Becoming the Hitman (Zanetti Famiglia Book 5) Read online

  “Your new outfit is sexy, cuoricino,” he purrs.

  My new outfit, as he calls it, is a pair of leggings and a tunic. It isn’t sexy, though it does show my shape nicely, but it is far from sexy. Clearing my throat, I shake my head once.

  “Renzo,” I warn.

  He chuckles, shrugging a shoulder then leans forward slightly. “Can’t blame me for trying, Siobahn, not when I have the sexiest woman alive, sitting across from me, begging to be ravaged.”

  “Ravaged?” I ask on a sigh.

  He hums. “I was away from you for too many hours. I need the taste of you again, so let’s do this. Ask me anything and I’ll answer what I can.”

  I don’t tell him that the “what I can” is what worries me. It terrifies me actually, especially with what he wants from me. He isn’t asking me to date him, to even just live with him, he’s asking me to change every single aspect of my entire life for him—everything.

  “What do you do for a living?”

  His brows rise and his lips twitch as if he thinks that I’m comical. He licks those twitched lips, then shakes his head once.

  “I’m in business, cuoricino. I’m an independent contractor for a group of businessmen.”

  Frowning, I look down at my lap then lift my gaze up to meet his. “Like for what?”

  “Kind of like a private detective,” he explains.

  “And you were looking into Orin Murphy…”

  He shifts in his seat before he lets out a sigh. “One of my associates has some business dealings with him and he needed me to see if he was on the up-and-up.”

  “And?” I ask.

  He arches a brow. “You know that he isn’t, Siobahn.”

  “You’ve told your associate?” I almost demand.

  He snorts. “Not that it’s your business, but yes, I have and they will no longer be associates.”

  “Good. He’s evil, Renzo, plain evil.”

  He hums, nodding his head a couple of times. “He is, cuoricino.”

  “Tell me about teenage Renzo, I want to know everything,” I ask, changing the subject.

  He stands, a small smile playing on his lips and then he tells me about himself as a teenager. I notice he doesn’t talk about his parents, and I’m okay with that. I have no desire to talk about mine either.

  Instead, he tells me about his group of friends, the boys that he’s still friends with. He talks about sneaking out, running around town at all hours and smoking in the bathroom at school.

  It’s perfect. It’s normal and I know that this is the man that I want to spend my life with. I don’t know why, but it hits me like a ton of bricks between him telling me about the girl he took to prom who he laid in the back seat of his muscle car and the time he scored the winning goal for his high school soccer team and they went to state.

  Chapter Fifteen

  SIOBAHN

  Touching my lips to Renzo’s, I grip the warm coffee cup in my hand as his tongue slices across my bottom lip. He lets out a grunt, his fingers wrapped around my waist and he tugs me a bit closer to his chest.

  “What time do you have lunch?” he rasps against my lips.

  My eyes are closed and I’m completely lost in him. I have been lost in him since our talk last night. Everything new that I learn about him makes me fall a little deeper and I’m not even afraid that I’ll never be able to dig myself out of this, because I don’t want to.

  “If I’m leaving with you in a few days, I need to get my clients in and scheduled with Kathleen or Andrea, I don’t think I’ll have a lunch again anytime soon,” I admit, taking a step back.

  He grunts, lifting his hand and tucking my hair behind my ear. His eyes roam my face and his lips turn up into a small smile.

  It reminds me of the smile that he wore last night while he was talking on the phone, it reminds me that he hasn’t smiled that big at me, not even now he’s not, and I wonder what it would take to pull that from him?

  “You are coming home with me, aren’t you, cuoricino?” he practically purrs.

  “I am, Renzo,” I sigh.

  He leans forward, touching his mouth to mine. “Then get to work, I’ll be here when you’re finished. Text me?”

  Nodding, I turn to walk into the shop, but stop just before I open the door. Looking back over my shoulder at him, I smile. He’s watching me, his teeth biting his bottom lip, his hands in his pockets and he rocks back on his heels.

