Hitman's Desire: A Bad Boy Romance (11 page)

F
ather O’Malley takes
a swig from a stainless steel flask. He’s already three sheets to the wind, and his breath reeks of whiskey. The pungent smell makes my eyes water.

O’Malley’s face is rosy red, and full of broken capillaries. Too many years of sun and excessive alcohol. His eyes are sunken and puffy. He’s probably early 50s, but looks closer to 60. Rough skin and tousled snow white hair. Someone clearly rousted him out of bed. He looks barely put together.

When I was a little girl, dreaming of the perfect wedding, this was not what I had envisioned. I wanted all of my family and friends present. Not dead bodies on the floor. I wanted to recite my handwritten nuptials atop a lush green cliff, overlooking the ocean. Not in a mafia stronghold. I wanted the perfect white dress with a long train. Not a string bikini. I wanted rose petals sprinkled before me as my father walked me down the isle. Not pools of blood at my feet. I wanted beautiful wedding bands that signified our eternal commitment. Not twist-ties shaped into rings. I wanted my bride’s maids to be my best friends. Not a bunch of mafia thugs. I wanted the man I married to be a normal, well adjusted, adult with a good job. Not a hired killer.

“Let’s get this over with,” Dominic grumbles.

O’Malley clears his throat and stands tall. He holds a bible in one hand. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union of these two wonderful individuals…” the words slur from his drunken lips. He can’t even remember our names. He looks down at his notes contained on a card within the bible. “…Scarlett and Ryker.” He smiles.

“Get to the good stuff,” Dominic says.

“Oh, yes, right,” Father O’Malley mumbles.

“Hey. Don’t be a jerk,” I bark at Dominic. “This is my moment.”

Dominic’s eyes widen. He looks a little stunned.

This may not be exactly how I pictured it, but I’m going to at least try and enjoy the moment.

“Do you, Scarlett Fox, take Ryker Stone as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, or for worse? For richer, or for poorer? In sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

My heart flutters in my throat. My body trembles. I’m covered in a thin mist of sweat. I never thought I would be the one nervous on this day. I never thought I would be the one having second thoughts. We’ve been through the
worse
part already. I’m hoping it gets
better
. And
death
may certainly cause us to part.

I take a deep breath and try to steady myself. I look into Ryker’s deep blue eyes. He gazes back at me. And if I didn’t know better, I’d almost describe his gaze as
loving
.

“I do,” I say.

“Do you, Ryker Stone, take Scarlett Fox as your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, or for worse? For richer, or for poorer? In sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“I do,” he says without hesitation.

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” O’Malley says. “You may kiss the bride.”

I look up at my new husband and his glowing eyes. His passionate lips embrace mine, and I melt into his powerful arms. I feel emotion swell inside of me. It’s as if the combined energy of our two souls are radiating together as one. My body tingles and my stomach flutters. His plush lips press against mine. It is a kiss above all other kisses. It is the kiss I’ve dreamed about my entire life. And it doesn’t disappoint. Despite our surroundings and circumstances, this moment is priceless. This man’s lips feel like home to me. And I never want to leave
home
again.

“Alright, honeymoon’s over,” Dominic says.

Ryker and I break apart. I scowl at Dominic, my eyes like lasers burning into him.

“You two can pick up where you left off after the job is done.” Dominic regards Ryker. “And seeing how Sal isn’t going to need this apartment anymore, I’m giving it to you.” Dominic’s eyes scan the lifeless bodies on the floor. “It doesn’t come with maid service, so cleanup is up to you.”

Ryker grits his teeth. I haven’t spent long with him, but I can read his expression like a book. He wants revenge for the death of his friend. He wants Dominic dead.

“In a short while, I head to the Summit. A meeting of the bosses from the five families. Big Nicky, Benny the Butcher, Tommy Bones, Meatball Sonny, and of course, myself. I am going to arrive late. You are going to take out the other bosses before I get there. Fail, and I will personally get creative with your new bride. And you will be a dead man.”

“Consider all the bosses dead,” Ryker says. It’s a subtle phrasing— but when Ryker says
all
, he means all. Including Dominic. “Where is the Summit?”

“The location hasn’t been disclosed yet. Each of the bosses will get a call 20 minutes beforehand revealing the location.”

“I’ve got 20 minutes to get in position, come up with an assault plan, and take out the entire Commission?”

“That’s why I need you, Ryker. You’re the only one who can do this.”

“I appreciate the confidence,” Ryker says with a subtle hint of sarcasm.

“I’ll leave you two alone for now. I’m posting guards outside the door. She doesn’t leave this room until the job is done.”

“I’m going to need weapons and ammunition,” Ryker says.

“You’ll have full access to the armory.”

