black tie and the darkest shades in my pocket. To face the mafia, you have to be one and I hate every part of my body that welcomes this suit like an old friend. I don’t do mafia because I am one.
Grabbing my bag, I take one last look in the mirror and set my mood.
As I walk to the courtyard where the car is waiting, I try not to think about what I’m leaving behind. Will I be back? I’ll do my darndest to make it but nothing is certain when you dance with the devil. It’s early for a reason. I don’t want to answer awkward questions when the Reapers wake and see me dressed this way. Some of them know already, but some don’t. The whores know nothing and that’s just how I wanted it to remain. Maverick is a Reaper, created to escape a past that leaves a bitter taste on my tongue. I know Sophia because I walk in her footsteps.
As the driver stows my bag, I hear her approach, her heels clicking on the ground behind me. As I turn, she takes a step back as she sees me properly for the first time. She stares in disbelief at the black SUV waiting for us and I see the bitter realization that she will never be free flood her beautiful face. As she draws near, she stares at me with contempt and says in a cold voice, “You should have told me.”
“Get in the car.”
I’m cold and brutal because to know me she has to see me first hand. I open the door and she heads inside without a look in my direction and as the driver holds the other door open, I join her with a whole load of regret as a passenger. I can’t look at the Rubicon as it disappears from view because it’s where I’m going I need to concentrate on now.
It doesn’t take long before Sophia asks the question I always knew was coming. “Who are you?”
“I’m your protector, your best friend, your lover and your worst nightmare rolled into one.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Yes, it does.”
She makes to speak but I place my finger over her lips and say in a cold voice.
“You asked me what I was hiding from. Your answer sits beside you. The only way you will ever truly understand, is if you see first-hand what that means. I will show you who I am, not tell you. I will prove to you that I was right to hide and you may not like what you discover. The one thing I can assure you is that I have your best interests at heart. I am not doing this for me, it’s all for you, to set you free, at least I hope it is. What you need to understand is that there are no guarantees when you deal with the Romanos. You will see and hear things you will hate and will not pass comment on. You will do everything I tell you even if it tears at your soul and you will not question me. Do I make myself clear?”
She pulls away and nods, looking down at her hands and I hate the wall that has built up between us. I want to tear it down and tell her everything will be alright. I want to hold her in my arms and tell her I’ll take care of her and nothing will ever harm her when she is by my side. But I can’t. I can’t make promises I can’t keep, so it has to be this way—for now. She has to believe that I am ruthless, cold and calculating and she has to witness that first hand. In order to save an angel, I need to break her first and that will be the hardest part of all.
The jet is standing by and as we draw up to the steps, I see the trappings of filthy money. A sleek silver jet with a black interior. It’s always black. Black everything to reflect the dirt we deal with—hell, the dirt we are.
The stewardess waits at the bottom of the steps and smiles respectfully as we embark the aircraft. Sophia is silent beside me and that’s a very good thing. We are not alone.
The usual guards have been sent to escort us and I don’t miss the curious looks in our direction. They nod with a respect I’ve never understood and I ignore every last