The Killer (Bad Boys) Read online

  His son in law and his grandsons had promised him that they’d always respect his wishes. There was a note, about the day my own dad had been approached by the scum. Their offer was probably pretty much what Luigi’s had been.

  Take out the old man and he can take over. The fact that he wasn’t next in line, was nothing in their eyes, they cold make it happen. Too bad for them, my dad isn’t a greedy fuck, so he’d told grandpa what was going on. Two days later they were hit.

  Luigi still lived in Brooklyn in a brownstone walkup. He had a wife and two little kids in the house with him; that won’t stop me. We had to circle one block over a couple times, because there was a lot of his men milling around outside. No doubt the word had spread that his two cohorts had been taken out, and he wasn’t taking any chances.

  “Let me out here. Go to the corner and wait.” I pulled my skullcap down to just above my eyes and threw the specialty backpack over my shoulder. I’m sure Uncle Sam didn’t intend for his training would be used for this, but what the fuck.

  I kept my six foot four frame dressed in all black to the shadows of the buildings as I made my way to the building next door. The scents and sounds reminded me of my childhood, when Grandpa would bring my brothers and I to his old stomping ground to show us off. Remembering his pride in us, in his family, brought a touch of sadness to my heart. He was gone way too fucking soon.

  I used the specialty scaling rope from my bag to climb up the back side of the building next door to Luigi’s. Since there were literally streetlights on every single corner, not to mention cops here and there; I cat walked across the top of one building to the next.

  I could’ve probably taken the fire escape, but there were too many things that could go wrong if I went that route. So instead, I cut a hole in the door leading from the rooftop, just one big enough to remove the lock. It was quick, fast and made no noise. No muss no fuss.

  I could hear voices coming from behind his door, the sounds of a family getting ready for bed. The kids putting up a fuss because they didn’t wanna, a stressed out mom who was probably that way because her own husband was giving off vibes.

  Any man in the business worth his salt, kept this shit away from his wife. She must only know from the little snippets she heard through the grapevine. Then again ma knows a lot more than she should. That’s because dad liked his balls where they were. It was weird to actually find a smile at a time like this.

  I waited until I heard mother and children’s voices fading as if moving to the other end of the house, before silently making my way down the stairs. I did my trick with the door again and eased into the house.

  He was sitting in his study chain smoking and checking his monitors every other second. He didn’t even know I was there until I stepped out of the corner and into his view after closing and locking the door.

  I put a finger up to my lips for silence as he made to speak. “Who sold us out?” He shook his head from side to side as if to say he didn’t know. I took a quick scan of the papers on his desk and the computer screen, but none of it had anything to do with why I was here.

  “You don’t know?” He kept his eyes on the weapon in my hand as beads of sweat started popping out on his fat face. If he even thought of asking me for mercy I think I would’ve done worst than I’d planned to him. Here was a man who’d killed his own blood for gain. Who’d set off the chain of events that led to grandpa being slaughtered like a dog in the streets.

  His hands were still up when I plunged the knife into his throat. Blood went everywhere as I pulled it out and left it in his heart. He was dead before I even left the room. I could hear the sounds of a mother saying goodnight to her children as I headed back the way I came.

  I was on the street heading back to the car when I heard the first scream. Damn, that is one loud broad.

  Chapter 5

  NATALIE

  I’m in shock. I know that that’s what it is, because we covered it in one of the classes dad made me take last summer. I had all the symptoms: detachment, coldness, and, a feeling of vertigo. I walked around the room he’d ordered me to, without seeing anything.

  I knew I was alive, because I could feel the coolness from the air conditioner, and there was the distant sound of birds tweeting off in the distance. But there was nothing where my heart had been. My mind couldn’t, or wouldn’t process all that happened. Each time it got close, a sense of darkness would play at the edges of my mind.

  I looked towards the bed and without giving my feet the order to move, I found myself there. The last thing I remembered was kicking off my shoes and lying back across the bed.

  GIANNI

  I entered the room where she was fast asleep. I hadn’t given her a thought while I was out doing what I needed to, but as soon as it was over, for some reason she was my first thought. With some of my anger gone, I was able to keep a cool head. I’d left her there alone after the day that she’d had, that was fucked.

  I’ve spent my life protecting others, maybe that’s why she’s playing so heavy on my heart. I’ve seen the effects of death on others, seen grown men collapse into themselves after witnessing less horrors than she had today.

  I still didn’t know what the fuck I was going to do with her. There was no way I could release her, she knew too much. In truth I should’ve killed her along with her dad, the fact that I’d kept her alive told me that I’d already made up my mind whether I knew it or not.

  Standing over her, I took in her beauty, all those curls spread out across the pillow, her slightly tanned skin, and most of all, those lips that were full and enticing, with their natural pinkish tone.

  I had no qualms about fucking her, none whatsoever, the way I felt in that moment, I would’ve awakened her and taken her then and there, knowing that she would put up a fight.

