Page 2 of The Beast of London & His Pet

I threw Nero the tape and he caught it in one hand. He taped up her mouth, but when he turned to face me, his face was bright red and he looked like he was having an aneurysm. She wouldn't make a good prostitute with that mouth. Francesca continued her tirade through the gag and tape. The pretty ones werealwayscrazy.

Armando and Silvio had their hands over their mouths in an attempt to hide their mirth.

“Please, let me be the one to shoot her,” Nero said. “I swear I will take care of the clean up. No one would know what took place in this office.”

She paused at his words before throwing herself back on the couch and kicking at Nero. I’d had enough of her attitude and stood up with my gun in hand. She glanced at the weapon before she stared at my face as I approached her. I took the safety off the gun and pressed it on her forehead.

“I will ask you some questions and depending on the answers I may let you live. Do you understand?”

“Don’t do it, boss. She can't control herself, just shoot her now and be done with it. I have a headache coming on,” Nero said.

“I want to hear what she has to say for herself,” Silvio said with Armando piping up in agreement.

My eyes remained on her but her jacket had been pulled to the side and it was difficult not to look at her shapely breasts since her green top was so tight. She wore tight-fitting black jeans with matching long heeled boots.

“What cologne do you wear, Nero?” Armando asked. “Asking for a friend.”

“Fuck off,” Nero said with the petulance of a child.

“I’m waiting for an answer, Ms Nardini,” I said, tapping the gun on her forehead, enjoying hitting some part of the irritating woman.

She nodded her head and I ripped the tape off her face before pulling my wet hankie out of her mouth.

“Son of a—” she began to say but slapped a hand on her mouth.

“Do you know who I am?” I asked.

“The illegitimate love child of King Charles?” she asked dryly.

“Kill her!” Nero shouted from behind me.

“No, don't,” Armando snapped back at him with a frown. “I can't wait to tell the family about this.”

Armando was my cousin and my second. I had no doubt he would tell my mother about this incident. Minus the gun, of course.

“I am Alessio Caruso,” I said.

“And?” she said with sarcasm, but her eyes were panicked as she looked around.

“Kill her,” Nero said repeating his mantra.

My hand twitched as temptation kicked in.

“I believe my street name is the Beast of London,” I said tracing the gun over her cheek before I placed it under her chin.

Finally, the fear kicked into her eyes. I didn't know if it was my name or the gun that affected her nor did I care.

“I don't want your brains all over my walls, but I’m sorely tempted to put up with the blood, brain matter and bone fragments because you're testing my patience.”

“I will clean it up,” Nero implored. “No one will find her body, ever.”

Her eyes flashed to Nero, and she opened her mouth to say something, but she wisely shut it again.

“Now, let’s start again,” I said, waving for a chair.

Chapter 2

Francesca

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