Shameless - Sybil Bartel Page 0,15
“You had Vincenzo as a client before I came on the scene.”
“My biggest mistake when I started my business,” Luna admitted. “I was hoping I shook him when he severed the contract a few months ago.”
Luna probably would’ve if I hadn’t fucked Vincenzo’s wife. Then maybe her crazy ass wouldn’t have followed me. Then again, if I’d kept it in my pants, I probably would’ve still been there on assignment, racking up a portfolio of transgressions against Vincenzo I wanted no part of. Both were shit outcomes. “You’ll shake him when he’s dead.” A scenario I’d offered Luna a dozen times, and one I could’ve made to look like an accident.
“Let it go,” Luna ordered. “I don’t need an entire crime family after us.”
“Sounds like we already have one.”
“So far, it’s just Antonio. The family didn’t sanction this, which is the only good thing we have going for us right now.”
“Should’ve let me end that prick when I had the chance.” Fuck, I was pissed about this.
“Then we’d be dealing with his brother, Massimo, and you and I both know how that would’ve played out.”
“I wouldn’t have fucked with one of Massimo’s women,” I pointed out. “That paesan is crazy.”
“Exactly,” Luna pointed out. “Head north. Until I know if Vincenzo is somehow tracking you, I’m turning your Escalade’s GPS off. Power down this cell, confiscate hers, use your second burner and follow protocol to contact me when you get there. I’ll let Amherst know we’re moving Summer to a secure location until I can handle this.”
I hated taking a back seat more than I hated getting medically retired. “How long?”
“A week.”
“Luna,” I warned. If I spent a week with this chick, I’d either fuck her or kill her. And I wasn’t fucking a goddamn teenager.
“I know. I’m working on it. I’ll either get Cara to cooperate with the Feds or hand her back to Vincenzo.”
“The latter’s as good as signing her death certificate.” The hassle her crazy ass was causing me, I wasn’t sure if I cared anymore.
“Let me worry about it. Keep Summer safe so we don’t lose another client. Is there anything at your place that someone can use to track you north? Anyone else know about the location?”
“No.” Except some paperwork in my safe in my master closet, which they hopefully wouldn’t find. “But if those fuckers working for Vincenzo break into my place, just giving you a heads-up, I’m not gonna let that slide.”
“I’ll handle it. We’ve already tapped into the security cams at your building. Put me on speaker, and I’ll break the news to Summer. But next time, Jesucristo, don’t fuck a client’s wife in his bed.”
Christ. “He heard that?”
“That and more. Don’t fucking do that shit again,” Luna warned.
“Copy,” I grunted, putting the call back on speaker. “You’re on.”
“Miss Amherst,” Luna said tiredly. “There’s been a change in plans.”
ANDRÉ LUNA’S VOICE CAME THROUGH the small cell phone’s speaker. “Miss Amherst, there’s been a change in plans.”
I glanced at Shade, but he wouldn’t look at me. “What kind of change?”
“For your safety, we are not going to bring you back to Miami at present,” Luna stated matter-of-factly. “You will be going north with Shade to a secure location for up to one week while my firm neutralizes a situation down here, then Shade will bring you back.”
What the hell? “What situation? Is this related to that Cara bitch?”
“It’s imperative that you do not use your cell phone or contact anyone to let them know where you are,” Luna continued, as if I hadn’t spoken. “I’ll be in touch with your father and stepmother to make them aware of the situation.”
My heart started to pound, and my breath came shorter. “I asked, what situation?” I couldn’t spend a week alone with Shade.
Luna paused.
His mouth a tight line, Shade didn’t say a damn word.
“One of you better tell me what the hell is going on, or I’m calling my father right now and telling him you’re holding me against my will.” Not that he would give a damn, if he even took the call.
Shade exhaled and shook his head, but it was André who answered. “You gave Cara Vincenzo your name.”
“What?” Incredulous, I looked at Shade. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“Cara is married to Antonio Vincenzo.” With the lines between his eyebrows creased deep, Shade glanced at me. “The Vincenzo family,” he said, emphasizing the name.
Dread mixed with panic into a thick soup in my throat I couldn’t breathe around. “I