Assassin Territory [Assassins Book 1]

by C. L. Scholey

  “Get some sleep. I need to think of a plan,” he ordered. Christy dutifully turned, headed for the bed and climbed under the covers without a word.

  * * * *

  Christy padded into the dark room, her heart was pounding. Wolf woke her a short time earlier. He demanded she follow him to Mark’s room. While Wolf kept watch, Christy approached Mark’s slumbering form.

  “Mark?” Christy whispered. She ran her hand over the boy’s warm brow. Mark stirred.

  “Kitten?” the boy said sleepily, yawning.

  “We need to leave here, Mark; we need to leave here now. We’re in danger.”

  “But my father is coming,” the boy said with distress.

  “Your father wants you safe, honey. You’re not safe with these men. They’re like Luke. I promise you, Wolf and I will return you to your father, but we must leave now. We must be very quiet, and we must do anything Wolf tells us. Do you understand?”

  Wolf warned Christy if the boy didn’t obey him he would leave him behind. His first commitment was to Lando. Christy told him she would make the boy obey. She intended to keep that promise.

  “You won’t let anyone take me away from you?” Mark asked.

  “I promise, sweetheart. I’ll keep you safe.”

  Mark nodded and Christy soon had running shoes on his feet while Wolf issued a command to hurry. The trio left the room, moving swiftly down the hallway. They rounded a corner, down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. Christy stifled a scream as Wolf was suddenly pushed against a wall and pinned. Wolf gazed into the furious face of an enraged Lando.

  “Is this how you protect her, to bring her into the viper’s den?” Lando snarled. He looked beyond furious.

  “No, Lando, wait please,” Christy cried out. She grabbed at Lando’s arms, trying to tug him off Wolf.

  “It’s about time you showed up,” Wolf said nonchalantly. He appeared unimpressed and undaunted at Lando’s anger.

  For a moment all was quiet. Lando was studying Wolf. Christy pleaded as she tugged on his arm, encouraging him to look past her, and he finally shifted his gaze to Mark, who appeared frightened as he tried to cower behind Christy. Lando released Wolf.

  “Now is not the best time; we need to get the hell out of here,” Wolf said.

  “You think?” Lando scowled.

  The room was suddenly lit with a bright light. All four turned to see Tony and his men enter the room. Christy raced into Lando’s embrace. Tony moved about the room, watching her with interest as she was seeking protection not from Wolf. It was Lando she clung to. She moaned in despair; there was nothing she could do now to correct her mistake. Tony motioned to two of his men, who removed Lando’s and Wolf’s guns. Christy cuddled Mark closer, pressing the boy between her and Lando.

  “Now this is a pleasant surprise, Lando. I thought you would be safe in another country by now. Is something keeping you here?” Tony casually asked. His gaze shifted to Christy. “Or someone?”

  “No,” Lando denied.

  “Then you won’t mind if the girl is given to Paulo?” Tony said, motioning to the large man. Paulo moved forward, leering and Christy screamed, clutching Lando tighter.

  “Leave her,” Lando warned, stepping in front of Christy. Tony’s face alighted with a dark, evil, calculating smile. He raised a hand, stopping Paulo’s ascent.

  “It would seem to me, Wolf, either your fiancée is confused or she’s been cheating on you.”

  Wolf sighed. “It’s always been a rocky relationship.”

  “Whose baby is it she is carrying?” Tony inquired.

  Tony chuckled with glee when Lando’s eyes widened with concerned surprise. The Mafia leader couldn’t contain the fact he was overjoyed. All could see Lando was terrified; an expression none before had ever seen crossing the deadly man’s face. He gripped Christy even tighter, his hands pulling her against him with an air of desperation.

  “I don’t suppose the police will be bothering me again, will they, Lando?” Tony asked.

  Tony gave a nod of his head and Lando was grabbed by two large men while Paulo yanked Christy into a powerful embrace. Mark tried to help her but was also picked up off his feet by Jackson, his struggles also in vain. Guns remained trained on Wolf. He stood, his features impassive, with his arms splayed.

  “Don’t hurt her,” Lando yelled, struggling violently. He stopped his struggles as Paulo put a huge hand to Christy’s throat, the threat unmistakable.

