Page 69 of Witness Protection

Chapter Fourteen

Cayden took a drag from his cigarette, then stretched his arm out the open driver’s side window. He’d been sitting in his parked car for an hour, watching the goings and comings of the house partway down the block.

He’d be paying Oscar Esperanza a visit tonight.

Whether Cayden came out of this dead or alive didn’t matter. But that motherfucker was going to burn in hell tonight for putting a hit on Sophia Morenov.

Once Oscar was pushing daisies, Sophia would be safe, and Cayden could rest in peace.

It was extra dark where he’d parked thanks the broken streetlights near him. He’d handled that yesterday as his plan took shape.

A light turned on upstairs in a house across the road. Someone walked in front of the window, and then darkness returned to the house a couple minutes later. His thoughts drifted to family again. A topic he avoided. He remembered Frank Almeida.

“Do you want to end up in jail? Another junkie no one remembers?”

“Who the fuck would remember me anyway? I have no history. I have nothing, no one.”

Frank shook his head, his brow creasing. “No! You have me. My family is your family, Cayden. I won’t watch you screw up your life.” He squeezed his shoulder. A firm grip. “You’re a good boy. Whether you see it or not, you have untapped potential. I won’t sit back and watch you waste it.”

“Why do you care?”

Cayden had been on a drinking binge, feeling sorry for himself, his twisted past constantly haunting him. He’d only been a few years older than Sophia.

“God believes in second chances. I won’t give up on you.”

He took another deep inhale of his smoke, leaning his head back against the headrest. Where had God been his whole life? Had he forgotten about him, the little Irish bastard? Cayden was forgettable. Something to be used and discarded. The only good things he’d had in his life were gone.

First, Frank and his family.

Now, Sophia.

She’d have her happily ever after, but not with him. Her hero had her now, and he’d give her everything she wanted. It wouldn’t take long for her to forget Cayden. Maybe she already had.

It didn’t matter. Cayden was a nasty piece of shit, and she deserved the world.

In those brief weeks together, the Russian princess had stolen his heart, or fucking pissed on it, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was he’d die for her.

Another car pulled up in Esperanza’s driveway. More trouble. He palmed his duffel bag on the passenger seat. He had a shitload of firepower, and they weren’t expecting him. What fool would kill the man putting up a three-million-dollar bounty? He’d be confident now, and Cayden was about to cut him down to size.

There was no point waiting any longer. He tossed his butt, and stepped out of the car, slinging the bag over his shoulder.

This was it. He almost looked forward to ending his time on this earth.

Sweet relief.

If he stuck around any longer, he’d end up numbing the pain with drugs and alcohol, becoming another waste of space. He had nothing to ground him, nothing he gave a shit about.

Maybe he’d get some points with the man upstairs for putting an end to two notorious kingpins.

Probably not.

He walked down the street, a Glock in his right hand. Cayden was good at one thing—killing. These motherfuckers didn’t know what was coming.

Those words replayed in his head, like a mantra.

The most dangerous man in the world is the one with nothing to lose.

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