could mine, I'd be afraid of him.
Socci reached behind him and opened the door with a brisk nod in my direction. I returned the acknowledgment with a jerk of my head and walked through the door with my hands in my coat pockets.
Enzio was sitting behind his desk, his face hidden behind a book. It didn't hide his hair, though. It was black, streaked with silver strands that gave away his age. He didn't acknowledge my presence until I was sitting down, my hands removed from my pockets and resting on my lap. “Carlo.”
“Boss.” I inclined my head in his direction.
He shut his book and lay it on his desk. His hands, rough, like mine, came together in front of his body, touching only at the fingertips. He looked at me then. His eyes were such a dark brown they verged on being black, and if you didn't know the man, they were black.
Soulless.
They were the eyes of a dangerous man.
“I have a job for you.”
“I'm ready for it.”
“That's it,” he said, his voice flat. “I don't know if you are.”
“Why don't you tell me and let me be the judge of it?”
He stared at me. The air sizzled with tension, and I knew that if I were anyone else, I'd have felt his fist against my jaw for that. “My wife and daughter,” he said slowly, watching my expression.
I fought to keep it blank. “Are dead, Boss.”
“Are not dead.” His correction was swift, and his words dripped with ice. “They never were dead, I believe.”
My heart clenched painfully. The rumors were true. “I don't understand.”
“Alexandria and Adriana are alive and living in Los Angeles. I believe, but I cannot prove, that the Pontarelli family has been protecting them.”
“So punish the Pontarellis.” Every word stung. Fuck.
“They're useful allies to have. Keep an eye on activity south of the border. Stop those fuckin' cartels getting too big for their cheap-ass britches.” He smirked. “But my wife and my daughter are alive. This puts me in a bad position, Carlo.”
I didn't respond. He didn't want me to. I could see the thoughts organizing themselves behind his eyes as he stood.
“There are people, inside and outside, of this family, who believe they are dead. They need to continue believing that, or we will go to war with them. I'm unwilling to do that.” The drawer squeaked as he pulled it open and removed a handgun. He set it on his desk, next to the book. Slowly, oh so fucking slowly, he slid it across the desk toward me.
My eyes followed its path. It was a Colt M1911, .45ACP. It wasn't my favorite means of killing, but if that was the weapon the Boss wanted... I reached forward and grasped the handle, keeping my finger clear of the trigger, and stared at it. When I glanced back up, two bullets lay on the desk next to a silencer. I stared at the gold cases that wrapped around the deadly shots before looking up and meeting Enzio's questioning gaze.
He shut the drawer then leaned forward, his hands flat on the desk. His eyes, if possible, went even colder, darker... There was no humanity in them as they bore into mine with intensity. “Your job is to kill Alexandria and Adriana Romano. One shot each. Take care of them.”
I took a deep breath. My mind was buzzing. It was going crazy with the rumors and the confirmation, the thoughts blocking out all emotion.
The gun felt ten times heavier. It was like holding a ton of granite in my palm.
And Enzio was right.
I wasn't ready.
I put the gun on the desk, aware of Enzio's calculating gaze scrutinizing my every move. I opened my coat, then reached forward for the silencer and the bullets. I tucked them into the inner pocket on my right side, then picked up the 1911 and checked the magazine. It was empty, so I snapped it back into place.
Then tucked it into the pocket on the left side of my coat.
And stood.
Enzio's lips curved into a dark smirk. “There's a plane waiting for you. You'll be flying to Nevada and will be taken care of from there. You have three days to come back with your task complete, or you'll join them in their fate.”
I held his gaze to tell him I understood. I didn't trust myself to speak. If I spoke, I knew I'd say something I'd regret, so I turned and walked out of his office without another word.
As I slid