Chapter 23
Vissarian
Sleep was rare in my world. Not because I anticipated danger every day and night, but because of being haunted by the past.
But as I’d explained to Fallon, no one could run from who and what they were forever. Especially when born into a mafia family.
I’d never been bothered about my heritage, but I’d also been born into a family full of love as well as respect.
Had my father questioned my choice in women? Perhaps, but he hadn’t been forced into doing so. I was certain he’d thought my love was nothing more than the flavor of the month given my previous behavior with women.
Perhaps Megan’s father had taught her the art of escape, something Fallon hadn’t benefitted from given her age.
When I’d asked Megan about her family, she’d told me they were dead. Maybe I’d sensed she’d been lying to me. What the hell did it matter to me now?
As I sat in the dark, my ravaged mind still attempting to process the details of what Mikhail had learned, I had no understanding of Ludolf’s reasoning for bringing me here. Except for forcing a way to bring Fallon front and center in my life without interference.
Did it really matter at this point? I had no interest in working with Ludolf and couldn’t care less that they would help us to keep the Russians and Italians at bay.
I could do that myself.
A deep exhale rattled my chest as I brought the glass to my lips and stole a quick glance at the open bedroom door. I’d insisted she try to get some rest. I remained on edge.
Whatever the game, it wasn’t over by a long shot. I took a sip and thought about the picture I’d seen with the writing on her wall. I’d brought my laptop to the table, searching to discover what I could about the death of Luis Esposito and just how powerful Antonio could be.
I’d found literally no mention of him, which meant he was a low-level soldier.
Had he killed his father by request of Giovanni?
Not unheard of. With Giovanni having no other children that I could find, any alliance would be predicated on an arrangement made with whatever flesh and blood existed in his family.
His granddaughter.
Fallon was in more danger than she anticipated. That Giovanni hadn’t taken her as his prisoner was surprising, but given Esposito’s murder, he likely hadn’t wanted any additional undue attention drawn to the regime.
When my lovely pilot had left the city unannounced, another plan had been developed. Then Jeffrey had been bought or coerced. What the fuck did they want inside her apartment, or had it been a temper tantrum since Antonio believed she belonged to him?
Information on the abusive asshole was next to nothing since he was yet considered anyone of importance within the Bruni Empire. Maybe everything had changed when he’d killed his own father. Something didn’t ring true.
There were still far too many coincidences for my liking, but I had to shove them aside for now.
The storm continued, but the worst of it had passed. We’d leave as soon as it was feasible in the morning.
Only she wouldn’t be returning to Miami.
Not yet anyway.
She was not only highly valuable, she was also extremely vulnerable.
I closed the laptop lid, leaning back on the seat and rubbing my eyes. The ache behind them had only gotten worse. I’d felt this way every day for months after Megan’s death. The strange sense of reincarnation was both gut-wrenching and endearing.
Yet I’d asked myself if my attraction to Fallon was only about her sister.
The moment I’d felt the old sense of rage after seeing the photograph of the atrocity on her wall, I’d known the answer.
I cared very much about this woman and it had nothing to do with Megan. That wasn’t the best thing for either of us, but I wasn’t about to let her go. Not now. Perhaps not ever.
A dark, sadistic chuckle formed and without opening my eyes, I took another gulp of my drink. The alcohol was soothing nothing.
Maybe I should try to get some sleep.
Frustrated as fuck, I was about to place the glass on the table when a noise caught my attention.
I jerked up, put the glass down, the weapon in my hand. With my eyes already adjusted to the dim lighting, I took a few seconds to scan the area as I listened.
The doors were closed and locked.
When I heard it again, I snapped my head to the right. Bella. She was growling, the low-slung sound one that would make anyone tremble.
“What is it, girl?” Very slowly I rose to my feet, holding the weapon in both hands.
She continued growling and when she moved from where she was standing in front of the door leading to the deck toward the one at the front, I hunkered over, remaining silent in my movements as I shifted to the wall by the door leading to the deck.
With a quick dart of my head, I was able to see movement.
At least one person was climbing over the railing.
“Bella. Come. Now.”
Bella tipped her head, eyeing me suspiciously, but thankfully followed my command. She trotted after me, keeping close.
Without hesitation, I sprinted into the bedroom to the bed, immediately clamping my hand down over Fallon’s mouth.
Her eyes flew open and her reaction indicated some martial arts training. She swung at me, twisting so that she maneuvered away by a few inches. When she tried to throw a punch, I clasped my hand around her fist.
“Shush. Listen to me, Fallon. Take Bella into the bathroom and lock the door.” I slipped my hand from her mouth.
“What’s going on?” she whispered, the fear in her voice evident.
“We’re under attack. Just do as I say.”
She nodded, yanking the covers back. I had no time to ensure she followed my orders, instead returning to the doorway where I could see both doors in my periphery of vision.
I pulled the magazine of ammunition, thankful I’d switched to a full one.
Remaining in the darkness, I pressed my back against the wall and waited.
It didn’t take long; the slight click as someone picked the lock from the deck caught my attention. A single slight flash of lightning worked to my benefit.
There were two outside on the deck and at least one in the front. If I had to guess, I’d say there were more. Very slowly and quietly the door was opened, two dark figures stepping inside.
At the same time, I heard another click indicating the front door had been compromised.
The key to any successful attack was surprise. On the flipside, when outnumbered, the key was to remain undetected for as long as possible.
I held my breath as the assailants walked inside. Even their faces were covered. I would enjoy unmasking them, but right now, I had one goal in mind.
