Another man found everything hilarious—he was most likely drunk, stumbling all over the place and hitting people on the back, a slight limp made him an easy kill. Probably had a broken kneecap at one point in his life.
I continued watching, memorizing their movements like a musician would memorize music. That’s what it was to me, watching people was an art, it was studying each breath, each step, each slouch. People were easy to read. They were my antelope and I was the lion.
Finally, most of them shuffled in after about two hours of constantly walking in and out of the restaurant. They’d most likely drink red wine, toast to what I’m sure they assumed was a new era for the Campisi family underneath Alfonso. After all, everything fell into place. They scared me into hiding—or so they thought, after threatening me and Mo, and by doing so, secured themselves an invitation with the rest of the American Mafia.
To them, it was finally a homecoming.
To me? It was a really fancy funeral.
Time to go.
I started the car and looked in my rearview mirror.
“Well shit.” I licked my lips and slammed the steering wheel as I watched Mo. She was looking at my car and at the restaurant. My body shook with terror. She had no idea the danger she’d put herself in, or the absolute chaos that would happen if she were caught. Everything Phoenix and I worked for? Gone. Done.
I needed to draw her away from the restaurant.
With another curse I pulled out and started speeding towards my bar.
Mo followed at a fast pace but stayed a few cars back.
The minute I pulled up to the restaurant I peeled around the parking lot and parked out back, dust shot up from my sudden acceleration. Turning off the car with a jerk, I ran around the building and watched as she pulled in and looked around.
“Gotcha.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
If you try to sneak up on a boss… make sure he isn’t aware of it.
Mo
WHERE HAD HE GONE? I licked my lips and leaned over the steering wheel. His car could be parked out back, but that meant he was probably going inside the building.
I could go home.
But facing him sounded like a better idea.
So I swallowed the anxiety building inside of me and reached for the door handle, slowly pushing it open.
Until it was jerked out of my grasp.
And a menacing Tex was filling the space between me and the outside world.
“Have fun on your little stakeout?” he asked calmly.
“Did you?” I retorted.
He leaned his muscled arms against the top of the car and bore down on me. “Oh, I’m about to.”
Before I could move or scream or do anything he jerked me away from the car and tossed me over his shoulder. I tried to reach for my gun but it was impossible with the way he was carrying me.
“Put me down!” I snarled.
Tex ignored me as he waltzed into the noisy bar and carried me through the main area towards the back.
“Everything okay, boss?” The bartender asked.
“Perfect.” Tex’s grip on my body tightened. “I may be a while.”
Oh, hell.
I squirmed against him but it was impossible to move. I needed to wait until he set me down before I reached for anything.
Remembering all the training the guys had given me—specifically Tex, I let my body go limp in his arms.
With a grunt his grip released just as we stepped into a dark room, the door slammed behind us. I kept my body relaxed.
Tex’s grip loosened even more as he set me on the floor, trying to steady me with his hands so I didn’t fall over. I teetered towards him like I was going to pass out, then as fast as I could, I knelt and jerked two blades from each boot.
The lights were off as moonlight filtered through the only tiny window in the corner of the room. I could see Tex’s teeth but nothing else. I backed away and held up the knives.
“Mo.” Tex’s gravelly voice sounded exhausted. “Put the knives down.”
They flickered in the moonlight as he approached until I was almost back against the wall, the only place where the light was shining enough for me to see him and him me.
“You’ll have to take them from me first,” I sneered.
Tex’s solid face cracked into a grin. “Oh sweetheart, I would love nothing more.”
He moved so fast I almost didn’t get out of the way fast enough as his hands came for mine. I fell down to the floor and sliced his jeans with each knife then rolled away. Dust caked my legs and boots.
Cursing, Tex looked down. “Mo, these were my favorite jeans,” he said in a sarcastic tone filled with mock hurt.
“I think I improved the look.”