  “Lando.” She slumped against Paulo, crying, their lives were over, her arms dangled at her sides.

  “I have no intention of harming her, Lando. On the contrary, you’ve given me a replacement for my own tragic loss. I always felt you were like a brother to me. We’re family. Now your family will be my family. She is a pretty little thing,” Tony declared. He approached Christy and ran a soft hand along her cheek, wiping away her tears. Christy looked into the man’s soulless eyes.

  “Please, Tony,” Christy whimpered up at him, terrified.

  Smiling at Christy, Tony commanded Paulo to remove his hand from her throat.

  “See how simple that was?” Tony said. He stopped another tear’s descent while she remained immobile. “You only need beg my mercy and perhaps it will be given.”

  “I’ll kill you, you dirty bastard, if you hurt her.” Lando snarled in rage, his fists balled.

  Tony turned cold eyes on him. “You are in no position to demand anything from me, traitor. The contract has almost been filled.” Tony cast his glance to Mark lifting an eyebrow.

  “You bastard, he’s a little boy,” Lando said. It was apparent he guessed who Mark was.

  “My daughter was barely a woman,” Tony countered in a seething voice. “I’ll do as I want with your girl and the baby. They’re mine now. I don’t think she’ll be needing you anymore.” Tony nodded his head at the men who held Lando. “Get rid of him. And make it hurt.”

  Christy screamed while Mark howled out in fear. A gun settled onto Lando’s temple.

  Suddenly, glass shattered and shots rang out. Wolf had been right. Once the boy’s father showed up they would end up in the middle of a war zone.

  Chapter 21

  Paulo dropped Christy to the ground, drawing his weapon. She landed painfully on her knees. Lando smashed a fist into first one man then downed another with a solid kick to the jaw. Christy moved quickly as everyone dove for cover. She could see Mark’s small form crouched under a buffet table, huddled into a small ball. She crawled to him. When she reached him, she pulled his frightened body close. The sound of blasting guns resounded off the walls. Windows crashed and the glass on the buffet above Christy’s head exploded, shattering down onto the floor in tiny shards.

  “Mark, come,” Christy demanded. She needed to get the boy out of the room. She saw Lando scoop up a gun from Paulo’s motionless body. He gestured for her to run then took cover as more shots were fired and other men charged into the room.

  Christy moved with swift caution while trying to shield Mark. They entered the living room, ducking behind the furniture as they continued to find the safest shelter, hoping to leave the fiasco behind them.

  “I want my daddy,” Mark cried.

  “Be still, it’ll be okay,” Christy said, trying not to sob her own reply. She could hear men screaming in pain as gunshots were rifled off at a furious pace.

  The two of them scurried under a coffee table. Two men came flying into the room, brawling. Mark cried out for his father while Christy screamed for Lando, both woman and child clung together.

  The two powerful men punched at one another. Christy saw it was Mitch, Luke’s blond-haired friend, fighting an equally powerful man she’d never seen before. The two men crashed into furniture, shattering wood. A massive fish tank ruptured on impact as a large back crashed into it, spilling the contents onto the ground. Exotic fish flipped about haphazardly on the sodden carpet floor amidst the glass and tiny, colored rocks.

  Mitch crushed a glass deep sea diver under his
large, booted foot while throwing himself at the dark-haired man. Pictures dropped from walls, smashing to the floor as they each took a turn throwing the other against them. The dark-haired man grabbed a poker from the fireplace and swinging it, connected with Mitch’s jaw. The man slumped forward, raising his hands in a pitiful attempt to shield himself.

  “Uncle David,” Mark cried out to the man.

  The huge, dark-haired man pummeled Mitch into oblivion. With one last punch to his temple, Christy knew instinctively Mitch would never move again. He lay eyes open, in a sea of his own blood. The dark-haired man rose and commanded Mark to him. Eagerly, the boy scooted out from under the table, leaving Christy to huddle alone. Mark launched himself into powerful arms. Christy cowered when the man commanded she was to emerge. She curled into a tight ball, refusing the command.

  “It’s okay, Uncle David won’t hurt you like Luke did,” Mark said. He crouched down and pulled gently on one of the arms she wrapped around herself in a protective gesture.

