She finally grasped the levity of our situation. “What are we going to do? How do we escape him?”
“We can’t hide forever. I have to face this down, sooner is better than later,” I told her.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“They tried to kill me and that pisses me off. I’m not going to let them get away with it. I’m going back and dealing with him using the only language he understands.”
“What about me? Where should I go?”
“I’m going to hide you in a safe place. But you have to trust me and you have to stay where you are until I come back for you. Can you do that?”
“Yes,” she said.
Chapter 15
Giovanni
In order to kill Antonio Geremia, I needed to get into the club without being noticed. That was easier said than done as he usually made sure he had plenty of security at all times. I did notice something different. He had doubled the number of guards around the building and at the front door. That indicated to me that he must know that I was coming for him. I guess he knew me better than I thought he did.
I opened my bag, pulling out a silencer and putting it on my gun. I wanted to make as little noise as possible in order to get in, then out.
I crept up on the building and took two of the men down with two well-placed shots gaining entry into the building. As I was coming around the corner, one of the guards hit me and caught me off guard, causing me to stumble backwards. I regained my composure and we exchanged punches. He punched me a couple times to the face and head. I recovered quickly and was able to maneuver around him and strangle him to death.
I picked up his gun and put it in my waistband moving on quietly seeking the office where Antonio was with another guard. When they saw me, the guard pulled his gun out, a second too late. I beat him to it and shot him in the head.
“So you came back?”
“I think you knew I would,” I said.
“Why don’t you put the gun down and we will discuss this. Maybe all this isn’t necessary. Keep the bitch and we will bury the grudge,” he said.
“Well that’s a little hard to do now, after you’ve offended me,” I said.
“Oh, have I?” he laughed.
“Yes, trying to kill me, is a good way to do it,” I said.
He shifted in his desk chair.
“Don’t reach for your gun. Be very still.”
“You shouldn’t have crossed me,” he said.
“Wrong. You shouldn’t have crossed me.” I shot him in the head, point blank.
I heard other men trying to get into the office, so I skipped out the back.
Chapter 16
Cierra
Today was a good day. The salty breeze of the North Carolina air flowed over the beaches of Wilmington. It was a quiet town filled with ordinary folks. To me, it was paradise. Ordinary was extraordinary in my eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this stress-free in my life. For the first time ever, I was able to do what I wanted to do. Go where I wanted to go. And enjoy a different life, one that didn’t involve dodging crime-ridden streets.
It had been several months since we left Miami. Giovanni had enough money for us to get out of there. I was enjoying my new life, even if I was in hiding. Our new surroundings included a secluded cottage hidden amongst the dunes near the beach. We shared a little rental house together. Every morning we would walk along the beach talking and getting to know each other. It was my favorite part of the day. The sky always seemed blue and the weather sunny. I even started collecting seashells along the shore. At night we would keep a low profile, often talking or making love all night long.
I probably shouldn’t admit it but one of my favorite things to do with Giovanni is to imagine the other places we could go when we are free to do so. I would love to see Italy or Spain. I want to dip my feet in the Dead Sea and dance in the desert. For the first time in my life it seems that my dream of leaving the home of my birth city has come true and has given me a chance to really live. Of course, I realize that it comes at a cost.
There was no timeline for when we would be able to walk around freely and not worry about being hunted down and killed. Despite the beautiful surroundings and living the life I always wanted, that was still a grave concern of ours. Giovanni said it was inevitable. He said that one day the crime boss’ son, Gino Geremia, would have his revenge. He heard through his friend that Antonio’s son was furious and ordered a killing party to find us. Giovanni said he knew about these killing parties. He said they were legendary. They would spare no expense and no continent was too far away to find those who crossed his family. I knew that we would be running for a long time.
But for today we were safe. Today I could bathe in the ocean if I wanted to. The beautiful farmers market in downtown Wilmington beckoned me today. They had a variety of gorgeous fruits and vegetables and I didn’t have to wear skimpy, skin tight black dresses to enjoy the people. They all seemed so friendly when I visited. I loved this town. I enjoyed the comfort and safety it afforded me and I never wanted to leave. It made me sad to think that I might have to one day. Giovanni assured me that we had covered our tracks carefully.
I certainly hope so as there was more to worry about than the mob. I just found out I was pregnant. The timing couldn’t have been worse. I was afraid for my unborn baby. How long would we be running? What if they found us before I had the baby? I was scared for my unborn child and there was nothing I could do to silence my concerns, but trust him. My entire life was in his hands. He had risked his life to save mine and proven that he would take care of me. But I didn’t know how long we can live this way. I was going to have to tell him about the baby and soon. It was going to change everything between us.
Hopefully for the better.
