Hook (A Hitman's Bait 2)

“That’s for the best. We need to regroup. At least we have one thing to be thankful for.”

“What’s that?”

“The Grimaldos still have no idea about what happened to Ivan that night. If we had them to deal with on top of everything else, we would be in serious trouble.”

“Let’s hope it stays that way.” I placed my hand on the door handle. “In the meantime, we need to find the asshole who fed us intel about Palmer for tonight. I want to know why he lied about the guards.”

“On it.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow. Better yet, take the day off and do something else other than work. I promised to take Kit to Kitty Krave.”

“Just don’t bring back another pussycat, Sullivan. Having one is enough.”

I actually had two, but I wasn’t in the mood to explain about Kit.

“I’m not adopting another cat.” I climbed out of the car.

“Until Kit begs you to. Admit it, Sully. That boy calls the shots.”

I shrugged. “You’re right. I’ll let him get away with most things. Now I need a very stiff drink before calling Pinelli to let him know we don’t have the body.”

“Good luck.”

I watched Liam drive away until he rounded the corner. Then I entered the house and activated the alarm. I poured myself a glass of scotch and threw it back, embracing the burn on the way down. With the liquid warming my insides, I punched in Pinelli’s phone number.

“Tell me you have good news for me, Sullivan.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “There’s good news and bad news.”

“Start with the bad.”

“I don’t have the body.”

“I need that body, Sullivan.”

“I’ll see what I can find out about the morgue they will deliver his body to and arrange for it to go missing. Will that do?”

“You killed him, then?”

“That’s the good news.”

“I suppose that’s better than nothing. You get that body from the morgue, Sullivan. I promised a very dear friend of mine Palmer’s body, and it won’t look good if I don’t deliver.”

What in the world had Palmer been involved in that Pinelli had wanted him dead? None of Pinelli’s associates were good. Including me.

How could Kit stand these blood-stained hands all over his body?

“I’m on it.”

“Don’t disappoint me again, Sullivan.”

He hung up, and I swore under my breath. Fucking prick. No way in hell was I renewing my contract with him after my time with him was up next month. He could offer me his entire operation, which stretched from North and South America all the way back to Italy, and it wouldn’t change my mind.

I climbed the stairs and stopped to pet Cin, who sat on one of the perches we’d added all over the house for her. She was becoming one spoiled kitten, but I couldn’t blame it all on Kit. I bought as much stuff for her as Kit did.

Our bedroom was empty, but water was running in the bathroom. I shucked my clothes off, grabbed the nearly empty bottle of lube, and walked in. The glass door of the shower was fogged up, obscuring my view of Kit.

I threw my clothes into the hamper and opened the door. Kit stood under the downpour from the rainfall shower. I took in my fill of him, with his head tilted back and his eyes closed, the water rushing down his slender body. His skin was smooth all over, with tight muscles in all the right places.