Before the man could answer, I pulled the trigger. I watched Teo scurry up from the ground as one of my bullets sank into the man’s side. I felt Lorenzo pawing at me from behind and I took a step forward, my hands trembling as I prepared myself to fire again.
Only this time, I saw Teo’s busted-up knuckles settle against my forearm.
“It’s okay. I’ve got it from here,” he said breathlessly.
And when he slid the gun away from my grasp, I dashed back for the porch.
Holy shit, I just shot two men.
15
Mateo
I watched as Char rushed back into the house and I saw a couple of my staff looking at me in horror. I held up the number three before they nodded and turned, going after Char to make sure she was where she needed to be. Then, I looked down at the pathetic excuse for a bodyguard and pointed my gun at him.
And without another word, I put two in his head and one in his chest.
“You’ll pay for this,” Lorenzo grunted.
I turned to face him as I aimed my gun down at his head. “I’m sure I will. But for now, consider this an act of war. You let your brother know that because of your constant assault, our families are now embroiled in a war you’ll never win. I’ll torture your parents. Slaughter your cousins. Displace your children into loving homes where they’ll forget all about you and your disgusting ways.”
I dipped down to look Lorenzo in his eyes as his leg continued to bleed onto my concrete driveway.
Then, I pressed my gun underneath his chin. “And if your brother has any questions, tell him I’ve got some security footage I want him to see. I’m sure he’d love to see exactly how you got one of his employees killed.”
I reached for Lorenzo’s hair and yanked him up from the ground. I dragged his happy-ass toward his car and tossed him in the backseat before slamming the door closed. I heard my staff scurrying behind me, cleaning up the mess that were the bodies that had been left behind from this insane shootout.
And when I tapped the hood of the car, the town car squealed away from my property and off into the sunset.
Trying to get away as quickly as it could.
“Good choice,” I murmured to myself.
I handed my gun off to be cleaned down and tossed by the first staff member that got to me before I turned my sights onto Char. I made my way back into the house and climbed the steps, making my way for my bedroom. And just as I asked, there was a doctor waiting for me near my cracked bedroom door.
“You first, or her?” the doctor asked.
I beckoned for him to follow me inside. “Her first. Then, myself.”
I pressed the door open and saw Char crouched in a corner, trembling violently. With fear or shock, I wasn’t sure. Probably a little bit of both. I grabbed a chair in the corner and pulled it toward her before offering her my hand. And when she looked up into my face, I saw how wet her skin had become with her tears.
“It’s okay, Char. They’re gone,” I said.
She took my hand and I helped her up onto her wobbling legs. She fell into the chair and I turned her around to face the doctor that had perched himself on the edge of my bed. I stood behind her, massaging her shoulders softly as the doctor did a full examination. He checked her pupil dilation and cleaned up the blood on her face. He gave her a top-to-bottom exam to make sure there was nothing broken, or dislocated, or out of place.
And when Char got a clean bill of health--minus a few bruises and small scrapes--he turned his attention to me.
“Come sit, Mr. Emiliano. We need to get you cleaned up. I’ll probably have to lance your eye as well. I’m concerned the swollen pressure is going--.”
I waved my hand in the air. “Do what you need to do.”
As the doctor started working on cleaning me up, I felt Char’s eyes on me the entire time. She continued trembling in the chair she sat in, but she didn’t make a move to get up and leave. Whether she was scared to try again or didn’t want to, I wasn’t sure. But, I had to admit that she shocked me today.
I never thought she’d have the guts to shoot someone like that. Let alone do it twice.
“Char?”
She sniffled. “Yes?”
My good eye darted toward her. “Why did you feel the need to try and escape?”
The doctor held his scalpel up to my skin. “Hold very still, Mr. Emiliano.”
Char’s eyes were attached to the doctor’s movements. “What?”
I licked my lips. “Why did you feel the need to try and escape?”
Her eyes didn’t waver from the doctor’s motions. “Did I kill that man?”
I blinked. “What?”
The doctor sighed. “Hold still. One more slit.”
Char grimaced. “Doesn’t that hurt?”
I shrugged. “In my line of work, you build a tolerance to pain.”
That’s when her gaze met mine. “Did I kill that man outside, Teo?”
“No, Char. You didn’t. You disarmed him. You shocked them enough to give me the upper hand. But, you didn’t kill him. That was my doing.”
She blinked. “Wait, you killed him? Why?”
“Because they hurt you. Because they came for you. Because I have a feeling someone in my ranks has been talking to people they shouldn’t, and my best guess is I’ve got a mole somewhere that needs to be dealt with.”
“If that’s the case, then you might have killed one of the few men who knows who the mole is.”
I drew in a deep breath. “So, you agree me with.”
She closed her eyes. “It seems odd that there were men outside just waiting for me. It seems almost impossible that Lorenzo’s men would’ve known when I’d try to dash out of the house. It seems more plausible that they had a man on the inside waiting for me to make a move before they made theirs.”
“Was Lorenzo outside when you got there?”
