Becoming the Hitman (Zanetti Famiglia Book 5) Read online

  I tell myself that it’s not solely because of Siobahn, but that’s a lie. This is because of her directly. I want to know more about her, I need to see her again.

  I need to be inside of her.

  I’ve never felt this way before and I’m not sure what it means, but while I’m here, I’m going to do the best that I can to figure out what the fuck happened to Emilyn Doyle.

  Clearing my throat, I gather all my things. It’s late in the evening and it’s about time for the roach that is Orin Murphy to crawl out of his hole. Dressing all in black. I decide to forego my suit and dress in a pair of dark washed jeans and a black sweater.

  Leaving the hotel, I jerk my chin at Sullivan who is standing next to his blacked-out car. He’s dressed similarly to me tonight and I’m glad for it. I don’t need either of us standing out.

  “There may be a shipment going out tonight,” he murmurs as soon as we’re both in the car.

  Lifting a brow, I shake my head once. “Gavino doesn’t have another one for three more weeks,” I inform him.

  He shifts in his seat, clearing his throat. “Rumor is that this shipment is much younger and for a different client.”

  “I want to see his girls, the ones that he employs, the Italian women,” I grind out.

  Sullivan snorts. “If you can find them, you let me know. I’ve never actually seen any of his girls, anywhere.”

  “What does that mean? He doesn’t have houses here?” I bark.

  Sullivan shakes his head. “Not that I know of. Transport only, or that’s how the rumors go.”

  Something is really, really, fucking wrong here. I can tell something’s off, but I still need actual evidence before I make the hit.

  Typically, I just make a hit, detective shit isn’t something that I do regularly, but Gavino knew that I would do what I needed to ensure that this was taken care of the right way. And I know to build and empire you don’t do it by getting a reputation for being sloppy.

  “I want to go to his current location, then we’ll follow him to see if he’s doing a transfer tonight or not.”

  Sullivan nods and we head toward the edge of town, then toward one of the largest factories, which is his business.

  “On Saturdays, he oversees production in the factories,” he mutters.

  Clearing my throat, I shift in my seat. “How do you know all of this?” I ask, feeling slightly uneasy with the amount of knowledge that he has on Orin, and yet, he doesn’t know if any of these rumors are true or not.

  Sullivan shrugs a shoulder. “Gavino has asked me to keep my ear to the ground. I haven’t made myself known, just ensured that I’ve been in the right place at the right time, and heard the right information.”

  I don’t respond to that, my gaze too busy focusing on the man who is exiting the factory. I watch as he walks over to an expensive car and sinks down in the passenger seat while another man climbs into the drivers’ seat.

  Sullivan doesn’t follow them right away, he takes a few breaths, then pulls out of the parking spot and follows behind the car. It doesn’t take us long behind him until he’s guided us toward a warehouse.

  I know what happens in warehouses. Nothing fucking good, that’s what. The fact that he is going to one when Sullivan said that he was supposedly doing a transport tonight makes me wonder if these rumors he heard are in fact the truth.

  If he’s kidnapping girls, if he’s transferring children, there is no way whatsoever that I can leave this country with him still breathing.

  I will end him. And usually, I deliver a quick shot to the head from a far enough distance that I can get in and out without anyone detecting me… I think I will take my time with this sick fuck.

  No, I know that I will take my sweet fucking time.

  Chapter Nine

  SIOBAHN

  After spending the day with sideways glances in my direction at every turn, I finally am able to go home. I try not to think about the fact that it’s evening, the sun is setting, and Renzo has yet to text me.

  I cannot let myself get hung up on him, but it’s really hard. Especially when he can do what he did, the way that he did it. Especially when he feels the way that he does deep inside of me. Then there’s the fact that I just plain liked him and felt comfortable with him.

  All of these are reasons why I should run. All of these are reasons why I want to see him again. Even if I’m pretending that I won’t be the least bit affected when he goes back to America, I know that it’s a lie I’m just telling myself. All of this is a lie that I’m telling myself.

