Page 22 of His Captive
“D-did I really hear you put a hit out on someone?” she whispers, her eyes flickering with unease.
“No, you heard me talking about a hit with someone,” I answer truthfully. “I’m more the hands-on type. Not to say I haven’t used a hitman before. I certainly have, but it’s never my first option. Do you want to know who the hit is on?”
I shouldn’t open up like this, but I just don’t give a fuck anymore. Everything I’ve worked so hard to build is coming down like a house of cards. All because my brother doesn’t like the fact I was born first. That I’m the rightful heir to the Morandi family throne. I didn’t choose my destiny. But apparently my brother thinks he can choose his. The only option is for Morandi blood to be spilled—but I’m not the one making that choice.
“I don’t think… I don’t know,” she says, shaking her head. “Do they deserve it?”
“A lot of people probably think so,” I say wryly. “I’m inclined to agree with them. The target is a miserable wretch with more poison in his body than blood. He hasn’t felt like he was alive in a really long time. Until recently.”
Lea’s eyes reflect a flicker of confusion. She tilts her head inquisitively, so I decide to continue.
“The hit is on me,bambina,” I sigh. “I’mthe target.”
“W-wait, what?” Her eyes get wide. “You? But you were asking if he got the money! What? I don’t understand.”
I’ve come this far. Told her things that would get me a bullet in my head, if she talked to the wrong people. But there’s already one of those with my name on it. She won’t be foolish enough to talk about anything I share after I put the fear of God in her. She had that before I took her over my knee.
“My little brother put a hit out on me,” I explain, reaching for my wine and taking a sip. “At the end of the week, when I get in my car to leave the resort, a hitman is supposed to walk up to my window, and make sure the only thing that makes it home to Las Vegas is a corpse.”
“Oh, my god!” Lea’s hand flies to her mouth. “Your brother?”
“Emilio. The fucking asshole,” I growl. “My father has been talking about retirement for a long time. It might actually happen this time around. Who knows. I guess my brother thinks the old man is finally serious, and Emilio wants to make sure he’s the next in line. I’m just in the way of his ambition.”
“How did you find out?” she asks, her hand trembling when she picks up her wine for another drink.
“Hitmen aren’t the most loyal people to do business with. The one Emilio chose is one of the best, but he’s as greedy as my brother. He thought I’d pay more to stay alive than my brother would pay to kill me,” I chuckle, shrugging my shoulders. “He called me less than an hour after he got off the phone with Emilio.”
“So, you’re going to stop the hitman?” she asks, her words still uneasy. “You’re going to kill your brother, instead?”
“I thought about it,” I admit. “But in order to do it therightway, I’d have to bring this to my old man. I’d have to get his permission to kill Emilio. My father won’t give it. No fucking way. He’ll want to try and talk some sense into my brother. Try to salvage this. But we’re way past that. Once I started looking into things, I realized my brother has a lot of alliances. Guys who will side with him, if everything goes to shit. It’ll be a civil war. There won’t be anything left of my family worth saving by the time it’s over.”
“Then what are you doing to do?” There’s a hint of panic in her voice now.
“Nothing,” I sigh, downing what is left of my wine. “Absolutely nothing.”
Lea seems stunned to silence. Or maybe she’s just processing it. But it takes a different turn than I expect. The confused, apprehensive look gives way to one of despair.
“What? No! You can’t just let him kill you!” she protests.
“Why do you care?” I chuckle. “You didn’t even want to have dinner with me. Now I’m holding you in my penthouse against your will, and I’m sure your butt is still burning from the spanking I gave you.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I want you todie!” she says frantically, shaking her head. “Wait, this is just a ploy, right? It’s a plan? Make them think you’re dead, and then you’re going to run away to Italy or somewhere?”
“Nah, faking my death isn’t really my style,” I answer. “I will not tear my family apart, plain and simple. I have too much respect for what we’ve built. And admittedly, I haven’t been much of a leader in a while. Not since my wife died and I got my revenge. It just left a hole—a hole that got filled up with malice and poison. My brother is ambitious and greedy, but I’m sure he thinks that the Morandi family would be better off with him in charge after my father retires. Maybe he’s right. Either way, I won’t be around to see what happens after he takes over. If he fucks everything up, that’s on him. I’ve made my peace with it.”
“Massimo…” she whispers, blinking as more tears glisten in her eyes. I’ve seen her cry enough for one night, and I damn sure don’t want to watch her cry over me. I’m a miserable wretch who doesn’t deserve it.
“You’re not going to change my mind,bambina,” I say, standing up and sighing. “No reason to waste your breath. I’m going to bed. I’ve got some business to take care of tomorrow morning. Resort business, nothing crazy. I’ll be back in time for breakfast.”
She tries to say something, but I don’t acknowledge it. I walk into my room and close the door. Lea’s phone, along with mine, and everything else in my pockets, goes into the safe. I strip to my boxers and get into bed. I wait until I see the lights go off in the main part of the penthouse before I lean over and turn off the lamp. Lea is the last thing on my mind when I close my eyes. I already know what I’m going to dream about.
No nightmares tonight.
It’s going to be the best dream I’ve had in years.
CHAPTER 10
Lea