Killing the motherfuckers.
I’d been right in my calculations, four men slinking inside. They obviously didn’t know me or my skillset. I’d taken on eight men before and lived.
Too bad not one of the bastards had joined me.
They moved through the kitchen, heading in my direction. I lifted my weapon, calculating the distance.
When one closed the distance, I stepped from the shadows.
Pop! Pop!
The fucker went down and I slunk back into position, waiting to see how the other three would react.
A shot was fired, missing me by a few feet. That meant they couldn’t see where I was standing. I’d use the element of surprise as long as possible.
I took a long stride forward, catching a second one, but he’d anticipated the move.
Pop!
Pop! Pop!
The shot barely missed me.
Now all hell was about to break loose.
Dropping to the floor, I slid on my ass and fired off another round, the first bullet hitting the assailant in the chest, the other in the head.
It would be a good thing to keep one of them alive.
A third came at me and instead of killing him instantly, I issued a brutal kick with my foot, sending him backward into the wall.
The loud crash was followed by an anguished grunt, but the asshole wasn’t down for the count.
Rallying, he pitched himself forward as the fourth in the bunch attempted to tackle me from behind. I didn’t waste any time, firing off a single shot that caught the third man in the leg. His howl was a pleasant reward, but I had no time for celebration.
The hard hit on the back of my head brought stars to my eyes, but my training kept me from going down, I grabbed the man by the neck, tossing him into the coffee table. He went down with a savage thud and I jerked him up again, pushing him forward as the third man rallied once again.
Only this time, his gunfire killed his own associate.
A laugh bubbled to the surface as I tossed the jerk aside, now concentrating my efforts on the last man standing.
My thoughts drifted to a Jimmy Buffett song. Maybe a different scenario, but still somewhat the same.
He wasn’t expecting the brutal hit from my weapon against his leg injury. That took the wind from his sails. As he panted from pain, I ripped off his mask, dragging him toward the side table and flicking on the lamp.
As I peered down at the chump, the fucker actually grinned.
“Who are you working for?”
Not that I’d expected a real response, but his lack of an answer still pissed me off.
Unable to control my anger, I smashed the side of my weapon against his face, enjoying the cracking sound. He was a tough asshole, grinning as if enjoying the hell out of himself.
“One last time or I’m going to enjoy shooting out your other kneecap. Then your elbows. Then your jaw. Then hell, I don’t know where I’ll go from there. Who are you working for?”
He spit blood against my shirt. I took a deep breath. He was a lifer with whatever group he was working for, taught that dying was a symbol of respect.
“Giustizia sarà fatta.”
Justice will be served.
Not in German, but in Italian.
His words were all I needed to know.
They were also the last he’d ever say again.
Pop! Pop!
Exhaling, I shifted away from the light and back to the door leading out onto the deck.
Very carefully I opened one side, crouching down and heading outside.
The morning light was just about to pop over the horizon, creating an eerie combination of shadows with the thick foliage surrounding the buildings.
I moved from one side to the other, both listening to and scanning the area. From what I could tell, no other soldiers were waiting in the shadows.
Now moving quickly, I headed inside, crouching down to one of the dead men. As expected, I found no identification. Also as expected, the first man had a tattoo on his chest.
A skull with a dagger. What do you want to bet I’d find the same image on the others?
I was correct, but there was no other identification. However, I sensed they’d been trained at what they were doing, moving in formation.
After closing and locking the front door, I returned to the bedroom, taking a deep breath before gently knocking on the bathroom door.
I slipped my weapon behind my back under the waistband of my trousers.
She already would have enough reminders that everything she’d thought about me and who I was had been correct.
Old ways never died. They simply lay dormant.
I’d often chatted with my brother and cousins, wondering if they felt the same way I did.
Almost preferring the old style of doing business.
Perhaps my brother was the only man who’d never wanted anything to do with brutality or violence. For the others, both were innate in our bloodline.
And it felt good to go back to my roots.
“Fallon. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
Bella woofed only once and when Fallon threw open the door, the pup jumped on my leg. The intense growl was gone, the dog’s tail wagging happily.
Fallon threw her arms around me and hearing her ragged breathing grabbed at everything inside of me.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, nuzzling into her neck.
“Nothing is okay.”
She was right about that. “It will be.”
We had a long road ahead, and more questions than answers, but I would get us the hell out of here.
“What happened?” she asked, pushing me back by a few inches.
“Let’s just say we had some unwanted visitors. I took care of them. Now, we’re going to walk out of here together. You’re not going to look down, just straight ahead. We’ll head to your cottage. I’ll make sure we’re safe then I’ll grab our things while you get changed.”
“What did you do?” She wrapped her long fingers around my shirt, arching her back as she peered up at me.
Grinning, I brushed hair from her face, lowering my head until our lips were almost touching. “What was necessary to keep you safe. Something I will do for the rest of your life.”
Her eyes lit up, but she didn’t say anything, merely rising onto her tiptoes and brushing her lips across mine.
The feel of having her in my arms, of needing to protect and care for her was all that mattered. And for a few seconds, I could feel Megan around me. Peering down. Giving me her blessing.
Hungering for Fallon was far removed from my past. Being with her was the embodiment of the future.
As I crushed my lips over hers, I was reminded of all the amazing things I’d missed in my life by being locked in darkness.
No more.
I had everything to live for and anyone who dared try to fuck with that would die.
And you bet it would also feel damn good.