  Something held me back though; some inner emotion that I couldn’t quite identify wouldn’t let me brutalize her to assuage my anger against her old man. She was so fucking gorgeous though, too beautiful to just put a bullet in her head. What a fucking waste.

  I was looking dead at her when those cerulean orbs of hers opened and looked right into mine. I braced myself for her anger and venom. What I wasn’t expecting was the smile that broke out across her face. What in the fuck?

  She stretched her arms above her head with no care for the tight lacy top that rode up around her middle revealing the soft flesh of her belly. What was she doing? I stood back a little from the bed when she put her feet on the floor and shoved them into her shoes.

  She clutched at her head as she made to stand, and I got a feeling in the pit of my gut. I wasn’t sure if what I was thinking was wrong with her was better or worse for her. I waited for her to make the next move, only then will I know if what I suspected was true or not.

  When she’d first clutched her head, I knelt at her feet. “What is it love?” I kept my voice low and non-threatening so as not to spook her.

  “I don’t…are you…?” She looked at her hand and down at mine and I had no idea what she was doing. The answer wasn’t long in coming.

  “Are you my husband? Of course you’re not, you’re too gorgeous.” She laughed a little at that before studying me seriously. “I’m sorry, but I seem to have forgotten who I am.”

  Well fuck.

  Chapter 6

  Two hours later, I still hadn’t decided what to tell her. I’d had the family doctor come and take a look at her. His advice was that she wasn’t suffering physically, but she had amnesia. His suggestion, do not force her memory, let it come to her naturally. The situation to say the least is fucked up.

  I just offed this girl’s dad in front of her, and hours later she’s giving me the sweetest smiles and acting as though we’re lovers. I’m not quite sure about that last, she hasn’t done anything overtly sexual, but there’s a vibe there that I know spells fucking trouble.

  To top it all off, she wasn’t making it easy. I think this might be her natural way, this light, carefree, almost
bubbly personality. But each time she touched my hand, or ran her fingers through my hair, my dick took notice.

  I hadn’t really planned on finding a woman in the middle of this chaos, and the circumstances of our meeting wasn’t conducive to a healthy relationship. And what the fuck am I thinking?

  I’ve never had time for the whole settling down, let’s get serious bullshit. I figured after my stint in the Navy was over, to get ma off my back, I’d find some nice, unassuming type and settle down, have a few kids.

  There’s nothing unassuming about Natalia. “Are you sure I can’t help? I think I know how to do this.” We’re in the kitchen cooking, or more to the point, I’m cooking.

  I put her on a stool at the breakfast bar to sit and watch, or do whatever she feels. “You can watch this time, next time we’ll let you have a go okay?”

  She nodded enthusiastically and popped the carrot stick I passed her, into her mouth.

  We had a nice quiet dinner, well not exactly; she’s a talker. She asked me about a million different things at once, some of them more difficult than others. As the evening wore on, I was becoming more and more drawn under her spell.

  At the back of my mind was a flashing warning sign. Danger, Do Not Enter. But every time she smiled at me with her bright eyes, I felt my resolve weaken more and more.

  “Gianni, I don’t mind not having all my memory back as yet, the doctor says it’ll come in time; but I hate that I don’t remember how we met.” She frowned into her glass of juice and I held my breath waiting.

  For the last forty-five minutes it was like I was in an alternate universe. Gone was the blood and gore of the past twenty-four hours, to be replaced by her laughter and teasing touches. It was hard to hold onto the memory that I’d just killed a man not three hours ago.

  Now here I am, in my family’s kitchen, with a beautiful woman, who, the more that I’m exposed to her, the more I want her, but know I can’t have her. It would be all kinds of fucked up to go there.

  Besides, I can’t go there now; I’ve got shit to do. My family still has one more enemy out there; I don’t have time for pussy.

  “It’ll come to you sweetheart, just give it time.” And that worried the fuck outta me too. The fact that now she’ll have to relive it again. Hopefully I’ll be there when it happens, to shield her as much as I can from the pain.

  I’d sent her to my room when we first arrived earlier, because it was easier to sleep with her next to me to keep an eye on her. Now with this new turn of events I wasn’t sure what the fuck I should do. I’m pretty sure it’s not an act to facilitate her escape, and even if it was, there’s no way she’s getting off the estate.

  She took the question out of my hands when it was time to go up for bed. Shit, I hadn’t thought of clothes and shit for her. I didn’t want to go through mom’s clothes, or one of my sisters’ stuff and find her something. Tomorrow we’ll have to go shopping. But what was I supposed to do tonight?

  In the end, I settled on one of my tee shirts from college. She smelt it and rubbed the softened material against her cheek. There was absolutely no reason for it, but that shit made my cock jump. Strange fucking phenomena. I’m not realty into the sappy, moonlight walks and sweet kisses under the stars bullshit.

  When it comes to fucking, I like it hard, deep and dirty as fuck. Any woman fucking around with me better be able to take the dick. I pride myself on my length and my size; the shit is legendary.

