It had been years. Working for Greco was good to my bank account, but when I went on a job, I wasn’t focusing on my mission, but what he wanted me to do. I could have died without getting my revenge, and that thought almost floored me.
It was time to move on.
"You're excused for the night," Greco said, breaking my out of my thoughts. I turned to head out, but he spoke again. "Before you go, I wanted to tell you."
I felt the dread pool in my stomach. These kinds of conversations led in a specific direction, all the time. I wasn’t sure I was feeling up for it. But I turned back, respectfully, and inclined my head.
"Yes, sir?"
"I'm having another party thrown."
Of course, because karma hated me or something.
"It won't be for another week so you have time to prepare."
At least there was that.
"What is the party for, exactly?" I asked slowly. "It’s a little soon after the wedding, isn’t it?"
His parties were usually few and far in between, which might have something to do with why they're so popular. Maybe once or twice a year, although one year there had been three of them. Still, it was only within a couple of months. The reason for having few parties, certainly on his private island, were purely for security reasons, and the man really didn’t like having his territory being invaded.
He smiled, and if I didn't know him, I would have said it was almost happy, though there was definite pride in it.
"The party is for the same lovely couple, though I have to admit I was surprised at how soon, myself. I'm proud of my son, of course, the boy has his priorities straight."
I guessed what it was about very easily.
"You will attend this party."
I read the order in his words since that was what they really were, but I didn’t have any hesitation.
"I'll go."
It was the best opportunity I could think of, and it would be public, which might work in my favor in case he reacted less than pleasantly. He wouldn’t dare cause a scene, and I could slip out before anyone was the wiser, and be gone before he thought to look for me.
I would tell Greco that it was all over, I didn’t want to be his hitman anymore.
Thinking of it in those terms made it sound disturbingly like a breakup, but whatever. When he had no more to say, I left the room, feeling the aches in my body anew, and much stronger. I'd get myself patched up and off the island by morning, and then I had some planning to do.
Chapter 18
Elda
Old man Greco must have been completely confident in his security. I wondered if he knew just how many holes there were in his little empire.
It was expected, really, there was always that one ambitious little goon that would go behind the boss's back if it would get him more cash than acting as a grunt would.
I talked to one such grunt on the phone, keeping it short and brief, but getting everything I wanted from him. It was a wonder how he even knew so much, to begin with, but he was probably one of those types underestimated because they were thought stupid.
I didn’t care; it was Greco's problem, after all.
"Thank you for the information. I'll have the payment ready for you soon."
"It'll be double like you promised, right?"
I smiled to myself. If he wasn’t such a help to me, I'd take him out myself, being so free with information that wasn’t his to give out. Information that he should not have, to begin with. But he had been more useful than I expected, so I wouldn’t swindle him out of his pay.
"It will be as we discussed. And, if everything goes well, this will be the last time I require your services."
"Whatever. Just get me my money by tomorrow."
He hung up before I could tell him it was already on its way. Whatever, it was not like he even mattered to me. Because I'd found the opening I needed.
I'd gotten a bit more on Luke's background, at least about as much as Greco knew. Luke was a former army man, he defected and ran away from his country, for one reason or another. There was a huge information gap that I felt was significant, but none of that mattered now.
What did matter, was that Greco had been in touch with the general from Luke's unit where he served, a man who planned to kill Luke for revenge. Greco knew this and was helping the man out.
I didn’t understand it, but then I had my own vendetta, and different people had different things that triggered it for them, I suppose.
But I was almost angry, feeling insulted on Luke's behalf when I found out that little tidbit. The guy was loyal, and Greco, bastard that he was, couldn’t even appreciate that and was going behind the man's back to kill him. If there was any other, deeper reason for the betrayal, I hadn't found it, but this was unforgivable. Greco simply decided to get rid of his hitman because it was convenient, then found out about me and forwarded an invite because of the same convenience. I didn’t doubt, if I had taken the job and Luke was still alive, he would likely have been my first job.
I needed to find a way to warn Luke.
He didn’t need to die betrayed by someone he felt loyal toward. But, how was I going to find him to tell him? The last time I was near him, I didn’t find anything on him, not even a phone. I didn’t know how he and Greco kept in touch, but I didn’t have the same means.
So, I dug around some more. Then I learned about the celebration party for Greco's daughter-in-law, who was expecting a baby.
It was the perfect opportunity.
It might possibly be my only one. But even then, there was the possibility that Luke might not even be there. Still, it was my only chance, so there was no question of me not going.
Now I just had to find a way to get on the island, uninvited, a second time. It wasn’t going to be as easy as the first time. If Luke ever mentioned an intruder the last time, there would be more security than before and I ran the risk of getting caught. I'd have to find a way around it, but I wasn’t worried. I could be resourceful like that.
Before that, I needed to dress for the occasion. I picked up my phone and called a now familiar number.
