Page 18 of Married to the Mafia Monster

“I told you to stay put,” he says, landing a series of brutal punches, each one echoing down the hallway. I put a hand over my mouth as I watch the brutal beating.

It only stops when the intruder isn’t moving anymore. I watch, frozen in terror, as Alex drags the unconscious man down the corridor and out of sight.

NINE

Alex

I get him into my room, his feet scraping against the carpet as he starts to come round. The bathroom is laid out with plastic sheeting, a grim preparation for what’s to come.

When I saw him down in the bar, I knew what I had to do. Prepped the room ready for this.

The man’s eyes widen with terror as he takes in the scene, realizing he will not leave here alive.

“Who gave you the letter?” I ask, my voice cold and steady as I dump him on the floor.

“What letter?”

I slap him so hard he falls over. “Don’t bullshit me,” I say. “We’re both adults here. I can make it quick or slow. Where’d you get it?”

He trembles, his eyes darting around the room. “I intercepted it.”

“Who’d you kill to get it?”

“Some private dick her dad paid to track her down.”

“What was the plan?”

“I thought she’d read it and work out the code then call her father, but she didn’t so I had to go in. I swear, I wasn’t going to hurt her.”

I study him for a moment, weighing his words. His fear is palpable, but that doesn’t mean he’s telling the whole truth. “You’re sure you don’t know anything else about the letter?”

He nods frantically, his desperation clear. “I swear. That’s all I know.”

I pull out a knife and press it to his eyeball. “You’re sure?”

“God, yes. Look, I’m a hired hand same as you. Russo wanted me to get the intel from her. He had me watching the hotel. When the letter showed up, I was ready. Guy asked at reception desk where to find her.

“I followed him into the bar and watched while he got a drink. Managed to get him out the back. But the fucking thing was written in code. Had to wait until she got back to her room to deliver it. I wasn’t going to kill her. It’s just a job, you know that.”

I slit his throat. “Sure I do.” The man gurgles, his eyes widening in shock as the life fades from them. Blood pools on the plastic sheeting, and I step back, watching his body go limp.

I pull out my phone and dial Ricardo. He answers on the second ring. “This better be good.”

I hesitate for a fraction of a second. “Two dead already.”

“Who?”

“Hired hands. One just now and one who got in her room last night.”

There’s a sharp intake of breath from Ricardo. “Russo’s putting the pressure on. You got anything yet?”

I could tell him about the letter but I don’t. “Nothing yet.”

“Clock’s still ticking.”

“Get a clean up crew here to collect. Room 1207.”

I hang up, crossing to my laptop. I pull up the camera feed. Bella is sitting at her desk, the letter spread out in front of her, a notebook by her side. She’s trying to work out the code, her brow furrowed in concentration.

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