  Sobbing in fear, Christy cried out as the man, David, gripped her forearm and yanked her out from under the table. He grasped her to his hard chest, almost lifting her off her feet.

  “Be careful, Uncle David, a man hurt her when she was trying to take care of me,” Mark scolded.

  The large man regarded Christy. “Who do you belong to?” he demanded, his voice was deep and guttural. His large hand tangled into Christy’s shirt front. She pushed at him, trying to dislodge him, but it was useless.

  “I’m Lando’s. Please don’t kill me. Don’t kill my baby,” Christy begged into his cold, hard gaze.

  Mark was clutching at Christy’s hand, trying to console her as she had consoled him. He cautioned his uncle to be careful, pulling at his powerful arms, telling him to loosen his grip, demanding he be more cautious.

  “You’ll do as I say,” David said. His large, firm hand gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him and obey.

  “She doesn’t do what I say,” a hard voice bellowed. “What the hell makes you think you’re so special?”

  David and Christy were sent flying as Wolf tackled the man holding her. Once again fists were thrown as Mark and Christy huddled together. Wolf’s fists were relentless. He smashed into the man’s face repeatedly, enraged, until Christy looked away as the man became an unrecognizable mass of pulp. She shielded Mark’s face into her breasts as he sobbed for his uncle. When satisfied, Wolf rose and grabbed Christy to his chest.

  “Are you injured?” Wolf asked with concern.

  Christy screamed as a shot was fired, sending Wolf spinning into a wall away from her. He clutched at his arm and sank to the ground, leaving a small trail of blood behind him.

  “Lando,” Christy screamed in absolute terror.

  Tony stood holding the weapon, glaring at her. “It’s time we left.” He grabbed Christy up off the floor and sent Mark spinning with a backhand when he attempted to save his friend.

  Christy cried out as Tony pulled her to him. He wrapped a firm arm about her waist, lifting her up off her feet while she struggled.

  “Leave her alone,” Mark screamed. He rose from the floor, ready to throw himself at Tony. Tony raised his gun to shoot the boy, Christy kicked at his wrist, sending his weapon flying. A shot fired and Christy fell to the ground, screaming in terror. Tony’s heavy body pinned her to the floor.

  “I have you, sweetheart, I have you,” Lando soothed. He pulled Tony’s lifeless form off her.

  Lando crouched and clutched her to his chest, holding her. Christy saw Mark clutch tentatively at Lando’s arm, also seeking reassurance, as he tried to push himself closer to her. Looking into the child’s small, bruising, frightened face, Lando pulled him against them.

  “Lando,” Christy cried, her body was in so much pain. “I think I’m carrying your baby. I want this baby. I want this baby more than anything in my life. It’s part of you. I love you.”

  “It’s all right, sweetheart, no one will hurt you or the baby, I swear,” Lando promised. His hand cupped her cheek. “Our baby, my baby, too. I’m going to be a dad,” he said in wonder.

  “Daddy,” Mark screamed. Mark raced from Christy to fling himself into his father’s waiting arms. The man cuddled the boy to his chest while running a gentle hand over his tousled head.

  Christy turned in Lando’s embrace. It became apparent who had proved victorious in the mob battle for dominance. They were helpless. Wolf slumped incapacitated against the wall, and Lando was out of bullets.

  A dozen men surrounded them, guns drawn, advancing. Christy shook while hiding her head against Lando’s chest. He wrapped his arms about her, trying to shield her from the inevitable.

  “Daddy, come meet my new friend. She helped me. She pissed off a bad man when he was being mean to me,” Mark declared, clutching his father’s arm and pulling him closer to Christy.

  Terrified, Christy looked into the large man’s deadly gaze. She wanted to live. She wanted her baby. She wanted a new life. The man glared down at her.

  “Please,” Christy begged, sensing his intent. She knew they were about to die.

  “Mark, go get something to drink with Dan,” his father advised quietly. He motioned a man forward. His look was cold, his gun still drawn. Christy pressed herself next to Lando. He kissed her forehead.

  “It’s all right, sweetheart; we’ll be together forever this way,” Lando soothed.

  “Please don’t kill us. Mark, help us,” Christy implored the young boy, reaching for him.

