The Assassin
I rapped my knuckles against the door with my free hand. As much as I wanted to just let myself in, I needed to take Maria’s advice and follow Simone’s lead.
I probably looked like a fool standing here with a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates, but apparently humility was my best bet at getting Simone to forgive me. I already knew she was going to have an attitude when she opened the door and saw me.
Knowing her, she was going to roll her eyes at the gifts and tell me to go to Hell.
Which is fine. I deserve whatever insults she’ll shoot at me.
All of it wouldn’t matter so long as she lets me kiss her after.
The list of plans I had to make it up to her was long, and I intended to check off every single one.
I knocked again when she didn’t answer. “Simone!” I called. “Look, I know you hate my guts right now, but I need to see you! Open up so we can talk!”
Silence answered me again.
I held my ear to the door, trying to listen for footsteps or movement. My brows came together when I didn’t hear either.
Shoving the gifts underneath my arm, I dug into my pocket and pulled out the keycard to the apartment. I unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Simone?”
My voice bounced off the walls, echoing through the empty living room. I called her name again as I rushed down the hall towards her bedroom.
The sheets were thrown over in a messy pile at the foot of her bed. Her closet doors were wide open. Cosmetics products were scattered over the vanity dresser. The black burner phone I’d given her sat on her nightstand.
And no sign of Simone.
Where the fuck did she go?
Did she try to leave again? Did someone break in and take her? Why the fuck would she leave her phone behind?
Turning on my heel, I ignored the acceleration of my heartbeat and fished my phone out of my pocket. I dialed Dante’s number and paced while I waited for him to answer.
“Do you know where your wife is?” I asked the moment he did.
“Yeah, she’s at Simone’s place,” he replied. Faint music played in the background, a sign he was likely doing office work in one of his clubs.
“They’re not here.”
“Fuck,” he sighed. “Hold on. Let me check her location.” He was silent for a moment, then another swear came out his mouth.
“What?” I asked, not liking the way my heart damn near skipped a beat at the newfound annoyance in his tone. “What’s wrong?”
“She turned her damn location off.”
“Why the hell would she do that?”
“Why else? She doesn’t want to be found.”
“And let me guess: this is normal for her?”
“Before we got married, yes. But since then, she’s been good about keeping it on. It’s weird she switched up like this.”
“You don’t think something happened to them, do you?”
He scoffed. “Have you met my wife? If anything did happen, she probably fucked up whoever messed with them. But we’re not beefing with anybody right now, so the chances of that are low.” Static crinkled on the other end as he shifted his phone. “Let me call Miles, and I’ll hit you back.”
I could’ve done that my damn self, but I understood Dante’s need to check on his wife. The request would sound better from him anyway.
Dante didn’t leave me hanging for long. He texted me not even five minutes later with an address to a club on the other side of the city and firm instructions not to go inside without him.
I tossed the flowers and chocolates on the living room counter as I hurried out of the apartment. On the road, I swerved through the nightlife traffic and sped through nearly every light.
I was surprised to see Dante’s car already parked across the street from the establishment when I arrived. For once, his perpetual smile was absent from his face. Leaning against the door, he stared at the club with a hard expression.
“You cool?” I asked as I approached him.
“Yeah. This place is run by a bunch of assholes,” he replied. “Fuckers won’t fall in line for anybody - not even the Ruiz’s.”
I raised a brow. “Then, what the hell is your wife doing around here?”
“Testing her boundaries.” He straightened up and started walking towards the entrance. “Come on.”
I followed him to the entrance. A tall, burly man stood in front of the doors with his hands clasped behind him. He smirked at the sight of us. “What’s up, Harris? Surprised to see you around these parts.”
Dante didn’t return the smile. “Step aside.”
The bouncer held his hands up. “Can’t. Full house tonight.”
“It’ll be an empty house if you don’t get the fuck out of my way.”
He chuckled. “And what are you going to do, pretty bo-”
Before he could finish his sentence, Dante’s fist was slamming into the man’s throat.
His large body crashed into the wall as he clutched his neck, gasping for air.
“Damn,” I muttered, following Dante as he opened the doors and headed inside. “I’ve never seen you swing so fast.”
“Been hanging around the Ruiz’s too much lately. I should’ve shot his ass.” He glanced over the dancing crowd, scanning for his wife’s face. “Second floor in one of the VIP sections,” he stated once he found her.
I followed his gaze to where Lexie sat on one of the cushioned booths, sipping on a glass and talking to the man sitting beside her. My stomach clenched when I didn’t see Simone with them.
As we weaved through the crowds to the stairwell, I checked over the crowd again. The dim lighting, flashing lights, and abundance of movement made it difficult for me to pick Simone out. I was getting irritated at seeing every other face besides hers. Where the fuck was she?
“Hi Papi!” Lexie greeted us when we finally reached their section.
Dante ignored the slyness in her grin and shot a glare at the man beside her.
“Don’t look at me,” the guy responded. “This was all her idea.”
“And you went along with it.”
He shrugged. “She was going to do it anyway. Figured she’d be better off with me than without.”
Lexie rose from her seat and looped her arms around Dante’s neck. “Relax, Papi,” she cooed, pressing her red lips against his neck. “Have a drink and dance with me.”
“I will when we get back to Onyx.”
“I don’t want to go back to Onyx,” she said, pursing her lips into a small pout.
“That’s too bad.”
“Why?” Her lips curved into a teasing smile. “You gonna throw me over your shoulder and drag me out of here?”
Dante matched her smile and leaned in close to whisper in her ear.
Her lips spread wider at whatever he was saying.
Weak ass motherfucker.
Rolling my eyes, I turned my attention to the man still sitting on the couch. “Where’s Simone?”
“On the dance floor,” he said, jutting his chin to the crowd below us.
I followed his eyes to the middle of the floor.
One of the flashing neon lights fell on Simone like a spotlight, casting a shine over her sapphire colored dress and rich brown skin.
Her eyes were closed, and her body was swinging to the beat of the music.
It was one of those rare times when her body was free of any tension. When she was truly happy.
And if it weren’t for the hands around her hips and the body inches too close to hers, I would’ve thought she looked absolutely divine.