Too Far Gone: A Grey Justice Novel

by Christy Reece

  The cellphone in his pocket sounded with a familiar tone. Jonah grabbed it and held it to his ear, never taking his eyes from Gabby.

  “What’s up?”

  “Luis Mendoza is dead.”

  Considering all things, the news was not completely unexpected. Men of Mendoza’s ilk usually met their fate in a violent fashion. And Luis Mendoza had deserved it more than just about anyone he knew.

  “How’d it go down?”

  “Assassin. Five shots. Head, chest, kneecaps, and groin. Definite execution.”

  “You know who’s responsible?”

  “Not yet. Might take a while. He had more than a few enemies.”

  “You’re right about that. Those additional shots sound damn personal. What about Conti? He get a few shots, too?”

  “Just two, head and chest. Word is Mendoza had a meeting with a private investigator he hired to find Gabriella. The PI left, and no one checked on Mendoza and Conti for a while. When the guards found them, they were cold. Had been dead for hours.”

  “Sounds like the private investigator had his own agenda.”

  “Her own agenda. And yes, it does sound personal.” Justice said.

  “Wouldn’t surprise me if one of Mendoza’s former associates used the ruse of a private investigator to take him out.”

  “Including Bianchi. He might’ve decided to take the initiative and just rid himself of Luis altogether.”

  The idea that Bianchi could be responsible worried Jonah more than if another of Mendoza’s enemies had ordered the hit. Bianchi’s focus on Gabby wasn’t going to go away. Could this be a new path he was taking?

  “We’ll continue to monitor as we do our own investigating.”

  “I’ll let Gabby know.”

  “How’s she doing?”

  “Better. She’s definitely not pregnant.”

  “Can only imagine what a relief that is for her.”

  “Yeah. With this new development, getting her settled into a new life might need to wait, though.”

  Jonah told himself it wasn’t selfishness on his part to suggest a delay. The possibility existed that if Bianchi was behind the hit, he had something else up his sleeve.

  Still, the relief was there when Justice said, “I agree. At least a few weeks until things settle or become clearer. Could be that Bianchi might back off.”

  “You don’t really think that.”

  “Unfortunately, no.”

  From any perspective, Luis Mendoza’s death was good news, especially for Gabby. She no longer had to worry about her family hunting her down. And one less evil bastard in the world was always a good thing.

  “Has Gabriella found anything more in her research?”

  He’d called Justice days ago and given him the lowdown on what Gabby had uncovered about Luis and Rudolph Bianchi’s decades old connection. “Not any more than what she found out before. Rudolph was once engaged to Flora Rossi, Luis’s wife. After she eloped with Luis, an enmity began that lasted for decades.”

  “And to settle things, Javier, Gabriella’s father, was supposed to marry Rudolph’s daughter?”

  “Yeah. Instead, he went to America for the summer, fell in love with Gabriella’s mother, and married her.”

  Justice gave a grunt of disgust. “As screwed up as his thinking was, that’s probably why Luis felt justified in killing his son and daughter-in-law. Javier went against his father’s wishes.”

  “Plus, he was trying to remove Gabby from Luis’s clutches. He had to know what the bastard was planning for his daughter.”

  “Just too damn bad Javier’s escape plan didn’t work.”

  “God only knows when that devil pact of joining Rudy and Gabby together was made.”

  “Rudy becoming a serial killer nixed that in the bud.”

  “Exactly,” Jonah said. “So a baby would have settled things. But we’re still coming up short on why it was so important to them. Could be a pride thing for Rudolph…but what was in it for Luis?”

  “With Mendoza’s death, that’s something we might never know.”

  “Maybe so. I’ll go break the news to Gabby.”

  “Also, let her know my people are working up several scenarios for her. Her interests are eclectic, so we had a lot to choose from.”

  “I wanted to talk with you about that. I know you have different monetary arrangements depending on what people need.”

  “We do.”

  “I’d like to double whatever you’re providing for her.”

  “That’s generous. Any reason why?”

  Hell yeah, there were reasons, and judging by the amusement in Justice’s tone, he knew what they were. Damned if he’d admit them aloud, though. “I just want to make sure she’s got everything she needs. She’s struggled enough. She deserves happiness.”

  “I agree. And we would gladly supply whatever she needs. Problem is, she wants very little help.”

  “What the hell? Why?”

  “She said she appreciates the basic assistance we can provide. New name, new location, those things are a given. But she will only accept a small amount of seed money, which, by the way, she intends to repay when she can. She wants to start her life all on her own.”

  Jonah closed his eyes briefly. Hell, none of this should surprise him. For so long, Gabby had been dependent upon others. She’d never had the chance for independence. He couldn’t blame her, but damned if he wanted her to have to scrounge for every single penny.

  “Did you tell her the funds would be considered payment? She brought you a boatload of intel.”

  “I did indeed tell her that. It made no difference.”

  “How’s she going to get settled? Hell, she’s never been on her own. How does she know—”

  “Gabriella is an intelligent young woman. She can figure things out, which is what she wants.”

