Chapter 15
15
LAZARO
I look at the men in front of me in disgust. They’ve grown lazy and complacent, and it shows in their lackluster skills. That they think to call themselves soldiers is abhorrent. Even Dante looks furious as he sends another man to the ground with barely any work. I do the same with the man in front of me, both of them lying in the dirt, panting to get their breaths back, only infuriating me further.
“This? This is who you expect to defend us and our women?” I bark at Dante. “Pathetic.” I lash my foot out, kicking the one closest to me hard in the stomach, making him groan, gag, and then puke in the dirt.
Dante looks over at me, the same anger in his eyes as mine. “Kill them.”
I don’t need to be told twice. I pull my gun, putting them both out of their misery before any pleas for mercy can even pass their lips. The remaining men are silent as I take them in, noting the ones that don’t give any emotion, and the ones who look either furious or fearful. I can take the anger, but fear is enough to make me want to kill a few more.
The way they are, they’ll die before the fight even begins. I’m shocked that Giovanni and Rafaele’s men didn’t kill them the first time, though the cowards probably hid at the first shot. If I can prove it, I’ll kill them myself. They knew what they were signing up for, and cowardice has no place in this life.
“Davide, Peter,” Dante barks, calling the two men to step forward. I recognize one of them as the man Nico and Dante left in charge while they were in Sicily. The one who let things happen on his watch that should have resulted in him being demoted, or dead. It takes all my self-control not to order Dante to do us a favor and kill him, but even I know that’s not my place.
And it pisses me the hell off.
“What the fuck kind of bullshit training have you been doing?” Dante demands. He gets right in their faces, pulling his own gun and pressing it to Peter’s temple. “Give me one good reason that I shouldn’t kill you now and put someone in your place that actually gives a fuck?”
“It-It-It wasn’t our fault,” Peter stammers out, fear leaching into his voice. “We tried, but without you, we didn’t know what to do other than to protect the gates. You left us alone with a bunch of newbies that don’t know nothin’ about working or guarding.”
“You’re blaming me for you not knowing how to do your job?” Dante asks, tone icy cold.
Peter swallows hard. “No, no, I’m not doing that,” he rushes out. “But none of the men respect me, so?—”
“Then you make them fucking respect you,” Dante hisses, and then pistol whips the asshole, sending him sprawling and clutching the side of his head as blood pours from the gash. “Clearly I made a mistake in promoting your lazy fucking ass.”
I look around the group. Most of them are stunned, and the air still reeks of fear, but one face in the crowd gives me pause. He’s watching the scene almost dispassionately, standing near the back of the group. “You,” I bark, holding his gaze. No one moves, including him, but then he steps forward until he’s in front of the men. He comes to a stop at parade rest, hands clasped behind his back. “Your background,” I order.
“Former military. Got tired of all the bureaucracy,” he finally says.
“Experience in training soldiers?”
“Yes.”
“How long have you worked for Don Armani?”
“Four years. I started out as a grunt, and worked my way up.”
“Your opinion on the men you work with?” He stares at me without answering. “Speak,” I order. “Your life depends on it, and now is not the time to mince words.”
“I think that half of these boys have no idea what they’re getting themselves into, and they’re fucking cowardly,” he finally answers, his tone cold, not an ounce of regret for what he’s said.
“Can you get them whipped into shape?” Dante asks, walking over to stand next to me.
He looks at Dante, holding his gaze. “If you would like me to, yes, but I don’t follow conventional military standards. If they can’t take it, I want them gone. You said yourself, now is not the time for weakness and lagging behind.”
“The only way someone gets out of this life is death,” Dante reminds him coldly. The man nods. “Name?”
“Caesar Angelo.”
I glance at Dante, but he gives nothing away if he recognizes the name. “Well, Caesar, I’m putting you in charge of getting our men in shape. You have twenty-four hours. After that, we’ll see if you live or die. Disappoint me, and you’ll be facing the latter. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Caesar replies, unflinching.
This guy is like ice, nothing fazes him. I get the sense that there is more to him than meets the eye, and I’ll be looking into him as soon as we’re finished. Considering the rest of the men around us, he certainly stands out, and standing out in this line of work isn’t something one can take lightly.
Dante nods, and then turns on his heel. I follow, though my ears are pricked behind me. I don’t flinch or even turn around to look when several gunshots fill the air before I hear Caesar bark, “I’ll be adding more to the pile if you don’t get over your fucking disgraceful asses. Move!”
“He might just be gunning for your job, Esposito,” I remark as we make our way inside.
