Chapter 42

FORTY-TWO

Phoenix

T he two men at the rear of the warehouse were too easy to dispatch. I thought a man like Massimo would be less sloppy. They were distracted watching fucking football gathered around one of their phones. I'd crept up on them right as the commentator started speaking at a head-achingly quick pace, excitement in the tinny voice.

They never got to see the goal.

I wiped the knife off on one of their jackets, tucking it back into the sleeve of my jumper, it's switchblade once again concealed.

Thank god for the black clothing. The edge of my sleeve was sodden with warm blood, invisible in the dark alley, at least.

I dragged the bodies to the rear of a dumpster before nodding at Laura. I took her arm roughly in my hand, manhandling her round to the main entrance of the warehouse. She teetered on ridiculous heels, and two sets of eyes greeted us as big as saucers.

‘Well, shit, no wonder the boss man wanted her back.' One said, nudging the other.

‘Shame about the scar on her tit.' The other nodded toward the now healed bullet wound. ‘Still, the tits are fuckable at least.'

Don't react.

Laura let out a pitiful squeal in front of me. ‘Please, you've got to get me to Massimo. He's done horrible things to me…'

The men laughed. ‘As if the boss man didn't sanction it. No one touched his goods without permission.'

The other chimed in, ‘Damn I hope he's feeling generous again tonight, I'd give her something to complain about alright.'

‘I'm just here to drop her off and pick up payment. Can we get on with it?' I feigned boredom despite the bulging anger feasting upon my every vein.

‘Yeah mate, sorry.' The one on the right took his phone from his pocket. ‘Yeah, they're here. I'll let 'em in. Course I'll check for weapons.'

The tone in his voice told me he wasn't talking directly to Massimo, he'd never have let the thinly veiled disdain fly.

‘Pete'll check you both down before you go in, and you'll have to lose the mask. You look ridiculous.' The one with the phone said, gesturing at the other.

I pushed Laura towards Pete, his grinning making me want to punch out both of his eyes. The minute Laura was in front of him, he took full advantage of feeling her up, sliding his hand up her skirt while the other groped her backside.

She reached for one of the syringes.

‘God, he's like a fucking virgin,' I said to the other, who guffawed loudly.

It was all the distraction I needed. Unsheathing my knife, I took a step closer while he looked over at Laura's hiked up dress. His eyes lingered for too long… and it was the last thing he saw. I thrust my blade through his throat, covering his mouth. Simultaneously, Laura thrust the needle into her victim's neck, his eyes widening and his mouth gaping like a fish. Moments later, he slumped to the floor, his heart stopping near instantly.

Laura stepped back, smoothing her skirt.

‘You alright?' I asked, gently touching the small of her back after wiping my bloodied gloves on my victim's slumped form.

‘Yeah,' she answered, breathy, her voice quavering a little.

‘Ready for this?' I asked, kissing the back of her neck.

‘No, you?'

‘No. I think you should stay outside.'

‘I can't,' she said. ‘They'd open fire on you the minute you walked through that door without me.'

‘They might not…'

‘It's not a chance I'm willing to take. Just promise me you'll kill the fucker.' Her voice took on a new harshness I hadn't heard before. A layer of iron replenishing my own steel.

How could I promise that I'd save her? The last time I'd promised that… May's melting face flashed into my head. Hazy from the years without her, but horrid enough to rattle me.

I couldn't make promises I couldn't keep.

‘I promise I'll kill him,' I whispered before capturing her lips for one last kiss.

I'd just have to make sure I kept the fucking promise.

T he chill in the air was more than just temperature when we entered the room.

My fingers dug a touch too hard into the warm skin of Laura's arm, reluctant to let her out of my grip for even one moment.

Massimo stood from where he leaned against one wall of the warehouse room we entered. His two heavies flanked him, only a step or two behind. I needed to get as close as possible without my identity being revealed.

Massimo's eyes darkened when his gaze fell over Laura's tight fitting dress.

‘Well, well, well. My little wife-to-be has finally returned.' He moved with an almost serpent like grace, his eyes unblinking as they drank up my girl.

‘Hope you brought the cash,' I said, mimicking the bounty guy's voice the best I could.

‘All in good time,' Massimo said, waving me off like a pestering child.

‘Massimo,' Laura said bluntly. ‘I should thank you for taking me away from that monster, but seeing as you left me for dead last time we met, I'll not be quick to fall to my knees.'

Massimo's face cracked into what some might say resembled a smile. More like a devilish sneer. ‘Let bygones be bygones. I cleaned up the problem of your hateful little family for you, didn't I?'

