Dangerous Beauty: Part One: Destiny

by Michelle Hardin

  Nathan’s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach when he heard a series of gunshots ring out in the staircase on the far side of the massive lobby, and just as quickly as they all began, they stopped, as did Nathan’s heart.

  The gunshots stopped, that meant they got their target, Carter, his Carter. Images of Carter lying dead in a pool of blood assailed him making him light headed, and he sped up his pace.

  They all made it to the door and stood aside as the underboss stepped forward. He opened the door. Nathan and the men stood frozen at the sight before him.

  Carter quickly jumped down a flight of stairs to a man trapped under another man frantically reaching for a gun. She kicked the gun and pulled a knife from her holster, raised it in the air and stabbed the man’s hand. Then she grabbed both sides of the man’s head and slammed it into the marble floor.

  Carter stood up with her back still to them and released her long hair from the bun she had it in and it fell down her back in thick waves. She ran her hands through her hair trying to catch her breath and let out a pained groan while she twisted her wrist around working it out.

  The men stood in silence, trying to move closer and get a look at the woman standing in the stairwell with two dead men and one unconscious. They looked at what she’d done. One man lay at the bottom of and upward staircase with a dagger in each eye, another man lay on top of the unconscious man with the back of his neck brutally cut open.

  Nathan looked at Carter, relief rushing through him. That’s it. He was going to lock her little ass up somewhere where nothing like this would ever happen again.

  “Carter,” Nathan said.

  Carter turned around quickly and looked at Nathan, worry masking her face. “Mickey?” she asked in panic.

  “He’s fine. Two shots in the leg, but he’ll live, he’s upstairs in the office,” Nathan said trying to remain cool. He wanted to yell at her, but he couldn’t, he was just so fucking happy she was alive.

  Nathan held out his hand for Carter. “Carter, baby, let’s go,” he said softly.

  Carter nodded then bent down and pulled her knife out of the unconscious man’s hand. She ran up the stairs, her skirt ripped up her thigh showing the lone knife she had left in her holster, and her shirt was open and disheveled showing off her black lace bra, but from the looks of it she was too tired to care.

  She went over to the dead man at the bottom of the staircase and pulled both knives from his eyes, careful to keep the blood away from her clothing she handed them to Gianni. “Gianni, I would love you forever if you cleaned these for me,” she said. Gianni nodded and took the bloody knives from her.

  “These bodies need to be handled before the cops get here. The one under the man who shot Mickey is still alive. Take him somewhere for me, do not kill him. I would like to have a discussion with him when he wakes up,” she said to the men as they all began to file in the stairwell to follow her orders.

  Carter went over to Nathan who still stood waiting for her to take his hand and she walked over to him. She was just about to take his hand when she looked in his eyes. “Shit,” she said looking up at him. “You’re pissed.”

  And just like that he was. His jaw clenched and rage filled his gray eyes. He looked at her wondering what the fuck she was thinking going after a man with a fucking gun. Alone.

  When she didn’t take his hand he reached out, grabbed her arm, and jerked her out of the stairwell passed the men. Kyle followed silently behind them.

  “Ouch! Dammit, Nathan,” she yelled.

  “What the fuck were you thinking?” Nathan yelled.

  “I wasn’t thinking obviously, or else I wouldn’t have run into a fucking ambush.”

  “Why the hell do you do shit like this, Carter? I tell you over and over to control your fucking temper because it makes you do stupid shit.”

  “Not all the time, Nathan. There are times when my bad temper is the only key to my survival.”

  “That makes no fucking sense, Carter,” he said pulling her into the elevator he pressed the twenty-sixth floor and typed in the security code. Nathan and Kyle stood on both sides of her.

  “It does make sense. I had to go after that guy. If I didn’t then those men would’ve come back anyway. Now we don’t have to worry about it. Plus, he shot Mickey. The son of a bitch had it coming. I wasn’t going to let him get away with that shit.”