“I’ll need a driver and a car as well.”

“Done. There will be one waiting for you out front. Is there anything else?”

Ryker shakes his head.

“Don’t make me regret giving you this opportunity.” Dominic and his thugs file out the door. It slams shut behind them. I’m alone with my new
husband
. The idea sound so strange to me. The concept so foreign.

“What are you going to do?” I ask. “You’re not really going to try and kill every mob boss in the city, are you? That would be suicide.”

“Do you have a better idea?”

“With the other families gone, there will be no one to challenge Dominic. He’ll rule this city with an iron fist.”

“I have no intention of letting him live. You know that,” Ryker says. “I bought myself time to figure out how to kill him.”

“So, this was all just a
tactic
, right? The whole
marriage
thing was just buying time? I mean, you don’t really want to be my husband, do you?” Part of me is hoping that he will refute my questions. That he will profess his genuine love for me. That he’ll say he would have married me anyway. It’s that little girl part of me that still believes in fairytales and happy endings.

“We can get a divorce as soon as this is over, if that’s what you want?” Ryker says. “We can get an annulment. It’ll be like it never happened.”

“I wasn’t saying that,” I stammer.

“Oh, so you want this?”

I fidget. “Well, I was hoping it might happen a little differently. But, now that we’re hitched… it might not be so bad.” My eyes sparkle at him. “That is, of course, if this is something you really want.”

“How many times do I have to risk my neck in order for you to get it? I’ll do whatever it takes to be with you.”

My jaw drops. “You will?”

“You’re not too bright, are you?”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

He presses his delicious lips against mine. We melt into one another. I feel a wave of heat rise in my body. My mind fills with inappropriate thoughts. Then I push him away before things get too hot and heavy.

“We need to focus,” I say.

“If we make it out of this alive, I promise… we will have a real ceremony. One that you deserve. One you’ve always dreamed about.”

My eyes well with tears of joy. I wrap my arms around his hulking body. “We’re gonna make it through this,” I say, wishfully.

“I know.”

I
hold
her in my arms. I never want to let her go. Her body fits mine, perfectly. She feels like coming home after a long trip. Can’t explain it. I’ve never felt anything like this before. I’ve never felt
anything
before. All I know is that I want her by my side. I feel more powerful when she is around. Like I can accomplish anything. Nothing is insurmountable. Even the impossible task at hand.

This is somehow the worst, and yet, the best day of my life.

“How are you going to kill him?” Scarlett asks.

“It’s going to be difficult. He’s constantly surrounded by those goons.”

“You said you had history between you two. What is it?”

“Dominic is like me. He was part of Project Valkyrie. He’s every bit as fast and as cunning as I am. And even more ruthless. I hate to admit it, but he’s faster, stronger, and smarter.” Ryker sighs. “The CIA lost control of the project. They could create us, but they couldn’t control us. They had built the perfect killing machines. But we had our own thoughts and ideas. Dominic used his skill to work his way up the ladder. And if I do kill him, it will only increase the Commission’s desire to kill me. Ironic, isn’t it?”

“What are you going to do?”

“The only thing I know how to do.”

Ryker gives me his Uzi, and extra magazines. “Deadbolt the door. Shoot anyone who tries to come in.”

She looks at me, gravely. “Be careful.”

“I will.”

I grab her by the small of her back and pull her into me. I take one last kiss, then march for the door. I don’t look back. I focus my mind at the task at hand. Killing. It’s what I do. And I’m damn good at it.

I push through the door. I hear Scarlett lock the deadbolt behind me. Two of Dominic’s thugs stand guard outside the door. My eyes glare at both of them. “If anything happens to her, I will kill you both.”

They look a little skittish. They know my reputation. They know I’m good for my word.

“We liked Sal. He was a good guy,” one of the thugs says.

“Then you should have done something to save him.”

“Nobody defies Dominic.”

“Well, things are about to change around here,” I say. “Either of you got a problem with that?”

They both shake their heads. They look like they’re about to piss their pants. Their hands tremble.

“What are your names?” I ask.

“Cadillac Jack,” one of them says.

“Freddy Four Cents,” the other replies.

“Because he’s always broke,” Cadillac Jack jokes.

“There’s a million bucks each for you if you keep her safe. That ought to keep your pockets full, Four Cents. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds good,” Four Cents says.

Sal fronted me the $10 million for Scarlett. Now that he’s gone, that’s a loan I don’t have to pay back. It means I’ve got a little money to throw around. If I have to use every last dime to keep her safe, I will.

“If I were you, I’d look into finding others that were loyal to Vic,” I say. “You never know when there’s gonna be a change of the guard.”

