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“Mr. Caruso, so kind of you to invite me to your home? To what do I owe the pleasure?” His voice is calm. His posture is not. He is on edge. He has good reason to be. There are five of us in the room all armed to the teeth.
“Ronan, welcome. It's about Elena.”
The man's face instantly changes. “What's wrong? What happened to her?” The sincerity in his voice is evident.
“Nothing. At least nothing that we know of.”
“What is that supposed to mean? You’re her father? Shouldn't you know?”
“She told you?” I can’t disguise my surprise.
“Violet told me. It’s why I agreed to help her all those years ago. Her car had died on the side of the road. She had been trying to make it to the hospital. One of your men had attacked her in her home and she had run as quick as she could. The stress caused her to go into labor.” He pauses and moves to the window. “Pregnant and alone on the side of the road.” His eyes go blank as though he can see the memory before him.
“You were there?” I already know the answer. The question slips out anyway.
“I helped her deliver Elena and wrapped her in my jacket.” Multiple emotions shimmer in his eyes. He cares for them. Both of them.
“What is your relationship with Violet?” Bosco looks tense again as he speaks. Actually he looks ready to throw a fist at Ronan.
“Relax Don.” He says taking a step back. “Violet is a friend. I love her but not in that way. Elena on the other hand, she is the closest thing I will ever have to a daughter.” His face turns down. “Not that she willingly lets me. She holds everyone at a distance. Even me.”
Fuck. If she holds him at a distance how helpful is he going to be?
“Yes, we’ve seen how un-trusting she can be.”
“Wouldn’t you be?” It’s clear Ronan holds a grudge against Bosco. He doesn’t know him personally. His opinion is derived from the words and feelings of Violet and Elena. “Her mother and her have been running for their lives for two decades. Elena has never known stability. Her mother did her best but…” Ronan pauses. His eyes turn to me. Does he know of my relationship with Elena? That I am contracted to marry her. His eyes don’t give away the answer. “Elena has scars. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. She may never trust you.” He breaks eyes contact with me. “Any of you.”
The fire in me that died from my lack of sleep is building again. “I can't just leave her out on the streets. She's pissed off the Cartel and if she keeps up this vigilante shit then I fear she might piss of the Russians or Irish as well.”
Ronan laughs. He fucking laughs. “You underestimate Elena.”
“I don't know her well enough yet not to.”
“And you think I do?” The laughter is still in his eyes.
“I think you trained her. So you might be able to find her.”
“Perhaps.” He says with a shrug.
“What will it take?” Asks Bosco.
I’m not sure I like the smile that crosses his face.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Elena
THE HIT-MAN, EDWARD“Sharp” Johnson, is three feet in front of me. He doesn’t know I’m here. The knife in my hand is warm against my skin. Dried with the blood of six men, it hasn’t left my hand all day. Three more are strapped to my thigh. I’ve got a gun in the back of my pants.
I won’t use it. Not unless I have to. These men have fucked with my life for too long. I need to feel their blood on my hands. I need to feel the thrum of their pulse as their heart beats them dry.
This asshole is going down. He hadn’t been able to be recalled before Santo died. He was a contract killer. Paid in advance to not stop until either the target was dead, or he was. Santo had been reckless and led me to him. Old bastard should have learned to wipe his hard-drive. Suppose I shouldn’t be too mad. I now get to check this one off my list quicker than I thought.
Over the last two days I had been setting a trail of breadcrumbs for him to find me that led to my "Safe House". It was an abandoned house on the outskirts of town. I didn’t want any innocent people harmed. I also didn’t want to be interrupted.
This man needed to be put down. First, I needed info. I needed to know that no one else was coming for us. Then I could move on. Only a handful of top brass of the Cartel remained in town and they were scared. Scared men made mistakes. Mistakes got you killed.
After that I could leave town. My mother had my dad and her family. She wouldn't be lonely anymore and she wouldn't need to run.
