Page 42 of Vicious Vows

“I think he wants you to negotiate for him, and maybe I would have considered that because Collins and the rest of your incompetent team left these two assholes behind to get caught.”

“Why would I negotiate for a man who can’t carry out a simple order?” Gian asked. “You’re right. He is incompetent.”

“We agree on something.” I laughed and waved my gun around, then put Gian on speaker before handing it to Milo. “But I have a feeling that you and I think he’s an idiot for two different reasons. You see, you think your men failed the mission, and they did, miserably. It was the worst attempt at a hit I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Gian said.

“Unfortunately, they did hit someone,” I said.

“One of your people, I hope.”

“I’d say she’s one of my people.” I handed Milo the phone so I could press my gun to the lone hitman’s head.

“Oh God,” he whispered as perspiration poured down his face.

“She?” Gian grunted. “Who was shot?”

“Didn’t you think your daughter would accompany me to Miami?” I asked. “Didn’t Collins bother to check to see if she was by my side before he started shooting?”

“Where is Lissia?” Panic rose in his voice. The same horror that ripped through me when I saw her on the ground bleeding out. “Is she okay?”

“Defineokay.”

“Marchello, where is my daughter?”

Making him sweat was a bonus. The sheer terror in his tone gave me great pleasure. He didn’t deserve to know that Lissia would be alright. I wanted to torture him.

“Listen up, old man,” I said. “Your days are numbered.”

“Don’t threaten me.”

“I don’t make threats.”

“Marchello!” Gian shouted. “Is Lissia alive?”

“If she isn’t, it’s your fault.” I wanted him to suffer with the pain of not knowing Lissia’s fate.

I stared into the man’s eyes whose bullet might have been responsible for hurting my girl and pulled the trigger without warning and without regret.

When he fell to my feet with a loud thud, I stepped away. No need to ruin my Italian leather shoes.

I took the phone from Milo and spoke into it.

“I’m coming for you next.”

TEN

Lissia

I lovedMarchello more than I had ever loved anyone or anything, so why was our relationship so complicated? The jarring pain in my hip reminded me that all hell had broken loose before I got the chance to tell him how I felt.

Every time I wanted to confess my love for him, something got in my way. It was usually him who stopped me from baring my soul, but this time all hell had broken loose.

What is that about?

“You’re awake.” Ricardo hurried to the side of my bed with his rosary beads in his hand. “Thank God.”

He made the sign of the cross over his forehead, chest, and shoulders as he mumbled something in Italian. I think he thanked Saint Jude, the patron saint of lost causes.

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