I watched her turn my question around in her head and it made me wonder if she was going to lie. But, then she spoke, and as I read her face I knew she was telling me the truth.
Her truth, at least.
“I didn’t see him at first, no. One of the guys at the door tackled me to the ground before gunshots started ringing out. I was down on the ground for most of it before I felt a hand in my hair, and when my head got yanked up I saw Lorenzo.”
He might’ve been perched.
And if he had been perched watching, there was a good chance my security cameras captured him.
That man is staking out my place. “Thank you.”
Surprise rolled over Char’s face. “What?”
I felt the doctor beginning to stitch up my eye. “Thank you for saving me.”
She snickered. “Yeah, I didn’t save you. You saved me.”
“Had you not shot that man that was on top of me, he would’ve beaten me to death. You saved me as much as I saved you. Thank you for that.”
She nodded slowly. “Well, thank you too, then.”
What I didn’t want to tell Char was that the bullet she put in that man would have killed him had I not put him out of his misery. He would’ve bled out on the concrete because of the artery that bullet pierced. I figured that would’ve been too much for her to handle, though. Especially after the chaos that ensued before the shootout. Eventually, I’d tell her. She deserved to know.
But, not today.
“I don’t do well trapped,” Char said.
My brow ticked with confusion. “What?”
She sighed. “You asked me why I tried to run. My answer is: I don’t do well when trapped. I feel trapped here, Teo. No matter what you offer me and no matter what you ask of me, I’m still your hostage. I’m still your slave, of sorts.”
My voice hardened. “You are nowhere near a slave.”
She shrugged. “It’s how I feel. You wanted my answer, so there it is. But, you have to tell me the truth with this next question, okay?”
I braced myself. “You’re going to ask me if the shot you took would’ve
eventually killed that man, aren’t you?”
She blinked. “Yes. I was. Well, I am.”
“Char…”
“Please, Teo. Would my shot have killed that man had you not intervened?”
I drew in a deep breath as the doctor started cleaning up my nose. “Yes. He would have bled out.”
Her lower lip started quivering. “Holy shit, I killed a man.”
“Char, I killed him.”
“No, you put him out of his misery. I sealed his fate.”
“And if I could carry that burden for you, I would.”
She stood to her feet. “But, you can’t.”
I held her gaze as a lone tear streaked her face. “I always keep armed guards at the front and back entrances. It’s not just for you, but for me as well. However, I’ll dismiss the other armed guards posted around the house.”
She furrowed her brow. “You will?”
I nodded. “In a few days, once things calm down with the Lucchese Family. But, if there isn’t another attack and there’s no chatter of one to come, then yes. I’ll dismiss them.”
“Promise?”
“I’m a man of my word, Char. Of that, you can be sure.”
And when she sat back down in her seat, she reached for my hand. Seemingly holding me as the doctor continued to clean me up. Her touch was soft. Her skin, warm against my own.
But more than that, she stayed.
Which meant more to me than anything else--literally--on this planet.
16
Charlotte
I dabbed a bit more makeup against my neck to try and cover up the bruising that was still there. It had been a few days since ‘the incident’, and Teo had stayed true to his word. He doubled down on the guards in front and out back because of ‘chatter’ he kept hearing. But, the guards that patrolled the sides of the house and stood at the end of the driveway had been relocated and dismissed from their posts.
And believe it or not, it helped me breathe a bit easier.
“So, which dress did you pick?” Teo asked.
I clasped an emerald choker around my neck. “I’m surprised you gave me a choice, honestly.”
I heard him step into the closet. “Well, I figured you’re a woman with good taste. And oh my, how you chose wonderfully.”
I grinned at his reflection in the mirror. “I was wondering when I’d get a chance to wear this little green number. This is the kind of style of dress I always wear back home to events like this.”
His eyes traveled down my back. “A backless dress suits you.”
I kept fumbling with my bracelet. “Can you help me with this?”
I turned around and watched as his nimble fingers quickly clasped the matching emerald bracelet around my wrist. But, the softly swollen skin still boasted of the tragic events that happened a few days back. Teo took my hand within his and brought it to his lips, but instead of kissing the back of my hand, he kissed my wrist instead.
“There. That should heal it up,” he said.
I furrowed my brow. “Did you just kiss my boo-boo better?”
He smiled. “My mother used to do it all the time when I was a child.”
I gazed into his eyes and watched how they sparkled with delight. The man really needed to smile more. It lit up his face whenever he did it. I reached up and cupped his cheek, stroking my fingertip along the yellowed bruising that still ricocheted agains this cheekbone.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to try and cover that up?” I asked.
He wrapped his hand around my wrist. “I’m sure. I want everyone to see the scars and bruises I bear.”
“Do I even want to ask why?”
He chuckled. “Possibly not.”
I nodded. “Then, I’ll stay blissfully ignorant.”
He cocked his head. “Not usually the road you take.”
I swallowed hard. “Let’s just say my dreams are finally coming back and I wouldn’t want to ruin that.”
His eyes fell to the matching heels I donned. “Are you struggling to sleep?”
“Are you that interested in my feet?”
