Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
“Should I worry?”
“No. Not at all.”
She gives me a tired nod, barely able to do much more than lift her chin. Her eyelashes flicker as sleep drags her under. I stroke my finger over her forehead and wait until her breath evens out. I’ll get my reward when I get off work. I give the blanket one last smoothing pass of my hand and leave.
Downstairs, Marco holds my shoulder holster for me to don. “Did you want to bring anyone else?” he asks as I tuck my guns away.
“I don’t believe so. Have you called my aunt?”
“She’s being brought by Pietri.”
“Good. We’ll let them know when it’s clear.”
It only takes a half hour to arrive at Edward’s mistress’s home. On our way, I call Chief Jones and make sure that any complaints in this area are ignored. There are four cars parked in front of the sedate brownstone that he bought her two years ago. Marco and I make quick work of the four men in the rear two cars. They’d become lazy and failed to notice us until we had our hands around their throats.
We leave the second car as the driver is the one who killed my cousin. The first car’s occupants put up a small fight, and Marco is unable to dodge a knife. We rest behind the fender of the first car.
“Do you need a Band-Aid?” I point to the wound on his cheek.
“Fuck you,” he curses mildly. He takes my handkerchief and presses it against his skin.
A few bullets come zinging our way. Marco rolls his eyes at the stupidity of Edward’s men. Gunshots outdoors means possible civilian casualties. Police will be called. Maybe even the Feds. They’re so fucking dumb.
“Cover me,” I say before Marco can jump up. He curses because he’s supposed to be the bodyguard, but I’m not the head of my family for nothing. I charge forward, going low while Marco fires off a couple shots. I tackle the driver and propel him into the asphalt. His head bounces off the tar with a thud.
A quick strike of the butt of my gun against his forehead, and he’s out. I speed around the side of the car and meet the second man. I knock the gun out of his hand and then send him reeling back with a boot to his chest. Marco drags the driver around the rear of the car, flips him over, and zipties his hands and feet. I lift the dead weight onto my shoulder and follow Marco to my car where the body will rest in the trunk until my aunt arrives.
I dust off my suit coat and straighten my sleeves. Time to see Edward. “Make sure this all gets cleaned up. We don’t want to make Chief Jones’ life too hard.”
Marco gives me a chin nod. I take the steps three at a time and enter as if I live here. There’s a guard inside who is watching television. I take him out easily and shake my head in dismay at their carelessness. I guess the men inside were relying on the men outside and vice versa. So fucking sloppy. As I climb the stairs, the sounds of rutting ring out from the first bedroom. The grunts and squeals sound not unlike a pig being chased. Maybe the television was on for a reason. It also explains why Edward’s mistress was so easily bought off. She was tired of having to bed the animal.
For her sake, I give a discreet knock before throwing the door open. Edward barely registers my intrusion. He’s too intent on trying to sweat off his lunch. His mistress, a woman barely old enough to buy her own liquor, gives me a scathing look. What took you so long? her eyes flash.
I flip my gun around so the butt is out and knock it against Edward’s ass. “Time’s up, my man.”
He jumps up, his dick whipping in the wind like a branch. The woman snatches up a sheet and hits the ground running. Edward scans the room for a weapon and lands on one of his Tom Ford shoes. “Back the fuck up,” he screams, brandishing the brown leather loafer over his head.
“Or what? You’ll sole me to death?” I kick the matching shoe over to his side of the room. “Have two of them. I don’t want you to be at a disadvantage.”
His mouth tightens. “Get out and I’ll get dressed. We can discuss this like civilized people.”
“Now we’re civilized?” I arch an eyebrow. “I told you to get your affairs in order in ten days, and instead of listening to me, you terrorized my wife. I don’t think I need to explain to you why I don’t give a single fuck about rules and procedures.” I flip the gun around and shoot. His mouth forms a small circle before he crumples to the ground. I holster the gun and walk out.