Chapter 66
sixty-six
. . .
“Still not going to tell me what happened yesterday?” Lorenzo tipped his chin at my raw knuckles. We sat in his office, after concluding a merchandise call.
“Wrong place, right moment, brother.” I rubbed my knuckles, grinning.
Killing three of Veer’s bodyguards in an unfair fight and then downing a couple of whiskeys at an underground bar I usually visited when I wanted to let off some steam, sounded like a good plan when it began.
After that though, I remembered shit all, not even how I landed in my bed last night.
Fucked up as it sounded, I had the insane thought that I fucked Korō over a table and someone I knew took me home. I just couldn’t remember who.
“You still look like shit.”
I laughed, dragging a hand through the scruff on my face, having left it to run wild over the last three weeks since Ishika’s disappearance.
“My suggestion, give the search a break, for a day maybe and stop killing people.”
I shrugged as the door opened and Dario stepped inside. “Veer’s here.”
That got a frown from Lorenzo and I. “Did you say Veer?” he asked. At Dario’s nod, my brother looked at me. “Any clues?”
“If I know the fucker, he probably wants something we won’t share.”
Lorenzo grinned at my double meaning as Dario opened the door to let man in.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Lorenzo. I’m just sorry that it is under these circumstances.” Veer smiled at my brother.
Shaking his hand, Lorenzo gestured to the couches. “Want to tell me the reason you’re left Boston for such an early morning visit?” He got straight to the point as they sat. I took the seat next to him.
“Last night I lost three of my bodyguards outside some underground bar here and two inside. No one seems to know where they are or how they disappeared without a trace. That wasn’t as concerning as the death of my head of security at the Manhattan estate, a secret place no one knows about.”
So the fucker had a place in this city too and all this time I thought he was in Boston. Interesting.
“Someone sliced his ankles, cut through the shoulders and slit his neck,” he continued. “Left him to bleed out in front of my bedroom door. Touched no one else and took nothing. All we found was a single coin buried in the incision in his neck.”
Loreno caught my eye, his eyes darkening, lips pulled into a tight line. “Forgive my ignorance, Veer but what does that have to do with me.”
Veer blew out a slow breath as though he were choosing the right words, stood and walked over to the window overlooking the city.
Then he turned to look at us again. “Those men were highly efficient in tactical combat, trained in the Indian army and the best in their squads, no one could get the drop on them. They were commissioned to guard Ajay and Ishika once she married him. Suffice to say, someone did, both in and outside my home, in your city.” This time, he looked at me.
“I’m aware Remo has an interest in Ishika and judging by the way he hit my son-in-law, and the fires he’s been burning through Boston, I’d say he’s serious about her enough to kill my men after she went missing. ”
Lorenzo stood and I followed, my tendons tight with the need to kill someone that was already dead.
He was lucky Korō got to his of head of security first or I would’ve fucking tortured him for days, just like the other three.
The night I smashed Ajay’s face at the club; I hit Rakesh when he tried to stop me.
I knew he’d been chomping at the bit to take me down ever since.
“And you think Remo had your bodyguards killed?”
Veer avoided my gaze and nodded. “The doors and windows on the property were untouched. Several patrollers saw nothing. Given the locked control, accessible only to the security guards, I can’t understand how the cameras were tampered with.” His glance at me was filled with unrestrained accusation.
“Angel of death?” I suggested, grinning. Thank your lucky fucking stars you didn’t meet her, fucker.
“What nonsense,” Veer raised his voice a fraction. “That’s just a myth that no one has provided any evidence to the contrary. Whoever did this was let into the house.” So he knew about Korō, just didn’t believe in her austerity.
My brother’s laugh was short and sharp. “Remo has far more important issues to worry about than the lives of inconsequential bodyguards, Veer.” When the other man said nothing, Lorenzo added, “Ajay and the men who hang out with him at his club are misogynistic idiots, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone went after your bodyguards. ”
Veer tried to scowl and failed; he just looked like a pouting asshole.
“She is my niece, I can treat her how I want, marry her to whomever I want and how he treats her is none of anyone’s business.
Respect for elders and tradition is of utmost importance in our home.
I have every right to discipline her as I see fit,” he replied, his voice laced with a hint of reproach.
Fuck that. I was on him so fast, the man let out a snort of surprise as my fist curled around the front of his shirt. Bunching it, I yanked him forward while my gun in my other hand, pointed at his bodyguard who paused mid-step, his fingers on his holstered weapon.
Too fucking slow.
I glared at Veer. “I don’t give a fuck about respecting boundaries.
You harm her, and it will be the last fucking breath you take, old man.
” I knew fuckers like him. They used their supremacy to prey on the weak, especially women, because it was the only way they could feel empowered.
Same could easily be said of me. Only, I did it with a class act that had women kneeling of their own accord.
“Remo!” Lorenzo barked.
I ignored my brother, my fist tightening on Veer’s shirt.
“If I find out you so much as touched a fingernail on her, I’ll gut you like a fucking fish, feed your entrails to your family, rain a war on every fucking state you rule and I don’t care whose blood I spill.
Capisci?” Gritting my teeth, I glared at the man before releasing him with a slow step backward until I stood next to my brother again and holstered my weapon.
“Forgive his hotheadedness, Veer,” Lorenzo began, and I scowled at him. Ignoring me, he continued, “my brother is a territorial type of man and once he sets his sights on something, he won’t rest until he gets it. If he can’t, no one will.”
As if he understood the menace behind Lorenzo’s word, Veer cleared his throat.
