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His hand trails lower, and I suck in a breath when he traces under the ridge of my cockhead. “Perhaps we can negotiate,” he purrs.
It’s definitely a purr. The great Bernardi Lion, purring like a kitten against my throat.
The throat that he could tear open at any moment if I don’t play along.
My hands are just about free, but I’m so intrigued that I stop working for a moment. “What are you offering in return?”
“Perhaps a trade.”
“Hmm,” I say. I glance down at the gun at my stomach. A twitch of the finger and I’ll have a bullet in my gut, followed by a slow and painful death. Slowly, he rubs the barrel up and down my cock. I shiver, my breathing fast and shallow. “Well? What does the Bernardi Lion think I want from him?”
“Let’s stop fooling around. You’ve had your hands free for at least thirty seconds, and you haven’t tried to kill me, so I know you’re interested.” He lets me drop, and I land on my feet like the proverbial cat, rubbing my wrists as I watch him tuck his gun back into the holder at the small of his back. Well, well. Leo Bernardi is simplyfullof surprises. I’m impressed that he didn’t accidentally shoot me during his little display of machismo.
“I’m confused,” I announce. “You want me to kill someone for you. But you still haven’t told me who. And you still haven’t killedme, either.”
He tilts his chin up, and the smirk is gone. “Why does everything have to be so complicated with you? It’s an offer of alliance. Take it or leave it.”
As far as I remember, I’ve never spoken to Leo Bernardi before. I’ve seen him, noted his tattoos, but never heard his voice. Down at the port the other night, we never exchanged a word.
But Ishouldhave known him by his scent, surely. It’s unmistakable. Hot leather, sweat, a hint of bourbon…
“The blood,” I exclaim, almost to myself.
“Huh?”
That’swhy I didn’t pick up on it down at the docks. He was covered in blood, and although I thought I caught something familiar, it was drowned out by the sweetness of hemoglobin.
Now, though…now I know him. There isn’t a single drop of blood anywhere on Leo Bernardi tonight. His hands are clean. And his skin looks softer than I remember. Not as rough, somehow. But maybe that’s because he’s not wearing the mask anymore.
“Is this offer coming from you?” I ask.
“No. The offer comes from Don Bernardi himself. I’m only his messenger.” A little bitterness there. Interesting. Leo goes on, “He’s offering you an alliance with the Bernardi Family, if you remove a target for us.”
“If that’s the case, I’d rather hear it from him, Leo. No offense meant, of course. You’re a lovely little messenger. But I want to hear this from the king’s lips.”
“Why don’t you go home and think about it. And while you do, remember this: I filmed this session. I don’t think your brother—hell, your Family—would be all that happy to see you getting eaten out by a Bernardi.”
I put my hands on my hips. “You’reblackmailingme? And here I thought you were making me an offer like a gentleman, Leo.”
“I hear blackmail is a tacticyoulike, Castellani. Not so cute when you’re on the other side, huh?”
I sigh. “Well, I see you’ve thought of simplyeverything. But again—if this is a serious offer, I want to hear it from your father, not from you.”
He steps away to the table and begins to pack up his equipment. “Prove yourself first,” he says over his shoulder. “Prove yourself to my father, by helping me out on a few jobs. And after that, he’ll be happy to meet you…and helpyouout.”
I stare at him. “Help me out with what?”
“Backup. Allies. Whatever you want. Whatever you need.”
“Why on earth would I need backup or allies?”
“You want the crown, don’t you?” It’s not really a question. It’s a statement, a statement said with a derogatory sneer and an awful lot of hatred behind it.
“Of course I do, Leo,” I tell him after a moment. “Who wouldn’t?”
“Then you have your answer about who the target is,” he says with a shrug, and keeps packing up his gear. “And when you do it, we’ll be there to help you out. Understand?”
Yes. I understand perfectly well.