Tex lunged for me, gripping my hands and jolting one knife free while I held the other in my right. I twisted into him and used all my strength to hit the inside of his ribs. Grunting he stumbled back only enough for me to move a foot before he gripped my leather jacket in his hands. I twisted out of it, and reached for my gun with my left hand.
Tex threw the leather jacket to the ground and smiled. “Fine, you wanna play? You want to beat the shit out of me? Will that make it better, Mo? What the hell can I do that will convince you how much I loathe you?” His eyes flashed. “We don’t exist anymore, Mo. Sorry but that’s the world we live in. You think I wouldn’t hesitate to kill you? You think I care if you hate me? So what? Hate me. So what? Shoot me. But at least make it a fair fight. Drop the gun, drop the knife, we both know I helped train you. Come on, Mo…” The more he taunted the more pissed I became, but I knew what he was doing, egging me on, using that as a tactic to get me to snap and spring at him so he could display my weakness.
Instead, I calmly put the safety back on the gun held it out in front of me and dropped it. It clattered to the ground along with my knife.
“Scared?” I asked holding up my hands.
“Girls with fists terrify me.” Tex bared his teeth in a predatory smile. “Plus I hate tickle fights… you know this.”
“I’ll try to keep your balls attached, but I can’t make any promises, Tex.”
“Aw, can’t have sex with me so you don’t want anyone else to either?”
“Please.” I snorted. “Like you could perform without my help.”
He laughed and took a step toward me, raising his hands in a boxing stance. “Don’t be pissed if I break your nose, Mo, but look on the bright side, you always wanted a nose job, right? Think of it as a step in the right direction… say it with me, plastic surgery.”
“Never mind, the balls go.” I shrugged. “Hope you’re not too attached.”
“Aw, baby, I think you’re the one attached.” He swung lazily in my direction, taunting me as we began dancing around each other.
“It’s cute.” I swung with my left then tried a knee to his ribs, he deflected with his hands, pushing me away.
“What is?”
“You’re attachment to your manhood.” I ducked as he swung at me again and landed a side kick to his right thigh. He winced but said nothing. I knew it hurt.
“Most men are, Mo. Most women are too, but hey, I got no complaints.”
“Wanna hear ‘em now?” I hit with my right fist and tried an upper hook, deflected at every turn, I tried a front kick then spun into a roundhouse.
He gripped my leg and flipped me on my back, hovering over me. “You’re too slow.”
“Am I?” I twisted my legs around his waist and flipped him onto his back, as I landed a blow to his cheek.
His head barely moved as a smile curved across his lips. “So what? I let you beat me and you feel better about being abandoned?”
“Why are you tailing those men?” I punched him again, my knuckles starting to hurt.
He grinned. “I’d die before telling you.”
“So die.” I grit my teeth and landed another blow to his temple before he gripped me by the waist and lifted me into the air, slamming me onto the
cement then pulling me up like I weighed nothing.
“Why can’t you just be a normal girl?” he raged pushing me against the wall, trapping me with his body. “Why can’t you go cry and spend money and drink wine? Throw darts at my face. Why can’t you be normal?”
I tilted my chin towards him and whispered. “You wouldn’t love a normal girl.”
His eyes shifted, his breathing ragged as his warm body pressed me harder against the wall. “I can’t protect you if you keep following me.”
“Who said I need protection?”
“Those men would rape you.” Tex pounded his hand into the wall next to my head. “They would rip you apart limb by limb for as much as breathing their same air, you wanna keep tailing me? Fine, just don’t expect me to be able to save you when they sell your body to the highest bidder.”
Air whooshed out of my lungs. “Alfonso’s men?”
Tex froze.
I quickly did the calculations. “Will they be there Thursday?”
“Mo.” Tex shook his head. “Go home. Go to bed. This is done. I don’t know how else to tell you without freaking losing my mind. We are done.” His voice wavered. “We are nothing.”
I stood on my tiptoes and gripped his face with my hands. “Liar.”