The two thugs exchange a glance. They’re not totally sure what to think. It’s clear they’ve got no love for Dominic. But they’re also not going to bite the hand that feeds.

“The key to surviving in this business is to know your next move. Things change. People come and go. You place the right bets, you live a long time. Think about it.”

The two men contemplate my words. “You make the change happen. We’ll support it,” Freddy says.

“Where’s the armory?” I ask.

“Down on the 2nd floor. Talk to Tony the Ant. He’s got everything you need.”

I march down the hall to the elevator bay. After a moment, the bell dings and the doors slide open.

Her long, svelte legs take center stage. Stiletto heels, sculpted calves, toned thighs. A red dress hugs her body and leaves nothing to the imagination. It’s so short I can almost see her panties. Her platinum blonde hair is styled to perfection. She looks like a femme fatale from an old noir movie. Her emerald green eyes smolder at me. Breathy words float out from her deep red lips.

“Going down?” she asks.

I cringe, then reluctantly step onto the elevator. The doors slide shut, and suddenly, I feel trapped.

“Hello, Veronica,” I mutter.

“A little birdie told me you were in the building.”

I try not to make eye contact.

She hits the elevator stop button. The lift jolts to a halt. Veronica slinks toward me like a jungle cat stalking its prey. “I missed you.”

Shit.

This girl is trouble.

She’s always been trouble. We had a brief fling, but that’s ancient history. One night, a long time ago. She’s Dominic’s girl now. And even if she wasn’t, I’d want nothing to do with her. It kills Dominic that I had her before him. It’s been a bone of contention ever since he found out. I know he’s got eyes on Scarlett.

Veronica presses her body up against mine and whispers in my ear. “How about a quickie for old time sake?”

I push her away from me.

She looks at me, incredulous. Then she flings the straps of her dress from her shoulders. She peels the fabric down exposing her perfect breasts, her perky pink nipples. “Are you sure?” she asks, jiggling them.

I feel nothing. I have to admit I’m a little shocked. I don’t even feel the slightest urge. There is no other woman for me but Scarlett. And this confirms it. Veronica is a good-looking woman. She has all the right parts in all the right places. She’s a 15 on a 10 scale. But I feel absolutely no attraction to her.

“Pull your dress up, Veronica. You look desperate”

She scowls at me.

I flip the emergency button, and the elevator jolts back into action, continuing its descent.

She huffs and pulls the straps of her dress back onto her shoulders. “Wow, you are committed.” Then a smug grin curls on her full lips. “It will wear off.”

“No. It won’t.”

“You know, one word to Dominic, and I could have your precious wife killed.”

“You don’t think he wants us dead already?”

Veronica frowns. “Maybe I’ll just tell your wife that we had a little
thing
just now in the elevator. I can be very convincing.”

I give her the evil eye. “Go ahead. I don’t think she’d believe you.”

“Please,” she huffs. “Don’t tell me you have a relationship built on trust?”

“You are the last person to judge my relationships.”

The elevator dings, and the door slides open to floor number two. I spring from the elevator as fast as I can.

“Fuck you, Ryker.”

“No thanks,” I say with a grin. Her face twists up as the door slides shut. I wipe the sweat from my brow. Not many situations make me uncomfortable, but that one did. What the hell is happening to me?

I’ve never been in a relationship before. Certainly not a committed one. And Lord knows, I’ve never turned down a gorgeous woman. I must say, it feels good to know that I can be faithful to Scarlett. The old me would’ve had my cock in Veronica’s mouth by the time the elevator doors slammed shut.

They say that your IQ drops when you fall in love. That you actually become dumber. I hope that’s not the case. Because I need to keep my wits about me if I’m going to make it through the next 24 hours alive.

I find the armory on the second floor. Tony the Ant is a small, snappy guy. He’s high strung. Smoking cigarette after cigarette and guzzling down coffee like he’s got a hole in his stomach. He probably does. It only adds to his mania. He’s the kind of guy who just keeps coming after you in a fight. Tear off his arm, and he’ll keep coming. Hence the name,
The Ant
.

The Armory is floor to ceiling with weapons. Everything imaginable. Knives, handguns, assault rifles, rocket launchers, grenades, plastic explosives… you name it. The room smells like steel and gun oil.

“What can I do for you?” the Ant says. He watches reruns of
I Love Lucy
on a small flat panel TV. I imagine that he sits in the armory night after night, doling out weapons as needed to Dominic’s thugs.

“I need a .300 Win Mag sniper rifle with a McMillan stock and suppressor. I want a Glock 17, suppressor, and extra magazines.”

“I can respect a man who knows what he wants.”

“I’ll take some C4 explosive, blasting caps, and a remote detonator. Throw in a few hand grenades as well.”