  Deciding that I can’t worry about this man, and I definitely cannot sit around here and wait for my drunk father to come home and backhand me again, I quickly dress. I haven’t been down to the airport lately to see if Orin has loaded up any girls into an airplane and sent them off to unknown places.

  Changing into a pair of black tight jeans and a black sweater, I pull my blonde hair up into a high ponytail and grab my large bag. Throwing the new camera I bought inside, I also grab some snacks from the kitchen before I head out.

  I learned my lesson the last time that I went out to the airfield. I was there, freezing cold, for hours, hungry and thirsty. Not this time. I also take the small ice chest that my father used to go fishing with, back when he did things other than drink and load it up with some waters and an energy drink.

  Grabbing my thick black puffer jacket from the closet, I lock the door behind me and head out. In the interest of saving money, I don’t have a car. Work is close enough that I walk every morning, but the airport isn’t.

  Making my way toward the bus, I wonder if this is really what I should be doing. I should be able to accept the fact that Emilyn is just never coming home. I should be able to move on with my life, but I can’t.

  There is an empty gaping hole where she belongs, where all the questions and wondering swirls. It won’t fill up, not until I know exactly what’s happened to her. I can accept that she is most likely dead, even if I don’t feel it deep in my soul the way that I do my mother’s death.

  But I can’t live my life unknowing of what had befallen her. I want to bury her remains and mourn her, truly. I can’t do that, not properly, not when I don’t know anything.

  Thankfully, I don’t have to stand for too long waiting for the bus. Climbing on, I find a seat near the back, knowing that my stop won’t be until the very end, the very last one. I need to get out of my head, but I can’t. I’m consumed by thoughts of Emilyn and Renzo.

  Taking my phone out of my purse, I frown at the screen. Still no text message. Nothing. Before I put it back in my purse, I turn the sound off. Staring out of the window, I watch as the sun sets completely, then I let out a shaky breath when the bus makes its final stop, which is mine.

  Standing, I gather my things, including my small ice chest and head off the bus. Once I’m on the ground, I close my eyes and inhale a deep breath before I let it out. Tonight is the night. There is something in the air around me.

  Orin is going to show up tonight, I can practically taste it, and when he does my camera will be ready. Even if nobody believes me, even if he’s paid off all of the authorities, I have to try. For Emilyn, I have to try.

  It doesn’t take me long to find my hiding spot. Mine. I have claimed it, though I’m sure nobody is going to be standing in line for it anytime soon. Taking a water out of the small ice chest, I set it down before I take a seat.

  It’s not cold enough for my puffer, so I place it on the ground next to me along with my bag. Digging out my camera, I put the strap around my neck so that I have it ready to go later.

  Chewing on my bottom lip, I can’t fight the temptation. Reaching into my bag, I quickly snatch my phone out and turn down the backlight as I look at the lack of notifications.

  With a sigh, I try to settle down for a long night. Because if it’s anything like the last time Orin showed up, it’s going to be a really, really, long one.

  RENZO

  I would like to s
ay that the trip with Sullivan, following behind Orin, yielded nothing and all of this was for naught and I can head home in the morning. But that would be a lie. Three large blacked-out vans show up to the warehouse only a few short moments after Orin.

  Sullivan and I watch as the three drivers climb out of the vans and head inside of the building.

  “I wish that we could get ears on that place,” I grind out.

  Sullivan clears his throat. “I never thought that we’d make it this far. Now we know where it is, we can maybe send someone in to do that?” he asks.

  Shaking my head once, I glance over to him. “Why didn’t you do all of this ahead of time and report back to Gavino? Why are you just now brave enough?” I bark.

  He doesn’t say anything immediately, he’s staring off toward the warehouse. I’m not sure if he even sees anything in front of him as he thinks of some kind of excuse.