  Confused, Mark looked at Christy as she shook. “It’s okay, my daddy won’t hurt you. You saved me. I promised he would save us and he did,” Mark said proudly. He left the secure embrace of his father and went to wrap an arm around Christy.

  “Daddy, she’s my friend. I promised her you would save us. She’s going to have a baby. But she helped me. She got thrown against a wall for me. She even punched and beat up six whole men for me. Wolf saved us both, Daddy. Daddy, make her stop being so scared. I don’t like it when she cries; it makes me sad. Luke was mean to her when she stuck up for me. He hurt her and made her cry. She saved me like my mommy would have,” Mark said with meaning.

  Mark’s father looked at Christy thoughtfully. She hoped he was aware that Lando had been ordered to kill this brutal man’s family, but refused. As she saw his gaze turn to Wolf, she prayed silently that he remembered Wolf worked on occasion for any side, displaying no loyalty unless under contract. Might he think Wolf would prove a valuable asset once he recovered?

  Mark stood close to Christy, refusing to budge from her side. The brutal man lowered his weapon. Christy pulled in a deep, hopeful breath. Was he wavering? She watched as he glared at Lando. Lando returned the gaze.

  “Get her away from here and away from this. Don’t look back, or it won’t be she who dies a never-ending death; it’ll be you who ends up suffering,” the man said.

  Lando nodded. Surprisingly, he was sparing their lives.

  “Thank you, kitten, for helping me,” Mark said.

  “Thank you, Mark, for helping me.” She clutched the boy.

  The other men moved away, having accomplished their deed. Mark was picked up by his father and they strode from the room. Christy went to Wolf and checked his bloody arm. The bullet appeared to have gone through his flesh.

  “You’ll be all right, Wolf. You’ll be fine.” She clasped him to her, grateful he would heal. He was her friend.

  Wolf clutched her to as well, and she knew the feelings were reciprocated.

  “We need to get the hell out of here,” Lando declared.

  “You think?” Wolf replied. Lando sent him a narrowed glare.

  Bodies were strewn haphazardly everywhere. Christy was happy to see Tony was one of them.

  “Lando?” Christy questioned at his deep look of intense resolve. She’d never seen such a strong sense of conviction on his face, and she could’ve sworn he was shaking, his emotions so intense.

  “It’s going to be fine, sweethe
art. I promise you I’m finished with this type of life. Holding you, positive we were about to die, I wondered for the first time in my life if I’d ever taken a man from his family. I couldn’t help but realize perhaps the men who begged to live hadn’t been cowards. Maybe their real terror was in not wanting to be separated from their loved ones. I swear that won’t happen to us. I’m going to take you and disappear. I’m going to take you and my child—our child—and we’ll vanish. Come on, sweetheart, we’re leaving,” Lando said and disengaged her arms from around Wolf.

  “Lando, he’s hurt, we can’t just leave him here, he took care of me.”

  “It’s all right, sweetheart, I’ll come back for him once you’re safely in the car,” Lando promised. He picked her up and held her to his chest, his head bowed into her hair.

  Once Christy was settled, Lando kissed her. She returned his kiss with passion until she remembered Wolf.

  “I wished for you, Lando. Thank you for coming for me.”

  “I heard you cry out for me, sweetheart. I heard your voice call out for me. I knew I had to return to find you. Leaving you was a mistake, but I won’t ever make such a mistake again.”

  Christy wondered at his words. Wolf made her cry out his name when she was frightened. She called for Lando in her mind and heart. How could Lando have heard her? Was it like the time with the Kodiak? How could he have heard her call to him in his mind?

  Christy didn’t care how he heard. Lando was here; somehow he found out she needed him and he came in time to save her. She loved him more than anything. She knew he loved her.

  It was meant to be, a voice sounded in her head.

  Christy concurred. After all they’d been through, this was definitely a love like no other. There could never be another love like theirs. Christy was certain.

  Epilogue

  Christy was unaware Lando watched from the bedroom doorway as she adjusted the mobile over the crib. She was humming. She lifted her hand to straighten one of a mountain of stuffed animals that sat bathed in light from a large window shining into the powder blue room. Sunlight danced warmly over the thick, light grey rug, lighting even the farthest corners. Christy stepped back to admire her handiwork, and was surprised when Lando’s powerful arms wrapped around her bulging middle.