18. Daniela
“Blanco wouldn’t allow me to do it.” I stare back at Tomás, a little dazed by his honest confession.
These two fuckers tore off my flesh and exposed my heart. They found the truth for themselves, determining where my loyalty belongs.
With Matheus.
There was no hiding it.
And even though I’m furious, I understand why they’d duped me. I’d do the same if a guy was sniffing around Sofia.
There are consequences for the people involved with powerful criminals. That’s how they roll. Trust is earned. It’s the world I live in.
Which is why I’m stunned to learn Tomás’ account of that day.
“Blanco takes the role of being your godfather very seriously, even from afar. He gave me the best weapons and offered unlimited resources to exact revenge…” I shake my head lightly. “But he drew the line at going after you. That was the deal we made, and I honored it.”
Tomás’ eyes skate over my sorry state, holding my gaze for a beat before he replies, “And now?”
“Now you’re just Matheus’ ugly big brother,” I answer, aware of my lethal spark reigniting, ready for anything. “I’m not scared of you, Tomás. Even though you’ve managed to find my weakness, I now understand you’d never be able to get to me that way because you love him too. As for the rest of your family, I have no plans to execute them. Never had. Can you offer me the same assurance?”
He glances over at Giovanni and nods. “If you want full immunity, you’ll have to come clean and admit that Blanco arranged my father’s assassination.”
I exhale when Giovanni wanders behind me and removes the cuffs. Shaking out my hands to get the blood flowing, I get to my bare feet.
“Come on, Tomás. It’s time to change the record. You’ve no evidence pointing to Blanco. Why do you think that is, huh?” I cock a brow at him. “Because he had nothing to do with it. Think about it. Why cut the head off the snake when there’s a pit of serpents at home? Whoever assassinated him knew you’d take over. They let you step up.”
I glance down at the dead guy and feel absolutely nothing now.
Nada. Zilch.
“Look, I owe Blanco. He paid for my mother’s funeral and bought her a coffin fit for a queen without asking for a penny in return. I didn”t grow up with a father and he didn”t know I existed. But these days, Blanco and I have an understanding. I respect him as a boss, and I can honestly tell you––hand on heart––he had nothing to do with it––or the bomb that killed your Uncle Angelo.”
Tomás stiffens for a second, then fixes his diamond cufflinks in turn.
I wipe all traces of tears from my cheeks, rake a shaky hand through my hair, and roll back my shoulders. Feeling confident, I hold out my hand in the space between us.
“If we’re done here, and this circus production is over, then please excuse me.”
My eyes drill into those unreadable black pools of his.
“I’d like to say spending time with you was fun, but I’m not a liar. Rather than drag this bullshit out any longer, I should go for a run and burn off my anger instead of stabbing you in the fucking heart for what you just put me through.”
Tomás drops his gaze to my waiting palm, and after a beat he reaches out and shakes it.
“If anything happens to him, I’ll personally put a bullet in your temple.”
Air shoots down my nostrils. “If anything happens to Matheus, I’ll personally put a bullet in everyone”s temple.” I adjust his statement, fully sincere.
The corners of his mouth twitch and the hand around mine tightens.
“We have a deal, Daniela.”
Before releasing my returning grip, my gaze cuts from his to the corpse.
“Kindly remove the traitor from my terrace. He’s ruining my ocean view.”
Behind us, Giovanni grunts, the sound almost like laughter.
“And have the mess mopped up by a cleaning crew please. Leaving blood around is unhygienic and gross.”
Tomás nods and I almost think he’s going to smile. He doesn’t.
“That we fully agree on.”
When our physical connection breaks, I inhale a steadying breath and head back indoors. My attitude might have appeared easy-breezy and composed with my straight-spined strut, but my stomach is churning, and my hands won’t stop shaking.
That whole situation was beyond intense. I’d be inhuman if I wasn’t shaken by it. Most of all, I’m anxious to see Matheus and nervous at how he’d react when I show up––when I tell him the real reason why I’ve returned.
While I pull on skin-tight Lycra shorts, strap my dagger holster to my thigh, and shove my feet into a pair of track shoes, I hear Giovanni make a phone call from the terrace.
First, he orders a cleaning team to dispose of the body and then hangs up.
Moments after, he answers an incoming call and his tone completely changes, huskier—seductive. It’s like sunshine bursts through a crack in his darkness.
The gritty texture resembles Matheus’ voice when he’s just woken up, all warm and sleepy, and offers me a lazy smile that makes my belly flip.
I can’t fully hear his conversation until he tells the caller he loves them too.
“Yo también te amo, baby. I’m coming to the hospital now.”
I guess it”s not impossible for a sadistic hitman to find a sliver of light in his black soul.
To find love where only death exists.
Leaving the villa behind, I start off jogging, focused on my most important mission to date. I plow through dry, wild grass and crunch over tiny stones, moving onto the gravel driveway fronting the mansion.
Immediately, I’m greeted by two Italian armed guards. One of them stops my advance with an abrupt raised hand.
Given the impatient mood I’m in, he’s lucky I don’t snap his wrist, break each finger, and move onto dislocating his shoulder.
Nevertheless, I decide to play nice and let him tap his phone screen until he finds my picture.
“Access approved,” he tells the other guy, then looks right at me. “The boss is in his suite. I’ll get one of the guys to show you the way.”
I frown. “Is André home from the hospital?”
The guard gives me a weird look, like I should know the setup.
“Matheus Souza is overseeing everything. He’s the boss, signora.”
My heart flutters.
The guard brings his phone to his ear and speaks. “I need an escort at the front entrance.”
“No…it’s fine. I know the way.”
I stroll in between the two men and nod at the obedient doorman who opens the door for me.
Inside, I make a beeline for the staircase, my footsteps quiet on the marble tiles spread across the vast entrance hall.
My heart is pounding at the same quick tempo as my pace. I take the stairs two at a time, breaking into fast strides when I turn left on the landing.
Following the corridor, I remember the layout and know exactly where Matheus’ room is located.
Once I’m outside his suite, I press my ear to the solid wood door and listen. Muted music plays from the other side and there’s a faint aroma of marijuana.
I take hold of the handle, purposefully inhaling and exhaling through my nose in slow, controlled breaths, preparing to become one with the shadows.
As soon as a slither of space appears, the beat of “Guess It Wasn’t Love,”byStracthumps in my chest. I peer inside, scanning every shadowy corner.
A bedside lamp pours soft light over the plush comforter and spills across the floor. Its reach fades into darkness at a pair of heavy drawn drapes.
Not seeing him, I quietly close the door behind me and skim the wallpaper with my fingertips, staying tight to the walls.
Through the vocals, the energetic sound of running water comes from the adjoining bathroom.
He’d unintentionally left the door ajar, not expecting a lethal visitor to move through the mansion a second time.
There’s enough room for me to slip inside and when I do, my heart rate goes haywire.
Matheus is right there, washing his jet-black Souza hair under the rain shower head.
Beyond a glass screen, his eyes are closed, and his beautiful face is angled upward. Hot steam swirls around his carved muscles and blurs his wide-legged stance.
I swallow hard and take a step into the middle of the room, debating my next move. Having rinsed his hair, he turns his entire back to me and reaches for another bottle.
My eyes double in size at the marks sprawling across his back. I simultaneously suck in a gust of air, stuck to the floor, my legs suddenly paralyzed.
What the hell…