Dante glances up at me, but his expression gives nothing away. “Perhaps, but he’ll have to kill me to get it. And I doubt you’ll let that happen since you want that honor for yourself.”
I don’t bother to deny it. “Maybe I’ll have him help me when the time comes,” I return with a sinister smile.
“What, can’t do it yourself?” Dante taunts.
I scowl down at him. “Don’t tempt me to show you just how good I am, Esposito,” I warn him darkly. “The only reason you’re not dead yet is because my sister would never speak to me again. I simply have to bide my time. You’ll fuck up eventually.”
Dante doesn’t react to that, but he also doesn’t deny it. I’m not sure if I respect him for that or not. He’s far too calm about it, considering that we’re all under one roof, and if we want to kill him, there is nothing to stop us and not even Nico will be able to step in. Instead, the bastard says, “I have things to see to.” Then he turns away down a hallway, leaving me alone. I glare after him, and I almost want to follow him, but I have a feeling I’m not going to like where he’s heading.
Instead, I pull out my phone and send a message to Mario, who is guarding Amara and the other women, along with one of Nico’s men. He answers within seconds, and I frown when I see his response.
Mario: We’re on the first floor in a space close to the soldier's quarters.
He gives me quick directions, and I’m already moving. What the hell are they up to? And why are they near the soldier’s area? No fucking way should they be anywhere near there. Anger burns at Mario for allowing such a thing. He should fucking know better.
When I walk down the hall that leads to the barracks, I spot Mario immediately, but the other guard is nowhere in sight. “Mario,” I bark, barely keeping my anger contained.
“Lazaro,” Mario says simply, watching me with a calm and collected expression.
“Care to explain to me why we’re down here?”
“It seems the women are trying to choose a room for Signora Stanley’s new salon,” Mario explains, his lips quirking up into a smile. “ Signora Armani has already sent her guard out to purchase the supplies they require. Most have arrived, but there are a few items they are still waiting on. They are eager to get set up so they can get started on their plans.”
A part of me is glad that things seem to be going well between Amara and the other women, and that she’ll have something to do, but what I don’t understand is why they’re here. “Why would they need a whole salon for her to do their hair?” I ask. “Surely she can work out of one of the other rooms in this gigantic place.”
Mario’s lips widen even further, my suspicion growing that I’m not going to like the answer. “ Signora Armani and Signora Harris felt that this would be a better location, considering all the work that will have to be done to get it up and running. Better access for plumbing and the like. Signora Stanley was very specific in the equipment that she’ll need. I’m sure you and Signore Armani can come to an agreement on the charges that will incur?”
“Of course,” I reply immediately, though I have to wonder what Nico will have to say about all this. Still, I can’t help but feel like there is more to what Mario is saying, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. “And who will be looking for their haircuts so quickly?”
“I believe all the Signoras , though I have not heard from your sister if she plans to take part. I have my doubts that she knows what’s going on, since I haven’t seen her yet.”
Oh, she definitely knows, but I can’t see her standing in their way. Glancing around, I can see how it makes more sense to be down here, though I’m not pleased about it. I’d much rather they have set this whole thing up by our room, where I know she’s safe and away from any of those fuckers walking by, but this is out of the way, and hopefully won’t require much renovation to create, or to fix when we eventually leave.
I’ll be sure to take stock of what she needs so I can recreate it back home. I want her to be comfortable, especially since she’s probably going to fight me on going.
“Fine,” I tell Mario briskly. “Please make note of the list she gave and have it sent to me so we can replicate it before we get home.”
“No problem. And, Lazaro, I will let you know that Signora Stanley is still not fully comfortable with the other women, but she has relaxed the longer she spends with them.”
I frown at that. “Have they been unkind to her?” I demand. I don’t give a damn who they are, they will not treat her with anything less than respect. It’s the least she deserves.
“No, nothing like that,” he assures me. “But Signora Stanley isn’t like Gia and Sienna, and she is slower to come out of her shell. She is struggling to find her place, but this is helping. The other women have been kind and eager to make her comfortable with them. I merely tell you so that you know what to expect.” He gives me a pointed look before adding, “She strikes me as the kind of woman that does not want interference when she wants to handle things on her own.”
That may be, but she’s going to have to get used to that. I nod to let him know I’ve picked up on his warning, before I step around him and enter the room. I stop just inside the door and stare around, wide-eyed. Holy shit, Nico is going to be pissed if he cared about this space at all.
