Page 77 of Burn this City

“You’ll be the last man standing. People will ask questions. And Sal Rausa won’t need you once it’s over. Do you have anybody in your corner?”

Jack met Spadaro’s black gaze, unable to read anything in those eyes except a razor-sharp, honed attention. “I hope Sal lets me leave.”Hope.But how much did he have to go on? Except for the magnetism, and the attraction, and the mutual respect. He didn’t think Sal Rausa had it in him to have Jack hunted down and murdered, after everything. He’d finally retire and vanish. Best case … hell, it had been so goddamned long since he could even contemplate a best-case scenario. “I’ll see what’s possible. I now have a chance.” He nodded toward Andrea.

A knock on the door.

Spadaro was on her feet and next to the door like a flash, Andrea’s gun drawn. Jack raised a hand and stepped to the door. “Yes?”

“Boss, sorry to disturb, there’s something you should see.”

Jack made sure that whoever was outside wouldn’t be able to catch a glimpse of Andrea on the floor. When he cracked open the door, he blocked as much of the other man’s vision as he could. He noticed that Spadaro had the gun angled and pointed to execute the guy. It was Mauro, in charge of security tonight.

“Yes, Mauro?”

The soldier blinked, either because he hadn’t expected Jack here, or because of the bruises on Jack’s face. “There’s a couple Rausa capos downstairs.”

“What are they doing?”

“Sizing up the place, swaggering around.” Mauro gritted his teeth. “Looks like two capos and four others.”

Open provocation, especially because they were showing up in force and drawing attention to themselves rather than sitting at the bar with a cocktail in hand. But it would distract club security somewhat. Jack found it mildly disturbing how calm and relaxed Spadaro remained, like any other ambush hunter.

Just then, a low groan came from the blonde girl. A scrabbling sound, like fingernails on leather seats.Shit, she’s waking up.

Spadaro left the position by the door. “Oh you like that, don’t you, baby?” she said in her girl voice.

And then in a deeper voice, approximating Andrea’s tone, “Mmmm-mmmh.”

Jesus. We’re all going to die because of badly acted bad porn dialogue.

Mauro raised his eyebrows and tried to sneak a glance past Jack. Nosy bastard.

Jack shrugged as nonchalantly as he could, while his heart tried to escape his rib cage. “We don’t need that kind of shit. Clear the VIP lounge and the upstairs floor. Move the customers to a different bar. No need to draw attention, say there’s an electrical fault or something. Drinks on the house. Do it now. And, Mauro?”

Mauro had been about to turn, but then made eye contact again.

“Get some of our guys out front and visible. No violence, unless they start it. Call me if necessary.”

“Understood.” Mauro set his jaw and turned to leave.

Jack closed the door and suddenly became aware of the metallic tang mixing with stale air and Spadaro’s sweet perfume. Hopefully, that blood smell hadn’t registered with the soldier.

Spadaro cast a glance at the girl, then refocused on Andrea.

“He can’t have bought that,” Jack said. “Christ, what were you thinking?”

“You need to calm down. I gave him what he expected to hear. People run on expectations. It’s our fucking software.”

No point arguing that, not now, not with a killer on a mission, but Jack didn’t want to be here when Mauro doubted what he’d heard, or realized what he’d smelled.

“We should leave through the delivery entrance.” Andrea often liked to duck in and out of the club discreetly, especially when he had girls with him.

Spadaro searched Andrea’s jacket and dropped the Lamborghini’s keys in her clutch, along with the card that opened the back entrance. Then she picked up Andrea’s gun again, checked it, and shrugged. “You should be nowhere near here.”

“I’ll help move the body.”

“I’m stronger than I look.” Spadaro’s lips quirked into a small smile. “The new king next to the warm body of the dead king, it’s bad optics.”

This isn’t a coup,Jack was tempted to say, but of course, the others wouldn’t think that. “What can I do to help?”

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