Page 51 of Brutal Surrender

Esen walks in and sets down a piece of paper on the bathroom counter. “Here’s that list of Italian mafia, including their family, that have been killed in the past two decades, with a few more names that didn’t make it on the first time.”

I skip the new names and review the old names.

There it is.

Isabella.

Last name: Rossi.

It’s the family I had briefly considered to assist with the East Coast distribution of our omega blockers.

“You remember anything about the Rossi family?” I ask both Ming and Esen.

“The name sounds vaguely familiar,” Ming replies, while Esen shakes his head.

“Pull up their info,” I instruct Esen. “Include pics.”

“Now?”

“Now.”

“On it, Boss.”

After Esen leaves, I finish up shaving.

“She’s a Rossi,” I explain to Ming. “She’s got to be. Though I never ordered a hit on anyone in the family. Why would she think I killed them?”

“You can ask her, now that you think you’ve identified her.”

I think about how my not knowing is the one thing she has on me. If I confront her, I take that away from her.

“I’ll think about it,” I grumble.

Ming regards me studiously. He knows that a few days ago, I would have happily shoved anything at her. The more miserable she was, the better. How could things have taken such a turn?

Maybe it would have been better if she had died from those abortion pills. Then I wouldn’t be in this weird space. I can feel my anger at her transforming, but I prefer the anger over the unsettling emotions taking its place. Anger was straightforward. Now I’m even fucking feeling guilt.

Yang Mi and Charlie are still staying at my estate outside Kingston and await me on the veranda when I arrive.

“Still on the yacht, eh?” Charlie asks as we sit down.

Zara, a female server, takes our drink orders.

“As much as I like the yacht,” Charlie says as he props his feet onto an ottoman, “I can’t stand being surrounded by water all the time. By the way, who’s that staying in the suite on the third floor of your yacht?”

“Just some pussy I’m banging,” I reply.

“Yeah? When did she come aboard? Do I know her?”

“Don’t think so.”

“Have I met her?”

In response, I stare silently at Charlie.

Yang Mi gets the hint and says to Charlie, “You’ve got pussy of your own. Why are you poking into Vincent’s sex life?”

“Just curious, ’cause I noticed Xander standing guard outside,” Charlie says.

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