  “Be good today, yeah?”

  “Yeah,” I breathe.

  “Go inside now, safe and sound.”

  Nodding my head once, I turn away and slip completely inside of the building, but before he walks away, I spin around and watch him through the window. He winks at me, then turns to the side and I watch him make his way toward the car that he rented.

  I didn’t even know he’d rented a car, but I’m glad that he did. He said it was so we could do what we wished and pick up all of my things in a few days. Days. I still cannot believe that I’m going to be leaving the country in just a few days.

  “You are smitten,” John announces as I walk toward my chair.

  Kathleen and Andrea are silent as they watch me. As of yesterday, the last time that I saw them, I wasn’t one-hundred-percent sure I was going to leave, but I am now. I’m still nervous as hell, but this is a chance, an exciting chance that I know I will regret if I don’t at least try it.

  “You’re going,” Kathleen states.

  John looks from me to her, then back to me. “Going?” he asks.

  “I am. I’m leaving in a few days. I’m moving to America with Renzo.”

  John’s mouth drops open wide at the same time his eyes almost bug out of his head. He just watches me, wordlessly. Kathleen doesn’t say anything immediately, but it’s Andrea who speaks first.

  “How can you just leave though? Don’t you have immigration things to take care of. A girl I know said it took her almost two years to get a visa approved to move with her fiancé,” she says.

  I shrug a shoulder. “He said there was nothing to worry about, that he would take care of everything. I don’t know, but I’m excited.”

  “Holy fecking hell,” John screeches. “You’re leaving with a stranger you met from a club. He must be rich. I know he’s sexy as hell. He’s good in bed, too? You’re not leaving us for mediocre shagging, are you?”

  Kathleen and Andrea burst into fits of giggles before I can even laugh, but I do join them. Kathleen holds up her hand, attempting to catch her breath, and she speaks.

  “He’s so good she’s been walking funny for days, John. You don’t have to worry about that, he’ll shag her right, over and over and over. I worry he won’t let her out of the bed when he has her in his home.”

  John’s lips turn up into a grin. “Wouldn’t be a bad gig to have, a bed slave. I could handle that.”

  Andrea rolls her eyes. “Like hell you could. I’ve heard how much you complain. That last guy you dated, you said he wanted blowies every other day. You complained.”

  John throws a drying towel at her. “I complained because he wanted them but he never wanted to give them. My cock was confused. It was being neglected,” he snaps.

  The rest of the day is a normal day and I wonder why I’m leaving. I have people here, my people. Friends that I haven’t let be there for me, and yet, they have been when I’ve allowed them, when I’ve needed them. They are warm and comforting, Renzo is scary and new.

  “Be scared,” Kathleen whispers.

  Turning to her, I press my lips together in a smile. “Terrified, that’s what I am.”

  “Taking chances is always scary. Especially taking a huge leap like this, but you’ve talked to him and you feel better now? You are sure of your decision.”

  Nodding, I blink a couple of times to keep the tears at bay. “I did, last night and I do. I am sure, this is what I want.”

  “And I am just a phone call and an airplane away. You ever need to come back, you have a place to stay with me in my apart
ment and you’ll have a job waiting for you. Siobahn, you are not going to be stuck there. If it isn’t everything you want, come back here, immediately.”

  Her words reassure me that this is not a final decision. This is not a situation where I will be stuck with nobody and nothing. Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her in for a hug.

  “Thank you, so much.”

  She pats my back. “We have you, babe. We have you.”

  RENZO

  After taking Siobahn to work, I decide to go on my own mission of keeping a pulse on Orin. Although night seems like a good time to strike against him, I’m never one who is predictable, and I won’t be with Orin either. I’m going to strike when the time is right, no matter how high or low the sun is set.

