Sammy finally lifted his head up as I drank. “I cut the product with Fentanyl.”
“You bloody cunt,” Frank cursed, groaning, then looked at me. “Sir, he’s just a stupid—”
“A stupid kid? He’s twenty. He’s not a kid and if he’s stupid it’s no one else’s fault but his own. Right, Sammy?”
“Yes…sir.”
“See?” I sat, putting my glass down and pulling out my revolver, holding it out to Frank.
He stared at it for the longest time then back at me.
“He degraded my shit to make a quick buck. In doing so nearly thirty people have died in the last month, and now I’ve got people asking questions no one has asked since my mother passed. It’s either you or him,” I replied, and he took the gun, rising to his feet, walking around Savino to stand in front of his nephew, who of course began to cry.
“I told you, you had to be careful.” Frank shook his head, holding it to the boy’s skull.
“Any day now.” I drank, a piece of ice slipping into my mouth.
“Tell mama I’m sorry.” Sammy closed his eyes tightly and…Frank pulled the trigger. Sammy flinched. However, upon realizing he wasn’t dead his head snapped back up to look at his uncle, who was staring at the gun.
“Well, aren’t you lucky,” I said, holding my hand out for the gun. Frank quickly put it back in my hand and when he did I spun it in my palm then fired. “Your uncle not so much.”
“UNCLE!” he hollered, trying to get up from his knees, but Toby held him down. Frank’s body was already on the ground, the bullet going right between his eyes. Placing the gun back at my chest, I leaned back.
“You killed him,” Sammy finally spoke.
“I know. That was the point of the gun. Would you like us to ship his body or his ashes?” I asked Sammy, who was unable to look away from Frank’s body. “He wasn’t such a bad man after all.”
“His body,” he whispered.
“You’re free to go.” Which meant Toby was free to have him dropped off at whatever street corner they got him off. I waited till he was gone before turning toward Mahoney and Savino. “I don’t seem biased, do I?”
“Not at all,” they both said.
Grinning at the enthusiasm, I moved on to more important matters. “Did you know my grandmother wants almost four hundred people at my wedding?”
Savino snickered. “That’s nothing. You should have seen your parents’. People were tripping over themselves trying to get in.”
Irish and Italians. We knew how to drink and fuck a little too well…if our relations got any bigger we’d need to rent a small city.
IVY
My feet were killing me when it was finally over. Entering the guest room, the first thing I did was take them off, tossing them to the side. Hearing the door open and close, I didn’t turn around, and he didn’t come any closer.
I turned back to find Ethan, still perfectly dressed, leaning against the door, his green eyes traveling up my body until they stopped on my breasts and then finally my face. I couldn’t lie. He was…fucking hot. The type of guy you’d see in magazines and secretly wish for a night with. His shoulders were broad, his jawline so sharp I was sure he’d cut someone with it, but weirdly enough, it was his lips that I couldn’t stop staring at. They had felt amazing on mine…gentle and passionate…promising—
Focus, Ivy!
“You’re staring,” I said.
“So are you.”
I was, but I didn’t mean to.
“You disappeared and left me to fend for myself.”
“I wasn’t aware you’d need protection…I highly doubt anyone tonight was any worse than who you met in prison.”
Ugh, he’s annoying! He had a comeback for everything!
“Your kiss was unexpected,” I whispered, reaching for my back zipper when his hands brushed mine away, unzipping the dress for me.
“I have a thing for singers…who knew,” he said softly as I held up the front of my dress.
“And now what is your excuse?”
“My excuse?”
I nodded, staring at the giant bed only a few feet from us. “Entering my room without knocking, unzipping my dress without me asking you to.”
“Your room is my room. This is a guest room…in my house,” he stated, not backing away. “As for the dress…I believed you were struggling and I offered my assistance.”
“Translation…you were hoping I’d just let it drop and you could just take me.”
“Not the worst outcome.”
Annoyed, I turned around and faced him, wishing for a second I didn’t because the way he looked at me made my body hot…I just tried to convince myself it was the fact that I hadn’t willingly felt a man in seven years.
I let the dress drop. His green eyes traced every inch of me before looking me back in the eye.
“I’m here,” I said to him. “All pretty and smooth…but you haven’t earned me yet.”
“Earned you?” He snickered.
“What? Just because I came from prison and you’re the great Ethan Callahan I’d say have at it?” I pushed back. “We’re in a contract. I became a woman suited to be Mrs. Callahan. That’s why I paraded myself in front of all those shitty people and your ex-girlfriend Klarissa.” I waited for him to deny it and when he didn’t I went on. “I was charming, beautiful, and made you look good. I even kissed you back. Before you get anything else, some of my demands should be met.”
“Your hit list? I have a—”
“Michael Deans, Richard Doher, both formerly worked at the prison but retired. Kellyann Heaton was transferred, and one other man who works the third and eight rotations. He has blue eyes and a buzz cut. He started recently. If I knew his name I’d tell you, but I did my best to block out the…” I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply before opening my eyes. “I did my best to block out the ones that were more beast than men. I want them hurt.”
“Just hurt?”
“So hurt nothing can fix them,” I said clearly. “They don’t get to just die.”
He stared me down. “And their families?”
I thought he was joking, but he waited for me to reply.
“I don’t have anything against their families! Just them,” I said quickly.
He reached up and grabbed my chin, lifting my head up to look at my neck again.
“I told you, I was fine.”
“You never said fine. You said you didn’t care.” He frowned.
“Well, I’m saying it now.” I brushed his hands away. I didn’t want him touching me. “And my family should know about us now.”
“First, they are not your family, Ivy.” He reminded me and it stung. “Second, let me worry about that—”
“First, family is always family no matter what they do or say. They are still blood. Second, revenge is the only reason why I am here,” I replied. “So excuse me if I don’t just trust you either.”
“Who are you, Ivy?” he asked, and I wasn’t sure what he meant by it. “You shouldn’t hesitate. Good night.”
“Who are you then?” I called out before he could leave.
“Ethan Antonio Giovanni Callahan, head of the Callahan family and your future husband.”
And just like that he left.
I glanced down at the rock on my finger. My future husband.
Mine.
EIGHT
“For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
~ William Shakespeare