In the Company of Killers

Chapter: 002

Dylan

PRESENT...

I thought death was supposed to be cold. I thought death didn't hurt but I know for a fact my wrists were stinging and my throat hurt every time I tried to open my mouth.

I wiggled my wrists. I could move?

Am I dead?

My eyes flutter open and slowly my surroundings came into focus. There were people in the room, somewhere. I could hear low chatter around me. As my heart rate settled a little, I could hear pieces of the conversation too.

Someone was laughing. A man, I think.

"She... She... She actually shot you!"

He was laughing?

"Malachai," Someone warned. I knew that voice.

Everything came back to me all at once and with the realization, my eyes shot open. "Oh, looky. She's awake. Morning, sunshine." I squinted up at the man staring down at me.

His eyes were narrowed into slits as he took me in like I'm doing to him. If his eyes were whiskey then every girl in the state was parched. He had dull-blonde hair that fell into his eyes, a sharp jaw that went well with his muscular frame. He was so goddamn beautiful, especially with the tattoos snaking up his arms and his neck like that... he was a walking wet dream.

I knew him. Well, not personally I mean, I knew of him. People whispered his name in the streets as if he were sin personified. He was the Coretti's Enforcer. If someone weren't paying their debts or if they needed to get a message out through violence or... someone's death. He is who they called.

According to the rumours Nino Coretti wasn't a man to play around with, he killed more than a serial killer with anger issues.

I glance at the others in the room. One of them was leaning against a dark oak desk. He was tall, with dark delicately styled hair and green eyes that danced with mischief. He could only be Enzo's brother, Malachai Coretti. The resemblance was almost uncanny, safe for the murder and the downright hostility reflecting in his older brother's eyes that drew you in like a dark pit.

The last one, and probably the most unnerving out of the four was leaning against the wall, long fingers playing with the heavy signet ring around his pinky, looking like he was contemplating sixty different ways to gut me. He had jet-black hair and a face that reminded me of a sculpture of Apollo I'd seen on my last visit to the museum. Why were they all so bloody beautiful!

Vince Coretti was the Consigliere of the Coretti Famiglia. He serves as the Capo's righthand man, in this case, he was Enzo's righthand man.

How did I know any of this? Well, I grew up trying my best to avoid any interaction with any of the Mafia Famiglia. And I was doing a damn good job at it too until this handsy prick decided to kidnap me!

I look at the man in mention who was scowling down at me beside his brother. I look him over, I could see pieces of a bandage peeking through his dark suit. So I shot his shoulder... dammit.

"You're alive," I practically growled out.

"Don't sound so disappointed, cara mia I might think you don't like me," Enzo taunted.

"Oh, and we wouldn't want that." His lips tilt up slightly at my retort.

"Do you know why you're here, Dylan?" He asks and I hate how my body reacted to the way he said my name. Does he always talk like that? Like he's whispering dirty things in your ear with that ridiculously deep voice of his.