I take out my gun with its silencer attached and shoot them both in the head. Their deaths happen within seconds. I call my clean-up guy to come deal with the bodies. Part of my job isn’tjust killing people. It’s also cleaning up the messes so the person who hired me doesn’t get caught.
In this case, the couple’s daughter hired me. Given how tragic her story was, I gave her a discount. She didn’t want her parents dead out of greed or pettiness or anger. She wanted them to be gone from this world given the horrific things they did to her.
It’s always a little harder killing innocent people. My one hang up as a hitman. But if the money is good enough, I’m willing to do whatever job you want me to.
I leave the house through the back door. No one will even know I was here. A ghost.
I make it back home to my sturdy, dependable house. It’s not a mansion or anything, even though I could afford more, but it’s home. I don’t want to draw too much attention to myself.
So it’s a surprise when I step foot inside my house and see a man seated at my kitchen table. I have my gun drawn and ready to go within seconds.
The man lifts his hands in surrender. “I’m not here to kill you, Will. I’m here to offer you a job.”
“Who are you?”
He smirks. “Marco Amato. I work for the Mafia.”
Of fucking course. This man screams mafia from his fine suit to his slicked back hair.
“What kind of job?” I ask.
“The kind where you don’t kill for once. I need you to kidnap someone for me.”
“For what purpose?”
“Does it matter?”
“I don’t kidnap kids,” I say. “Or kill them. That’s where I draw my line.”
“Then good thing it’s not a kid I want you to kidnap. It’s a woman. Twenty-one years old. I need you to kidnap her for me and bring her somewhere safe.”
“For…?”
“So I can marry her.”
I blink. “I’ll be honest. It’s a weird fucking plan. But if the pay is good enough.”
He takes an envelope of cash out of his pocket. “A hundred thousand dollars to start should be enough.”
“Who’s the girl?” I ask without hesitation. For that kind of money, I’ll kidnap a hundred women.
“Her name is Gianna Bianchi.”
Chapter Two
Gianna
It’s decided. I will marry Nico Esposito.
“This is wonderful news,” Francesca says, clapping her hands. She stands up from the couch and gives Enzo a hug whereas I remain seated. My entire body feels numb. Married to a stranger. It was what I had been expecting for my life but it’s still surreal.
Enzo returns Francesca’s hug stiffly. “Yes. I thought on it and I agreed. It’s a good match. And Nico promised to keep Gianna safe. Anyone else who can help me do that is a win in my book. Nico will be over later today. He wants to talk with you, Gianna.”
“About what?” I murmur.
“I’m assuming he wants to propose himself. I just wanted to give you a head’s up.” He gently touches my arm. “Are you ok with this? I don’t want to make you do something you’re not ok with.”
“Of course she’s ok with it,” Francesca snaps. “She’s going to be married to Nico Esposito. He’s a good match for her. The perfect one. Gianna was meant for this.”