The walls are a dark, moody gray color, but from the way things are moved all around the room, the women have been hard at work in getting it exactly right. I see a salon sink and chair that looks like it’s just been brought in, with a few other tables and chairs scattered around, along with some bins of what looks like instruments and products. Right now, all the women are standing in the middle of the room, discussing the best placement for things.
“I think you need to put your station on the far wall,” Sienna suggests, hands on her hips as she looks around thoughtfully. “It’s got the most space, and then you can set up the shampoo bowl on this right-hand wall and we can put the shelf with all your spare supplies above it so it’s in easy reach.”
“I don’t want my back to the door,” Amara says firmly. “I won’t know if people are coming and going. I think my station needs to go on the left wall, and the shampoo bowl on the back. Besides, the plumber that came in already said that the back wall has better and easier access for the water and drains that will need to be added in.”
“I think that’s better too,” Gia agrees. “Then you can have a little sitting area as soon as you come in, and a shelf or something that can hold all your spare supplies. It will function and flow better for you.”
“Fine, but can we at least paint this room a less dreary color?” Sienna whines. “It’s so gloomy. You need some brightness to make it more homey and cozy feeling.”
“I kind of agree with her,” Rori chimes in. “Or, if you don’t want to do the whole room, at least do an accent wall or something in a slightly brighter color.”
They continue to talk, still not noticing my presence. I look over into the corner of the room, and I see two soldiers putting together a shelf, talking quietly. I tense knowing that they’re in here, but I also see that they’re two of my own men, so I manage to keep my unhappiness at bay. For now.
“Oh, there you are, Lazaro!” Sienna says excitedly, bringing me out of my thoughts. Sienna moves toward me, but my attention stays on Amara, taking her in. Her face flushes when my gaze connects with hers, and I can’t help but smile, even when she looks away shyly. “Come and give us your opinions,” Sienna invites when she reaches me, craning her head back to look up at me.
“I don’t need to give an opinion.” I follow her over to the group, and maneuver myself to stand directly behind Amara, who stiffens slightly when I place my hands on her shoulders. Then she relaxes and I feel her body swaying back toward mine, as if on instinct, and I step forward to let her nestle back against me. She stiffens again, as if she’s just realized what she’s done, but she doesn’t pull away. Progress, and one that pleases me immensely. “Whatever Amara wants is what she gets. She knows what’s best,” I finish firmly.
Rori grins up at me, while Gia smiles, and Sienna rolls her eyes. “Of course you say that.” Sienna sighs. “Okay, fine. How many days did they say before this is ready?” She looks at Gia for the answer.
“The plumber and electrician that Nico has on staff said they can have it done tomorrow if they start tonight. To get everything else in place, the day after will be the first day it can be used.”
“Damn that’s fast,” Amara gasps. “Really? That sounds almost impossible. And how on earth did you get all of this in here so fast, by the way?”
Gia gives a simple shrug. “When you’re the wife of the Don, people jump to help you. Either to stay on Nico’s good side, or because of the tip they hope to get.”
“There’s perks to being rich and dangerous,” Sienna jokes.
Amara doesn’t reply to that, but she turns her head slightly and I can see the small frown on her lips, and the worry in her eyes. Shit. What’s that about?
“What matters,” Gia continues, oblivious to Amara’s inner turmoil, “is that you’re going to have your salon in just a couple days. And we can make sure you have everything just how you want it.”
“This seems like so much to do for me when I might not be here very long,” Amara points out carefully.
Sienna and Gia share a look, but Gia quickly assures her, “Don’t worry about it. It’s a fun project, and then when this is all done, you can take everything and set up your new shop you were talking about, right?”
Amara doesn’t look convinced, but she slowly nods. Yeah, I don’t want her thinking too hard about this. That’s not an argument I want to get into with her right now.
“Good. Let’s get out of here and let these guys work. The sooner they finish, the sooner you can get started on our hair,” Sienna beams. “And just so we’re clear, I want to do something bright and colorful this time. We need it around here.”
“We need it so we can find you when you get lost.” Rori snickers. “Just look for the beacon running around.” She yelps when Sienna slaps her hard on the arm. “Bitch,” she hisses, rubbing the sting. “You keep hitting me and I’m going to pound you into the mats the next time we spar.”
“You can try.” Sienna sneers. “You’re getting slow with all the training you’ve been missing. I’ll be able to take you out with a few well-placed hits.”
Rori narrows her eyes. “Is that so? You want to put your money where your mouth is?”
In response, Sienna heads for the door, Rori and Hades quickly following her. I see Mario trailing them, leaving me alone with Gia and Amara. “Should we follow them?” Amara asks worriedly.
