Hitman’s Secret by Rosa Mink
Chapter 7
Marko
She can destroy me. I know she can if she tries but I’d rather die protecting her than live without her. I won’t let her hurt herself worrying that I’m going to hurt her. She’s mine and I’ll prove it to her entirely.
Her lips soften beneath me, responding almost instantly and I know she can’t deny the desire running through her. I don’t want to stop, I want to take her right here in the damn car, but I won’t, first I need to get her to safety.
I pull back, bringing a new cry to her lips, this one fully of disappointment and I smile, seeing the heat radiating from her gaze. That Mediterranean water boiling with it.
“I will never begin to hurt you, Natalia. I won’t let anyone else hurt you,” I tell her, my hands holding her head up as she breathes in quick little gasps. “I may be an evil bastard, but I will never lie to you.”
“Why?” she asks shaking still but I know desire is helping her this time. “Why should I believe you?”
“Because killing Garth, put a target on my back,” I admit making her eyes widen. “He works for Ono, the man who wants you dead. When he doesn’t come back, he’ll hire another hitman to track you down and do it, as well as sending one after me. So even if you can’t fully believe that I won’t hurt you, ask yourself, why the hell I’d kill someone if it meant a hit coming out on me.”
She pulls her bottom lip up, biting it, and I know she’s honestly thinking about it, giving me time to shut the door and get us moving again.
“I know you don’t trust me now, but would you rather I lied to you and told you I saw your picture and just wanted you?” I ask after a mile goes by and her breathing eases.
“No,” she says, barely audible but it’s enough for now.
“Ono isn’t going to stop, it won’t matter how many of his men I take out, he’ll find more and keep sending them. The only way to stop him is to kill him now, angel. Killing him means taking out my best customer, but I’ll do it, for you. I’ll swear on anything you want that I’ll protect you until I die, angel. No one will hurt you, certainly not Ono,” I tell her, catching her gaze for a moment and she nods, settling back into the seat comfortably this time, rather than being tense.
“Who is Ono?” she asks after a mile of silence, the roar of the engine the only thing breaking into it as I accelerate.
“He’s a loan shark mostly, a minor mobster from Berth,” I answer, and her eyes widen. “Your father’s moving into his town, and I take it he’s pissed off about it. He wants to prove a point to him, hence the hit on you. It’s his signature move, taking out someone close to the person not paying.”
“But my father’s not one of his…clients,” she says, and I nod.
“He’s taking them away, which reduces the amount he’s earning in interest. Ono doesn’t like to lose, and it’s known that your father’s terms are better than his.”
“I don’t know what my father does…I know he’s obsessed with making money. Ever since my mother died…” She stops, and I breathe slowly wondering if she’s starting to question it.
I know it’s dangerous to tell her about Ono’s habits of taking out someone close to his clients, but it’s more dangerous to not tell her the truth now.
“What?” I ask when she stays quiet an extra minute.
“Is it bad to wish they’d take each other out?” she says surprising me.
“You don’t like your father at all? Why? Did he have something to do with your mother’s death? Did he move on instantly after she died?” I ask hoping to get her off the hitman that took her from her.
“I hate him. My mother…her death changed him though, all he cared about was making more money and then making me do what he wanted,” she said finally leaving it at that it seemed.
“If you want him dead, I can do it, all you have to do is say so, angel.” I lift her hand up to my lips, pressing a kiss to her palm and the sigh she lets out is beautiful, giving my foot a little extra motive to get where we’re going quickly.
