Page 15 of Sinful Addiction
I hold Kirk’s accusing finger in front of his face.“I think it’s time to settle the score.”Forcing his digit down his throat I watch as he chokes on his own appendage.“Go fuck yourself.”I bring the knife to his throat and in one clean sweep he’s dead.
“That was anticlimactic,” I say as I wipe the blood from my hands.I call Xander to tell him the job is done and within thirty minutes the cleanup crew are here to take over.
While we’re in the car on the way back to the hotel, I push back the overpowering need for another line.Any other time I would be right in there to amplify the adrenaline high, but I have more important matters to attend.Like the feisty pixie that has crawled beneath my skin.
She’s the first person since Leona who’s found a home in my unworthy heart.
I wish I could better myself for her and not be the man with uncountable marks against his dark soul.I don’t know where to start if I’m to try.
The car starts slowing as we approach the back of the hotel.I’m out the door before it comes to a complete standstill.I have one place I need to be right now and that’s with my girl.Rushing past the office doors, including Silas’ where Xander will be waiting for me, I head directly toward the elevator to take me to Lacey’s suite.
The ride up is agonizing, and I should have thought about freshening up first.My head’s not thinking straight as the doors open on her floor and I’m welcomed by a dark haze that clouds my vision; more notably, who.
“You won’t find her there.”
“Where the fuck is she then?”I’m being an asshole and Xander knows it.He knowsme.
“Gone.”
“For fucks sake, Alexander, cut the bullshit.Where...Is...She?”The longer I’m not with her the crazier my thoughts become.The fire burning in the pit of my stomach needs to be extinguished and fast before I murder someone else.There’s no time for messing around.
“They went home.”He turns on his heel and walks away from me.Leaving me to deal with the chaos in my head.
“You mean to say Ava took her away from me.Your wife is a meddling bitch who has hated me from the beginning.”
It all happens in slow motion.As soon as the words were out, I knew it was coming.
My punishment.
The hit to my left arm sends me a step or two backward.With my back hitting the wall, I put pressure on the bullet wound with my free hand to quell the searing pain.
“My wife has done more to save your ass in the last year than me.Don’t forget your place, Antonio, and don’t youevertalk about Ava in that tone again.”There’s malice in his words that I’ve never been on the receiving end of.It’s my only warning.
He gets in my face, seething that I disrespected his wife.“The only reason you’re not dead is because I’ve known you a long fucking time.You’re family.You aren’t in your rightful mind.I won’t think twice if it happens again.Now, get that cleaned up.We have business to discuss for our week ahead.”
He straightens, brushes his suit jacket then turns and walks away.
I’m now in my room alone with my thoughts and plotting all the ways I’m going to get Lacey back.What’s more, of all the ways I’m going to punish her for running away from me—again.
Seven
Antonio
Vince removed the bullet and helped bandage me up, now I need to get changed before I make my way downstairs.
I take my time cleaning myself up.I need the time to cool off, as does Xander.I laugh at poor Silas who will now be in his firing line.
Bullet wounds aren’t anything new, but I’ve never had one from Xander.After all these years of threatening me, he finally pulled the trigger.I should count myself lucky, but I was asking for it.He let my girl get on that plane without my knowledge, knowing I’d react this way and he still shot me.Despite all the stick I give Ava, I do care for her.She looks past the man everyone else sees and won’t hesitate calling me out.Bantering with her is easier than admitting I have a soft spot for her.I’d like to say the feeling is mutual on her behalf.There goes another person I need to apologize to.
Maybe I am going soft.
I search for my cell, hoping I can get through to Lacey.It goes straight to voicemail, so I fire off a text message.
Me: You can run, pet, but you can’t hide.I will come for you and when I do, you can guarantee your ass will turn ten shades of red.
Pocketing my phone, I head downstairs to find out what this weeks’ worth of business entails.The last thing I need is more setbacks.
When I enter Silas’s office, it’s empty, yet they can’t have been gone long due to the cigarette smoldering in the ashtray.Xander can find me when he’s ready.