Loving a Killer | 18+

2.5 - Death Threats

| Norah |

I was determined tonight would be my last night as an undercover prostitute. I didn't want to do this anymore. No more toying around, no more acting. After killing the Beast, the pain in my wrist came back as a memory and a fear that this is what these men were capable of. And here I was, facing them. I hadn't told anyone besides Maddox, but that was only one of the things we agreed to keep secret for now.

By now, I felt a lot more confident. With about a month of combat and weapons training, I felt strong and ready to take on this task of wearing down the enemy.

At the end of the day though, that's all it was. Wearing them down. There seemed to be no end result, no obvious, "back off." It felt so pointless, but was it bad to say it felt almost good?

Xander had explained to me that he thought killing Feliks - the Beast - would make them recoil and see what they were up against, but there was no way to be so sure. It still felt dangerous. I still could feel the imminent threat looming over me. It's not like we could send them a little love letter saying, "are you ready to back down, check yes or no."

I didn't get my hopes up that if we killed Viktor that that feeling would go away, but I wanted to believe it would be somewhat alleviated. I wanted the message to be out there.

You kill my mother, you threaten my life, and you're dead.

The thought sent chills down my body. Who had I become? Three months since I was picked up by Maddox and I was molding into Norah Romaniello, daughter of the New York Italian mob boss, and I was starting to sound like her, too.

I was no longer the fragile Romaniello daughter who would take death threats. Now, I was planning them.

Even though I had only spoken to Maddox about wanting this to be my last night, it almost felt like the cards had been dealt in my favor. We were making our way up the food chain. My first targets were a couple of odd relatives of Viktor's. Then, I targeted their hitman. It was a step up, but tonight seemed like the final hit, even if no one else knew it was meant to be.

His name was Anatoly Kosta. Brother of Viktor Kosta. I couldn't imagine he was going to be an easy target, but it needed to be done. I almost sensed a hit of adrenaline flowing through me at the thought of getting Viktor back for taking my mother away.

An eye for an eye.

"You're positive that you're ready for this?" Ricardo asked from the driver seat, looking back at me through the rearview mirror. I could see the doubt in his eyes.

"Positive," I replied simply, trying to reassure him with a thumbs up. He sighed and focused on the road in front of him. He obviously didn't think this was a good idea.

And that's why I don't think I can tell them about Maddox and I's plan. My brothers and father were already unsure about killing Viktor's brother, how would they feel about killing Viktor himself?

"We can always step in if you need us," Luca spoke up. I gave him a slight smile.

"Anatoly is going to be guarded. It's only going to make it more dangerous if anyone recognizes you guys," I informed them. I did worry about any of them getting recognized. Sure, I was nervous about going in and finishing this alone, but I could only imagine the hell that would proceed if one of my brothers, Xander, or Maddox got recognized.

Maddox subtly brushed his hand against mine and looked from it to my face. I could read in his eyes that he trusted me, no matter how concerned he was. He pulled a small pistol from his waistband and turned my hand over to place it in my palm.

"You've got five shots. Make them count," He murmured. I bit my lip and kept myself from looking at him for too long. We'd made it almost a month without anyone catching on to us, but times like these made me wish they all knew so I could kiss him.

"I will."

• • •

I kept reminding myself where my weapons were.

Pistol in handbag, knife on thigh, pistol in handbag...

I repeated it in my head like a lullaby to calm my nerves. I knew the boys were watching me enter the club from the parking garage across the way, but this one was all on me. I knew that if things really got bad, they'd do anything to step in if need be. We all hoped it didn't get to that.

I had a wire on me. We decided it was more dangerous without one than with one. They would hear everything being said to me. They'd know if anything went wrong.

I got in surprisingly easily. I slipped past the bouncer and held my handbag to my side. My white silk dress kept little to the imagination as it swept past my hips when I walked to the bar. It did manage to cover the knife strapped around my upper thigh. I got a drink and took a couple of sips, scanning the pool tables. There was an elevated platform with a few steps that lead to some couches and a large table. I could barely see past the massive man that stood at the top of the steps, making it known that that part of the club was off-limits.

The picture of Anatoly was ingrained in my head. He looked so similar to his older brother Viktor, it sent pins and needles all over my body. I fought the urge to shiver. I smirked and saw him talking to a guy whose back was facing me. I downed my drink and went over to the muscular bodyguard at the top of the steps. I kept my eyes on Anatoly, catching his gaze. He smirked and looked me up and down. I swayed my hips as I went up the steps and smiled at him.

The bodyguard held a hand out in front of me before I could get onto the platform. Anatoly came up and muttered something to him. He looked me over and stepped aside, letting me step up. Anatoly held his hand out to me and I took it. He raised my hand up to his mouth to kiss the back of it. I had a seductive look in my eyes when he straightened up to look down at me.

"I'm guessing you know who I am, shlyukha," Anatoly said to me. I didn't react as he referred to me as a whore. I was quite used to the term by now. Besides, that is what I was trying to come off as.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Kosta," I spoke in a thick, falsified Russian accent.

"Odin iz vashikh zavsegdatayev, Anatoly?" The man who was with him came up behind him, squeezing his shoulder, and asked if I was one of his regulars. I looked up to him and my heart leaped into my throat. I fought the twisting in the pit of my stomach.

Standing feet from me, in the flesh, was the man who wanted me dead. The man who killed my mother and wanted my family to fall. The man I was just plotting to kill...

Viktor Kosta.

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Such a short chapter you guys! I'm sorry for the wait and it only being a short chapter. Although, I think it's a pretty serious turn around for the book!

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