Page 15 of Ghostface Killer
That’s exactly what happened when Gianni Velona made a play for power after the death of his and Benny’s father, Pasquale, the patriarch of the family. Killing Benny in cold blood so he could be the next Chairman of the underworlds board of directors.
My skin prickles as I pass through the doorway and walk through the extravagant halls of the mansion. Past the flashy gold molding climbing up the sitting room walls and the lavish French-inspired furniture. Gaudy would be a good word for the décor, but we don’t want to insult anyone, so we’ll call it grandiose. I wonder how G would feel if she knew I fucked one of her bodyguards on her beloved Versailles sofa?
Kruger and I stop in front of a door with a jeweled knob and more gold molding. Just as I go to knock, a scream erupts on the other side. Neither Kruger nor I are phased in the least. We both know what’s happening inside that room. Regina is “entertaining.”
I shoot Kruger a sidelong look. “Is she fucking serious right now?”
He just shrugs. I give her another minute before I bang on the door. “G! You better be finished cause I’m coming in.” I open the door to find Regina sitting pretty behind her office desk and the flavor of the moment fastening the last button on his dress shirt. Hello, hottie. Regina always finds the panty droppers. I sneak a quick inspection of the man candy as I stride across the room. Shaggy black hair, light eyes, gorgeous features.
“You like?” Regina catches me in the act.
“You apparently do,” I deflect her question.
But, yeah, to answer your question, I like.
“You can go.” The petite brunette in front of me dismisses her manservant. With a quick glance at me he vanishes from the room. I don’t know how she does it, but her ability to control men should be studied like a science. She’s like a two-legged siren. She’s also the other half of the duo that raised me. Regina Velona is the younger sister of Benny and Gianni. Much younger. Ten years younger than Benny and fifteen years younger than Gianni. And only ten years older than me. She’s more like a sister than a mother figure.
Benny may have taught me how to use my body like a warrior, but Regina taught me how to use it like a weapon. She’s pretty, poised, and well-mannered. She’s as close to an Italian princess as it gets. She’s also cunning, deceitful, and ruthless. Every bit as cutthroat as her brothers. Except she doesn’t like to get her hands dirty, unless she’s jerking someone off. Blood and violence makes her queasy, so she leaves the heavy lifting to Krueger and me. Which is why I’m here.
Once we’re good and alone, G pulls a file out from her desk. She throws it in front of me so I can read the contents.
I open the thin folder and scan it over. “Benjamin Sabatino,” I read aloud. “Colorado?” I’m appalled. I hate the cold. And the snow.
“Yes. Deal.” Regina eyes me the same way Benny used to. Sharp and unyielding.“There are only two speeds in life,”Benny used to tell me.“Fast and accelerate.”And that was exactly how he lived. Fast. And he expected me to keep up. He never gave me a choice. Not from day one. Regina expects me to keep up the pace, too, even though he’s gone.
“Collect all the intel you can about the area. A private plane will be leaving the day after tomorrow.”
“Give me some time, why don’t you?”
“Stevie.” Regina slams her hand on the glossy wood desk. “Don’t fuck around. Execute and then get your ass back home.”
“Me? Fuck around? Did you forget who you’re talking to? I have a hundred percent kill rate.”
“Good. Don’t let this job break your perfect record.” She arrogantly smooths her brown bob.
“Why the hell would it?” I question.
Regina doesn’t provide me with an answer, which infuriates me. Usually, she has plenty to say, even when no one asks her opinion.
“Just get it done.” She dismisses me the same way she did her man candy.
“I will,” I huff. Did my stock as an assassin abruptly plummet? Why the sudden doubt in my abilities?
“Call me as soon as it’s over,” she instructs just before I leave the room.
I look back at her, squeezing the doorknob so tight my knuckles strain.
“I know the drill,” I spitefully remind her.
I STUDY THEblurry picture of Benjamin Sabatino. Memorizing the way his long, brown hair is tucked behind his ears and the path his thick, mountain-man beard takes along his cheek and over his lip. He has dark sunglasses on in the photo, so I can’t make out his features clearly, and the side profile doesn’t exactly help either. But I have to work with what I got. His anorexic file doesn’t tell me shit. Not an address or a friend or a hang out, so I’ll have to scout the town until I find him. This should besofun.
There was an abundance of information on the rural area though. So, I studied up on that as much as I could in the short time I was given.
The jet lands at a private airport an hour outside Pagosa Springs. There’s a SUV waiting for me when I exit the plane. I didn’t pack much. One medium-sized duffel bag with all the necessities. Warm clothes, toiletries, makeup, binoculars, a .22 with detachable silencer, a collapsible sniper rifle, and a handful of throwing knives.
The Colorado air is cool and crisp and smells like snow. But not like New York snow. This is cleaner, void of pollution. You can actually feel the purity purge the contamination out of your lungs.
I toss my bag onto the back seat of the Tahoe and punch in the hotels address in the GPS. I chose this particular establishment because of its high elevation and panoramic view of the town. I’ll be like a hawk on a perch searching for its prey.
