Page 28 of Tainted Obsession 1
I would die for my friends. Gian and Enzo loathe our boss, Cesare Salerno—a personal vendetta that goes deeper than resentment of his casual cruelty. They’ve made it their mission to overthrow the bastard and take everything he holds dear.
We’ve bided our time for years, and our work here in Mexico is the first clandestine move in our planned coup. Once the three of us control the lucrative new trafficking route into Europe, we’ll have the global connections we needed to take on the boss.We’ll have powerful friends to back us up when the time comes. Then we’ll be kings of our own domain, truly free for the first time in our lives.
It's everything we’ve always dreamed of, going back to those early days of deprivation inLe Vele. It’s taken us over twenty years to get to this point; I won’t mess it up for us now that we’re so close to attaining everything we’ve ever wanted.
My obsession with Evelyn has proven to be a dangerous distraction. But she’s in my power now; I won’t have to worry for her safety anymore. I can keep her close, and I’ll continue our work here in Mexico.
“I trust you,” Gian finally replies. His posture remains relaxed, but his mouth twists in a frown. “But I’m worried for you, Massimo. Enzo’s returning to Italy with me tomorrow. You have to stay here with Duarte while we arrange the payment on our end. We won’t be around to watch your back.”
Shit.I didn’t realize that my friends would be leaving so soon.
It’ll be up to me to play the role of charming Italian guest in order to solidify our alliance with the drug lord, and he’s notorious for his lavish parties. I’ll have to figure out how to navigate the social niceties with one of the most dangerous men in the world while keeping Evelyn close.
“I’ll be fine,” I promise the brothers. “I can handle myself.”
“We know you can,” Enzo agrees. “But this isn’t a situation you can fight your way out of. You almost attacked us over this woman. You can’t lose your shit like that around Duarte’s people. Especially when we won’t be around to help you.”
I offer him a grim nod, acknowledging my fuck-up. My possessiveness when it comes to Evelyn clearly worries my friends, but now that I have her under my control, I feel calmer than when she belonged to Crawford.
I fix Gian with a steady stare. The coup means everything to both of them, but we all know that Gian will be the one totake control of our organization when the time comes. He’s the cleverest of us, and his strategies have gotten us this far. I owe my fealty to him above all others.
“I will do everything in my power to seal this deal with the cartel,” I vow. “We’ve been planning this for years. I won’t fail you now.”
If I have to play the part of affable guest to Duarte’s mercurial host, I’ll do it. Evelyn might try to put up a fuss, but she’s no match for me. She’ll be more amenable once she realizes that I’ll take better care of her than Crawford ever has.
I resolve to lavish her with beautiful clothes and expensive gifts. I’ll prove to her that I can keep her safe and comfortable.
And give her more pleasure than she’s ever known. She won’t want to leave.
I’m not the most subtle man compared to my wickedly smart friends, but I can be persuasive. Charming. Ruthless.
No matter how much she might protest at first, Evelyn will surrender.
Chapter 13
Evelyn
Hot water rains down on my bare skin, washing the dried blood from my side.
Massimo’s blood.
I pump out an excessive amount of body wash from the fixture on the wall and work it into a lather. The soap slicks over my ribs and the curve of my waist, white bubbles turning to pink foam.
My stomach lurches, and I brace my hands against the tiled wall to steady myself. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes to focus on quelling my nausea.
I feel weak and wrung-out from my panic attack. Exhaustion drags at my limbs, but my fear-soaked senses remain on high alert.
A criminal waits in the next room, separated from me only by a flimsy lock on the bathroom door. I’m not foolish enough to think that can keep him out. I noted his intimidating physique when he took off his shirt for the doctor to clean his wound.
He could easily break down the door to get to me.
Despite the heat of the shower, a shiver races over my skin.
No matter what he said about keeping me safe, I know the truth with crystal clarity: I’m Massimo’s captive.
On the night I was kidnapped by the cartel, they’d planned to use me as bait to get to George. Is that Massimo’s intention too?
I want my money.George’s angry words ring through my mind.If I’d tried to save her, they would’ve killed me too.