  “Still, I think—”

  “She’ll have a handler. It’s the one thing I insisted on. Her handler will help her set things up, make suggestions. But every decision will be Gabby’s to make.”

  “As it should be. I’m going to try to encourage her to take more, though.”

  “Good luck.” The amusement in Justice’s tone said he didn’t think it was possible. “I’ll be in touch again soon.”

  Jonah pocketed the phone. Gabby and Chamo were now sitting in the grass beneath a shade tree. Gabby was writing in one of her notebooks. He swore she’d filled up at least a dozen since she’d been given her first one. Chamo lay beside her, his head on her lap. The dog’s body language said he was relaxed, but Jonah knew that if a threat came for Gabby, he would be up in an instant, ready to defend her.

  How would the news of Luis’s death affect her? To Jonah, it was good riddance to a sleazebag, scum-sucking, murdering bastard. Gabriella was different from him, though. Would she grieve or be relieved that the man who’d done such horrific things to her no longer existed?

  One of the many things he’d learned about Gabby was her unpredictability. She was often wise beyond her years, spouting homilies like she’d lived a thousand years. Other times, she was amazingly innocent.

  Jonah had never met anyone more stubborn or courageous. She wanted to do everything for herself. Even wanted to repay Justice for the minimal assistance he was providing.

  He had come to this job with a lot of preconceived notions about Gabriella Mendoza, and she had shot down every single one of them. And very soon, he would be saying goodbye to her—a woman he was quite certain he would never forget.

  Gabby waved when she spotted Jonah. It had been such a lovely day, and there were so many things to be happy about. She was healthy and alive. Jonah Slater, a man she’d come to care about greatly, was headed her way with that intense, solemn look that caused shivers to zip up her spine. And she had the best, most loyal friend in the world who wanted to do nothing more than play fetch and adore her. How could she not be happy?

  Sure, there were still things to worry about and consider. She had spent
too many years dwelling on things she couldn’t control or circumstances not to her liking. Many of those concerns might return, but that was for another day. Today, she would be content with what she had.

  “From watching you, I couldn’t tell who fetched the ball the most, you or Chamo.”

  She laughed and ruffled Chamo’s silken head lying on her lap. They were both breathless from the play. “He’s unique.”

  “That he is. As are you.”

  He dropped down beside her, and for several long moments, they gazed out toward the lake where blooming spring flowers surrounded the water, their golden-yellow petals creating a sunny outline.

  She didn’t say the words, because he wouldn’t want to hear them, but she could live here forever and be perfectly content.

  “I have news.”

  She tensed. For her, news was rarely good. “What’s wrong?”

  “Justice just called. Luis Mendoza was shot. As was Stephan Conti. They’re both dead.”

  Gabby took in a breath, absorbing the news. She honestly didn’t know how she was supposed to feel. If she’d had a normal relationship with a kind, loving grandfather, she would be filled with grief. But nothing between them had ever been normal, and Luis Mendoza had been as far from a kind, loving man as possible. Perhaps this was what justice looked like.

  “Do they know who did it?”

  “It was a professional hit. No idea yet who ordered it.”

  “Bianchi.”

  “Why do you say that so definitively?”

  “It just makes sense. Luis was no longer useful to Rudolph. With my disappearance, they had moved past the purpose of their relationship. The one thing he wanted from Luis was me. Since Luis no longer had control over me, he was useless to Bianchi.”

  “Luis had many enemies. Could’ve been any of them.”

  “And they increased once his business associates began to be investigated and arrested. Because of me.”

  “Do you feel guilty about that?”

  “Absolutely not. They were bad people doing bad things. They’re receiving the justice they deserve.”

  “As did Luis.”

  She nodded slowly. “Yes. Maybe this was Bianchi’s final revenge. He killed the man he hated for so long.”

  “That could put you in more danger. Bianchi’s got a lot invested in you.”

  “I’m in just as much danger as I was before.”

  “If that was supposed to be reassuring, it fell flat.”

  “Sorry. I’m just saying that nothing’s really changed. People will keep trying to find me, but they won’t succeed.”

  “You’re right. They won’t. We’ll see to that. How do you feel about Luis’s death?”

  “Numb…kind of empty. And maybe a little sad that I don’t feel sad. Does that make sense?”

  “Yeah, it does.”

  “Is that how you felt when your father was killed?” she asked.

  “I felt sorrow that he hadn’t been a good dad and neither of us would ever know what that would’ve been like. But it was also a relief to know he couldn’t hurt anyone else.”

  “That’s exactly the way I feel. And it’s a grim justice that he was killed the way he murdered my parents.”

  “What will happen to your grandfather’s estate?”

  “My uncles and cousins will descend like vultures. They likely despised him almost as much as I did, but they’ll want to profit.”

  “You know that you were probably left an inheritance.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Luis’s wealth was created from the blood of innocent people. I want no part of that. Anything I get I want to earn.”

  “Justice wanted me to mention that he will have several places for you to choose from for your relocation.”

  Her new life would happen soon. One that wouldn’t include this man. She had hoped, prayed, and dreamed about starting a new life. She’d just never anticipated that she could dread it as well.

  “Justice also told me you turned down anything but the most basic assistance.”