  Almost cost the career of one of the only female CPOs in the navy. She wanted to fuck, I was horny as fuck after being on a job for three weeks in the jungle heat of Central America and I had no attachments elsewhere.

  We fucked for two and a half days straight, it didn’t matter one fuck to me that she was a few years older, she was hot and she was available. At the time, those had been the only requirements. Too bad someone had seen us leaving the hotel together.

  She’d had a time of it talking her way out of that one, but in the end, both our careers were saved. That was the one and only time I’d been that fucking stupid when it came to my career.

  Chapter 7

  “Natalia…” I started to tell her that I’ll take her to another room, but when she turned and looked at me with that enigmatic smile of hers, I caved. She was like an affectionate puppy when she came to bed and attached herself to my side. How the fuck was I supposed to do this shit? A callous prick would just fuck her and be done with it. I wasn’t quite there yet.

  I laid awake for the longest time, after she’d fallen asleep with her head on my chest. Things were coming together; in less than twenty-four hours I’d taken care of the traitors to my family, all except one.

  I’d put a lot of things in motion to seal up any breaches that might have existed after the hit. But a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and until I found the Judas in the midst, I won’t be able to rest easy, won’t be able to bring the others out of hiding yet.

  I was jarred back to the here and now by her soft moans, and her leg moving to cover my lower half. Well fuck! My dick, which seemed to stay hard around her, didn’t need any more encouragement. I tried holding myself still and hoping she’d settle down. She was asleep, thank fuck, but this was torture.

  Her hair smelt like coconut and vanilla, and her body was so soft next to mine. Well not exactly next to. She was practically on top of me at this point. Once she settled down I was able to breathe easy again. We’re gonna have to find other arrangements tomorrow night. I was pretty sure that I wouldn’t be able to go through this shit one more night.

  One more day spent trying to ferret out the culprit, with no results. I’d left Natalia in the care of my old nurse. She was a trusted family member, after years of looking after us kids. When the last of us had outgrown the need for her, she’d been kept on as an assistant for my mom.

  She hadn’t asked any questions, by now she knew that was a no-no. She was also privy to some of the shit that has been going on, and was only too happy to be of help in anyway she could.

  Natalia wouldn’t let me leave without a kiss goodbye, which only complicated my shit farther. Now I’m missing her while I should be concentrating on the shit I was doing. Not only that, but her kisses left me wanting a hell of a lot more than her tongue in my mouth.

  I should’ve known that my penchant for calling her by the Italian derivative of her name was a huge warning sign. I don’t think I’d ever done that shit before. Somehow it felt like I was staking a claim or some shit. For fuck sake Gianni it’s just a name, don’t be such a bitch.

  I headed back to the estate after calling her five or six times in five fucking hours. Between running down leads on who the rat could be, and making sure my family was okay, my mind kept drifting back to her.

  “Gianni, what did I usually do during the day? I feel like I should be doing something.” She had plopped her fine ass down in my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck.

  I wasn’t exactly prepared for all the questions that might crop up, and I wasn’t going to lie to her. Neither did I want to say or do anything that might harm her in some way.

  “You don’t have to do anything babe.” I kissed the lips that she held up to me, feeling guilty; I did notice the guilt wasn’t as bad as the first time she did that. Was she always this affectionate before? That thought, for some reason, pissed me off. It got me thinking abut her life before me.

  Who was she? What kind of girl had she been? And worst of all, had there been a man in her life. That one most of all made my gut burn. The more time I spent with her, the more I wanted.

  “Maybe we should take you shopping.” I remembered that she had no clothes. I’d had to trash the ones she’d been wearing since they were covered in blood. She’s been wearing my old sweats and tees.

  I guess like every other female, she was into that shit because as soon as I said the words she was up and running. “Come on let’s go.” She pulled on my arm until I stood with her, all excited about a shopping trip.

&nb
sp; Chapter 8

  I took her in and out of every designer store they had in the little shopping center. All I knew about the place is that the women in my family shopped there, and it was expensive as hell.

  I had some serious moments of guilt mixed in with pure lust and joy. Had we met under different circumstances, I could’ve gone for her. She was sweet, and affectionate, and she couldn’t seem to keep her hands off me. If not for the specter of her memory returning, I probably would’ve fucked her by now.

  But I’m not exactly an animal; I couldn’t justify taking that kind of advantage of her. Though being locked away in the house, just the two of us, might be asking for trouble.

  I hadn’t told the guys about her condition and had no intentions on doing so. My family knew I had taken her, but that’s all I’d told them. As head of the family my decisions were not to be questioned, just backed by the others.

  With the masterminds behind the hit taken care of, I could do what needed to be done from the estate, at least for the next little while. It shouldn’t take much to shore up the organization since it was already in good standing.

  Grandpa had run a tight ship, but he’d been known for his fairness, and his men had stayed true and loyal over the years; even the offspring of some who’d been with him from the beginning. At least that part of my job was easy.

  After our little shopping marathon I took her to dinner; it was over the antipasti that she really let me know where her head was at. “Gianni, where are my wedding rings?”