“I’m not getting in the middle of that,” Gia says firmly. “They’re best friends, but the two of them have the strangest relationship I’ve ever seen. Besides, they won’t really hurt each other.” Though that last statement doesn’t sound all that convincing if you ask me, and from the expression on Amara’s face, she doesn’t believe it either. “While they do that, I need to get a few things of my own done. Are you going to be alright?” she asks Amara.
“I’ll be fine,” Amara assures her. “And thank you, Gia. I really appreciate you doing all this.”
Gia reaches out and takes her hand, giving it a quick squeeze with a gentle smile. “I know it’s a lot, Amara, but I promise, I’m happy to. I want you to be comfortable here.” Amara nods, giving her a small smile of her own. They separate and then Gia heads for the door, and I bark out an order to the two soldiers still putting together the cabinet. Both immediately stand to follow her, and Gia gives me an exasperated look. “That’s not necessary,” she argues.
“Yes, it is,” I say firmly. “You want to explain to your husband, cara , that you have gone without your guard?” Thankfully she doesn’t argue with me any further, taking her leave with both guards following closely behind her.
“Why do we need to have guards on us at all?” Amara suddenly asks, stepping forward and turning to look up at me, a frown on her face. “I thought you said we’re safe here.”
“You are, but that doesn’t mean someone might not try to get through our defences. If they do, we don’t want you to be alone.” I purposely don’t tell her it’s already happened, and we refuse to let it happen again. Of course, she doesn’t look the least bit convinced, but she lets it go. “This is going to be a nice space,” I tell her with a smile.
She shakes her head. “It’s way too much, Lazaro. How am I ever going to pay them back? They bought the best of the best of everything. There is no way that I can afford any of this.” She looks on the verge of panic, and I quickly step forward, gripping her shoulder and making her look up at me.
“Amara, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to that,” I tell her firmly. “ Gia and Nico will never accept money from you. This is all a gift, from one cousin to another.”
“No, it’s too much,” she says firmly. “You need to convince them.”
“Me?” I ask in amusement.
She glares up at me. “Yes, you. They’re not going to listen to me. Tell them I’m terrible at cutting hair or something. Or at least tell them to take some of this stuff back, so I don’t feel so guilty.”
“Amara,” I chide lightly. “Do you really not want any of this? Take the money out of it for now.”
“Of course I do,” she huffs. “This is so much more than I could have ever dreamed of having. Do you see that chair and bowl? They are top of the line. Like, the kind you dream of, never thinking you’re ever going to have in your lifetime unless you win the lottery or somehow make it big, and have celebrity clientele coming to your shop. I can’t just sit back and accept this, especially if this whole situation is over soon. I’ll have to figure out what to do with it all.”
“Like Gia said, it can all go into your new salon.”
She shakes her head. “And where am I going to find a new salon that will allow me to use all of this? Most of them are already set up, and it’ll cost a fortune to have this all added. And in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly swimming in extra cash.”
“That’s a worry for then.” And not one that I’m going to let her stew on for too long, with my plans already made and in motion. “For now, focus on this and see it for what it is. An opportunity to hone your skills on people who are eager to let you try things out with them. You said you didn’t get much of a chance before, and now you will.”
She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “You’re supposed to be on my side, not making sense and talking me out of being mad.”
I chuckle. “ Colombina , when it comes to you, there is nothing I won’t do to ensure you are happy. And this will make you happy, we both know that.” She opens her mouth to argue with me again, but I quickly say, “No more arguing, Amara. You know I’m right.”
“Whatever.” She sighs. “I’m ready to get something to eat. It’s been hours, and unless you want me to get majorly hangry, I need some food.”
“Hangry?” I ask, perplexed. Is this another one of those strange American sayings?
“Yeah. If I’m hungry for too long, I start getting irrationally angry. Hungry plus angry equals hangry.” She gives me a look that says she’s sure I’m short of a few brain cells.
“Then we best feed you,” I agree, guiding her out of the room. “Though I’d be interested in seeing what you do when you’re hangry, as you call it.”
She looks up at me with a serious expression. “Trust me, Lazaro, you really don’t. I’m liable to throw something at you, and considering our height difference, I’ll probably going to hit something you really don’t want me to.”
I grin down at her, amused. “You can try, dolcezza , but all you’ll be doing is adding to your punishment tally, and you’re already up to a good amount.”
She must not think I’m serious, because she simply rolls her eyes. “Sure, whatever.”
I’m going to enjoy spanking that sass out of her. And though I told her I’d do things at her pace, I think it’s time I amp things up.