His mouth opened.
And I kissed him.
CHAPTER SIXTY
Kissing the enemy is always a rush. It’s why people do it.
Tex
MY MIND ONLY REGISTERED her kiss; nothing else existed, nothing else mattered. I gripped her elbows with my hands and slid her up the wall. I had nothing left, no control. There was nobody there to stop me, nobody there to tell me what to do.
And that’s when it clicked.
I don’t know how or why.
But by doing things Phoenix’s way, I was still allowing myself to be a puppet. Used in order to put an end to something horrible.
But what if… I moaned as Mo’s grip tightened around my neck, her hands dug into my hair. What if I trusted someone?
What if I trusted her enough?
What if I loved her enough?
“Mo.” I gasped.
“If you say we can’t do that again, I’m shooting you, Tex. I’m dead serious.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it.
“Are you laughing at me? Swear I’ll do it, Campisi.”
“Cool your jets Abandonato.” I set her on her feet and took a step back. The woman wouldn’t stop. I’d done everything I could short of injuring her to get her to understand that we couldn’t be together.
And here she was.
Nixon hadn’t tailed me.
Neither had anyone else.
Mo. Leave it to Mo.
“So.” She crossed her arms. “You ready to tell me why you’re being such a jackass to everyone and going all storm trooper while everyone else is Jedi?”
“Admit it, I’d look like hell in white, Mo.” I leaned back against the table and crossed my arms.
“Ah.” She stepped forward and mimicked my movement, crossing her arms. “So this is about the Family color? No one’s gonna be mad if you wear black, Tex.”
I hung my head, my smile growing to epic proportions. “Yeah, I’ve really been losing sleep over it.”
“Just think… all those sleepless nights, solved by one fight with me.”
“Right.” I swallowed. “Mo Abandonato, the answer to everything.”
My eyes widened at the sudden idea popping into my head.
“What’s up crazy eyes?”
I opened my mouth then closed it. “What if?”
“What if… what? The earth was flat?”
“You’re a genius.” I rushed towards her and grabbed her face, kissing her mouth so hard I felt her wince.
“Huh?” She almost tripped when I released her.
“Make it real.” I laughed out loud. “Well damn, Phoenix, you could have just spelled it out for me.”
“I’m Mo.” She waved in front of me.
“Can Trace and Mil keep a secret?” I asked.
“Yeah.” Her eyes narrowed. “I can too, you know.”
“No secrets from you. Well, I mean one secret, but what I need to know, is this… how good of an actress are you?”
She put her hands on her hips. “I once convinced Nixon I saw dead people, and he believed it for two years.”
“Good girl.” I held out my hand. “Now, I need you to listen very carefully.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
And the lies continue…
Mo
“ARE YOU READY?” Tex asked once we pulled up to the house. It was dark and I knew that Nixon was going to be pissed I’d been out so long. I’d texted him that I’d taken a drive after my run but I knew he was still going to unleash on me.
I popped my knuckles. “Yup, I can do this.”
Tex laughed. “Right, more like you’re going to really enjoy it.”
“That too.” I smiled. “Think of it as payback for breaking my heart.”
“You know.” He nodded. “If we weren’t sworn enemies I’d totally love you.”
“Aw.” I elbowed him hard in the ribs. “I’d still hate you.”
“Fine.” He grinned.
“Fine.” I chewed my lower lip.
With a curse he pulled me into the shadows and kissed me soundly, his mouth dancing with mine like it was meant for me, like he was meant for me. My heart hammered in my chest as he kissed each cheek and then kissed me on the mouth again, his tongue sliding past my lower lip only to retreat as he stepped back. “Yeah, good thing we’re enemies.”
I straightened my leather jacket. “Until the end.”
He held out his hand and enclosed it around mine. “I’ll hate you until the end.”
I nodded. “Try not to cry.”
Wincing, Tex stepped back. “I want to have kids someday, remember that, Mo.”