My Hitman’s Secret Baby Book 2
Bella Rayne
Chapter 1
Giovanni
I stretched my legs widening my stride as I ran down Wilmington beach. The cool morning air invigorated me and it was nice to have this solitary time to myself. A painted orange and blue sky decorated the heavens as I ran close to the ocean water. It was similar to Miami without the transients on the beach waking up from passing out the night before. There was a wholesomeness to this North Carolina city that I had never experienced before.
I whizzed by the homes lined up on the dunes and wondered what it would be like to live in them. Their sturdy foundations standing against the sea winds, and storms that blew in and out of this town must be an experience. We had only been here six months so far and we had our share of hurricane warnings, but most of the time it was clear and beautiful.
I looked ahead at the sand in front of me and spotted a seashell. It was a baby conch shell that looked to be entirely intact. I passed it initially, but circled back to pick it up. Cierra would like it. She enjoyed seashell hunting and had accumulated a bunch of shells on our mantle. I placed the dirty white shell in my pocket and continued my run.
The past six months had been more relaxing than ever before in my entire life. I was used to the grit and grime of the city and the crime that I was once part of. Now, my days were spent making love to Cierra and watching over my shoulder. I could never lower my guard. It was a very unfortunate consequence of leaving the employment of the Geremia crime family. A person never really left. Once a hitman for the mob, now I was its next target.
There were some moments of peace, however. The draw of this peaceful city did its best to tempt both of us into a sense of security. Cierra made a good choice when she picked this place. She had always wanted to live in the Carolinas and after searching around, we agreed on a little beach cottage just a five-minute walk to the open ocean. It was conveniently hidden by trees and deep in the southern town away from most tourists. When we found it, we knew it would be perfect for us.
I had saved enough money for us to live on comfortably. Being a hitman did have its perks and fortunately I had never been saddled with a drug or gambli
ng addiction. In fact, I’d say I was pretty frugal. Most of what I needed on a daily basis was the food I found in my favorite diner. That was back in Miami though. Now there were a few more costs, but we were fine for now.
We had to keep a low profile. That was most important. We paid for everything in cash, didn’t use a bank and made no electronic transactions. We got our food from the local farmer’s market on Saturdays and limited our entertainment to walking on the beach and reading books. Cierra enjoyed reading. I wasn’t much of a fan until she began reading to me every night. She alternated her list of books between classics like Tom Sawyer and more modern collections by John Grisham. She knew I enjoyed the legal thrillers and so she mixed it up for my benefit.
In the morning, we would have breakfast outside on our front porch. Sometimes we would get up early enough to see the sunrise. That had to be one of my favorite parts about starting over. With each new day that began, it felt like a new chance to wipe that slate clean. As if a sunrise reset the past and the future was whatever you wanted to make it.
I had been giving a lot of thought about my past line of work. I guess it is only natural when you find yourself in love with someone you want to spend the rest of your life with and you are expecting a child with them. I never thought being a family man would ever be my thing, it just didn’t suit my outlook on life. Only now that I met Cierra and we have spent every day together, I knew that I was just waiting for the right person. I used to believe that being in love was for idiots who couldn’t sleep alone at night. Now I understand what they mean when they say you just know when you meet the right person.
I admit that I am head over heels for her. I’m as shocked, as anyone who knew me would be shocked, but I finally care about someone else more than I care about myself. The only thing that truly scares me is that I will not be able to protect her or the baby. I also have no idea how good of a father I am going to be. My father wasn’t much of one and there weren’t many men whose examples I could follow, so I’m not sure how good I will be. I guess all I can do is my best. Either way, we will find out soon enough.
Chapter 2
The farmer’s market was a blend of vendors selling fruits and vegetables, and crafters selling their arts and crafts there. We ventured out almost every Saturday. It was always fun to go because they have a variety of things and they are constantly changing them out. She picked up an apple smelled it and put in her plastic bag. She picked out a few more, wrapped the bag and paid for it.
I held her hands and kissed her forehead. It was so nice to be out and about during the day without feeling like we had to stay inside and hide. I realized that my life has been a lot better with her in it these past six months. We walked along casually looking at all the different things there were for sale.
I was a people watcher. I enjoyed just sitting on the bench and watching people walk by. I remember doing it as a kid. I always wondered what they were doing, where they were coming from and what their lives were like at home. It was the same thing with airports. People from all over the world would intersect there. I thought it was interesting to guess about all the lives that are going in and out.
A brother and his sister were playing at the carousel rides for kids. They were running and skipping around. As their parents called them over I wondered how many of these people ever had to deal with a life-and-death circumstance, or if they had ever been in fear for their lives. It was interesting watching these people who didn’t seem to have a care in the world go about their day unscathed by any worries. Cierra and I always had to keep in the back of our minds that someone would be coming after us one day.
Today, I’m not trying not to think about that. I was going to block out any negativity or signs of paranoia to be overprotective. She was wearing a long flowery spring dress that was semitransparent, showing off her shape. She looked beautiful standing there with her baby bump.
