AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My lips sought his for a brief instant. I wanted him to know. He needed to feel how much I cared for him. So I showed him without words, kissing him, pulling on his lips with mine. He was warm and real, solid beneath my fingertips.
Finally, I eased back. “I need to go check the bodies and make sure they’re dead.”
“I’ll come with you.”
I shook my head. He would only distract me. “Go find two shovels. We need to bury them.”
Rolling to my feet, I offered him a hand and pulled him upright. He tucked his pistol into his waistband. “Shovels? Dead bodies? Now you’re just trying to make me homesick.”
I laughed.
Unbelievable. We had a farm full of six dead bodies, plus a night of backbreaking work ahead of us to get rid of them. And Giulio could still make me laugh.
“Andiamo, principe. I won’t feel better until they’re dealt with.”
We separated. I slung my rifle over my shoulder and went into the trees. I checked each body, ensured it was dead, then dragged them all to one area. The ground was soft here. It would make for an easier time digging.
Giulio returned with a shovel and a hoe. “It was the best I could do.”
“That works.”
I put my rifle down and took the shovel. We began digging up the dirt.
“Why the fuck did you leave the sheep enclosure?” I asked as I worked.
“Good thing I did, or else you’d be dead.”
“That wasn’t the point. You were supposed to stay there and stay safe.”
“Were you . . . .?” He blew out an irritated breath. “Dai, Alessio. I don’t need you to protect me. I know how to shoot a gun. I’ve killed before.”
I didn’t say anything. I knew all this, but it was about more than just his abilities. It was about the way he affected mine.
“And,” he continued, “you should be glad I didn’t listen to you. I know you’re a big bad assassin, but it’s okay to need help every now and again.”
“Big bad assassin?” I pretended to think about this. “Should I put that on my business card?”
A breathtaking smile spread over his face. “You made a joke, assassino. I’m so proud of you.”
I ducked my head, hoping he wouldn’t notice how pleased I was by this exchange. It was rare for me, this banter. This closeness with another person.
We worked together for a long time. The hole didn’t need to be huge. We only needed to hide these six bodies long enough for us to get off the island.
Sweat poured down our bodies as we carried the dead men into the grave. I saw one of them had a familiar tattoo, and it reminded me of the dialect I’d heard. “These men are Sicilian,” I said through my heavy breathing.
“How do you know?” Giulio wheezed, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.
“I heard one of them speak and I could tell by the accent. Also, that tattoo. It’s Medusa, a part of their flag.”
He straightened and wiped the sweat off his face. “Why would Sicilians come to kill us?”
“Not us. You.”
“How do you know they aren’t targeting you? After some hit that went bad.”
“My hits don’t go bad,” I lied. “And I don’t work with Sicilians.”
“Why not?”
