in New York. I’m sure that doesn’t come as a big surprise considering you withdrew your protection.”

  “You forced my hand.” No more beating around the bush. Time to clear the air and see where they stood. “We need to meet.”

  “I’ll be at Rossi’s in about an hour.”

  “At the house. Noon. Don’t be late.” With that, he ended the call and scrubbed a hand over his face. He’d hoped this would go smoother. Instead everything was coming undone at once.

  The door leading to the garage opened and Allegra strolled in, grocery bags hanging from her arms. A low-cut black top showed off her new glittery jewelry. She set down the bags on the kitchen counter, and Carlo started toward her, thinking he’d be able to get lost in her for a while. Help take the edge off all this stress.

  “Did you know that Dante’
s in jail?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips and splaying freshly painted red fingernails. “I just ran into Mrs. Costa at the grocery store, and she asked me what my husband was going to do to get her boy out. She made a scene, tugging on my sleeve and begging for me to talk to you.”

  No one got fired up like Italian mothers. Which was why he hadn’t called her to ask after Dante yet. “That explains why he’s not answering my calls.”

  Carlo’s phone rang again, and he sighed as he pulled it out of his pocket; it’d practically been glued to his ear all day.

  “We’re not done talking,” Allegra said, stepping in front of him. “Is something going on? Should I be worried?”

  Carlo waved off her questions. “Just the usual. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.” Turning away from her, he answered his phone. Any second Allegra would probably start flinging plates at his head. Maybe he should start taking away a luxury at a time like he did with Angelo so she knew who was boss. Everyone seemed to need reminding of that lately.

  “I made some calls, and it turns out Dante got himself busted for possession and intent to sell,” Sal said. “For some reason he hasn’t lawyered up yet. It seems odd… We all know the drill.”

  “Let’s get him out of there. Put in a call to Uffizi and tell him to get down to the station.”

  “Sure thing, Boss. Oh and, Boss—”

  “Is it important?”

  The pause had him crossing his fingers Sal would let it go. He didn’t have the patience to deal with another thing right now. “I’ll talk to you about it later.”

  Carlo ended the call and turned to Allegra. “I’m working on getting him out now. Don’t worry, if there’s anyone I can trust to hold up under fire, it’s Dante.”

  Allegra’s shoulders relaxed. She sashayed over and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry, babe. I just get so worried about you, and everyone always corners me, as if I can do anything. Why don’t we go somewhere warm and tropical where I can slip into a tiny bikini and we can spend the week in the sand?”