Page 70 of Dirty Big Sins

Three men I thought I recognized came walking in as if they owned this plane instead of me. They all carried weapons that were drawn and pointed in our direction. My instincts kicked in and I dove in front of Zia, making sure her body was covered by mine.

“Vincent, what the hell?” she screeched, scrambling behind me.

“My sentiments exactly.” I turned my full attention back to the men. “You have about three seconds to get the hell off this plane before I am forced to make you regret this intrusion.”

The words were uttered in deceptive calm as my head was screaming to fight.

“Shut up and sit down.” The man on the far right spoke, but I neither turned nor made a move to do as he’d said.

“We’re here to search this plane,” another said. “I suppose we can do that with you dead or alive. Your choice.”

Everything inside me wanted to go on the attack, but I had Zia to protect and she was currently clinging to my back like a spider monkey.

“The hell you will. And I shouldn’t have to tell you twice to get the fuck off my plane.”

The first man snorted. “What? You going to fire your dick at me when I shoot you?”

Oh great. Big and dumb. I was going to get nowhere with him. I needed to peg which one of these buffoons was supposedly in charge.

With both of us naked and no weapons in hand, we were decidedly at a disadvantage.

“How about you tell me who sent you and what you’re looking for and I will take your request under advisement.”Yeah, right after I ripped a throat out.

“How aboutyougive us the diamonds and we’ll consider letting you live.”

Jesus Christ, not this again. I’d had enough about diamonds that as far as I knew didn’t even exist.

“You boys are chasing a pipe dream. Those diamonds are nothing but a rumor.”

“Diamonds? What diamonds?” Zia whispered at my back.

“The ones your boyfriend smuggled from Italy and failed to give to our boss.”

My patience, what little I had, wore thin. “You boys don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t smuggle shit for your boss or anyone else.”

I’d finally realized where I’d seen these guys before. That day in the gym when Cullotta had visited me with his asinine request to throw my fight. These were his personal security.

“You can go tell Cullotta that he’s come to the wrong man yet again. I don’t work for the organization in any capacity. I take orders from no one.”

“Strong words from my son. I guess we should all back down and listen.”

The three men parted and Romeo strode into the cabin with Cullotta at his back.

Zia gasped, her fingernails digging into the muscles of my back like little sharpened daggers.

“Romeo!”

“Hello, Zia. It’s nice to see you again. I do apologize for the indelicate circumstances.”

“I thought you were dead.”

“That was my intention, dear.”

“But you’re not dead!” Her voice rose several octaves and I could hear the hysteria right along with it.

“It’s not a big deal. Sometimes to get what we want, we have to go to extremes.” He slipped off his suit jacket and strode forward to hand it to her behind my back. “Put this on. I think the world has seen enough from you lately, wouldn’t you say?”

The three men snickered and I wanted to smash their faces for it. Fortunately, Romeo threw them a look and they clammed back up.

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