Page 2 of The Associate

I’m glad she is gone. What I am about to do is not for the faint of heart, and even though the monster will be pleased, the human in me could not cope knowing I have scarred someone to the point that they would need therapy.

I step towards him.

“Where’s Sal’s money?” I ask, gun trained on his head.

No answer.

Another step.

“Well, okay then.” My left hand comes up, and I pull the slide back on my Glock. “You don’t want to talk. You die.”

My finger slowly squeezes the trigger. He takes the opportunity and swings his foot out, clipping mine, sending me flying to the ground. My head hits the tile, the room spinning, and then in a black haze, I lose my vision.

I can feel the weight of someone straddling me, punch after punch connecting with my face. My eyes pop open, and I stare at him. He notices, and for a moment, he freezes before leaning forward and wrapping his hands around my throat.

The pressure isn’t bad at first, but then he squeezes a little tighter. My vision is going fuzzy.I have to stay conscious.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see my Glock, barely.

There would still be a loaded round in the chamber. Without thinking about it too much, I reach over, palm the gun, and lift my hand, still fighting for breath under this asshole choking me. I aim the gun at his head and pull the trigger.

The pressure around my throat disappears instantly, and I gasp for air as his dead body slouches forward before rolling off me.

“Viper! Viper!” Lennox calls.

Why is he so far away?I wonder to myself, and all I remember is seeing Lennox yelling in my face.

Then everything goes black again.

Chapter 1

Mason

Ayellow manila folder is thrown down on the desk in front of me with a thump. “Your target for tonight” are Sal’s only words as he turns and walks out the door.

Normally, I have a little more preparation, but it looks like tonight I am going in blind. I love a good challenge.

Running my fingers over the front of the folder, I curl my thumb underneath and flip it open. Jasper Stephens’s photo stares at me. He owes Murwood over two hundred grand, but he’s always missing payments. He is the main drug runner for the organisation, the guy that everyone goes to for their blow. At the end of every month, he pays us what we are owed, and he keeps any profit. Not every organisation would do it this way, but this is how you keep your runners happy — until they decide to keep it all to themselves; then they end up with me on their ass.

I glance down at the pages spread out in front of me, my eyes scanning over the details. There is just one more piece to fill the puzzle: where is tonight’s playground so I can let the monster run free? My finger follows the words until I land on the… “Damn it.”

It justhadto be the Claymore Gala. I inhale sharply and release an annoyed sigh. I don’t want to deal with all the fake glamour bullshit.

I close the folder, tuck it under my arm, and scoop my keys off the desk. I head outside towards my car: a sexy, jet black ‘65 Mustang.

Time to get this done. The leather seat creaks as I slide into the driver’s side, throwing the folder on the passenger seat. I turn the key in the ignition and feel my baby roar to life.

I speed out of the gates and down the road; it’s dark outside already.Thanks for the late notice, Sal. I’m already late to a party I haven’t been invited to. The story of my life growing up: nobody ever seemed to want me around.

My mother was living the high life when I was young, so she always had a nanny looking after me, never even spending much time in my nursery when I was a baby. Even then, she would only hold me occasionally to keep up appearances with the rest of the mafia families. It’s one of the many reasons that I have nothing to do with her anymore. She lost the privilege of being my mother when she abandoned me after my father died.

He used to be the boss of the organisation, before he was shot by his right-hand man, Stephan. One of the only men he trusted with his life, which is kind of ironic. He had hoped that by taking out my father, he would be able to move up the ranks and be the boss but that’s not how it works around here. We may be ruthless criminals, but we are a giant family — you intentionally hurt one of us, and you have to be prepared to pay the price. Especially when you take out the big man in his own office.

As soon as my father’s funeral ended, my mother ordered the hit on Stephan, taking him out of the game before naming Salvatore De Luca the new boss.

My mother never really cared for the Underbelly lifestyle; she only stayed because she loved the money, so when my father died and she cashed in, she wanted me to run from the only life I knew, to leave Murwood with her. What she didn’t expect was for Sal to take me under his wing and for me to refuse to follow her. Growing up, I idolised Sal; I worshipped the ground he walked on.

Why would I want to leave with this woman when being part of the organisation was the only connection I had to my father? Murwood was the closest thing to a family I have ever known. I wanted to learn the Murwood way: learn about how my father ran Murwood and eventually step into the shoes Sal was currently keeping warm.

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