The Revenger (21 page)

“There’s a whole world you know nothing about, Silas Sagan.” After turning on her heel, she walked out his door and left it intentionally open.

Show of Force

Silas looked at the open door for a while. She’d left, just walked out, and he’d allowed it. The epic, ball-thundering fucking he’d been planning on, counting on, hadn’t happened. He wanted to punch someone, maybe himself, in the face.

She’d cut through him so easily—straight to the bone. And it was cheesy bullshit. Greeting card nonsense. Nothing he’d ever even pretended to believe in.

But inside, a part of him shook from the truth of her words.

His mother had only cared to advance her standing. She’d watched his abuse at the hands of his siblings and father over and over, sending him back into it every day. He rubbed a hand across his lips. Jack was the only bright spot in his life—ever.

He looked back into his room from the balcony. Sheer opulence. He could have anything, everything, and he almost did.

But Silas Sagan had never had anyone look at him the way Savannah just had. He wanted to recreate the feeling. He sensed it had been the tip of an iceberg, like he was standing at a precipice, looking over a giant crevasse he’d had no idea he’d been avoiding. It left him unsettled.

He wanted to go downstairs and force her—force her to look at him again and then fuck that look out of her eyes, make her put up walls. That’s what he knew how to do. Be on the other side, looking over. Feel hate, then repress it until it exploded.

This waiting? He knew that was a place where he felt shit he didn’t want to feel. So he always hit first. Let the reputation of what he could do slap people in the face. The ultimate version of this would be having Compound E to wield. So many more people would know they couldn’t make him wait. Whole countries would line up outside his door to see what he could do for them.

Savannah was his weakness, and he knew better. He knew he should go down and squeeze the life out of her. But for the same reason Jack could still waltz into his house and dance with one of his ladies, his obsession could walk out of his bedroom with no consequences.

His phone buzzed. He left the balcony to find it on his nightstand with a text from Bugs waiting.

The Cassos want a meeting.

He responded quickly

Tell them to fuck off. They claim to know you’re trading in illegal weapons. They want in on the action.

Silas rubbed his temples before actually calling Bugs.

“Where is this coming from?” he demanded when the man answered.

“I’m not sure. You know they’ve tried before.”

Silas sighed. The Cassos had an age-old beef that had begun with his father’s father. The feud rose to a head a few times every generation, and their latest contention was that Silas wasn’t related to his father, so he owed them duty fees on his territory on and around the Maryland estate.

Word on the street had to be that Silas was about to come into some serious money. All the vultures perked up when they heard this. He’d been hearing from “friends” and enemies out of the woodwork, all looking to get a piece.

“Fine,” he told Bugs. “Set it up on neutral territory. I’ll be happy to spank their bratty asses in person. Tell them it happens now or not at all.” Silas disconnected the call.

Maybe it was time for Savannah to see why she needed to wipe that look right off her face. She needed to see him in action, as a ruthless leader.

*~*~*~*

Boston looked up to see Savvy waltz in the door, long skirt dragging a bit behind her. Despite himself he looked for her eyes. She ignored him.

“I gotta walk the dog,” she announced.

Trooper jumped down off the bed and yelped a bit.

“Silly, can’t you slow it down? Want to go for a walk?”

It was pitch black out, so Boston grabbed a flashlight along with his regular walking gear: a gun, his phone, the fanny pack.

Savvy didn’t put on shoes, just picked up the dog and headed for the back steps. Boston had to trot to keep up. She looked okay, though her hair was loose now. Outside it took off behind her, whipping in the breeze off the water.

As soon as they were out of range, she spoke. “I need to find out more about this Compound E. How close are they to replicating it?”

Boston hated to ask, but he did it anyway. “Did he? Are you…okay?”

Savvy finally looked at him, first his eyes and then his chest and back again. “No. We didn’t. He didn’t. I sort of shocked him out of it.”

He knew he looked surprised when she smirked.

“Is there anything you know about him that’s good?” She put Trooper down close to the dunes.

Boston exhaled while he racked his brain. “God, not really. He’s a fucking bastard. Well, I guess…” He looked over his shoulder and saw two flashlights bouncing in their direction. He quickly finished. “He didn’t have me kill that housekeeper and her daughter—and Jack. He hasn’t had anyone kill Jack. But other than that he’s a shithead.”

Boston flashed his light a few times and made out Target and another guy from the house. Savvy said no more but gathered the dog in her arms.

Target shouted at first, bringing them closer. “Hey, we need you back!” Savvy and Boston walked slowly to meet them, the waves crashing on their left.

“Boss wants to roll out. We have a meeting.”

“All right. But I’ve got to stay with her,” Boston pointed out. There was no one else Sagan trusted.

“No, she’s coming. And we have to be dressed and out of here in twenty minutes.”

With that, two other assholes showed up in dune buggies to move things along.

Boston hadn’t even gotten to know what had gone down in Sagan’s bedroom, and he wasn’t going to get a chance. It was extremely odd that the boss wanted her out of the house when he prized her safety and seclusion above pretty much everything else.

After parking the buggies at the house, Target told Savvy to dress in jeans and Boston to go for business, which meant a suit layered with weapons underneath. Savvy shrugged and went back to the room. Boston gave Trooper water before strapping on his uniform.

Savvy knocked on his door when she was ready. He told her to come in and sat back for a minute. She wore skintight jeans, wicked black heels with spikes all over them, and a black tank top with a leather jacket. Her hair remained down, and her lips were now bright red.

“Okay. Heels?” Boston had no clue what they were in for, but when he heard jeans, he’d pictured her dressed in sneakers and a ponytail.

