Devil You Hate (The Diavolo Crime Family 1)

Mic, of course, takes the lead, his mouth open like a fish out of water. “She was passed out on her bed like we were told she would be. Except when Archy went to grab her, she woke up and started to fight.” He pulls down the neck of his shirt, revealing a set of claw marks across his skin. “She’s a hellcat, if you ask me. I had to knock her out so we could get out of there before she started screaming.”

I shift my eyes to Archy. “And you? What’s your excuse?”

His gaze shoots to Mic and then back to me. Obviously, not the brains of the operation here. “I just carried her, Boss. Promise.”

“Promise,” I whisper.

Soo presses the Eagle into the palm of my hand behind my back. Once I have hold of it, he shifts down the hallway. No doubt to get the cleanup crew ready to take care of these dickheads.

I bring the gun out and press it to my temple as if I am figuring out a problem. “So how did she get that bruise on her thigh? Is one of you not getting laid enough at home and need to put hands on what’s mine?” My voice remains calm, but inside, everything roils to waste these idiots.

Mic, suddenly realizing they are in a lot more trouble than he thought, raises his hands up in surrender. “We didn’t know she was yours, Boss. Honest. Archy just wanted to see what she was hiding under her nightgown.”

I glance back at Archy, who stares at Mic like he just got himself killed. To be fair, he did. “I’m sorry, she just… she looked so soft. All I did was touch her a little bit.”

I bring the gun down in front of me with a nod, like visions of their imminent death aren’t pinging around in my head. Call me a monster, but I even give them a grin to set them at ease. “Her skin does look soft. It’s because she’s a pampered princess.”

Both men smile back, nodding, thinking maybe, just maybe, they’ll walk out of here alive.

I continue, “I hear she’s a virgin. I bet that sweet little pussy is going to be so good when I claim it.”

Mic shifts back, his smile placating. The smile of a man praying to keep on breathing. Archy, the goddamned idiot, only grins wider and nods.

“Did you look at it?” I question Archy. “Check it out for me? Is she clean-shaven?”

Archy swallows, his grin turning lecherous. “I couldn’t see because of her panties. Mic wouldn’t let me take them off her.”

Back to the brains of the operation who slowly shifts away from his friend, too stupid to realize he’s gone from the lion’s gaze to his mouth.

I lean in and nod conspiratorially. “I don’t know about you, but I like a little hair down there. Makes me feel like I’m fucking a woman and not a child.”

Archy shrugs. “Don’t care as long as the hole is wet.”

Oh, he seems the type to not give a shit. While I don’t give a shit what my possessions want or don’t want when it comes to their bodies, I do care about some trash gangster nobody putting his eyes, and worse, his hands on what’s mine. The boiling anger in my gut rises, and I let it level to the surface, finally allowing them to see the predator beneath the mask.

I wrap my arm around his neck and squeeze him to me, his head underneath my chin as I whisper down to him. “No one, and I mean, not a single soul, touches what’s mine. Period.”

I press the gun to his temple and pull the trigger, smiling at the splatter of brain matter and blood that coats my face, the wall, and his twitching dead body.

Once he hits the floor, I turn to Mic, who has already made a run for it down the hall. He doesn’t get past Soo, though, who holds him on his knees where he’s caught.

“I’m sorry, Nicolo. Please, please let me live. I have children, and a wife. They need me.” Mic begs tirelessly for his life. There’s no point. I’ve already decided to kill him.

I crouch down in front of him. “You should have chosen your partner better, Mic. You should have known who you were working for and ensured her safety while in your care.”

He continues to beg, and I glance up at Soo, who is staring over my head and down the hallway.

The woman is standing in the doorway, leaning out, eyes wide as she takes in the carnage. When her gaze reaches mine, I lock eyes with her, raise the gun to Mic’s head, and pull the trigger. Soo releases him to the floor while I stand and hand him back the gun. He’ll clean it and bring it back to me later.