Page 9 of King of War

“True,” Micah agrees.

I drop my head into my hands. “This is the way it has to be,” I remind them. Yes, it’s true I’ve thought about slitting Carmine’s throat at least a thousand times, but I remember the promise I made him, and more importantly his warning that if anything ever happened to him, the contract between us would be null and void. And then some faceless asshole somewhere would carry out the orders he and my father first gave six years ago.

I mentally shake off my melancholy and look to Luca, who’s watching me intently. “I’ll be needing some Makarovs.”

He nods. “On it.”

Rafael claps his hands together, always eager for any kind of action—the more dangerous the better. “So, when are we doing this?”

Ah, fuck. They’re definitely not going to like this. “Actually, Carmine wants this to be a discreet job. Just me and Vinny. Quick and clean, he said.”

Rafael barks out a laugh. “Quick and clean? That fat prick can barely shoot straight. More like real fucking messy.”

This isn’t the first job I’ve done with Vinny alone, but it’s definitely the biggest one I’ve taken on with him. To be honest, I’d prefer to work on my own if I’m not with my brothers. “Well, it’s what the don wants. Seems like he’s trying to groom him to eventually take over or something.”

Rafael shakes his head, his quick temper flaring to the surface. “It’s still fucked up, bro. Vinny is not the guy you want by your side when you’re taking out the Bertellis. Why the fuck would Carmine have us sit this one out?”

I don’t answer or voice my agreement with him, even though in truth I’m still bewildered by Carmine’s decision on this. But it’s not the craziest decision he’s made of late, and arguing about it isn’t going to change the outcome. “It’s happening. Get over it, Raf.”

Micah checks his watch and stands, fastening his suit jacket. “I have a meeting with the gambling commissioner in five. Care to join me?”

I shake my head. “I’d rather not.”

He smirks, knowing I hate any kind of formal meetings. It’s why he handles that side of the business. “Walk with me then.”

Rafael wraps an arm around Luca’s neck. “I guess that means I’m coming with you to find some Russian guns.”

Luca simply grunts in response, but the two of them head out together. While they bicker like children, they’re actually the perfect team. Micah waits until they’re out of earshot before he speaks again.

“Something about this seem a little off to you, Enzo?” he asks.

“Everything the don does feels off lately.”

He hums, deep in thought. “You’ll take precautions though, yeah?”

“I always do, brother.”

He winks at me, knowing full well the quiet moves I’ve been making for the past six years. He’s a master strategist, and while I’m two years older than he is, he taught me all he knows in that regard. Still can never beat the fucker at chess though. He claps me on the back and then we make our way to the lobby. I smell her perfume before I see her, that distinctive sweet vanilla fragrance that makes the back of my throat itch.

“Enzo, honey,” her voice comes from right behind me. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”

I spin around bidding a brief goodbye to Micah. “Vanessa.” I kiss her cheek and don’t say anything about the fact that I don’t need or want to give her any detail about my day-to-day movements. We’ve had four dates. Fucked sometimes before and always after each of them. And if she’s lucky, she may wring another four or five from me before I inevitably get bored.

“Massage?” she says, fluttering her eyelashes. “I’m on my lunch break.”

I take her hand in mine and kiss her fingertips, which smell more pleasantly of the fresh scented oils she uses in her job in our hotel spa. “Not today. I have somewhere I need to be.”

“Well, it’s wonderful to see you anyway, if only for a moment,” she says with a wide smile. She doesn’t push me for more. Doesn’t pout. She’s a smart one, Vanessa, knowing how easily I tire of women when they become clingy and get ideas about becoming more than just a dating partner. It endears me to her a little. “I will see you on Thursday for our date though.”

She catches her lip between her teeth and practically purrs with delight. “I’m looking forward to it.”

I take a lock of her long blonde hair and curl it between my thumb and forefinger. “So am I.” It’s not a lie. I do still enjoy her company. She’s beautiful. Smart. The jealous type, but she works hard to hide it. Mostly though, I enjoy having my mouth or my cock buried in her sweet cunt.

She giggles. A man passing by openly stares at her, practically drooling. I should gouge out his eyes for looking at what’s mine. Except she’s not mine. I don’t want her. Fun to fuck, absolutely. But nothing more. Doesn’t matter that she agrees to my every demand, that she would be obedient and submissive and do whatever the hell I told her to do. Doesn’t matter that she’s perfect girlfriend material. None of that matters. Because no matter how hard I fucking try, every single time I fuck Vanessa—or any other woman for that matter—I think about her.

Chapter

Four