The sun rose just over the ocean across from the farmer’s market. It was a beautiful day out. People were on the beach enjoying themselves. I noticed a man across the way, who looked to be staring intently at us. The man looked away when I caught his gaze. I tried to act like I didn’t notice, but I had a feeling about him. I didn’t tell Cierra at first, because I didn’t want to worry her. We strolled along and I noticed that he followed us from across the street. Could this be Gino’s hitman? Has he found us? But how?
I knew what hitmen looked like and this guy didn’t fit in here. He was the only one standing out. I grew more concerned. My heart started racing. I left my weapon back at the beach cottage and kicked myself for dropping my guard. I should have realized that Gino Geremia would never stop. He was always going to track us down and try to kill us after I murdered his father. There’s just no way to get around that. Mafia debts never went unpaid. They always got their money or they got their vengeance.
“We need to go,” I said.
“Why? I wanted to get some corn.”
“Come on.”
I led her away from the crowd trying to stay next to the commotion of people, walking by them trying to get to our vehicle. My worst fear had been realized. Our cover had been blown and we were back on the run.
Chapter 3
“They found us.”
“What do you mean?” Cierra looked at me with a concerned expression.
“I saw a man. He’s one of Gino's men,” I said.
“Are you sure?”
The man was wearing all black and looked like he was from Gino's crew. He even looked vaguely familiar but I couldn’t be sure. He wasn’t very good at his job though. All the trouble to track us down and he wasn't more discreet. He was easy to spot. Gino must have thought I was stupid.
“What do we do?” Cierra asked.
We reached the car. “Get in and drive.”
I put her in the front seat and ran around to the passenger's side.
“You want me to drive?” she asked.
“Go! Go! Go!” I urged her.
She turned the engine on, put it in drive and screeched the tires as we took off. We sped down the road leaving the farmer's market behind.
“Get on the highway.”
“Right here?” she asked.
“Yes, now!”
“Stop yelling at me! I can't concentrate!” She put her hands to her ears letting go of the steering wheel.
I grabbed the wheel and lowered my voice, “Okay, okay sorry. Just don't take your hands off the wheel. Keep going straight down this highway until I tell you to get off.”
“What are we going to do, Giovanni?” Her question sounded more like a plea.
“Everything will be fine, just do as I tell you.”
I sat back in the seat trying to figure out how he found us. I expected to allude him for at least a year, and while six months wasn't that bad, I thought I had done a better job of covering our tracks.
I retraced our steps in my mind. We paid for everything in cash, didn't use credit cards or banks and made sure we avoided any places that had security cameras. There wasn't anything that I could think of that we did wrong.
Yet here he was. Death has come for us both.
“We need to stay calm right now. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she mumbled.
“Do you remember the training I taught you?”
“Yes.”
“Good because you may have to use it now.”
I saw the turn off for the road. "Get off here."
Cierra pulled the car to the right getting off on the exit and ending up on a street close to our house.
“Stop here.”
“What?”
“Right here, Cierra.”
She stopped the car in the middle of the street. I opened the door.
“Go to the cottage and get our bags. Grab only what we need and meet me at the cemetery. Do you understand?”
She was visibly shaken, but nodded.
“I don't think we should split up,” her voice was shaking.
“It will be fine. Just meet me at the cemetery and tell no one where you are going.”
I kissed her hard before getting out of the car and shutting the door.
I watched as she pulled away. I knew he was coming. I saw him following us earlier and I was waiting for him. I saw his vehicle coming toward me, the dirt kicking up under his tires. I walked over to stand in the middle of the road so he could see me.
He pulled up in a blue Toyota stopping in front of me, turned off the engine and got out of the car.
“Well this is interesting,” he said.
Chapter 4
“You must be new at this.” I said.
“What makes you say that?” He took out his gun and held it down by his side.
“Well, for starters, a seasoned professional would know to disguise himself better in a crowd. Especially when he is in a different state and unfamiliar with the culture.”
He looked down at his black clothing and cocked his head to the side with a smile.
“Second,” I moved closer to him, “he would know who he was hunting.”
“I know who you are,” he said.
“Do you? Who am I?”
“You are the man I was sent to kill. That’s all I need to know.” He raised his gun and pointed it at me.
I sidestepped his aim and knocked the gun out of his hand pushing him off balance. He stumbled toward me as I dove for the gun. I picked it up turned it on him and shot him twice in the chest. He groaned incoherently before falling to the ground dead.
I’ve had people try to kill me before. It wasn’t new to me but never at that close range. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how I just got out of this one. Someone upstairs must be looking out for me because right now I felt pretty blessed.
I laid there for a second before catching my breath and standing up. I had to get rid of his body to avoid the cops coming around here. I dragged him to the side of the road and into the tree line where I knew he would be hard to spot. It should take at least a week for anyone to notice a body.
Hang Em' Up: A Bad Boy Sports Pregnancy Romance Page 95