Page 27 of Savage Hero

“Then he’ll kill her.”

I grip the back of my recliner. I want to argue, but Vito’s right. I can only command those under me, but at least Bryan hears me out. Whether or not he acts on it is a different story.

“Then I’ll have to figure out something else.”

Frustration fizzles inside me, ready to explode into full-blown rage as soon as the weed wears off. I hate things I can’t control—and Nyx is one of them.

I pull her phone out of my pocket. It’s been buzzing every so often, but I’ve ignored it up until now. It’s locked with a pin code I don’t bother trying to guess. Instead, I scan what information is available—a few truncated text messages and seven missed calls. Most of them came from an unknown number, two from Athena, one from Liam. From the messages, I gather people are looking for her. Could be family, could be friends. Who the fuck knows what a hitman gets up to in her spare time when she’s not taking out Capos?

I toss the phone at Vito. He doesn’t even try to catch it and lets out a dramaticoomphwhen the device hits his stomach. “I want to know everything about her. Find out, then report back to me.”

“Sure thing, boss.” But Vito doesn’t make a move to stand.

“Now,” I growl, my hands curling into fists.

“Hey, some of us actually try to get eight hours of sleep a night.” He gives me a wounded look. “It’s been a long day.”

When my glare doesn’t change, he sighs and gets reluctantly to his feet. “Fine,” he grumbles as he heads for the door. Just as he’s about to leave, he pauses and looks over his shoulder at me with narrowed eyes. “I hope it’s fucking worth it.”

“What is?”

“Her golden cunt.”

I snort to myself as he leaves the room.

Golden cunt? Make that a plastic penis.

I shudder.

Chapter Fourteen

Nyx

There’s a loud clang a few yards from my head. I’m on my feet in an instant, still swaying as my body tries to wake up, but my hands are already curled into fists. Until I spot the maid in her little gray-and-white uniform across the room, her head bowed as she bites her lip and waves her hands.

“¡Qué pena!”

“It’s okay,” I tell her, clearing my throat when I realize how rough my voice sounds.

There’s food all over the floor. I don’t know what set her off, but the poor woman is shaking. When I realize my hair’s loose, and my mustache is still stuck against the side of the nightstand, it makes more sense. Also, I’m wearing a tank top that’s pretty much see-through.

“The, uh, other guy just left.” I wave my hand toward the mess she made. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll get it.”

She crosses herself and makes a dash for the bedroom door, but it opens before she can touch the handle. If she hadn’t jumped back when she did, it probably would have slammed into her face.

Probably one of the few times someone in this house could actually say they walked into a door and they wouldn’t be lying.

Savage stands at the threshold of my room. He rakes his gaze over my loose hair, my breasts, my fists. Then he looks at the maid, scrutinizing her just as closely.

“You’re fired,” he says.

“¡Ay Dios!” The maid shakes her head, clapping her hands together like she’s praying to Savage. A string of Spanish follows, and I catch none of it.

Savage watches her performance without a single muscle twitching on his face, and then he reaches down. I expect him to grab her by the hair or something, but instead, he takes her shoulder and urges her onto her feet almost gently.

“You will be compensated,” he says. “But only if you leave right now. Tell no one of this, understand? If you do, I will kill your Aunt Carla while you watch, and then ship Ana and Luis back over the border.”

The maid goes so pale, I doubt she has a single ounce of blood left in her veins. But she nods vigorously, already untying her apron when Savage steps aside to let her out of the room.

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