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“Kill my husband first.”
It’ll be a miracle if I don’t pass out on the spot. “Readers are going to eat this up with a spoon,” I gasp, breathless with excitement.
Theo’s laughter is carried away by the wind. “And why would we do that? Why would you even want us to?”
“Because every day I’ve spent married to him is more miserable than the day before. Ever since I was forced—”
“Sure. Forced,” Theo scoffs.
“I was,” she almost shouts, and now the gun is aimed at his heart again. “I didn’t want to marry Derek. And he doesn’t want to be married to me. He only wants to be married to Matteo Terrentino’s daughter. It’s all a charade to blend our families.”
“That sounds plausible to me,” I muse softly.
“With Dad gone,” she continues, her lip curling in a sneer, “Derek would have the green light to take over the entire business. I am not going to let that happen. Besides . . .”
For the first time since she stepped out of the car, she shows a sliver of vulnerability, her chin quivering before she stiffens it. “His fear of what will happen if he hurts me is the only thing keeping him in line. He knows he might as well say goodbye to his balls if Dad ever saw a single mark on me. If you take Dad out of the picture, there wouldn’t be anything to stop him.”
Theo’s fists curl at his sides. “He’s threatened you?”
“He doesn’t need to. I know he hates me. I’ve seen his violence, and I know he screws around,” she adds with a bitter laugh. “Not like I care. He could leave and never come back and I wouldn’t shed a tear. So that’s my condition. Take it or leave it.”
Theo looks toward Adrian. The two of them have a silent conversation before Adrian nods. “Done,” Theo announces.
“I swear,” I whisper, one hand over my chest, “I should be taking notes.”
Sophia tips her head to the side, her face screwing up in an expression of disbelief. “Are you for real?”
“You get used to it,” Theo tells her, waving a hand. “Now, if you’ll do me the favor of lowering that gun, we can discuss specifics.”
Slowly she does as he asks until she finally places it back in her purse. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until now, when the chances of a bullet whizzing through the air have dropped. I mean, I’m not going to fool myself into thinking the possibility no longer exists, but it’s a lot less likely.
Sophia gives us a quick rundown of Derek’s habits and where he hangs around. This is going to be easier than I thought.
“You know what?” Something close to a playful smile moves across her face. “Let’s see if your skills have rusted any since you ran off. I told you what I need you to do. You know how to get in touch with me when it’s over, so I can fulfill my end of the bargain.”
Theo’s mouth twists into a smirk before he nods slowly. “Fair enough. You’ll be hearing from me.”
If I didn’t know the kind of reaction I would get, I would tell the two of them to rent a room. Instead, I have to settle for wishing I was half as cool as the woman who gets behind the wheel of the Mercedes and peels off dramatically in a cloud of dust.
I am at least going to have to dedicate my next book to her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Adrian
“Remember, this is business. We can’t afford to get personal in there.”
Theo can nod his head all he wants at my warning. It’s the firm set of his jaw that tells me he’s not listening.
“I’m serious,” I urge while the two of us drive to the strip club where Sophia told us we’re most likely to find our target. It’s one of the Castillo family’s many clubs. Entertainment and pleasure are their claims to fame, and they’re known for providing customers with whatever they desire. They’re also known for being some of the shadiest, slimiest motherfuckers to walk the earth. This is no high-end establishment we’re heading to, in other words. More like the sort of place where you might want to use hand sanitizer. A lot of it.
“I know what I’m doing.” Theo runs his hands along the steering wheel of his rented truck. I can’t remember the last time I saw him like this. If a random stranger gave him the wrong look right now, he’d run them down without thinking twice.
“I’m sure you do.” I’m sure he doesn’t. But that’s what he needs to tell himself.
“Leave it up to me, right?” He parks in a random garage two blocks over from our destination before we step out into the fresh night air, which I hope clears his head a little.
I wonder what June is going through back at the hotel. Knowing her, she’s driving herself crazy, coming up with countless blood-soaked scenarios. I didn’t leave her with a gun this time, mostly because now I’ve seen her terrible aim firsthand. She’s as safe at the hotel as she would be anywhere else. I hope.