"Hello?"
I smiled at the clipped voice on the other end. "Really, is that any way to talk to your favorite client?"
There was quiet on the other end before there was a click of the tongue. I laughed, and the voice growled at me.
"More like my most annoying client."
"Yes, but don’t I bring you a lot of business?"
"You do," the voice muttered reluctantly. "But you usually call once every several months and get several outfits. It’s a bit soon, isn’t it?"
"Well, I didn’t take that many last time, only a couple, yes? I want to commission something else, and original. Actually, make it several outfits."
I didn’t have long to prepare for the party, but if I could avoid it I wouldn’t want to be there at all. I wasn’t sure where Luke stayed, but I wouldn't bank on him being a permanent resident on the island, it would be too confining for a man like him. I knew I would see it the same way. So, if possible, I had to find him before he left for the island. Which meant I couldn’t as easily find a crowd to blend in this time unless I got lucky.
"Tell me what you need."
I pursed my lips, thinking it over.
"Let's see…"
Chapter 19
Luke
"The guests will be coming by to get on the boats soon."
I turned to see the man approaching me, another of Greco's employees.
"A few of us will be getting on a boat to take us back, some will stay to help them over. What group are you part of?"
I didn’t think he knew who I was, not that he would care. He did whatever work he was told to and got paid. Getting overly curious when working for a mafia boss was a quick way to get yourself fired, and not in a pretty way.
I thought about the question seriously. I wasn’t quite healed from my injuries, but they were low key enough for me to ignore them. Still, I wasn
’t technically going there as part of security, he had enough capable people even though I was way better. I didn’t have to go so soon, but it was still early evening, people wouldn’t come to cross until dusk fell. So, I would be stuck walking around, the only reason I was even here was so I could look over the preparations, a force of habit.
"Nah, I'm good. I'll make it back after the guests have crossed over."
He didn’t question it, just shrugged and turned away. "Suit yourself."
I was left on my own again. Because I had the time to spare, I walked around a bit but staying around the docks. When I looked out over the water, I could see the lump of land that was Greco's own private world. It didn’t look like much from a distance, but that lump could easily house hundreds of people, maybe around five hundred if they were really getting crowded. I couldn’t comprehend the kind of money a person would have to have to purchase it.
I stopped a distance away from the boats, on a walkway built along the water line, a railing providing security so people wouldn’t fall off unless they jumped over it. I was close enough I could see when guests began to arrive, a few might even get close to me, but I didn’t want to be around the men there. The less they paid attention to me, the better.
Out of seemingly nowhere, I had a bad feeling about the whole thing. Greco didn’t want me around his family, not really. The few times he'd had to introduce me had been out of necessity, and even then, it was to the older males of the family, or the women already part of the family business. But I'd been to the wedding, and now he was inviting me to celebrate the conception of his first grandchild. And especially after me asking about a woman with eyes like his, he'd practically warned me off. But then he all but commanded me to attend.
I didn’t understand what was going on. I didn’t like it, either.
I looked around once I heard the cars and chatter from guests and staff, that were to be sent out separately. There would be about as many people as before. I didn’t bother looking at the guest list this time, in a few hours, hopefully, it wouldn’t even be my problem anymore. I waited for the first surge of arrivals to get on the first boats and get on their way before slowly making my way down.
Instead of waiting for all of them to go and following with the rest of Greco's men, I could go with the guests, or the catering staff, to avoid more contact with them. I rubbed at the rough beard on my chin and jaw. I'd have to change my appearance once I left again. Facial hair was a good cover, but I couldn’t use it for a while. I wandered slowly with the group going on the next boat.
A hand patting my shoulder made me stop and turn, and I felt my eyes widen.
She was dressed in the same suit as the rest of the catering staff, white shirt, black slacks and matching vest and shoes. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, a baseball hat pulled over her head, but when she looked up I had a clear view of her eyes. I glanced around, then grabbed her elbow and pulled her a distance away from everybody else.
"Elda?" She didn’t have any make-up on, and it made quite a difference, but it would be hard to mistake her eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?"
I'd wanted to see her for a while, I'd even dreamed of it when I was asleep and couldn’t stop myself from daydreaming, it took me a moment to grasp she was standing right in front of me, even with my hand still holding her arm. She didn’t move or pull away or offer any kind of refusal that meant I could have mistaken her for someone else.
She opened her mouth, then thought better of it and glanced around. She placed her hand on top of mine, pulling it from her arm and I did so reluctantly, as she sidled her body closer to mine.
"I need to talk to you."
"I'd like that," I said honestly. I'd… missed her. "But why are you here? And why are you dressed like that?"
I knew it was the worst place to stop and have a chat, but I didn’t want to let her go again.
"I will explain that later, maybe. Just not here. I must talk to you. Please, meet me in the bathroom?"
