But I promised her I wouldn’t do it again.
I would keep my promise, but I would definitely revisit the conversation.
I poured myself a drink and let the fire move down my throat and into my belly. Picturing her getting dressed, pulling on the teddy and garters, made my cock press harder into my fly. The sexiest woman I’d ever been with was waiting for me, pulling on the lingerie I chose for her so she could be everything I wanted.
Letting her live was the best decision I’d ever made.
Just as I finished the glass, I heard the sound of the elevator.
It hit the bottom floor and then started to move up again.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my forearm and then slowly walked to the system. It was rising because someone had entered the code into the panel.
The code that only I had.
I’d never told it to Max.
And Vanessa didn’t know what it was. I made sure she didn’t watch me enter the seven-digit pin.
My heart started to pound in my chest because I didn’t understand what was going on. It could just be a malfunction of the elevator and wasn’t caused by any specific event. Maybe there was nothing wrong at all.
But something told me otherwise.
I hit the button to the camera and saw who was standing inside.
Joe Pedretti and four heavily armed men.
Jesus Christ.
The closest gun I had was in my office, which was at the very end of the hallway. All I had near me was knives from the kitchen. I would run down the hall, but the doors were about to open. If they searched for me, they would find Vanessa.
And I knew exactly what Joe would do with Vanessa.
I’d rather die than let that happen.
The doors opened, and the smug look on Joe’s face made my heart fall into my stomach. I didn’t know how they’d tracked me down or even figured out it was me, but maybe I’d underestimated them.
And overestimated myself.
I stood with my arms by my sides, refusing to beg or run. I held Joe’s gaze without a hint of fear, keeping a stoic expression while I figured out what to do. I was outnumbered, and even if I did have a gun, there wasn’t much I could when we were this close to each other.
All four guns were pointed at me.
Joe was the only one who kept his pistol aimed at the ground. “Weren’t expecting me?” He spoke with a heavy Italian accent, his arrogance escaping in his tone. He was in a black suit with a black tie, looking like an important man.
But important men didn’t need to look important.
“If I were, I would have prepared a nice cheese board and some wine.” If this was how I met my end, it wouldn’t be on my knees, and it wouldn’t be with fear. I’d be the shit-talking asshole I’d always been.
Joe’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. “It’s easy to pretend when the adrenaline is going. But once the fear replaces it, I don’t think you’ll be so quick with the jokes.”
“It wasn’t a joke.”
One of his men cocked his gun.
“Ooh…scary,” I said sarcastically. “You must mean business.”
He smacked the butt of the rifle into my face, making me bleed instantly.
I didn’t react at all, not even to wipe the blood away. “That’s not how you use a gun, little man.”
He clenched his jaw then pointed the barrel right at me. “Then let me show you—”
“Hold on.” Joe pressed his gun toward the ground. “I want him on his knees. This is an execution, after all.”
I couldn’t call for backup, and I couldn’t communicate with Vanessa. I hoped they didn’t know she was there with me. I suspected they didn’t because they would have searched for her the second they walked inside. They were under the impression I was alone. They would kill me then leave—and leave my baby alone.
That was the ideal outcome.
I was about to die, but I wasn’t afraid. I knew I would die young. In my line of work, you didn’t live long. Something always came up and bit you in the ass. I’d let my emotion cloud my judgment, and now I was about to die without getting the retribution I wanted in the first place.
It was disappointing.
“On your knees.” Joe nodded to the ground.
“I prefer to stand,” I said sarcastically. “But thanks.”
He nodded to his two men.
They came up behind me then kicked both of my legs until I was forced to the ground. Then they tied my wrists together, keeping my hands secured behind my back so I was helpless. My face would crash into the floor the second the bullet was in my brain. I would bleed out all over my apartment.
That’s how Vanessa would find me.
Two men remained behind me while the other two kept their guns pointed at me.