Page 39 of Assassin's Obsession

Derian adds, "He called you a bitch."

"So have a hundred other people."

"I wouldn't give their names to Death if you want them to keep breathing," Mario says like that's the rational takeaway from this.

"He's not even here!"

"But we are."

There's nothing to say to that undeniable reality.

Watching our exchange like it's a tennis match, Freddy puts his hands up in surrender. "I didn't say nothing."

"So, it wasn't you that suggested your bossthe capocould override Death's order of protection on Candi here?" Derian taunts.

"I didn't mean nothing by that. How was I to know that Death put her off-limits?"

"You hang around the club. I've seen you," I say, not willing to just forgive and forget he wanted to kill me.

"I apologize, Candi. I spoke out of turn, and I never should have grabbed you back there."

I must be sick, because I get a thrill out of Freddy's debasement and abject apology. And I feel nothing but relief the other guy is dead.

Gino would have killed me without blinking an eye.

"That a good enough apology, Ms. Candi?" Derian asks.

I glare at Freddy, not sure it is. He wanted to kill me. Hewould havekilled me. "You had to know who I am when you chased me down."

"I thought Death was done with you. The way you avoided each other after you took him to the backroom. Piper figures you didn't put out and it pissed him off?" He says it like a question.

As if I'm going to tell him my private business.

Mario swears. "The boss isn't going to like hearing people are speculating Candi's not under his protection anymore."

"I don't think that's going to be a problem after tonight," Derian says.

Because of their rescue of me? It does send a pretty strong message.

"Call your boss and tell him Death takes responsibility for the witness."

Something shivers up my spine at those words. What does it mean when a mafia assassintakes responsibility for you? I don't think it means these guys are just going to let me go on my merry way.

Have I jumped straight out of the sizzling frying pan into the gasoline drenched bonfire?

Freddy nods and pulls his cell phone out of his pocket.

"Put it on speaker," Derian orders.

"Yeah no," Freddy shakes his head. "You know it's not safe to use the speaker when talking business."

Mario scoffs, "You weren't worried about being overheard when you were talking about capping Angelo's woman."

Angelo's woman? What the heck is that supposed to mean? His woman who reminds him of someone he wants to protect maybe.

"You're not exactly worried about it yourself."

Derian releases me, but with him and Mario so close, I'm not going anywhere.

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