  “I have a family, Renzo. I live here. I have daughters, three of them and one on the way.”

  “And?” I ask when he doesn’t continue.

  “That’s not enough?” he grinds out. “If I’m wrong and he catches me, he’ll kill me without a second thought. If I’m right, what does he do to my daughters?”

  I would like to tell him that he’s being nothing but a pussy and he’s wrong, but he’s not. I’m not sure what I would do in his situation. I would like to think that I would be a bigger man and find the truth.

  But would I?

  Thinking about Siobahn, I wonder if I would potentially put her at risk that way? I’m not sure that I could, that I would, let alone my own flesh and blood, my own child.

  “I told Gavino of my suspicions as soon as I could.”

  Clearing my throat, I jerk my chin once. “I’ll fix it. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it,” I mutter.

  We don’t say anything else. We don’t get the opportunity. The door to the warehouse opens and I let out a hiss at what I see next. They are young, just as was rumored. One by one they file out of the building and load into the vans.

  I lose count of them after twenty. My stomach twists and turns. I don’t even look over to Sullivan, I can’t. I know without a doubt that he is feeling the same way that I am. Pressing my lips together, I lean back in the seat as he starts the engine and hangs back, only leaving when they’re far enough ahead that they won’t realize we’re following behind.

  They drive exactly where I expect them to. Straight toward the airplane hangar at the small airport on the outskirts of town. He stays way back, too afraid to be seen. I want to watch everything that he does.

  I need to see it all.

  Every fucking second.

  Sullivan doesn’t follow the vans inside of the airport, instead we park as far away as possible, turning the lights off immediately. He touches a button near the cab lights and then opens the door. They stay off and I’m glad for it, one less risk of bringing attention to ourselves.

  Both of us climb out of the car and stare at the hangar in the distance. I want to run up to the fence and tear through it, take those girls and kill the men, but I don’t. Taking a cigarette out of my pocket, I can’t handle it for another moment. I have to fucking calm my nervous energy, my anger.

  Together we trudge through the brush, mud, and rocks. I hear something off to the right and I pause. Holding my hand up, I silently direct Sullivan to halt. Looking to the side, I can make out a body, sitting on something.

  My eyes scan from the ground up and my breath hitches at the blonde ponytail. I know that blonde hair. I would recognize that anywhere. The shape of the body, too. I had my hands all over that body last night. I tasted every square inch of it and as anger boils inside of me I wonder what the actual fuck she’s doing here?

  “What the fuck?” Sullivan whispers.

  Turning to him, my teeth gnashing together, I grind out, “Exactly.”

  Then I march toward her. Crouching down behind her, I wrap my hand around the front of her throat, my other over her mouth. Sullivan hangs back, thankfully, because I don’t want him to hear any of this, as far as he knows this is just some stranger.

  My lips touch the side of her ear and I exhale. “What the fuck are you doing here, cuoricino?”

  Her body trembles beneath my touch. She says some muffled words against my hand. “You scream and we will have problems, yeah?”

  She nods her head and I slowly remove my hand from her mouth, then my other one from her throat before I wrap my hands around her waist and spin her around. Her eyes are wide as she looks up at me, her tasty lips parted, her mouth begging to be filled.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” I repeat.

  I watch as she licks her lips, then presses them together, her gaze shifting to the side, then she brings it back to meet mine. “I think you need to tell me first,” she breathes.

  Her body is trembling as much as her voice. She is scared, terrified, and I wonder why. What does she know? Why is she here? Who is she exactly? In all of my research, never did I find a connection to her and Orin… unless, fuck.

  “What do you know?” I grind out.

  “You’re going to need to tell me some things first,” she snaps.

  My lips twitch and I find that it’s hilarious how she can give me attitude in the middle of the night, in the cold, dank, dark, right outside of an airport where children are most likely about to be trafficked.

  “I’m here for work. Explain yourself.”

