Page 48 of Hostile Love
“Whereas the Blanco girl, she meansnothingto me,” he continues. “She's a devious bitch getting revenge for something she thinks happened in her past. She’s coming after us and you’re too love struck to see the danger. Pull your head out of your ass, Matheus.”
My veins jump and my temper sparks. Pushing my face into his, I grit my teeth and do my best to control my impulses.
“I’ll tell you this one last time. She’s out of bounds, Tommy, and under my protection. Don’t fuck with her, or?—”
He glares at me. “Or what, Matheus?”
I take a sideways step to give both of us space and drag a hand down my face.
“I’m asking you, as my brother, to step away from this. She’s loyal to me and if you go after her, then you and I will have a big fucking problem,patrón.”
14
DANIELA
Blanco rises from the couch and moves to the fireplace, where he waits for me to reach him.
“Finally. I thought you’d forgotten how to get to our country house. Do you want to explain what the hell is going on, Daniela?”
I stop next to a tan colored armchair, not getting too close. This conversation won’t end well.
“The Souza cartel are turning on each other from the inside. I didn’t get the chance to tell you about my latest mission.” Mindlessly, my lips curl upward. “He was the guy behind the flashlight, Blanco. The final fucker on my hit list. His name was Eduardo and Matheus handed him over as payback for me saving his life.”
Blanco cocks his head. “And Tomás knew about it?”
“It was a pre-approved mission. But…” I sigh heavily, knowing I fucked up by taking my mask off.
Concealing your identity is basic protocol for any professional contract killer who hits a target up close.
“…Eduardo’s nephew figured out my identity. His gang was responsible for kidnapping me. They took me to a Souza distribution warehouse on the outskirts of the city and waited forMatheus to come for me. They’re all dead now, by the way. He showed up and blew the warehouse to shit.”
“Matheus seems to have a soft spot for you.” Blanco chuckles, seemingly pleased with that one observation. “I assume he left for Sicily already?”
“I'm not sure where he went. A fleet of Souza vehicles showed up in the early hours of the morning and extracted him. I’ve no idea where they took him, but after Eduardo’s execution, they’re clearly expecting trouble.”
Blanco’s brows tug together. “Expecting…so you haven't heard the news?”
I frown. “Heard what?”
“There was an assassination attempt. A sicario shot André Souza in his Sicilian mansion.”
My scalp prickles and a kick of nausea flips my stomach.
“Attempt…so he's alive?”
“Last I heard, he had one foot in his father’s crypt.” Blanco wanders over to the liquor cabinet. “Who knows which Souza will be targeted next. Drink?”
“No…” I reply, lost in thought. “What about his wife…Sinéad…and the young girl…India?”
He shrugs. “If Sinéad was dead, we would have heard about it. The young girl isn’t important enough to care about. The only reported hit was André.”
Relief trickles through me, warm and unfamiliar. I focus on the intricate ceiling rose above my head and inwardly curse myself for being concerned.
I can’t help it. Sinéad knew I worked for Blanco, and still, she had welcomed me into her home and gave me her clothes to wear.
As for her husband, the wildest Souza, he didn't barge into Matheus’ room and order me to leave. No one frog marched me outside or shoved me in front of an execution squad.
The Souza power couple gave me a safe place to recover and stood back while Matheus took care of my injuries.
