Page 5
“It doesn’t matter who is in the way, just kill the man. And as I said, if the opportunity arises, make him suffer.”
“Heard. Just keep in mind, Alessandro, if Friday really is my only opening, I’m getting your sister. I’m not sure I can get your money back,” I say, wanting him to understand my primary focus. “Money aside, I vow to find a way to make it painful. If it were up to me, I’d torture every last rapist out there.”
A wicked look crosses Alessandro’s face. “Me too, my friend. Me too.”
The thirteenth comes quicker than I anticipated, and unfortunately, I haven’t found a single opportunity to swoop in for a kill. The rumors that The Director is a hard man to find weren’t a lie. If it wasn’t for the secret device embedded under Sienna’s skin, I don’t think it would’ve been possible. At least not this quickly. To ensure I’m still on Sienna’s trail, I check the moving dot on my phone’s map.
Up ahead, Franko’s SUV slows before turning into the parking lot of a renowned upscale restaurant. I’m three cars behind, and I curse as I approach. There are signs stating that this is a private event. With the exception of Franko’s car, there are only a few vehicles in the parking lot as well; employees, if I had to guess.
“Fuck.” I grip the steering wheel tightly. If I were to park here, my car would stand out next to the others. I continue driving, going past the restaurant and down the street. Instead of parking on the road, I circle back around the block and pull into the lot just before The Gilded Cage.
Freeing my phone from its holder, I silence it and switch over to my Bluetooth earpiece before calling Alessandro.
“You can speak freely,” Alessandro says in a casual tone. Despite his calm demeanor, I know he’s fully alert. This is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for.
“Franko and your sister are dining at a place called The Gilded Cage on the East Side. I’m guessing he booked the entire place for their date, judging by the signs and lack of cars in the lot.”
“No shit.” Alessandro snickers. “Finally, some good fucking luck.”
“How so?”
“We own the place. I’m pulling up access to the security cameras now.”
“Well, fuck me.” I chuckle. “That is good luck.”
A grateful sigh comes through the phone. “Okay, we have eyes on my sister and the Director. He only has two men with him. One standing guard, and the other monitoring the area for threats. Franko is either really foolish or incredibly brave to show his face on our turf.”
“That, or I get the impression your sister is even smarter than we realize. Something tells me she picked this place herself and convinced Franko to book it.”
Alessandro laughs softly. “Yeah, that sounds like my Sienna. Too good for the rest of us. Too smart for this family.” Sorrow laces his voice. “One simple mistake, and now this fucker has my baby sister.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get her. By any chance, can you send me the blueprints or layout of the restaurant? I need to know where the security cameras are.”
“Sure, but I can do you one better,” he says. “I can cut the feed. You’ll be free to do what you want.”
I hum in thought. “Are you sure you want to do that? If the power is still on, it might look odd to the police if they decide to investigate. Especially since he is publicly dating your sister, and The Gilded Cage is family-owned. In other words, disabling all the cameras while leaving the power running will appear really fucking suspicious.”
“Yeah, and turning off the power might tip off Franko. It’s fine. I’d rather you were free to do what you want. I’ll handle the fallout. It looks like we only have four people on staff for tonight’s event, and all of them belong to us. I’ll make a call. Just give me five minutes, and the place will be yours.”
“Thanks,” I reply, checking my various weapons on hand and readjusting my tactical vest.
“Oh, and Jericho? I changed my mind. I don’t care if you make it hurt or not. Just kill this fucker.”
A wicked smile crosses my lips. “Sure thing, boss.”
Almost as soon as Alessandro ends the call, my phone pings. I pull up the text and the layout of The Gilded Cage. Adrenaline pumps through my system. My hits are well thought out and executed with precision. It might not be the battlefield I was once used to, and there might not be as many threats, but as soon as I walk into that building, I’m walking into the unknown.
Movement catches my eye, and several staff members quickly make their way out of the building to their cars. They get in quietly and drive off, none of them bothering to look back. How many times have they had to do something similar? Are the employees aware that they work for one of the most dangerous families in the city?
I quickly familiarize myself with the map of the building, including the area around the table where Alessandro noted they were seated. This should be a simple job. All the moving variables will be easily accounted for. The main thing I need to do is keep an eye on The Director and his two goons.
Since all the cameras will be off and not recording, I can skip my balaclava. The mask might not actually impair my cognitive functions, but sometimes it hinders me from concentrating. Not having to worry about witnesses or cameras is freeing.
Despite that, I tug on my leather gloves because I don’t want my fingerprints found at the scene. Making my way out of the car, I scan the building. My current position allows me to be near the back door while keeping the front entrance in sight.
Alessandro calls back, informing me that he has cleared out his staff. He’s about two minutes away and plans on waiting for Sienna out back with his car running.
“Franko’s man just finished observing the back. He’s currently in the restaurant’s lobby. The guy is walking toward the front door, probably headed outside to monitor the front of the building. I’m cutting the rest of the cameras now. Good luck, Jericho… and thank you.”