“I do my best work in heels.” She gave Trooper a scratch before heading out with Boston, letting him open the door.

Sagan stood on the other side, obviously ready to knock. Boston watched the man appraise Savvy’s outfit and made a fist when he saw lust in his eyes. Savvy stepped to the side so Boston could come into the hallway.

“Middle of the night field trip?” She had an edge to her voice.

Sagan used his thumb to twirl the gold ring on his finger. Savvy licked her lips as she watched. She wanted that ring off of him.

“Something like that,” Sagan responded. “Boston, see that she doesn’t kill anyone.” He led the way, but when they got to the driveway, he settled into a waiting black Suburban, and Boston lead Savvy to another in the line.

Target crawled in with them and shut the door. Boston held his hands up in a questioning gesture.

“Cassos meeting. Not sure why. Same old same old? I don’t know.” Target lit a cigarette. “Why the hell is he bringing her?” He pointed his thumb in Savvy’s direction.

She rolled the window down a crack and gave Target a dirty look.

“I don’t know.”

“He drank a boatload of rum during the orgasm marathon,” Savvy reported. “Maybe he’s more insane than usual.” She crossed one leg over another, putting the killer heel between the two men.

Target blew the smoke in her direction. “I would give my left nut to have the run of that room for ten minutes. Jesus fucking Christ.”

“Really? It smells like perfume, ass, and desperation.” She turned her face to the window, and the breeze washed over her.

“That sounds like my favorite smell ever.” Target bit his bottom lip and rubbed his palms together.

Savvy rolled her eyes and stayed quiet.

“So is he enforcing territory? Disputing profits? Acquiring business?” Boston didn’t like going in blind.

“Shit if I know. Stay alert.” Target lit another cigarette with the end of the one he was finishing.

Boston watched his surroundings as the convoy of four Suburbans rolled into a contentious part of town. There was a single restaurant between the two territories. The feud between the Cassos and the Sagans was legendary. The Cassos were known for their brass-knuckle ways and loyalty. The Sagans were known for playing dirty and being unpredictable.

When they arrived at the restaurant, the Cassos were already outside, waiting for the Sagan crew. The boss got out of the first Suburban, buttoned his suit, and headed for Boston’s car.

“Oh, shit. Get ready, Savvy. I think you’re arm candy.” He wanted to give her a ton of advice, but she looked calm.

She opened her door before Sagan could reach it. He watched her get out and then offered his elbow. Boston jumped out, buttoning his suit as well, and stayed as close as he could to her. He was able to overhear Sagan threatening.

“Just know, the second my heart stops beating, the bullet leaves the assassin’s gun headed for your brother.” He smiled at her, but she refused to look at him. “Take my arm, Savannah. It’s all about appearances.” He touched her with his elbow, pressing the point.

She gave him a hard look. “Take your ring off.”

“Not part of the deal. Sorry. Does it hurt? I hope it hurts.” Sagan stopped walking.

Savvy turned when she had passed him by two steps.

“I’m not going until you do this properly, Savannah.”

“This is how you do business? You need me to hold your hand?” She stalked back to him and looped her arm around his elbow.

“Better. Follow directions. Is that so hard?”

“Yes. Harder than your dick will ever be.”

Boston watched the strain evident in her neck when she moved her long hair to her shoulder. He worried that touching Sagan actually did hurt her.

Target stomped out his cigarette and tapped Boston on the shoulder.

“What?”

“Stay back. He wants to go in alone at first.”

“Bullshit. He wants me to keep her from killing people.” Boston whispered the last little bit.

“Not at first.” Target pointed, and Boston realized all the men had hung back. “Just Cassos and Sagan. Though they can bring girls.”

“Shit.”

“But be ready. If that chick loses her mind, we’re going to have a bloodbath on our hands getting to Sagan.”

“I’m hating this more and more.” Boston touched his gun, but it gave him no comfort.

Big Daddy

Savvy was almost as tall as Sagan in her heels. He held the door for her and insisted on putting his hand at her lower back as she navigated the foyer of the dimly lit restaurant.

A stout man sat at a large, round table in the middle of the room with an outrageously decorated woman feeding him bites of pasta from a bowl.

He had one of her breasts in his hand, squeezing it and rolling the nipple in what looked like a painful way, yet the tattooed lady leaned into his touch. Her black hair was cut in a hard line of bangs, which framed her painted eyes.

One of her hands disappeared under the table.

“Not right now! Shit, Juicy.” He pushed her away.

The way she retreated made Savvy narrow her eyes. The auras on both seemed a murky red, but with Sagan’s ring running interference, it was so hard to tell.

“I got business. Sit still. Put your tits away.” He slapped her across the face.

Savvy made a fist and started to smile.

“Don’t.” Sagan’s words landed on her cheek. He stepped around her and sat, expecting her to sit in his lap after he patted it. Savvy shook her head once and stood behind him.

“Your pussy don’t listen to you anymore, Sagan? You’re losing your touch. Watch this.”

The man poured his drink on the table in front of him. “Lick it up. Suck it dry.” He pointed at the spot on the table with his pinkie. The woman worked on a smile, her cheek still red from his slap. She bent down and began licking and sucking on the white tablecloth, leaving stains from her lipstick behind.

The man watched her in an oily way before putting his hand on the back of her head, holding her still, smooshing her nose flat. “You’re messing up the tablecloth. Whose gonna pay for that shit?”

“Oh, fuck this.” Savvy stepped from behind Sagan’s chair with every intention of making the asshole eat the tablecloth. Ring or no ring, she could hurt this asshole.

Sagan hopped up and grabbed the top of her arm. “How other people run their house is their business.” He smiled, but it was forced.