AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Did you lie on your resume?” I asked, although I wasn’t certain I gave a damn.
“No!” he said sharply then groaned. “Except I served two years in prison for killing a man. I knew you wouldn’t hire me if you found out. Mr. O’Rourke made that disappear.”
“What did he want from you?”
I noticed Francesco was getting antsy.
“Just information about where you lived and what you did in your off time.”
“So you learned about a situation with a friend of mine.”
He snorted. “Madisen? Yeah, I was at the baseball game. I put two and two together when she came to your house.”
The fucker had set me up. “What else does Killian expect?”
“Nothing that I know of.”
He had no clue what he’d gotten himself involved in.
“I’m all Betsy has. Our parents are dead. There’s no one else to care for her two kids and that bastard husband who beat her is behind bars for at least twenty.” The sadness in Zach’s voice should be touching. Unfortunately, I wasn’t into forgiveness. However, without his help Betsy and her two kids would become a statistic.
That was if Killian didn’t erase their lives.
I had a decision to make and it weighed heavily on my mind. After ripping my weapon from my pocket, I shoved him against the door, pressing the barrel into his throat.
“Here’s what we’re gonna do. You have no other options. Killian O’Rourke doesn’t allow any loose ends. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Ya… yes.”
“Good. You’re going to pack up your little family and find a city far removed from LA. How much money did Killian give you for betraying me?”
“Twenty K, but it was a godsend. It won’t last long with Billy’s medical expenses. I can’t just move them out of here.”
Francesco moved closer. “Listen to the man, Zach. Very few men in his position will give a rat a second chance.”
Zach swallowed hard, his body shaking. “Yes, sir.”
“I’ll give you another fifty Gs, but no more. You will never mention my name again to anyone. You will disappear. Do you understand?”
The waning sunlight couldn’t hide his fear or the fact he was grateful. “Yes, sir. I don’t know you.”
“Good. Get out of here by tomorrow morning. Any later and I’ll hear about your dead bodies found on the news.”
I let him go, backing away.
“Thank you, Viper. I really did enjoy being part of the team. I’m so sorry.”
Sorry. Few men bothered to issue an apology even if it was fake.
His wasn’t.
As I walked down the stairs, I realized everything Madisen had reminded me of still stood true.
My conscience was intact, albeit jaded. Maybe I was no longer a good man, but I could control the evil festering inside of me.
I headed for the vehicle, taking a single look at the house.
And at the child who’d appeared on the doorstep, clinging to Zach’s leg.
