Page 63 of Hostile Rival
And there’s the huge difference between me—an independent, solo sicario, and Giana—the naïve Italian princess. I can easily separate fantasy from reality.
Even though Matheus and I don’t have a future together, after this, thatputacan’t have him either. I’d make sure of it.
André Souza, with his moonless black eyes and rugged looks, cocks his head at me, almost smirking. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, and I don’t care. He lights up a second cigarette, leaving Matheus to smoke the first one.
“Your plan is to walk into the ballroom, find the girl, and slice her up while her people watch?” he asks, disbelievingly.
I nod curtly and swallow. “Do you think I can’t?”
Matheus exhales a smoky breath and grunts from the back of his throat, the carnal sound shooting tingles over my scalp. “I’d put a wager on you winning and happily pay a million dollars to watch you in action again.”
His brother side eyes him. The subtle smirk playing on André’s whiskered lips grows wider. “I see you,cabron. The sexual tension in this elevator is getting me hard.” He scrubs his jaw and lets the back of his head settle on the wall behind him, releasing smoke from his nostrils. “Fuck, I miss my wife.”
Matheus stares at me, not saying a word. I look away, thankful when the doors slide open, and we’re greeted by a group of Souza soldiers.
In the middle, I catch a glimpse of Oistin in his tux, then spot Hunter and Fintan, too. All of them covert in their appearance—the mission’s brief. But now…now they’ll think I’m a Souza pet.
A flicker of sadness creeps into my cold chest. This means my time in The Covenant has come to an end and tomorrow I’d have to disappear.
André bursts out into the hallway first, reaching for his revolver again to stand among his loyal soldiers. Taking one step behind him, a large hand wraps around my wrist, and I stumble into a solid wall of muscle.
Helplessly, I gasp when Matheus’ mouth drops to the side of my face, his liquored breath heating my skin like the rays of sunshine.
“We’re going with my plan. This isn’t an order, it’s a request.” His tone is gritty, the texture rough with crumbling restraint. “Tommy’s getting married soon. I have to ensure my family’s safety. That's the priority.”
I tip into his chest, magnetically drawn to him. When his nose brushes the shell of my ear, I bite my lip to stop a groan slipping out.
“You can do whatever you want with Giana after Tommy’s wedding. This evening, I need you to be patient. Do this for me and I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
I take a steadying breath and force myself to inch backward. “Crow––”
“No.” He cuts in. “This has nothing to do with Buffy and Crow. This is me and you, baby. And I’m making you a Souza promise. I’m not stopping you from getting revenge. I’m just asking you to wait a while. If it helps, I have a present for you and I guarantee you’ll fucking love me for it.”
My heart thuds faster. He doesn’t give me a chance to respond when he drops my wrist, directs his gaze outside of the elevator, and stalks past me, leaving me shaking.
I spin on the balls of my feet, wincing at the slight sting of tiny cuts. The wobble of my tired legs, mixed with the dizziness in my head, immobilizes me. I’d taken on a mob before, but those fuckers just kept coming.
After I’d run out of bullets, I whipped out my favorite blade and when that was knocked out of my grasp, I resorted to wine bottles and then my hands. They were trained in combat too, and I suffered a good few blows myself.
The battering I’d withstood is taking its toll now that my adrenaline is leveling out. Intense pain spreads across my stomach. I suck in sharply, hating what’s left of my energy is draining away.
Even if I refuse to listen to his request, I doubt I’d have the strength to finish the job effectively or to my usual standard. I’m well used to patience and waiting for the right moment to strike.
Rolling back my shoulders, I pad into the hallway and blink away the annoying blobs floating across my eyes. After a few seconds, I focus properly again and frown, not seeing Matheus next to his brother.
I look left and right, my pulse picking up speed, a little panicky.
Where the hell is he?
Suddenly, soldiers move in around me. “What the fuck?” I push and shove, doing my best to break the ring formation. I can’t see shit because all the men are taller than me. “Move out of my way!”
No matter how many of them I shunt into, they don’t release me. “We’re under orders to escort you out of here.” One of the soldiers tells me. “Walk with us. There’s a helicopter on its way.”
I have no other option than to follow my feet as I’m swept along. My heart’s hammering, furious at Matheus for having me surrounded and for carrying out his plan without me.
Moving through a set of imperial doors, overhead chandeliers fracture light everywhere. I squint, my eyes adjusting to the change.
In the hush, my ears prick, recognizing the deep voice of a man who unsettles the ground under my feet. “No one fucks with my people––do you understand me, Nico? You should have known better.”
