The Body #2: Lucio and Janie

Chapter 14 (Janie): Pure Body

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

Old Butterball was in my hands, ready to go, when I turned behind me to see who the shooter was.

Even though I was almost certain I already knew.

The accuracy and rapidity of the shots had stolen my breath, and there were few men in the Body, including those who became bodyguards, who could shoot that well.

Lucio.

I lowered my gun, and although he didn't seem to rush, he was in my personal space in seconds, grabbing my upper arms, his gun still held in his right hand. His dark brown eyes took me in carefully, head to toe, but his face gave nothing away.

"You're not hurt?" His deep voice was even, calm.

Somehow, I wasn't hurt. Lucio had disarmed and disabled the strange woman before she could pull the trigger and then he'd killed Capri -- three perfectly aimed shots in about two seconds. The mystery woman hadn't gotten a single shot off. I wasn't surprised. Papa had mentioned several times after my engagement to Lucio that my fiancé was one of the best shots in the entire Body.

He's got a sharp eye and a steady hand, Ginevra. Accuracy that I've rarely seen in any man. He has this signature move he's known for -- it's always risky to shoot someone holding a gun because they can still fire. Lucio shoots off their trigger finger then kneecaps them if he wants them alive. Most amazing thing I've ever seen.

By this point, four of his bodyguards appeared from various points on the compass, guns drawn, looking around as if they expected more enemies to appear. Assured that I wasn't hurt, Lucio walked over to the woman and looked down at her dispassionately as she continued screaming. 

"Gag her, duct tape her wounds and put her in the trunk, Tommaso. Eddie and Luca, finish digging the grave and dump the dead bitch in along with this one's finger. Nico, clean up the area where she's been bleeding."

"And sweep the entire area for blood and brain spatter," I threw in, and Lucio's lips tightened at that. "Rough up the ground over the hole, then scatter leaves and twigs over it. I want this place to look pristine, like no one was ever here."

In no time at all, the grave was dug. Capri was interred with an extra finger, and then hidden away forever. They made the area look as if nothing more exciting than leaves falling ever happened here. I was surprised that once Lucio had given his orders, he'd helped his men with the clean up and hadn't said a word when I'd helped, too. We'd all worked together silently, and I was dismayed at how quickly it went because I knew there was going to be a reckoning. I was just wrong about when it would be.

When I pronounced the area clean enough, Lucio looked at Tommaso and Eddie. "You know where to take her," he said to them, referring to the woman he'd shot. "Get her prepared. Luca, find the bitch's car and take it away to the shop."

Then, with a slight nudge to my lower back and a low, "Let's go," Lucio walked with me to where he'd left his car, which was far enough away to not have alerted us to his presence. 

Nico got into the driver's seat, and Lucio had me precede him into the back seat. The privacy window was up between the front seat and the back. I was looking out the window but still felt the heavy weight of Lucio's eyes on me.

"Janie," he said softly, but I wasn't fooled. Body men all had this bizarre ability to yell at a person without ever raising their voice. Sometimes they did actually yell, but this was much more effective. Papa had once been so angry that he'd yelled at me for ten minutes, and he'd never once raised his voice. It was all in the tone. The same tone Lucio was using on me.