And just like that, before even waiting for me to agree, she turned away and went to the truck that belonged to the catering service. She chatted with someone pulling boxes out of the back and after a short talk, where nods and head shakes were exchanged, she changed course and headed for the closest building. There were offices in there, for what I didn’t particularly care, and bathrooms.
I watched her walk off before shaking myself out of my stupor. I glanced around, doing my best to act casually. No one was really looking at me, but I didn’t move until she was out of sight and after counting to ten. I moved with long, purposeful strides, not fast enough to call attention to myself, but I couldn’t just stroll casually either.
The inside of the building was mostly empty. Since this specific dock was used to access Greco's island, only he and his employees had access to it. Most of them were currently busy, so I was confident I wouldn’t run into anyone. The bathroom was just around a corner. It was the only bathroom, a co-ed one, and I headed right in, closing the door behind me.
Elda stood there, her back to the counter, cap off, waiting for me with her arms folded under her breasts. When she saw me, she moved so she was standing upright, arms dropping to her sides. I stepped slowly closer, enough that if I reached my arms out I could just brush my fingertips on her face, and I stopped there.
Why was she here? I'd felt excited when I saw her, but… it hadn't been that long, but it could not be a coincidence she was here, could it? I didn’t flatter myself thinking she came here for me. It must be whatever she wanted from Greco that she hadn't gotten before.
Technically, I wouldn’t be working for the man after tonight, but I still was. I didn't think I'd do anything to her, though. But that didn’t mean the rest of Greco's men would feel quite as I did.
"You shouldn’t have come back here, Elda."
She smiled. "Why do you say that? Didn’t you miss me?"
I pursed my lips. "I did, actually. But it's dangerous, especially tonight."
Tonight's security wasn’t quite as slack as it was before, not that it had been low quality, to begin with. But Greco was pulling out all the stops, protecting the next generation of his blood. If she went and tried something stupid, she wouldn’t make it out, not alive.
"Don’t worry, Luke," she lost the teasing look. "I didn’t come here for your boss. I came here for you."
… What?
"I have something for you, some information. I want you to listen to me, you don’t have to believe me, but just listen and judge for yourself. I wouldn't come here, risk this, over something trivial."
My expression settled into something grim as I gave a sharp nod. I waited to hear what she had to say.
Chapter 20
Elda
Luke stood right in front of me, and for a second I couldn’t help but be distracted. He was in a suit much like last time, and he looked even better than I remembered. I thought he looked a little paler, and his face slightly pinched in discomfort when he shifted his body.
I wondered if he'd been injured, and felt worried. But he was standing alive and well, and I had come here for a reason.
I took a deep breath and dived into the story.
"So, I've been checking into Greco’s activities for a while."
He frowned, but he must have guessed that before this point. I'd be disappointed if he hadn't. He didn’t speak, just waited for me to continue.
"When I went to the party, that wedding, I wasn’t lying when I said someone there did invite me. I just didn’t bother to look for a formal invitation. But because you were there, and I sort of guessed… what you do, I just left after we had our fun."
"Fun," he muttered. "Is that what you're calling it." But he shook his head before I could reply to that. "When you say, you guessed what I do…"
"I know you're working as a hitman for Greco," I said bluntly and watched as he stiffened. "Well, know is a pretty strong word, but really I was just guessing, though I didn’t think I was wrong. I
mean, I am in the same business, after all."
I watched as his body grew rigid, keeping my own relaxed and hoping he wouldn’t pull a weapon on me. I hoped he wouldn’t, because I didn’t have anything on me I could get in my hand before he could jump me. I wasn’t sure he even had anything, but without the heels this time, our size difference was a bit more obvious. I was five ten, and he was around six three, which meant he had about five inches and maybe twenty percent more muscle mass on me. I was confident in my fighting skills, but I'd only been learning for the past four years, and this was a man that had been in the army, which meant we learned different skills, and his would likely be better than mine.
But he didn’t do anything, just stood still. After a bit, his body relaxed, with some effort.
"Go on."
"Okay. So, I left, and I kept tabs on Greco in the time since. I got a message from him through one of my… um, clients. Luke, he wanted me to become his hit woman."
He frowned. "But why? As far as I know, he hasn’t had anyone else in that position since I joined him, and it's been five years."
I shrugged. "The information was passed to me by a contact of mine, one of the guys I use to get jobs because I don’t work for any one person, organization, or group. I didn’t understand why he was reaching out to me because I knew he already had someone—"
"Wait, how did you know that?" he cut me off, frown deepening as he took a step closer.
It took a great deal of will not to move, flinch back from his advance, although it didn’t seem threatening. Still, Luke was an intimidating man, and even though I knew the frown gracing his face wasn’t really aimed at me, my instincts screamed at me to keep distance between us when he wasn’t exactly happy.
One Night With The Tycoon (Billionaire's One Night #1) Page 32