  Something niggles at the back of my mind. I haven’t heard from Sullivan since he said he would keep an eye on Orin. Digging my phone out of my pocket, I find his name. I may not trust him, but I trust my gut and it’s telling me there is something to check on.

  Sullivan’s phone rings until it goes to voicemail. I don’t leave one. This is a burner cell and the last thing I need is someone to hear my voice and recognize me. Though, I highly doubt that would happen, but I’m not one who typically takes chances.

  Except apparently this entire trip has been me doing nothing but taking chances. Siobahn Doyle is a chance that I never thought I would take, not ever. But my gut tells me that she is the right one. I always trust my gut, always. It hasn’t ever led me astray and I don’t anticipate that it would now, either.

  Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I continue to head toward my car. Orin’s office isn’t far from here and neither is his home. I decide to go to his home first, thinking I’m going to have a better chance of catching him there at his house.

  Ten in the morning may not seem early, but when you’ve spent your entire night doing bad deeds, it’s early as fuck. I should know. When I’m in Brooklyn, I don’t leave my bed before noon on a typical day.

  It doesn’t take me long to locate his home. Sullivan left me the address when we originally met up at the first dinner we had together. I never thought that I would need it. I figured he’d be the one to do all of the driving and continue to be at my side.

  I park far enough away from Orin’s residence that I don’t look suspicious, but close enough that I can see the driveway and gauge who comes and goes. Everything looks pretty dead and I’m wondering how long I’ll have to sit here and wait.

  Today could prove to be completely fruitless if he doesn’t leave or if I’ve already missed him. Digging my phone out of my pocket, I look down at it and frown. Sullivan should have called me back by now. A missed call is one thing, but to not call back immediately? That isn’t normal, not for people in our line of work.

  I lean back in my seat so as not to be seen quite as easily as I watch and wait. What feels like an hour later, maybe longer, I watch as a black sedan begins to drive straight down the driveway and turn toward me.

  Sinking farther down in my seat, I keep my glasses pointed at the car and grin to myself when I recognize Orin immediately. I let him pass, keeping my eye on him in my side mirror. When he turns right, I quickly start my engine, flip my car around and head toward him.

  Staying far enough behind to not be seen, yet close enough to ensure that I don’t lose him, I follow him. I’m not surprised to see that he’s heading toward his office. This isn’t where I want to confront him.

  There are way too many people not only roaming around outside, but also, I’ve never been in his office building. I need somewhere that is isolated and I can at least guess what the layout is. Parking just a few rows over from his car, I watch him exit.

  He’s dressed much like me in a dark suit, his hair slicked back, and sporting a trimmed beard. My hair and beard are much scragglier than his, but otherwise, we look as though we are cut from the same cloth. But we are not.

  We definitely are not.

  Grabbing my phone from the passenger seat, I find Sullivan’s number again and dial it. This time it doesn’t even ring, it goes straight to voicemail and I can’t shake it, something is just not right with that.

  Finding Arlo’s name, I decide not to bother Gavino with this, but instead contact his second-in-command, his Underboss. Arlo picks up the phone after one ring.

  “Renzo,” he greets.

  I don’t bother with pleasantries. Instead, I dive right into the situation. After explaining about Sullivan and Orin, he hums.

  “I’ll get you Sullivan’s address, you want to check on him?” he asks.

  “I do,” I agree.

  There’s a moment of silence, then I can hear the smile in his voice as he speaks. “Vino tells me that you’re bringing a woman back with you, cugino?”

  I almost tell him to fuck himself, but I don’t. Instead I just grunt. He doesn’t need to know my business. I’m sure he’ll meet her anyway. Why does it matter if I tell him any details about her right now or not?

  “Can you get me some papers on her?” I ask, the thought crossing my mind.

  I know that Siobahn has to be worried about her future, about being brought into the United States illegally, but I’ll make sure everything is taken care of, after all, that’s what I promised her I would do.

  Arlo is quiet for a moment, then he finally speaks. “Papers?”

  “I want to marry her, Arlo.”

