Page 49 of Did My Heart Love Till Now?

They twisted their bodies as their eyes tracked me. Joey, Bellagio, and Federico took a few steps back and stood guard. I flickered my eyes to the table. The two men laid the briefcases down in unison, spun them to face me, and flipped them open.

“Toes.” I examined the neatly stacked cash. “Tell me why my father cut your toes off.” I lifted my gaze, cocking my head.

He exhaled a shaky breath.

Smirking, I picked up a bound stack of bills, thumbing through it.

“I was late on a delivery once.”

“Once?” I arched my brow.

“It was four times you prick.” Joey barked from the opposite side of the room before marching over and standing next to me. He folded his arms over the front of his body, scowling.

Toes’ eyes enlarged and he stammered. “O-okay b-but—”

I grinned, lifting a hand. “Calm down.” I picked up another stack of money and fanned through it. The faint aroma of an unidentifiable chemical came from bills. I dropped them in the briefcase and yanked up another stack, running my fingertips over it. Sliding one out, I held it close to my eyes, studying the details carefully. I rolled my fingertips together and smelled them. “We have a bigger problem right now.”

Joey took one of the brief cases and dumped the money out on the table. I took the paper band off the stack and began to examine one of the bills under the hanging cylinder light. The men began to get visibly uncomfortable.

“What's the problem?” Louis snapped. “The money is right there. Every dollar.”

I took a cigarette from the pack inside my jacket pocket and dug my Zippo lighter from my slacks pocket. I lit a cigarette, inhaling it deeply but left my lighter ignited. “That's money, yes.” I twisted the lighter around as I became mesmerized in the flame. A cloud of grey smoke began to seep from my mouth. “But that money isn't real.” I tossed the lighter on the table in the middle of the pile of counterfeit currency. It caught fire instantly, burning up quickly. I marched to the exit, twisting to Federico. “This was anything but routine.” I glanced at Bellagio. “Kill them.”

Just as I stomped out of the room, my phone vibrated. Pinning my cigarette between my lips, I fished my phone from my pocket. An unknown number flashed across my screen.

Yeah?

Are you busy?Nick’s voice murmured on the other end.

Actually, I’m free now and I need to talk to you.

I can meet you whenever because I need to talk to you, too.

Church in an hour. Without saying another word, I hung up and slid my phone back in my pocket.

“Who was that?” Joey queried from behind.

I spun around. “I need you to get me out of here…now.”

“What about Martina?”

BANG!

I blinked my eyes at the pop of the first silenced gunshot. “I will handle that soon but just keep everyone away from her right now.”

He bowed his head. “Okay fine.” He brought his eyes to mine. “Are you going to be safe?”

I nodded.

“It’s so fucking dangerous for you to be alone right now but I’m not going to argue with you anymore. I trust you know what you’re doing. You seem to have changed.”

BANG!

“Hurry.”

“Right.” He nodded quickly as he tugged a pair of keys from his pocket. “Go down that hallway over there and take the grey BMW out back.”

BANG!

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