  Both Kyle and Nathan slowly turned to her and gave her looks that made her gasp and back into the wall behind her, trying to disappear. She worried her bottom lip and looked up at both of them as innocently as she could. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” she whispered, but she couldn’t keep the wicked smile out of her eyes. She couldn’t help it, she had just kicked some serious ass and they were worried about something that could have happened, instead of what actually did.

  She saw rage fill blue and gray eyes before the two men began to yell at her simultaneously in Italian. Carter took a peek at the lit number above the elevator door and groaned.

  Dammit, only the tenth floor, and sixteen more to go.

  21

  I Love You

  The elevator door opened and Carter tried to dart passed them both only to have her efforts stopped when Nathan caught her arm.

  “Dammit, Carter. Stop running, just stand still,” he yelled glaring at her.

  “Why, Nathan? I already said I was sorry,” she yelled at him.

  “I don’t want a damn apology, Carter. I want you to stand still,” he said still glaring at her. “Kyle, tell my father we will be in shortly,” Nathan ordered. Kyle nodded, and with a parting glare to Carter, he walked off of the elevator.

  Carter crossed her arms over her chest and stood still. Unwillingly. Nathan uncrossed her arms, and buttoned up her shirt.

  “Now that I have your attention, you need to make sure you keep that damn temper of yours in check when you see Reeves.”

  “I know, Nathan. I’m not a damn child.”

  Nathan muttered something under his breath and Carter wanted to slap him in his damn face, but she didn’t want to prove him right about her temper. So she stood tall with her head held high.

  “I’m ready when you are, asshole,” she said with a fake smile.

  Nathan rolled his eyes and held out his hand for her to take it. Carter wanted to hit it away from her, but she once again refused to prove him right about her temper. So instead she took his hand and let him lead her through the office.

  The longer they walked the more Carter thought about what she did. She would freak out too, if Nathan were ever in any danger. Guilt began to creep its way in.

  Nathan was still mad at her. She could feel it, and she hated it. She started wracking through her mind trying to figure out what she could do to make him like her again.

  Carter held on to Nathan’s arm tightly. “Nathan, I don’t want to go to the meeting if you’re still mad at me,” she pouted. A small pout, because it was true she was a spoiled brat that hated it when the man she loved was mad at her, so what.

  “I’m not mad, Carter.”

  “Yes, you are. Stop walking and talk to me.”

  “We need to get to the meeting.”

  “Not like this, Nathan. I’m sorry, I really am. Now please just talk to me. Tell me how you feel.”

  Nathan stopped walking, leaned against the wall in the hallway, and groaned. He looked down at Carter. He could see in her eyes that her apology was actually real this time.

  “I hurt you. I made you panic and I’m sorry. I’ll do better, I promise, just please don’t be upset with me anymore. I can’t take it, Nathan, you know I can’t.”

  “I can’t take it when you put your life in danger like you did today, Carter. You’re so damn unpredictable you make it impossible for me to protect you.”

  “I know, I know. I want to be better for you, Nathan.”

  “Baby, I thought you were dead. Do you have any idea how terrified I was? I’m not mad at you I’m… shit I don’t even know what I am
. You make me want to lock you up far away from all of this shit, Carter! I’m this fucking close to doing it. I’ll lose my damn mind if I have to go through what I went through today all the time. The thought of losing you is just too unbearable, baby. I can’t take that shit,” Nathan said. His tone both tired and defeated.

  Carter worried her bottom lip, and looked down at her hands nervously. She was sorry, she really was. She never wanted to make him feel like this, and it hurt like hell knowing that she did. Carter didn’t want to cause Nathan stress, ever. She could see in his eyes how tired he was and she hoped it wasn’t her that he was tired of. Carter cupped his face.

  “Let’s make a deal. Once we get married, I’ll cut down on my work with Mickey. But I get to keep doing the business work with your father because I love that.” She kissed his lips softly. “That way, I can have something to do, that I enjoy, and I can lighten your work load.” She waited for his response.

  “Why not just stop working with Mickey all together?”