  Saying the words aloud, they remind me that I’ve yet to buy her a ring. I add that to my mental list of things that I need to do before we leave here. Siobahn doesn’t just need a ring, she deserves one for taking this chance with me, for me, and on me.

  “This is a big step, Renzo. You’re sure?”

  Of course, he asks me this. As a man who fell in love with his wife while he was engaged, then married to another woman, he would ask me this. I don’t blame him at all, if the situation were reversed, I would probably do the same.

  “I am, cugino.”

  He’s quiet for a moment, then he clears his throat. “I’ll need her for pictures and shit, but yeah, I can have her papers ready right after she arrives.”

  “After the wedding,” I say with a grunt.

  “After?” he asks on a whisper.

  Nodding as if he can see me, I grin at the sight of Orin walking toward his car again. “Yeah, after she has my name. No use in having two complete fucking sets.”

  Ending the call, I shift my car into drive as I follow behind Orin, hopeful that his next destination will be a bit more isolated and I can get this shit over with and start my life with Siobahn sooner rather than later.

  Chapter Sixteen

  SIOBAHN

  I spend the day focused on my clients. They come and they go. I tell them a bit about moving and all of them are shocked and most of them warn me not to go. But the client I’m currently working on, she lifts her gaze to mine and her lips twitch into a small smile.

  “Honey,” she whispers.

  Leaning in, I stop teasing her hair and focus on her reflection in the mirror. Her lips curve up into a smile and she glances around from side to side. “Go with the man. Have the adventure. I never did and I regret it every second of every day.”

  Pressing my lips together, I can’t help the wetness that fills my eyes from her words. Have the adventure. She’s right. I need this adventure. I crave this adventure.

  I will regret it for the rest of my life if I don’t go. I may regret going anyway, but that’s a chance that I’m going to have to take. I don’t think that I could live this life with any more regret piled on top of me.

  “I’m going, Martha. I have been trying to talk myself out of it for days and I just can’t,” I admit with a smile.

  Her eyes light up and she dips her chin. “Good for you, is he handsome?”

  “Martha, that man is fine with a double I,” John shouts from across the room.

  Someone laughs, but I can’t look around to see who it is, I can only look at Martha. Her lips curve up into a huge smile. “Do
it, Siobahn. Have the adventure, enjoy the man, live darlin’ girl, live.”

  Just when I open my mouth to say something else, I hear John gasp and I look over my shoulder. My smile then dies at the sight in front of me.

  He’s never been here before. In fact, I thought that he didn’t know where it was. The fact is that he’s standing in the doorway, his belly pushed out, his beady eyes narrowed on me, his shirt stained, and his cheeks their permanent bright red shade.

  “You’re all finished, Miss Martha,” I shakily whisper as I remove her cape and brush off her neck with my small soft brush.

  She looks behind her, then back up to me. “You’re okay?” she asks.

  Nodding, I give her a fake smile. “I’m okay,” I lie.

  She digs in her wallet and pulls out far too many notes before she slips them in my hand. “Have the adventure, you deserve every beautiful moment. And if something happens that isn’t beautiful, use some of that to find your way back to your people.”

  My bottom lip trembles as I nod. “Thank you,” I exhale. “Thank you.”

  She pats my shoulder and I watch as she exits the shop. Thankfully, my father steps to the side and allows her past him. When she’s gone, I march up to him, anger filling my body at the sight of him here at my place of work.

  “We can talk in the back,” I hiss.

  He grunts, his big body swaying and I know that he’s drunk, though I should not be surprised. When isn’t he drunk? I just don’t want him to make a scene in front of customers. I won’t be here in a few days, but John, Kathleen, and Andrea will.

  “Why are you here?” I ask once I’ve closed the door to the kitchen behind me.

  He spins around, though he wobbles and almost loses his balance. I wish he would fall. I wish he would just go away. I’m so tired of taking care of him, of his house, of his drinking.