Charming Killer: A Dark Mafia Romance

The other guard jolted awake. “What?”

The square head guard grunted. “Piss. Gotta go.”

“Lobby. Be quick.” Sleepy leaned back again as the square head called for the elevator.

Once he was on it, I made my move.

Sleepy was nodding off again. I slipped along the outskirts, inching ahead, trying not to make any noise. I reached the stairwell and hesitated. I’d never be able to get in there quietly.

No other option then. I shoved the door open and ran inside. I heard Sleepy jolt awake behind me with a gasping breath as I took the steps two at a time, descending down in a mad rush. If the guard checked the stairs, he didn’t find me. I crashed through the next door, waited ten minutes behind a big, fake potted plant, then called the elevator and took it all the way down.

Chicago at night was cold. I was used to the weather—I grew up in South Bend, Indiana. Lake effect snow and frigid temperatures pummeled everyone in northern Indiana. I pulled my coat tighter as I hurried down the block, heading west. I checked the time and doubled my pace. I was running late.

I found Chika sitting on the stoop of the safe house. She looked bored as I approached and scowled at me from the top.

“You’re late.”

“Got here as fast as I could. Wasn’t easy to sneak out.”

“You managed it.” She tilted her chin up. “His security tight?”

“Could be better, but I’ll deal with that later.” I looked around to make sure we were alone then drifted closer. “How is everything?”

“Quiet,” she said. “Redmond isn’t communicating with us as much as I’d like.”

“I think he’s trying to sideline my people.”

“Does that surprise you?”

“Not at all.” I paced back and forth, hands behind my back. Moving me into the hotel and keeping Chika and James in the safe house was a smart move. He cut me off from my people and made it more difficult to direct my soldiers. I could call and text, but those could be monitored. Meeting in person was the only way to be sure that he couldn’t overhear my plans—and even that wasn’t guaranteed.

I glanced up at the sky like Redmond might had a drone circling the block. Damn Oligarch. He could do it if he wanted. Things were easier when you had more money than a Swiss bank.

Easier, but not always better.

A motion nearby caught my attention. I stopped, tensing, but Chika let out a dramatic breath as James walked toward us, his hands shoved in his pockets. He looked exhausted, his eyes red-ringed, and a chewed-up and half-smoked cigar dangled from his lips. He chewed at the end then pulled it from his mouth.

“I didn’t know you were coming here,” he said with a strange accusatory tone.

“You don’t need to know everything.” I glared at him, daring him to push back.

But he only nodded meekly. “You’re right.”

I deflated somewhat. I was on edge being out here without Redmond knowing. He wanted to control what happened from here on out, but I had my own people and my own power to worry about. I couldn’t let him dictate how things went if I wanted to turn this situation to my advantage.

And I didn’t know if I could trust him yet. He seemed sincere—heck, he introduced me to his family—but that didn’t mean much with the Oligarchs. I needed to gauge how worried I should be.

I turned back to Chika. “What’s the update on Cosima?”

“Nothing new.”

“You haven’t made contact yet?”

James let out a surprised grunt. I shot him a look, but he said nothing.

“Not yet,” Chika said. “I’ve put out feelers, but you know how things are. Speaking with Cosima behind Redmond’s back won’t be simple.”

“Keep trying. She’s going to get killed one way or another, and she might as well work with me if she wants to have any chance at staying alive.”

“Why the hell would you want to save her?” James asked, exploding forward. He waved his hands in the air and I took a step back. That made him stop and gather himself. “I only mean, Cosima’s your enemy.”

“We want the same thing, you’re right,” I said, glaring at him. James was getting too animated for my liking. “But when she realizes she can’t win, she’ll want to cut a deal. I want her to cut that deal with me, and not with Redmond.”

James’s jaw worked but he nodded. “That’s smart.”

“Thank you, I know.” I frowned and cocked my head. “You seem off. What’s going on?”

“I’ve been worried. The security—”

“The security is fine,” I said, waving him off.

“I only mean to say that Redmond’s not good for you.”

I stared at him for several long betas. He’d been getting more and more familiar over the last few weeks, and this was a step too far.

James was a competent lieutenant. I appreciated his fighting abilities and his leadership with the men, but I wouldn’t let him think we were more than colleagues. I paid him for a job, and I didn’t give a damn about him beyond that.