“Will do.” I closed the door behind me, then set my suitcase on the bed and opened it. I took out my protective gear and put it on over my clothes, then started covering the room with plastic, including the walls, furniture, and floor.
I maneuvered Luca’s body to where I could easily break it down before putting my saw together and sliding on my face shield. I pulled out three empty duffel bags and opened them, then set them on the floor next to the body.
I liked to separate the body into two groups: torso and limbs. My routine was to cut off the arms, legs, and head, put them in a duffel bag, then put the torso in a second bag. That typically worked for most cleans, but sometimes I had to do more if the body was larger.
Once I got the body packed up, I cleaned up my saw and put it away before gathering all the plastic from the room and putting it in the last duffel bag.
I grabbed my cleaning supplies from my suitcase and started spraying all the surfaces and wiping them down. Then, I got to work on the blood on the floor.
When I was finished, I did one last sweep of the room before packing up the rest of my supplies and zipping up my suitcase. I took off my gloves and tossed them in the bag with the plastic, then slipped on another pair. I definitely didn’t want to leave my prints anywhere in case the suite became a crime scene, so I was overly cautious.
Then, I opened the door and put all the bags outside in the hall. Domenic was still sitting on the couch, but his daughter wasn’t with him anymore.
“Finished, sir,” I announced.
He stood up and forced a smile. “Let me take a look.”
The mob boss entered the bedroom and walked around, surveying my work. I’d been a cleaner for over a decade, so I was confident in the completed job.
“Looks good, as always.” The smile Domenic gave me was more natural and relaxed, and the tension in his face had eased some. He put his arm around my shoulder as he said, “There is one more thing I need from you.”
He guided me to the couch like he had done with his daughter. We sat down and he clasped his hands together in front of him, casually resting his elbows on his knees. “The young lady you met earlier was my daugher, Gianina. She just married Luca earlier today.”
Shit.The pieces of the puzzle of what had happened started coming together.
“He got a little too rough, and my daughter defended herself. Unfortunately for him, she knows her way around a knife.”
A smirk curved my lips. A woman with those kind of skills was my kind of woman.
Too bad she was untouchable.
“My dilemma now is protecting my daughter. Once the Sorellos find out what happened, a war will start. Luckily, they were due to leave on their honeymoon tomorrow for a week so that buys me some time.”
He made eye contact, holding my gaze. “This is where you come in. I need you to take my daughter to that cabin you have in the mountains.”
I tensed.How the hell does he know about my cabin?Before I responded, I tried to think of the right wording so that I didn’t piss off the most powerful man in New York. He could have me buried with the body I’d just cleaned up for him before the night was over.
“Sir, that really isn’t something I do.”
He nodded. “I know. That’s why I’m going to pay you double. And if you keep her safe, I’ll give you a half million dollars on top.”
My jaw dropped. That was life-changing money, but I didn’t want to babysit a mob boss’s daughter. I didn’t know the girl, but most like her were spoiled and entitled. “I’m not sure I’m the right man for this, Mr. Genovese. I’ve never hid or protected someone like this before. Why me?”
He shrugged. “I’ve known you for a long time, kid. I know your father. You’ve both done good work for me, and I feel like I can trust you. That’s hard to come by in my line of work. And the less people that know about what happened, the better.”
Uncomfortable, I rubbed the back of my neck. “Don’t you have bodyguards for this type of thing? Someone trained?”
Chuckling, he clapped me on the shoulder. “Well, when Luca’s death is discovered, I will need all my men at my side.”
I nodded, knowing he would need every one of his guys for the battle to come. “Okay. I’ll do my best.”
“Good.” He squeezed my shoulder tightly, almost to the point it was painful. “You protect her with your life or else you’ll end up like Luca. Only your death won’t be quick.”
I knew his threat wasn’t an empty one, and even though a lump formed in my throat, I held my head up high. I didn’t want to risk my life for a stranger, but I had no choice. You didn’t say no to Domenic Genovese and live to tell about it. “Understood, sir.”
He let go and clapped his hands together. “Great. I’ll have Gia get her stuff together and then you can be on your way. I’ll get your pay, plus some extra for any expenses you may need.”
I nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