  “Because I have issues, Nathan, and I love that grown men are afraid of me,” she said with a shrug. “Hey, I’ll even go to an anger management class,” she lied with a smile. No she wouldn’t.

  Nathan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, you do have issues, that part’s true,” he said with a frown.

  Carter nodded in agreement. It was true.

  “And I know that anger management class idea was complete bullshit,” he said pursing his lips. Carter clenched her jaw to keep from laughing.

  “So do we have a deal?” She bit her lip waiting for his answer.

  Nathan smiled and nodded. “Yes,” he said with a sigh of relief. “We have a deal.”

  Carter held out her hand. “Shake on it?” she asked with a playful smile.

  Nathan smirked. He grabbed her hand a pulled her hard against his chest. Carter let out a surprised squeal right before Nathan captured her lips in a deep passionate kiss. Carter’s arms automatically wrapped around Nathan’s neck as he lifted her from the floor and their kiss became more fervent.

  “How did I know I would find you two like this?”

  Carter and Nathan reluctantly broke their kiss and looked over to Angelo standing with his arms crossed over his chest, and his lips pursed. “Can I get you two to keep your hands to yourselves, and get your asses in here?”

  They both knew he wasn’t asking, so why the hell did he word it that way.

  Carter giggled and ran over to hug Angelo. “I have a surprise for you,” she said with a big smile on her face.

  Angelo looked down at her and grasped her chin. He examined both sides of her face. “Not a scratch,” he said with a proud smile. “And the other guys?” he asked.

  Carter smiled wide. “Two dead, and one unconscious,” she said proudly. She loved making Angelo proud of her. They had developed a father, daughter relationship these past few months that she cherished dearly.

  Angelo laughed. “That’s my girl,” he kissed her forehead.

  “Stop enabling her, papa,” Nathan said looking at his father and Carter with a small smile. He had no idea how much his father wanted a daughter until he introduced Carter into his life. Carter could do absolutely anything and still be a perfect angel in Angelo’s eyes.

  “Don’t listen to your grumpy old boyfriend. You’re my dream daughter,” he said smiling at Carter. Carter laughed and turned to Nathan sticking out her tongue playfully. “Now tell me, child, what’s this surprise you have for me?”

  Carter brought her left hand up and wiggled her fingers. “I’m getting married,” she said in a sing song voice while bouncing up and down.

  Angelo’s eyes lit up and he lifted Carter high in the air, laughing joyously. Carter giggled and laughed as Angelo twirled her around in his arms, voicing his excitement in Italian. He placed her feet back on the ground and walked over to his son with his arms wide. “Complimenti il mio bel bambino,” he grabbed Nathan’s face with both hands and kissed both of his cheeks.

  “Papa,” Nathan said trying to get out of his father’s grasp.

  Carter laughed and tried not to cry. She’d been too damn emotional lately. She figured it was because of all the beautiful changes in her life.

  “Don’t ‘papa’ me. This is wonderful news. Come over here, Carterina.” Carter went over to him. “You will be a good husband to her, son,” Angelo said patting Nathan’s cheeks lightly then he looked at Carter. “And you will have many sons to carry on the Salerno name.” He began walking forward with one arm over Nathan’s shoulders and the other over Carter’s. “You two have no idea how much happiness you have given me today.”

  “So that means you’ll walk me down the aisle?” Carter asked softly and Angelo stopped walking.

  He turned to Carter with and unreadable expression, and Carter began to ramble nervously. “I just…I wanted to ask you be-because I wanted someone that I love to walk me down the aisle and you’re like…a…father to me,” she said softly feeling tears glisten her eyes. “You can say no I just…”

  Angelo cupped her face lovingly, and his eyes glistening with tears of joy. “Onore a Voi me bella ragazza. You honor me, and bring me so much joy.” He kissed both of her cheeks. “Of course I will walk you down the aisle.”

  Screw holding back. Carter let the tears fall freely from her eyes and hugged Angelo tight.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much.”

  ***

  “Can you tell her to stop looking at me like that?” Andrew Reeves asked Angelo.

