Page 138 of Brutal Legacy

“It’s fine, it’s not my car, and besides, we’re here.”

The car stopped, and I sat up with a groan. The door opened, and a smell flooded into the car, recognizable even over the stench of vomit.

The scent of warm earth and olive groves. Fig trees and night jasmine. It was a smell I hadn’t thought I’d ever inhale again.

It flooded my head and sent me back in time.

“Out you get, Mrs. Santori,” the deep voice continued.

Yes, that was right. I’d forgotten about the man. The dark shadow of a man who had injected me with something.

Massimo.

Toni helped me out of the car, and I yanked my arm from her grip.

“Don’t help me. I don’t need your help,” I snapped at her.

Her face was pained as she followed behind us. I straightened my spine, wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and spit on the ground just beside Massimo’s booted feet.

His mouth pulled into a smirk. “I like fire, Mrs. Santori, but save it for the Ravellis. This is nothing personal. Your husband is just a name on a contract for me, and you are just the method of attracting his attention.”

“Wow, your sense of honor is impressive. What a man,” I murmured, my eyes challenging him. Why exactly I was pissing him off, I had no idea, but I just couldn’t go easy.

He chuckled and turned away, unfazed.

“Let’s go. They’re waiting. Once you hand over Bellisario’s daughter, you’ve made good on your agreement. They’ll let Sara go.”

Toni flinched. “Do you promise?”

Massimo nodded. “I am a man of my word, always. You know that, Specter.”

Specter?

We walked across gravel. Toni was at my side.

“Who is Sara?” I asked her.

She hesitated then sighed. “My wife… well, not officially. My — partner. I’d never hurt the boss… never… but then he kidnapped Sara.” She shot a furious glare at Massimo walking behind us.

“Why’d he call you Specter?”

“It was my call sign.”

“You served together?”

Toni sighed again and nodded. My mind worked furiously over what the hell the implications of that were, considering that Elio also knew Toni from the military.

“Sara – she’s pregnant. We’ve tried IVF for years and it’s not stuck, but now,” she shot me an agonized glance, “it’s twins.”

Fuck.

“Don’t worry. They don’t want to hurt you. They just want to force your father into silence,” Toni said.

I scoffed. “How do you think they’re going to do that?”

Toni was quiet.

“Enough chitchat,” Massimo grunted from behind us.

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