He snickered. “Noted.”
I turned back toward the mirror. “Are there any guests here yet?”
“Oh, there are plenty of guests already downstairs, and they’re itching to meet the newest member of my staff.”
“Oh? Did you hire someone new?”
He placed his hands on my shoulders. “Yes. I found myself a new personal attorney.”
My eyes met his in the reflection of the mirror. “Teo, we talked about this…”
“I know we did. And I’m willing to give you what you’re asking for.”
I blinked. “What?”
He turned me around to face him. “I dismissed those guards just like I said I would. And while I can’t give you free reign of everything--as I’m sure you now understand because of this week’s events--I can give you your own office downstairs and access to the files in my office.”
“Wait, you’re being serious right now?”
He squeezed my shoulders softly. “I am, yes. Your expertise is worth the risk of you running. My people have been setting it up and getting it ready for you all day. Tomorrow morning, I’ll show it to you. But tonight is a celebration for you.”
“For--for me?”
He grinned. “Yes. Consider it your official ‘yay, new job’ celebration. If you’ll accept.”
“I suppose that depends. What’s the pay?”
“Part time, or full time?”
I shrugged. “Let’s go big and say full time.”
His hands slid down my arms. “Three hundred thousand a year starting off, full medical benefits, and my arsenal of information as well as staff at your disposal.”
I smirked. “What do the vacation days look like?”
He chuckled. “We can negotiate that at a later date whenever you’re ready to take those days. But, something tells me you might not want to be taking vacation without me for at least a little while.”
Flashbacks to the beach rocked my mind and it took all the energy I had to push them away.
“I suppose you’re right,” I whispered.
He took my hands within his. “Whenever you’re ready, so am I.”
In that moment, I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to feel him touch me the way he did before. Command my body the way he did before. But, there were so many things at stake and so much to lose at this point that I didn’t trust our actions not to be found out. So, I steeled myself against my own want and drew in a deep breath.
“I’m ready,” I said.
He offered me his arm. “Then, by all means, follow me.”
The dramatic emerald-colored dress boasted of sparkling spaghetti straps that tapered into a backless design. The slit up my left leg exposed the soft skin beneath and damn it, I felt like the sexiest woman in the room. I mean, I bought nice clothes for myself. Name brand fabrics and some of the finer silks for custom pieces. But, the clothes Teo had purchased for me were on a completely different level.
And I held my head high as I entered the foyer with him on my arm.
All night, I stayed by his side. He introduced me as ‘Miss Pettigrew, his new personal attorney’ and the shock that rolled over people’s faces was too juicy not to eat up. I smiled and shook hands with people whose job titles I didn’t even want to explore, and every time Teo sat down he’d pull me down into his lap.
Setting his arms around me as if I were his.
Some people gave us side glances that made me embarrassed, especially since they probably knew he was married. But, the way his fingertips traced faceless designs on my exposed thigh made the nape of my neck redden. I squeezed my thighs together, trying to trap the heat building in my pelvis.
And when his lips pressed against my ear, my eyes fluttered closed.
“Don’t you get this dress wet, Char. It cost me a lot of money.”
I swallowed down a whimper when he lightly kissed the shell of my e
ar. A barely-there flutter of his lips that sent my heart soaring into the heavens. My embarrassment slowly faded the more he teased me. The more his hands claimed me and the tighter he held me at his side. For a brief moment in time, I was his. His wife didn’t exist, my capture didn’t exist, and the man I killed didn’t exist.
All there was, was myself, this party, and Teo.
A dream within a dream that I never wanted to end.
All night long, she stayed on my arm. All night long, I introduced her to people who were shocked at not just her name, but her new title in my life. I grinned down at her as she talked about some of her more heated cases. Men she put away for life when there was nothing but circumstantial evidence. People she fed directly to the chair when there wasn’t a murder weapon in sight to be found.
She was doing exactly what I wanted her to do. And it all came without a direct order from me.
Scare them into submission, beautiful. Do what you do best.
I wanted to make sure Char knew that she belonged to me. That no matter what was happening in my life--or hers--she was mine and mine alone. I wanted her to be the one constant I could count on. The one foundational thing in my life that I knew would never leave.
And if I did lose it, I knew I’d never be able to do my job.
“Mr. Emiliano.”
I turned at the sound of the familiar voice. “Mr. Porchenzo! And here I thought you wouldn’t be able to make it.”
His face stayed stern. “May I speak with you for a second? In private?”
I looked down at Char. “You up for a private conversation, Miss Pettigrew?”
Mr. Porchenzo cleared his throat. “Just the two of us is fine.”
I ignored his request. “Well?”
Char looked up at me. “I could use a more personal setting. While the party is splendid, I’m feeling a bit crowded.”
I looked back at Mr. Porchenzo. “Lead the way and we shall follow.”
And even though he didn’t look happy, I didn’t care. Char was now my legal advisor, and anything anyone had to say to me they could also say in front of her. So, if need be, she could save my ass when the time came.
Liar : An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance (Sold to The Don Book 2) Page 9