Page 43 of My Merciless Don

I shrugged as nonchalantly as I could. “Shit happens.”

He barked with laughter, shaking his head in disbelief. “Are you fucking serious? Shit happens? That's what you're gonna tell me?”

“I hope you didn't come here expecting an apology.”

“No. I am actually not stupid.”

“So why are you here? Are you going to kill me?”

He huffed cynically. “Why would I do that?”

“Like you said, I stole from you.”

“And will killing you pay back my money?” he cocked both eyebrows at me.

I just stared at him, contemplating for the first time the possibility that he might have something diabolical planned for me. I flipped a glance at the bodyguard. “So why is he pointing a gun at me?”

“Go back to the car, John.” He said, not missing a beat, or taking his eyes off me. I returned his gaze boldly. Two can play that game. I did hear the driver's footsteps walking away and relaxed slightly.

I thought about what would happen if I just took off.

“Don't even think about running away.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. “Reading minds now?”

He laughed cynically, “You don't have as much of a poker face as you think you do.”

I crossed my arms, jutted my hip out, and gave him a coy look. “What am I thinking now?”

“You're thinking that you can flirt your way out of this.”

It was my turn to laugh cynically. “You think so? Guess you haven't been paying attention. I learned on the first day that that strategy doesn't work on you.”

His mouth twisted. “Is that what you think? You're wrong. It worked very well. I just didn't let it distract me.”

My eyes widened in shock. Never in a million years would I have expected him to admit that. I grinned, “So… you like me?”

He threw back his head and laughed, “I definitely enjoy you.”

“Pun intended?” I was enjoying myself a bit too much. My cheekbones ached from how much I was smiling.

“All entendres apply.”

There was a movement at the window, and I suddenly remembered why I was here, and why talking to Marco like this was not a good idea. “Well, if you're not going to kill me, I'm gonna go.” I began to back away from him.

His brow furrowed and he looked upset. I could relate. I felt quite upset at the thought of going away from him. But I also knew that I needed to run before he changed his mind about killing me, or maybe alerting the rest of the Cosa Nostra as to my whereabouts. I quickened my footsteps, eyes flicking to the other side of the road, where the soldier was sitting in the car, waiting to see if he would point his gun at me.

“Wait!” Marco called from behind me.

Idiot that I was, I actually stopped. “What?” I asked irritably.

“You want answers to your questions about Amy? I know where you can get them.”

I froze with indecision, half turned to my right, to face him, my left leg stretched out ready to take off. Which one should I do? Go or stay?

I sighed in defeat turning to face him, “Where? And what's the catch?”

He held his hand up to me, “I'll take you there. The catch is you have to come with me.”

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