I could ask my father what those trips were about now, but I know he’ll never give me the answers I need. Bastard.
Maybe I’ll get the information from Mark while I’m poisoning him. Maybe I could promise him a chance of survival and force him to confess it all. It’s going to take months to get him to admit it any other way. I think back to how he let me join his meeting tonight but kept me out of the loop – I was just there for him to show off. I’ll never get close enough to learn much information that would damage him.
The glint of the diamond catches my eye yet again and I take the engagement ring out and run my finger over the cool platinum band. It slides onto my finger smoothly and I admire it, imagining a life that could have been so different.
Or would it?
Are Mateo and I star-crossed lovers doomed to flare and burn out like supernovas?
Though I don’t feel like any kind of lover right now. This vendetta is going to end me. Even if I don’t die trying to take Mark out, succeeding will derail my whole life. Because to most of the world, Mark Whitlock is the epitome of a successful businessman. Not everyone knows what he does to make his money. On the surface, it’s all legitimate. If I kill him, I’ll probably be locked away. My career. My friends. My chances of having a normal family – husband, children.
I’ve given that all up, anyway. Living like this. Hiding among these desperate people.
“God, Mateo…” I exhale, then slide the ring back off. I miss him so badly again. Why does my heart keep doing this to me? Flipflopping between rage and misery. I wish I could just let it go. But I want to be with him so much. And guilt rides me so hard. What did they do to him?
Mateo…please be okay…
I pick up the phone.
Chapter 14
Mateo Ricci
I’m sick of lying around, goddammit!
It’s been three fucking days, and I’ve had enough. My head is fine. My wrist barely gives a mild twinge when I move it, and my ribs are as good as new.
Only hurts when you breathe, fucker.
I’m fine.
I swing my legs from my bed and pad across the room, wincing as I yank out clean sweats and pull them on. I need to work out.
Halfway out the front door, my phone rings. The number is unfamiliar, but these days, I answer every call.
“Ricci,” I snap out, ignoring the elevator and heading for the stairs. Putting a few flights behind me will serve as a decent warmup. I don’t have hours to spend in the gym. There’s a war about to begin.
It’s a war I won’t be fighting on my own. Even as I settle into a rhythm down the stairs, I hear huffing behind me. It’s Dario’s men, following a flight behind. Nowadays I’m going everywhere with an entourage. And knowing Raoul and Dario, the block will be in the center of a security network.
“You up and about yet?” Reed asks. I frown, wondering why he’s not on his usual line.
“I’m good. Where are you calling from?”
“Office out of town,” he replies. “Came out here to gather some intel on our friend.”
“What did you find?”
“Pretty much everything you figured out is true,” he says. I’m not surprised. I don’t waste time on sketchy information. “Kyle Carter’s death was covered up. Bunch of cops on the force were on the Whitlock payroll at the time. A couple of them did the cleanup. We managed to pin them down.”
I shouldn’t feel pleased to hear this news, but somehow, I feel vindicated. Not that this means much now that Andy’s gone. What difference would it make if I told her now? To prove to her that I was right when I said that her brother’s death was a hit covered up by the police? She’d still hate me, anyway.
“Did you get anything from them?” I ask. The huffing of the men behind me is heavier after barely three flights. Though I’m breathing harder too. It’s definitely time to get my ass up and about again.
“Afraid not,” Reed responds. “One’s dead.”
“Shit.” That’s bad. “How?” I ask.
“Hunting accident. Took a stray bullet while out on a hike. They never found out who did it. Funny thing was, it was out of season.”