  “I want to earn my way.”

  Unable to be so close to him, seeing the concern in his eyes and not touching him, was impossible. She took one of his hands and held it between hers. “I need to do this. To prove to myself that I can. I’ve been dependent on others for so long, it’s time I stand on my own.”

  “I understand, I just—” He released a jagged sigh and pulled her into his arms. “Promise me this. If something happens…if things get difficult, you’ll let me know.”

  “I promise.”

  Gabby told herself she should be happy. All the hopes and wishes she’d written down were actually going to happen. The life she’d been dreaming about forever would soon start. She’d just never expected that it would break her heart.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  “You can do this,” she whispered. “I’ve got faith in you. You’re brave and strong. You can do this…I know you can.”

  She had been repeating those words for the last ten minutes, but the woman in the mirror still didn’t look convinced. Her dark eyes were filled with anxiety and more than a hint of fear. Gabby had all the confidence in the world when it came to bringing a man down with a right uppercut or a solid left hook. Bringing him to his knees with desire was something altogether different. Did she really have it in her?

  She knew what she wanted in life and had worked hard to accomplish her goals. Things might have moved slower than she had wished, but that didn’t diminish her accomplishments. She was far from perfect, and her mistakes were her own. She took responsibility for each one.

  This was not a mistake. Okay, yes, she normally liked going into something already knowing the outcome. But she hadn’t really known what the outcome would be when she’d partnered with Kathleen to bring her brother to justice. So far, that had worked out enormously well. This would, too.

  Not that this was the same thing. Risking life and limb was so much easier than risking her heart. If Jonah rejected her, her heart would be scarred forever, without a doubt. Yes, she would go on, but she would hurt for the rest of her life.

  The way she looked at it, she had two choices. Take this chance and have Jonah for a short while. Or not take the chance and never know how wonderful it could have been. When she looked at things from that perspective, how could she not take this chance?

  She was stalling. Jonah was in charge of the meal tonight. He was downstairs doing his thing, and she was up here willing herself to be brave.

  She was wearing a dress, the first she’d worn in months. It was simplistic but feminine. Whoever had purchased her clothes probably hadn’t considered that she would need anything particularly dressy. It wasn’t as if she’d be going out clubbing, not while she was being hunted. The fact that a dress had been included at all was a miracle. So her choice had been easy. This or a pair of jeans or sweats.

  With short sleeves, a rounded neckline, and fitted bodice, the multicolored print dress in a cotton-polyester blend made her think of spring. The hem landed a few inches above her knees. She wore a pair of tan wedge sandals and was glad she’d given herself a pedicure this afternoon.

  Her makeup supply was limited to mascara and lipstick, but she didn’t want to go overboard anyway.

  All in all, she thought she looked rather pretty. Now if she could just do something about the terror in her eyes. What if he said no?

  ***

  Jonah lifted the Crock-Pot lid and sniffed appreciatively. Why hadn’t he tried using this contraption before? His sister, Lacey, had sent the thing as a housewarming present. Figuring the gift was a joke, he’d stored the unopened box in the pantry. Yesterday, Gabby had discovered it, along with an enclosed recipe book. They’d sat on the sofa together and studied each page. If someone had told him a few months back that he’d someday read a recipe book and enjoy himself, he would’ve laughed his ass off.

  Gabby made even boring stuff fun.

  They’d decided on a roast recipe that looked simple
enough. Five ingredients? Even a simpleton cook like him could do that. And judging by the fragrance, his first crock-potted meal was going to be a rousing success.

  Gabby had already set the table, and he noted she had opened a bottle of wine. She was now upstairs getting dressed, which worried Jonah. She had told him she was going to wear something special tonight.

  Most days, she wore jeans or sweats, which were hard enough to deal with. Gabby had a beautiful body, slender but curvy, with perfectly sized breasts and the most delectable ass he had ever seen. Their lifestyle in the cabin called for casual dress, and the loose-hanging sweats hid most of her charms. He knew what lay beneath but had worked hard to pretend he didn’t. The jeans were harder to handle, since they molded to her body like a second skin, but he’d had a lot of practice forcing his eyes away from the more-tantalizing areas.

  And now she was going to dress up for him in something that he was pretty damn sure was going to look spectacular. How the hell was he going to resist her?

  Except for the pretense she put on to deal with her public persona, Gabby had lived her life without artifice. This was no different. She had made her attraction clear. Having been isolated for so long, it only made sense that she would want to explore the attraction. She might be twenty-seven years old, but when it came to experience, she was a neophyte. Pushing her away was better for both of them, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

  Unlike Gabby, Jonah was not inexperienced. He knew without a doubt that they would burn up the sheets if he allowed himself to give in to temptation. He couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them.

  Jonah had done everything under the sun to avoid a confrontation. Hell yeah, he wanted her. Her sunny smile, soft giggle, delicate hands, long, slender feet, and everything in between turned him on like nothing ever had before.

  But if they gave in to those needs, what then? It couldn’t last. She would soon have a new life, a new name, a new everything. He couldn’t be part of that life. How smart was it to start something that had no future?