  Angelo looked at Carter and chuckled. “My future daughter in-law has to look at you Mr. Reeves, it’s one of her many jobs here at S.O.”

  “What job is that exactly?” Reeves asked trying to look away from Carter, who was staring daggers at him.

  “She can spot a lie from fifty miles away. Think of her as a human lie detector. So I would be careful if I were you. If you came in here to lie to us today you will not be leaving this office alive. Now tell us what you want,” Angelo said coolly.

  “Can you at least ask her not to look so damn deadly,” Reeves said in a pleading tone. “I’m serious, Angelo. I’ve been scarred by her kind,” he said.

  “What the fucks that supposed to mean, you little bitch,” Carter spat.

  “I didn’t mean it like that, I’m half black, Carter. I’m not a damn racist.”

  “Then you might want to explain what you meant Reeves. If she wants to kick your ass I’m sure not going to stop her, and I’m sure no one else will either,” Nathan said with a smirk.

  “I was talking about her damn identical mother,” Reeves said quickly. “She told me that I better come and tell you all what Mitch was planning, or she would burn my family’s restaurant down with them inside it.”

  “Bullshit,” Angelo said. “You’re trying to tell me you spoke to Anastacia?”

  Reeves looked directly at Carter, “Tell him I’m not fucking lying. Here’s the story. Mitchell called me the same day your crazy little ass came to town saying that he wanted to help me retaliate against baby Salerno. I told him I wasn’t doing shit because I didn’t think it was worth it. I’m not a dumbass, I knew I wouldn’t win, but Mitchell told me that y’all were already planning to kill me. So I met with him. He told me that we had to do something quick because somebody was after him. Some chick named Anastacia Stone almost killed him in his office or some shit.”

  “Wait… He said Ana was in this office?” Angelo asked shocked.

  “Yes,” Reeves said never moving his eyes from Carter’s. “Anyway, I was never gonna help the crazy ass motherfucker because he was trippin’. Looking around every corner like some crazy lunatic to see if this chick was there. I’m serious, just the thought of this broad drove him crazy. He was telling me that she was going to kill him because he ordered a hit on her daughter and Spook, and she was after him because he made her think her baby died. I didn’t believe him. I thought he was seeing shit, but then she came to see me. She told me that I
worked for her, and I had to watch Mitchell’s every move and tell her what he was planning. I told her to go to hell, and then she threatened me with a big ass knife, so I did what she said. When I first saw her I thought she was you, but she’s older and taller. Her hair is long but not as long as yours. She’s fine as hell too, but she didn’t trip when I told her that like you did.”

  “Don’t fuck with me, Reeves. You know damn well what happened that day.”

  “What happened that day is you can’t take a damn compliment.”

  “I was sixteen years old, you piece of shit! You told me you could make a lot of money selling me.”

  Reeves smirked “Look at you. I could. Millions,” he said with a shrug.

  Carter hit the table hard with her fist and stood to her feet. Reeves flinched. “He’s telling the truth,” she said never taking her glare from him. “My mothers in New York and Mitchell killed my father.” She pointed a finger at Reeves. “You better thank the fucking heavens that I’m trying to better myself because if I wasn’t… it would take God and an army of angels to keep me from shoving my fist down your throat.” Her tone was cold matching her deadly stare. Reeves shifted in his seat, but remained silent. Carter pushed her chair back and stormed out the door. “Nathan,” she called as she exited the conference room.

  Nathan stood from his seat. “If you all would excuse me, my fiancé needs to speak with me.” He looked at Reeves with cold gray eyes. “Do you happen to know where Mitchell is, Andrew?”

  Andrew cleared his throat nervously. “If he’s still alive… I don’t know somewhere planning how to kill y’all with those two hit men. Anastacia and I lost his fat ass a week ago. She’s looking for him though. That’s why I’m here and not her. Plus she doesn’t think her daughter is ready to meet her yet.”

  Nathan took a deep breath, frowned and nodded his head. He turned and walked out of the conference room to go and find Carter. He found Carter around the corner leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.