“Can’t make any promises,” I sang. “Now let’s go.”
I walked in the house, fury etched in my every movement as the door slammed in Tex’s face.
“Mo! Get back here! Now!”
“No!” I roared turning on my heel. “You sick bastard! How could you!”
Silverware clattered to the ground as every head around the dinner table was focused in on us. It seemed even Luca and Frank were visiting for a nice calm normal dinner.
Too bad, so sad.
Tex reached for my arm and pulled me roughly against him, I turned around and slapped his face so hard my hand stung. “Don’t you dare touch me!”
“I’ll touch whatever the hell I want.” He grinned crudely. “You keep forgetting… I could own you if I want.”
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nixon stand.
“Aw, baby.” I angled my head and threw a right hook to his face. He staggered to the side. “You wish.”
Tex rubbed his jaw. “Well now I don’t, hell you never brought that type of violence into the bedroom. I had no idea Mo… I could have totally tied you up—”
I slapped him again.
He gripped my hands. “Do it again, regardless, you’re nothing to me. You, you’re family, in a few days I’ll be a distant memory.”
I smiled sweetly. “Not if I kill you first.”
“I’ll sleep with one eye open.”
“And one finger on the trigger, lover.” I kneed him in the balls for good measure then stormed into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of wine. When Tex was done cursing I slowly made my way to the freezer and pulled out one solid ice cube. “I know it’s kind of big considering what you got down there.” I tossed it at his face. “But try to make it work, Campisi.”
“You’re lucky I don’t shoot you for your disrespect,” he sneered, batting the ice out of the air with his free hand.
“To kill me you’d have to kill Nixon, and Chase, and Sergio, probably Phoenix, definitely Luca, wow, bringing down all the families on yourself. That your big bad plan, Godfather? Make everyone hate you?”
??
?If I have to.” He stood to his full height. “Besides, what’s a few more deaths on my hands after Thursday? Hmm?”
With that he walked out of the room leaving me scowling in his direction.
Nixon was the first to speak. “Mind telling me what that was about?”
“Mind telling me why you didn’t shoot him?” I fired back.
Nixon rolled his eyes. “Shooting Tex wouldn’t help the rage, Mo, plus regardless of how awful he’s being, I kind of need him to live for at least three more days.”
“And after?” I asked.
“We’ll pick straws.” Nixon grinned.
Chase snorted. “Dibs on the short one.”
“You cannot kill him.” Luca slammed his hands onto the table, and stood. “He is the key to everything. You kill him and you sign your own death sentence.”
Frank stared straight ahead, his mind appearing to work a thousand miles a minute.
Phoenix met my gaze, his eyes piercing, knowing. I rolled my eyes at him and gave him the finger. Let the countdown begin.
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
There is no truth, only suspicion.
Phoenix
“YOU DIDN’T FIND that weird?” I asked again. “Not weird at all?”
Sergio took a long sip of his wine and stared out the living room window. “Mo’s always been a passionate girl and Tex, well, he’s coming into his own. After Thursday…”
“You mean after everyone dies…”
“Right.” Sergio shrugged. “Things will fall back into place.”
I rolled my eyes at his back and walked off. He was too calm. If anything, that irritated me even more. He reminded me way too much of Luca, calm, cold, calculating.
I’d officially had enough drama for the evening. With a yawn I made my way to the guest room and stepped inside.
Bee was sitting on my bed reading.
“What the hell are you doing?”
She didn’t look up, just turned the page. “Reading. Why what’s it look like I’m doing?”
“You’re in my bed.”
“It’s Nixon’s house, Nixon’s bed,” she said in a bored tone. “Did you know that Edward’s a vampire!”
Dear God, deliver me. This was my penance for being a bastard, torture by Twilight. Not okay. “You’ve been sheltered entirely too much, who gave you the book?” Name and social security number, if you please. I had someone to murder.