Laura pulled her arm from my grip, walking toward Massimo looking far more self assured than I felt.

‘You killed my family,' she said, anger tingling the words.

Massimo gave a shrug, his gaze fixated on the swaying of her hips, the clip of her heels ricocheting around the hollow building.

Huge machinery surrounded us, oversized chains and big hulking wheels. Must have been some kind of construction storage building. One of the bodyguards stood with his hand on the gun at his waist, the shadow of one of the huge machines casting over him.

I'd have to take two of them out in quick succession if we stood half of a chance. Which meant leaving Laura to distract Massimo.

‘I did you a favour,' Massimo said at last, ‘you were just a pawn for them. A bargaining chip. Not even the first one, your brother was offered up first in the hopes I wanted a right hand man.'

Laura's shoulders tightened and I made a fist at my side.

‘So what now? You pay off the guy and then what? You finish the job you failed at last time?' Laura's voice grew more shrill as anger flowed into her words.

‘That's up to you.' Massimo closed the space between them, his fingers reaching out to caress Laura's jaw. ‘I've had a little change of heart in the time you've been missing. I've fucked my way through half of the mafia princesses on offer, and they are all so fucking dull. But you, well you're scrappy. A survivor. '

The guards were listening to Massimo, watching as his fingers glided down to Laura's chest, circling the scar he'd left on her.

‘See, branded as mine.'

I took the moment's distraction to take the bounty hunters gun from my waist, cocking it in one smooth motion. The first guards head exploded like a fucking over ripe watermelon, but the second was quick to react, throwing himself against the machine. The bullet meant for his head clipped his neck, sending a spray of blood arching over Laura's torso. I hoped it was enough to kill him.

Massimo grabbed Laura, turning her and putting his own gun to her temple.

‘What's this now?' He said, excitement filling his voice. ‘Did you mean to double cross me Laura?'

Laura quaked in his grip, one of his hands around her throat while the other pressed the muzzle of the gun to her head.

Fuck .

I kept my gun pointed at him, my heartbeat thundering in my ears.

‘May as well take off the mask,' Massimo said. When I didn't comply he pulled back the gun before crashing it against Laura's skull hard enough for a trickle of blood to mar her pretty skin. ‘Throw the gun down while you're at it.'

Rage flooded me, clouding my vision as I held steady, knowing that rushing him would just end with either Laura or me dead. He was still under the impression he had back up outside, and I wanted him not to take any chances.

Reaching up, I tore the mask off, tossing it on the floor.

‘Hideous,' Massimo quipped with a mock shudder. ‘ Oh Laura, don't tell me you bedded that monster. And you think you could come here and win your freedom? There's no freedom for you. You'll live your life under my fist, or you'll be underground next to the worms.'

Laura swallowed hard, her big eyes focussed on me.

‘So what do you say my sweet, wear my ring and live as my pampered bitch, or die lusting for a scarred freak? I'm giving you a second chance at the life you always dreamed about. Yachts, parties, friends who envy you. Carrying my babies until they're old enough for a nanny, then spending your days by my side. You can have everything you always wanted.' Massimo's voice took on a sickly sweet undertone, and Laura's eyes glazed, before she inclined her head toward Massimo.

‘You really want me?' She whispered, her voice packed full of wistfulness.

My heart broke.

But why would she want someone like me, when she could have someone who could offer her the world. All I'd offered was a pony who loved her anyway and my undying devotion.

I'd been a fool to believe it was enough.

She'd tricked me for her freedom.

‘Of course I want to marry you,' she said, her face breaking into a sunny smile. ‘It's all I ever wanted.'

‘I know. It's all any woman wants.'

Massimo looked me up and down and shook his head. ‘You believed she wanted you? That a woman like her could settle for a man with a face like a melted jack-o-lantern?'

Massimo's grip loosened slightly on Laura, and she grazed one hand over the hand he used to secure her throat, threading her fingers through it and dragging it to her lips. She placed a sweet kiss on his knuckles, looking up at him with rapt desire.

Desire she'd given to me.

I cocked my gun, aiming for Massimo's head.

‘Watch your aim, Phoenix. One slip and you'll hit Laura. Looking at your face, I think that would kill you worse than I ever could.'

‘She doesn't want you.' My words were hoarse, filled with anger.

‘I should put him down,' Massimo said, his non-gun hand dropping down to Laura's side, gripping at her hip. ‘Like the damaged dog he is.'

Laura simply shrugged.

‘If you wish.'

It was death by a thousand fucking cuts.