“Sounds like somebody’s having a party.”

“It would appear so.”

Tony the Ant shuffles off with a cigarette dangling between his thin lips. He combs through the rows of weapons and pulls down the sniper rifle. The .300 Winchester Magnum is a powerful and accurate weapon. It shoots 7.62mm rounds. It’s a common long-range weapon used by military and law enforcement. I can hit a fly from 1000 yards with one.

Tony sets the rifle on the counter before me. I grimace as I pick it up. The motion tugs at my stitches. A reminder that I’m at less than optimal performance. I look over the weapon. It’s clean and in perfect condition. If only I was in as good a shape as this rifle.

“That’s a nice weapon,” Tony says. “One of my favorites.” He puffs a long drag from his cigarette. “It’s sighted in with 180 grain, factory loads.”

“You maintain all these weapons yourself?”

“Everything you see here is ready to go. I can’t have guys in the field with a gun that jams, or with a sight off. Vic took care of his people. He made sure they had the best. And as long as I’m around, I’m going to continue that tradition.”

He ambles over to a display case and pulls out a Glock 17. He strolls back, checks the chamber and hands the weapon to me. It’s a reliable, accurate 9mm, with 17 round magazines. Something tells me I’m going to fire a lot of rounds on this job. I want the highest capacity magazines I can find.

“I’ll take 124 grain HST rounds.”

“Good choice.” Tony reaches under the counter and pulls out several boxes of ammunition.

“You mind if I load up in here?”

“This ain’t a gun shop. Do what you want. Nobody’s dumb enough to rob me,” Tony smiles. “We don’t even do background checks.” He strolls to another display case, grabs a few hand grenades, a couple bricks of C4, and some detonators.

I load the magazines and holster the Glock 17.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” the Ant says as he sets the other items on the counter.

“Yeah, I need a tactical vest to carry all this shit.”

“Coming right up.” Tony ambles into the storeroom and returns with a vest.

I slip off my suit jacket. The shirt I borrowed from Sal is already stained with my blood that has seeped through the bandages.

“Looks like you’ve already seen some recent action,” Tony says.

I wince again as I put on the black tactical vest. It’s got pouches to hold magazines, as well as a grenade belt. I load it full, then slip my coat over it. I grab the sniper rifle from the counter. I wince again. I try to block out the pain. I’d take another pain pill, but I need to stay sharp.

“Perhaps I can interest you in an RPG?” Tony offers the weapon like it’s an after dinner dessert. “I’ve got some armor piercing anti-tank rounds. Perfect for taking out a bulletproof vehicle,” he teases.

I smile. “Sure, why not?”

He grabs the grenade launcher from the rack and hands it to me with glee. “I sure wish I could be there to see this thing go off.”

“You’re welcome to join me.”

“I’m too old for that shit. And too high strung.”

I chuckle. “Where do you get all this shit?”

“Fell off the back of a truck,” he grins.

“I like you, Tony. You’re not bad.”

“I like to take care of my customers,” he says, puffing up with pride. “Anything else?”

“I think that ought to do it. Put this on Dominic’s tab.”

“Everything here is free. It’s all for the common good of the family.” Tony looks me over again. “You’re Ryker Stone, ain’t ya?”

I nod.

“I’ve heard of you. Dominic said you’d be stopping by.” He pauses for a moment. “Just between you and me, I don’t think you killed Vic.”

“Why not?” I ask, curious.

“You got a reputation for always doing good business. Solid work. The hit on Vic was too sloppy. It didn’t add up.”

“I didn’t kill him.”

“I ain’t the only one who thinks this way either. There’s more of us than you might think.”

“How many?”

“Lots.”

“Enough?” I ask.

“Maybe.”

I think about this for a moment. I get the distinct sense that Dominic doesn’t have as firm a grip on the family as he thinks. Or Tony could just be full of shit, trying to play me.

“Change can happen quickly in this business.”

“
That
it can.”

I look into Tony’s eyes. He’s got old gangster’s eyes. The kind of eyes that don’t give away anything he doesn’t want to give away. Eyes that can hold secrets. But I get the sense that his admiration for Vic was genuine.

“Good luck out there,” he says. He means it.

I thank Tony and take my gear. Then I march down to the lobby. I look like something out of a war movie. I push through the main lobby doors and into the street. There’s a black town car waiting at the curb for me.

The driver stands by the passenger door and pulls it open. He reminds me of a sumo wrestler. He’s twice my size, and I’m a big guy. But this guy is a giant. His fists are like bowling balls. I’d hate to get hit with one of those, they’d break bones.

I stow the gear on the back seat and slide in.

“I’m Louis,” He says with a low, booming voice. “I’ll be your driver this evening. Where to, sir?”