  “Work? What do you do?” she asks, shifting in her seat.

  Glancing down, I try not to smile at the fact that she’s sitting on an ice chest. “Doesn’t matter.”

  “It does if you’re involved with Orin,” she grinds out.

  With a snort, I shake my head. “No, cuoricino. I am not involved with him, not like that. Why are you here?” I ask again, even though I think I’ve got the answer figured out. I want to hear it straight from her sweet lips.

  “Someone I loved disappeared. I thought maybe he was involved. I heard rumors,” she murmurs.

  At least she’s being somewhat honest. I understand why she doesn’t tell me everything. I’m a stranger. I’m this guy she met at a bar and fucked, nothing more. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was even going to call her tonight, or ever.

  I’m still not quite sure how I feel about her, but when I saw her here, by herself, that fucker so close. I can’t deny that before anger, there was a hint of fear that immediately flowed through me.

  Dipping my chin, I touch my mouth to hers. “I’m not letting you out of my sight,” I murmur against her lips. “You’re staying right next to me.”

  “Why?” she breathes.

  “I don’t know yet,” I admit truthfully.

  Lifting my hand, I motion for Sullivan to come over to us. I hear his shoes crunch beneath the rocks and dirt. Lifting my head, I look behind Siobahn to see that she has a perfect view of everything.

  “What have you seen?” I ask.

  She chews on her bottom lip then clears her throat. “Nothing yet tonight, but they just pulled up. The action will be soon.”

  “The action?” I ask.

  She clears her throat, turning around and lifting the camera from her chest. “I came once when he was here. They pull the vans up and unload the girls onto the cargo plane. That’s all I know.”

  “Do you think you’re going to find this person you’re missing?” I ask, being careful not to mention her sister. I want her to tell me herself and I don’t know why, but I need that. I need her trust.

  She shakes her head, dipping her chin to look down at her lap. “No, Renzo. I’m not going to find her. She’s long gone.”

  “What are your plans then?” I ask.

  I want to know, so that I can make sure she never comes out here again. There is no way in fuck I can chance her watching me as I end Orin Murphy, because I will end him. It’s going to be brutal and ugly, there is no quick out for him.

  Not anymore, not after I’ve seen the girls he’s loading up, not af
ter knowing that he’s more than likely taken Siobahn’s sister. He gets no mercies.

  “Pictures and police. That’s all I know to do.”

  I grunt, shaking my head once, knowing without a doubt that the police are involved in this. It’s happening far too often, and if her private detective figured it out, the police already know and have been paid off.

  “Let me take care of it, cuoricino. Let me take care of it all,” I rasp.

  She turns her head to the side, her eyes wide and that’s when I see it. The moonlight didn’t hit it the right way when I first approached, but it does now. Her face is marked, a big dark swollen spot on her cheek.

  “Who hit you?” I growl.

  She lifts her hand, touching the mark with a hiss, then shakes her head once. “It’s nothing,” she whispers.

  “It’s not, but I need to focus on Orin, you’re coming back with me to my hotel tonight.”

  I don’t give her a chance to answer, as it’s not quite a question. She doesn’t have a choice. Taking the camera from her, I set it to the side. I don’t need photographs and she doesn’t as well. If anyone were to find out she had them, her life would be at even greater risk than it already is.

  And it is at risk. Sullivan will want her dealt with, which means he could possibly tell Gavino, and if any of Orin’s men find out. She’s fucked. Goddammit. She’s fucked anyway, to be honest. My protection can only go so fucking far, and I’m not quite sure how far that is, not when she’s just some girl I’ve banged.

  If she were more.

  If she were my woman.

  My fiancée.

  My wife.

  Fuck.

  Chapter Ten

  SIOBAHN

  I can’t believe that Renzo is here. He’s crouched next to me and he’s looking straight ahead at what is happening at the hangar. He took my camera too, took my camera. I don’t know what to think right now.