“But she is promised to Ajay, it’s an age-old tradition between families I can’t break,” he responded, quietly, his respect for my brother unconcealed yet when his gaze landed on me, I could see the uncertainty. My irrationality preceded me.
Good.
“Then Ajay has to stand up like a man and defend his right because I’m not going to stop my brother from staking his claim.
” Lorenzo’s response surprised me, and I grinned.
“As for your dead bodyguards, they got what was coming to them. Regardless, I suggest you look elsewhere for a killer. Trust me when I say this. If Remo killed them, he would’ve made damn sure everyone knew it was him, you included.
” Veer’s eyes widened with each word Lorenzo uttered.
“As fucked up as this sounds, Remo makes no bones about flaunting his wins.”
Well, I’ll be fucking damned. I met the caring gaze of my brother with a quick nod. “You have my brother to thank that I only fucked up Ajay’s face, I would’ve killed him. Trust me and we’re heading there if I don’t find Ishika soon.” Simple honesty.
“This could mean war, Lorenzo,” Veer threatened, his dark eyes filled with anger.
Lorenzo’s brow shot up, his eyes narrowed. “Then you better be prepared to die,” he snapped, unintimidated. “Feel free to close the door behind you.”
He turned his back on Veer who stood there for another moment, his face contemplative. Either he’d recognized he’d pissed off the wrong man and just signed his death warrant or he wanted to apologize. Wordlessly, he turned.
About to walk out, I called out. “Veer.”
He stopped in the doorway, turning his head slightly. “Yes?”
“No truce will stop me from disemboweling you alive if you forget my warning,” I reminded, my words dripping unconcealed menace.
He glared at me yet said nothing. Another second later, he left, his useless bodyguard trailing behind him.
Lorenzo looked at me, his expression unreadable. “Do you think it was her that took out those guards?” He lowered himself to the chair behind his desk, referring to Korō.
“The thought did cross my mind and despite the calling card, it doesn’t make sense. Why take out just one man when she had a whole estate of the fuckers at her disposal.” That was surprising. So far, her coordinated attacks took down groups of men or whole families.
“You think she’s trying to pin this on you?”
I frowned before his words registered. “Why would she?” Although I asked the question, I wondered if he was right. Maybe us fucking had been an act. Maybe this was her revenge, finally getting rid of the fucker she’d left alive. Perhaps her plan was to cause war between the families.
“Don’t tell me,” Lorenzo muttered, drawing my gaze. “You fucked her too?”
Jesus, was he a fucking mind reader or did I wear the pussy stains on my fucking face as a goddamned mustache? “No,” I lied.
He shook his head, clearly not believing me. “Christ, Remo, only you can be so fucked up as to get your cock into this diabolic predicament. I can’t decide if I’m impressed or concerned,” he snorted.
I chuckled. “You and I both know there isn’t a woman alive capable of breaking me, brother. I take what I want, when I want. I never think with my dick—”
“You never think, period,” he reproached then exhaled on a slow breath.
“Watch your back. Fucking two women is asking for trouble but when one of them is a serial killer, and the other pregnant, that’s suicide.
Whatever your killer’s got planned, you’re either a part of it or the center of it.
No matter how much I support you, there’s limitations when there’s a coldblooded killer involved.
” He stared at me, his expression expectant.
A nod was all I could afford him right now and about to leave his office, he stopped me.
“Remo.” I turned. “Join me on the island tonight, think it will do us some good to recoup, strategize how we take down Veer and his circus. He’ll call again, that’s for sure but I’d rather have a plan in place or a start of one, before he does. ”
“You’re speaking my language, brother. I owe that cunt.” I left his office, smiling.
Outside the building, I glanced at the truck parked across the street and grinned. Veer’s minions glared at me when I mock saluted them. I expected him to leave spies behind, just a little more inconspicuous would’ve made me respect the man more.
“You’ve got admirers.” Dario came up beside me as they took off.
“Dumb fucks,” I snorted.
“You took out the bodyguards, didn’t you?”
I looked at him, my usual smirk in place. “You figured it out. Impressive, old man.”
“Fuck, Remo, you know better than to cross that boundary.” Dario warned, unfazed by my jibe. “Your brother will lose his shit if he finds out.
“He won’t.” I checked my watch.
“I’ve never seen you go to these lengths for a woman before, still in denial?”
Sliding a hand into my pants pocket, I rubbed the thumb of the other over my bottom lip, my thoughts caught and held by Ishika and Korō.
“Sometimes the irony of a situation is lost on us only because we see what people choose to show us. Deep down they’re more broken than they’d like the world to see. ”
Dario clutched my shoulder, his smile wider than the usual twitch of his lips.
“And sometimes the heart is a lot softer inside a hardcore shell than most people would care to notice.” His words caught me off guard and I frowned, unsure how to respond.
“You don’t have to pretend with me, Remo.
Whatever you’ve got going on with these two women, is taking you to a foreign place and while I won’t call it the ‘L’ word, I’m sure you know what’s best. Just don’t do this alone, talk to me when you’re ready. ”
He was gone before I could form a suitable reply. I stared up at the sky. The gathering dark clouds a distinct prediction of my inner chaos.
“Dario says we’re heading out to the island tonight?” Gian came up beside me.
I looked at him. “I need you to watch Duke.”
“Again?” He rolled his eyes. “I want to find Ms. Ishika.”
“You mean you want to kill more fuckers?” I asked and he smiled. “You’ll have your chance once Lorenzo and I return from the island.”
I had a feeling that the storm heading my way was a Tsunami in the making.