“I’ll be right down the hall if you need anything at all. Please don’t try and leave tonight. It isn’t safe.” He pulled his hand away from my hip, and I released the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding as he walked to the door, then looked back. “Goodnight, Cassie.”
He left and shut the door behind him.
I collapsed back into a large easy chair beside a fireplace. I curled up and drank down the wine in several big gulps before leaning my head against the upholstered back. I stared at the ceiling—pure white, perfectly smooth—and tried to make sense of the night.
I’d watched a girl get murdered. She was apparently the daughter of an important man in something called the Ramos Cartel. And the guy who had killed her was the son of a mafia don.
And if they realized I’d witnessed it, they’d kill me.
Realization dawned on me as I finished my wine and set the glass on the floor.
Manzi had seen me.
We’d locked eyes. He’d even thought about turning that gun and finishing me off.
As soon as things calmed down, he’d tell his father that I’d seen what had happened—and then I’d be fair game.
I stood and rushed into the bathroom and puked into the toilet.
It was ugly and disgusting and tears ran down my cheeks. When I was done, I washed out my mouth, found the robe in the closet, got undressed, and pulled it over my body. I stood in front of a floor-length mirror with the robe slightly open and ran my fingers across the jagged scar that bisected my belly from hip to hip.
It was so ugly and still pink after all these years. I’d tried a bunch of different scar medicines to try and make it fade, but nothing ever worked.
It was as vivid and disgusting as the day I’d gotten it.
I pulled the robe closed tight, walked to the door, and locked it.
My mouth tasted like vomit and my head was heavy from the wine. I grabbed my phone, turned out the light, and crawled into the enormous bed.
I had three missed calls and five texts from Winter.
Winter: Where are you??? Was that a gunshot?
Winter: Cassie I’m freaking out that girl’s dead and you’re not responding.
Winter: Um HELLO?
Winter: Cass PLEASE text me back. The cops are here. They’re gonna start searching for you soon. PLEASE TEXT ME.
Winter: I’m flipping out. If that bastard hurt you I’m going to hunt him down and END HIM.
I smiled at the thought of Winter finding Manzi and kicking him in the crotch until he died. She’d probably do it, too.
I typed up a quick text.
Cassie: I’m fine, that Roman guy’s letting me stay at his place, really long story, I’ll tell you tomorrow. I’m totally fine, don’t worry.
She wrote back instantly.
Winter: You’re with who?? That intense hot guy from the party? What the hell is going on?????
Cassie: I’m fine, I swear. Going to sleep. Talk tomorrow.
I turned off my phone and curled up into a tight ball. I stared at the door, imagined it breaking open, imagined Roman walking into the room, pushing me down against the bed, peeling open the robe, looking at my body—and recoiling in disgust at the sight of the ugly scar.
A man like that wouldn’t be interested in damaged goods like me.
I rolled onto my other side and squeezed my eyes shut tight.
4
Roman
“Do you have any idea how complicated your son made things?”
I wanted to scream and curse. I wanted to tell Giatno that he was one of the stupidest dons I’d ever met in my life, and I’d met more than a few bloodthirsty morons. But Giatno was at the bottom of my list, not because he was greedy, or tyrannical, or impulsive—in fact, the man was clever, good with his family’s finances, quick to exploit the weaknesses of his enemy, and all-around ruthless—but because he allowed his spoiled little brat son to do whatever that disease-ridden cock wanted.
And now there was a dead cartel girl.
If she’d been the daughter of the cartel’s big boss, this whole plan would go up in smoke and we’d be at war.
As it stood, things were still tenuous and could slip into violence at any moment.
Unless I got out in front of it.
Control the narrative. Control the situation.
“You don’t know Manzi did that to the girl.”
“If you talk to me like I’m an idiot one more time, I will hang up this phone and make sure your entire family burns.”
He was silent. I paced across my office and paused at the window, staring out at the ocean.
Several doors down, Cassie was tucked into bed.
Gorgeous, sexy, interesting little Cassie.
Distracting Cassie. I scowled out into the night.
“I didn’t mean any disrespect, Roman. It’s only that my son knows what the repercussions of killing a girl like Dia would be.”