Page 32 of Brutal Knight

The day Tatiana had shown up in Vegas, I’d instantly known that she was still mine. That despite our past, we belonged together, and nothing would keep us apart.

And then, Rook entered the scene.

He had a contract controlling most of her life, including who she fucked, but they didn’t even seem to need it. She was devoted, wholly and heartily, to him.

I’d refused to believe it for so long, but there was nothing like evidence punching you in the face to make you confront reality.

But now, tensions between the cartel and the Kings were going to explode, and I didn’t trust Rook to keep her safe in the aftermath.

I would do anything, pay whatever the cost, hurt or kill anyone, to have Tatiana back.

I needed to change things up; we were too embedded in old, destructive, habits.

We lived to hurt each other but, from here on out, we needed to liveforeach other.

I settled in the comfortable leather seat of my Range Rover, ready to wait the long hours of the night. I sat outside a large, Spanish style house that was quiet except for the soft glow of a light in an upstairs room.

My source said that Poppy would be receiving an important visitor tonight.

Poppy was Benny's wife of two years. She was barely legal, only nineteen, but had managed to somehow snag one of the top capos of the old Don’s outfit. She was an active socialite, showing up at parties and the clubs we owned, where she danced and drank like a Kardashian.

But there was more to her than she was often given credit for.

Benny had avoided getting married for over forty years, devoting his whole life to the mafia. He was also known for his cruelty to the women he fucked.

Poppy had actively pursued him and, within only two short months, was flashing a ten carat diamond wedding ring.

The fact that she'd intentionally set out to marry one of the most brutal members of Nero's men said that she was more than the pretty party girl she portrayed herself to be.

A movement up the street caught my attention—a man out jogging, with an unleashed border collie by his side.

My eyebrows furrowed as I scanned the street. It was dark and still, in the kind of neighborhood made up of overpriced mansions, excessive monthly car payments, and neighbors that used the nighttime for sleeping.

Narrowing my focus, I watched intently as the jogger made his way down the street and towards Poppy's house.

As they drew closer, the man paused, still jogging in place, staring up at the house. I could see the sweat running down the side of his face and back. The black and white collie sniffed the air, obediently waiting for his owner.

This neighborhood was enclosed by a wall and had a security guard. Those kinds of things made people feel secure but safety from men like me was only an illusion. I pulled out my Beretta and clicked off the safety.

As if sensing danger, the collie looked in my direction, and began to bark, making the man jump.

He broke out of his trance and turned, looking in my direction. Finger now on the trigger, I held the gun up, aiming right at him over the steering wheel. His eyes roamed the property, trying to figure out why his dog was barking. The windows in my Rover were tinted too dark for him to see me inside.

After a long, drawn out tense moment, he turned away from the house, barking out, "Colbi, hush."

I inhaled a deep breath as the man jogged away, taking his dog with him. Once he was out of sight, I put the safety back on, tucked the gun away, and waited.

Fifteen minutes later, the sound of blaring music preceded the red hot convertible Mercedes, and I groaned in annoyance. Hair blowing about her face, Tatiana drove up the street and jerked to a stop in Poppy's driveway. She didn’t get out right away, but turned up her music and sang loudly.

Clearly, she wasn't bothered to hide her presence.

What the hell was she thinking?Didn’t she know that Benny was number one on our hit list right now? Of course, we'd be watching Poppy's house.

Poppy’s door opened and her face split into a grin as she bounded down the long walkway and towards the car. She was wearing sweatpants, a crop top, and had hair piled in a bun on the top of her head.

At the sight of her, Tati turned off her car and the brief silence was suddenly palpable. It was quickly broken as Poppy gave her a hug and they talked excitedly as they headed into the house.

As soon as the door closed behind them, only confusion and a mute stillness was left in their wake. I sat in the SUV, fuming.

---