Page 65 of Caruso
“It was a contract killing. We have many enemieswho were intent on settling old scores at our expense. We decided to move away, more for our sanity than anything. Shit wasn’t worth it anymore so we went legitimate.”
I almost spit out my wine. “Legitimate! Are you kidding me?”
He grins. “Old habits die hard and as the enforcer of the family, I kind of missed my craft. Now I put it to good use in punishing the scum who earn my particular brand of justice. It helps keep me sane.”
I grin as he winks before reaching for my hand and dragging me across the table to meet his lips.
“I kind of think you are of the same mind, angel. You have your own demons who remain to be slain.”
I nod, my expression changing from merriment to despair and he strokes my cheek with his thumb and whispers, “I like it when you smile, baby. Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll tear the world apart to deal with what’s troubling you.”
“It’s, um, well…”
I falter, not sure I should come as clean as I like.
“Tell me.” His voice takes on a harder tone causing me to sigh.
“It’s Jason.”
“The guy from your childhood?”
“Yes.”
Impulsively, I kiss him on the lips and then murmur. “He was my only friend. To disappear like that, with no word wasn’t like him. He would have found a way to tell me, to say goodbye and I never believed the story he was killed by Carl in a fight. Nothing adds up andI don’t suppose I will ever rest until I discover exactly what happened to him.”
“Do you love him?”
It obviously pains him to say the words and yet a soft smile lights my face. “Of course I love him. He is the closest thing to family I will ever get. I don’t mean in a sexual kind of love. More in a sibling way than anything. He was older than me so I’m guessing I saw him more like an older brother.”
“We’re older than you.” He points out the fact they have close to fifteen years over me, give or take and I shrug. “It’s different.”
He obviously doesn’t like the subject of our conversation and says gruffly, “If you found him, what would happen then?”
“I don’t know.”
I am lost in the past as I remember back on how good life was with Jason in it.
“I just want to know if he’s okay. I worry about him. More than anything, I hope he escaped and has met a girl and made her his wife. That they have a couple of kids, two dogs, cats and a house in the suburbs. I just want to know he’s okay.”
My lower lip trembles and I wish I could make it go away.
“Taylor! Is that you?”
A guy’s voice jerks my attention and I swing my gaze to the sound as Giorgio pulls away.
“Mr. Gregory.” The blood drains from my face as myunwelcome past – one of them anyway – comes back to bite with a vengeance.
“Giorgio.” He nods respectfully and I note the barbie doll hanging off his arm, pouting in Giorgio’s direction as she adjusts her tits, thrusting them out even further.
“I thought that was you, Taylor”
He turns to the simpering plastic doll beside him and says loudly, “Taylor worked in one of my bars but didn’t quite make the grade. It’s a shame really, she could have gone far but it appears she made good in the end.”
I shrink in my seat, hating what will happen next when Giorgio discovers exactly why I wasn’t able to hold down a steady job there. Damian Gregory runs a series of bars in town where the girls drop their morals as many times as they drop a check. Their catchphrase is ‘will there be anything more, sir’ which usually involves the loan of a room out the back where they blow the guy off, or fuck him several times over.
“Perhaps I should have given her more of a chance. Carried out her induction myself because it appears she has moved on and is attracting a different league of punter.”
My heart lurches as Giorgio reacts, fast and as deadly as a snake. He punches Damian square in the face, busting his nose, before grabbing him and smashing him hard against the wall. There’s an eerie silence as everyone stops to stare as Giorgio smashes his fist repeatedly in Damian’s face, blood spurting from every orifice as his companion looks on with calm interest.
