Page 128 of Tangled in Vows

Zeno puts his hand on Marco’s shoulder and squeezes. “My friends here have some questions, and you’ll answer them. Capiche?”

Marco grimaces and mutters something in Italian but nods.

Archer doesn’t hesitate for a second. “Antonio and Ricardo did an unsuccessful hit-and-run for you. Who hired you for that job?”

This information immediately evokes a reaction in Marco. I thought he’d be upset because it was unsuccessful, but he looks anything but. The excited gleam in his eyes is impossible to miss.

You can’t murder him yet. You can’t murder him yet.

Marco steeples his hands in front of his stomach. “Ah yes, I might have heard something about that. The singer, right? I’m afraid I can’t answer that question. Man for hire-client privilege.”

Without warning, Zeno swings his fist and connects with his face. The strike lands with a satisfying crack, calming my anger a small amount.

“Bastardo,” Marco sputters and wipes at his bloody lip. “What was that for?”

Zeno bares his teeth, his jaw twitching like a live wire. “Answer the fucking question while you still can.”

Marco swallows at the barely concealed threat.

After just a few minutes in Marco’s presence, it doesn’t take much to figure out why they threw him out of the Mafia. He clearly isn’t very good at following rules.

Marco takes the handkerchief his lackey is handing him and dabs at his mouth.

What a joke of a man.

He purses his lips in disgust. “It was only supposed to be a scare, in case you were wondering. No kill. Not on this job.”

Archer fidgets next to me, telling me he also heard Marco’s specific wording.

No kill. Not onthisjob.

I also call bullshit on it only being a scare since they emptied several magazines into our vehicles.

I take a step forward, then another, enjoying the fear that slithers into Marco’s gaze, and stop beside Zeno. “Are you telling me there is a hit order out on her?”

Marco shakes his head. “No, I only had that one job for Olivia.”

Just as before, Marco doesn't see the punch coming.

Contrary to Zeno, I don’t stop after just one. The resistance of flesh and bone sends jolts through my arm and up to my shoulder, and I relish every one of them.

A muffled grunt escapes Marco. His head snaps to the side, and blood splatters in big droplets against the floor.

His body follows, and utter chaos breaks out around me. But I trust Archer and Zeno to have my back or alert me otherwise. My main focus remains on Marco. I crouch and sit on his chest, enjoying how his breathing turns shallow.

After delivering a few more punches, and hearing some satisfying crunching noises, I lean close to his face. “In case it wasn’t clear, I’m done with the games. I want you to tell me everything you know about these jobs on Olivia and the person who hired you.”

He doesn’t immediately answer me, so I wrap my bloody hand around his throat and squeeze. “Did I not make myself clear enough?”

He sputters under the pressure and manages to nod, so I ease up on my grip and wait, my pulse roaring in my ears.

“I don’t know who’s behind it, okay? My whole business is built on anonymity and not asking any questions.”

This guy is such an asshole. I want to knock the lights out of him for good.

He wriggles under me, probably trying to see if he can somehow get me off him. He’d be stupid enough to try. When he realizes I’m not going anywhere, he sighs.

“People fill out a form online with all the details and pay there too. That’s it. If there’s any more contact, it’s handled via email.”

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