Page 86 of The Don's Deadly Assassin

She’s never met me. But this one time, I saw a folder on the Handler’s desk when he was searching for a weapon in Brazil. Her face, leathered from hours under the sun, gleaming beady eyes and thick red curls, wasn’t one I could forget.

She’s staring right at us, her hands in her pockets, and I scan the area around her, never truly looking at her, pretending I never noticed her presence.

I turn back around, whistling and bobbing my head, pretending to jam to the music, trying not to draw attention to myself.

"Vincenzo," I place my arm around his shoulder, bumping my hip against his. He laughs and bends closer, kissing me on my cheek. “An assassin is here. She’s after us."

His eyes remain hooded, and he smiles. He gives me a reassuring squeeze of my hand, knowing that we're being watched, and laughs again.

To my surprise, Vincenzo begins to dance. He takes my hand and turns to face me, his back to the stage. I allow myself to be swept up in the music, moving closer to Vincenzo as we dance and weave through the sea of people.

We twirl and sway, our bodies finding their rhythm together, but all the while, I can't help but feel a creeping sense of dread as Silent Death's gaze follows us from afar.

"Keep going," Vincenzo encourages me, his breath warm on my neck as he pulls me close. "We've got this."

I trust him implicitly and allow him to twirl me in a circle. A sea of faces swarm by my periphery, and I cross the snapshot of the woman with the fiery red curls before he turns me back into my position, my back facing her.

“She’s watching,” I mouth at him.

He leans closer, places his hands on the small of my back, and nuzzles his face into my neck. “Is your earpiece on and functioning?”

“Yes,” I whisper. “Yours?”

“Affirmative.”

I pull back just a little, his hands still on the curve of my ass, and look up at him. His eyes lock into mine and he tilts and bends his head down. For a second, everything - the music, the fragility of our lives - fades away, and I part my lips just as he meets mine. I taste him, his slightly dry lips dusty and wicked - an addiction I don’t want to quit.

But, the song ends. A few people cheer, and we pull away.

Before the next one begins, Vincenzo points towards the stalls and mouths at me. “Beer?”

His eyes fall to the ground. I know what he’s saying. Stay here, and then follow.

I nod, and he touches my shoulder in goodbye before moving through the crowd towards the stalls. I watch him recede and keep my eyes glued to his form to see who might be after him. Nothing.

I bend down, pretending to tie my shoelace, and slowly scan the crowd for her shoes. There. She’s still in the same spot where she stood.

Why isn’t she following Vincenzo?

Perhaps she wishes to do away with me first before exterminating him. I’d cause trouble, wouldn’t I?

Without thinking, I loosen the cap of the water bottle I hold in my hand. I drink it quickly, thirsty and desperate, and it’s over before I know it.

I pretend to look around for a dustbin. Right there, near the stalls where Vincenzo’s heading.

I crush the bottle and follow him towards the stalls. Close, but not close enough to tell him to wait up.

The electric energy of the concert buzzes around me, but I'm focused solely on keeping an eye on both Vincenzo and Silent Death, who trails just a few steps behind me.

For a few seconds, I need to lose her. I keep walking ahead at a leisurely pace until I can find a distraction. I watch as Vincenzo stops near a large bucket of ice near one of the vendors and leans over it, his hand sliding into his pocket.

It takes a split second for him to drop the vial’s contents into the bucket before he leans a little too far, spilling the water all over the concrete floor.

People jump aside, and the vendor yells at him. “Sorry! So sorry!” he apologizes loudly.

“How the hell will we keep our beer cold now?” The vendor screams, drawing a crowd. Vincenzo fumbles with his wallet, looking to compensate. I turn my head to the side, noticing the Silent Death is distracted by Vincenzo.

In that moment, I dart behind a grid-like metal structure and crouch to the ground. The Silent Death turns back, looking to where I had just stood, a brief flicker of confusion coming over her face.

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