31 Kisses Read online

She wraps her hand around mine and laces our fingers together while touching her forehead to my forehead. She sighs sweetly before whispering, “I told you that you needed to stop caring.”

  “Not for a second.” Because it’s not an option anymore. “I love you, Kels.”

  In very small movements, she shakes her head; each time our noses brush against each other. “I love you too, Hayden Masters. I have for a very long time.” She lifts her head and looks me straight in the eyes. “That’s why I have to tell you something.”

  “What’s that, baby?”

  “My uncle is Costa Beneventi, and you have a pen drive that I need.”

  I spring to my feet, dropping her to the floor, and bolt for the door. Swiping my phone off the desk, I start dialing Kade’s number while I pull out my drawers are search for the football.

  “I’m guessing you’re calling your handler?” she asks from the doorway of the bathroom. She’s wrapped in a towel with no weapons on her, yet she’s never looked so threatening. She’s calm and confident, and not at all the girl I thought she was. “He’s probably dead.”

  Fuck! I glance at the door and weigh my options. “How long have you known?”

  “Four days,” she says. “I’ve been hanging out around here searching for the damn thing, but I can’t find it.”

  “Is that why you haven’t killed me yet?”

  She sighs and steps forward.

  I shut the drawer and step back.

  “I’m trying to save your life, not take it, Hayden. I need you to trust me.”

  “Who else knows?”

  “Just me, for now. But people are looking for you and after Stone plastered your face all over social media…”

  “Stone?” I ask, as I twirl the name around in his head. Stone Rissi.

  “He changed his name. His real name is Silvano Giuseppe Beneventi.”

  “So, Breaker is Bartolomeo?”

  “That’s the one, and you have information both he and Costa are willing to kill for.”

  “Did they send you?”

  “Sort of. You were on my kill list.”

  “Your what?” I bellow.

  “I’m not going to kill you,” she says and then smirks at me. “I love you too much to do that.”

  “That’s good to know. I’m not sure that I believe that.” If Kade is dead, then I really don’t have any other choice. “Did you kill Kade?”

  “Yes.”

  Wow. That came out real easy. “Okay.” I’m fucked. I run and hide…and keep hiding the rest of my life, or I trust Kelsie and fight. “You’re not really a self-defense trainer, are you?”

  She shakes her head. “I do manage the restaurant though.”

  “Is it really a restaurant?” All the mafia horror stories roll around in my head.

  She darts her eyes away and answers, “Everything from the cashier to the front door is a restaurant.”

  “Got it. I’ll make a mental note to stay away from it. What’s it called.”

  She laughs for some reason. “Giuseppe’s, and I don’t know if hiding you is the best option.”

  “It’s been working pretty fucking well for me.” Until I fell in love with a hitman…hitlady… whatever, the hell she is.

  “I guess neither of us are who we pretended to be.”

  “Yeah, but I’m a fucking college kid, you’re…”

  “Oh no you don’t!” She scowls and steps for me, jabbing her strong finger into my chest over and over as she says, “I tried to give you up but you kept coming at me with the I care and I listen, Kelsie… and you made me fall in love with you. Now you’re stuck with me. So fucking care and fucking listen, because I’m the person who’s going to save your life.”

  I run my palm over my hand and sit on my bed. I let it all sink in and sift through my thoughts. After I manage to make sense of the situation I glance up and say, “That was kinda hot.”

  Her face hardens and she shoves me in the shoulder before taking a seat next to me. “We need to work on your gullibility if your going to make it.” She smirks and leans on my shoulder, making sure the contact is acceptable.

  “Were you lying to me?”

  “No, but I can teach you a few things that Kade couldn’t.”

  I nod and stare at the door to my bedroom. I woke up this morning Hayden Masters, now I’m also Jason West. “I don’t know how I didn’t connect it.”

  LB. Laura Beneventi. Stone even mentioned her name.

  “I think we only see what we want to see,” she says somberly. “Even when things seem off, we believe what’s not true because it’s easier.”

  I get that. “Why do you need the information on the pen drive?”

  She takes a seat on the bed, giving me space, and telling me I can run if I want to. I grab my sneakers, just in case, while she watches and explains, “You know the man your father’s accused of murdering?”

  I nod. “Fabrizio…” Her last name pops in my head. Shit. “Salvatore. Another thing I didn’t figure out.” I tie my shoes, double knotting them.

  “He was my father, and mine and yours were working together to bring down my uncle. Costa Beneventi ordered the hit and took them both out, I’m sure of it.”

  “How does Laura play into all of this?”

  “Laura Beneventi was working with them. How did you know that?”

  “I didn’t.” That would explain why she was at the house and the affair. “And you think there’s evidence in the pen drive?”

  “There’s enough evidence to bargain for your life. The rest I think I’m going to have to get Costa to confess.”

  I grab my hoodie and pull it over my head. “And how are you going to do that?”

  “I’m going to threaten to kill him.”

  I choke out, “Costa Beneventi?” I jump right to my next question, “And if that doesn’t work?” I scan the room for anything else I would need if I have to run.

  “Then I kill him and bargain with his son.”

  “I don’t take the mafia for the bargaining type.”

  “That’s where Stone comes in. He loves you like a brother, and I bet he’s willing to help.”

  “He did tell me to stay away from you and your family.” I glance at the door, wondering how far I would get before someone found me.

  “Are you going to run?” she asks since I’m standing at the door.

  I answer honestly, “I’m not sure yet.”

  She nods, but I can tell the words hurt.

  “What happens to you if I run?”

  “I’ll survive,” she says, retreating inward. “You should go and get away. I’ll do what I can.”

  She’s not telling me the truth. “Will they hurt you?”

  Her blinking stops as she stares at me. “I told you that you shouldn’t care.”

  The problem is I do. I open my door and walk out without looking back, if I did I’d change my mind. I walk down the hall and knock on his door.

  “Giuseppe?” I shout, as I pound on Stone’s door.

  He swings it open, showing me a full frontal of the bartender from the other night and himself. I keep my eyes fixated on him and say, “You’re right, it is a sucky middle name.”

  He cracks a smile, relief washing over him.

  I wish it would wash over me. “You’re being summoned by Kelsie.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  I exhale and resign to being found by the Beneventis. The right Beneventis.

  12

  New Year’s Eve

  Kelsie

  The music pounds against my eardrums, giving me the biggest headache. I press my fingertip to the center of my forehead, as if pressing down on the vein can stall the ache. Instead, it intensifies it. I flag down the bartender, who is flirting with the girls Breaker brought in an hour ago. He dropped them here and disappeared.

  I’m flipping the freak out. I got the money from Breaker after concocting this plan with Hayden and Stone. Our plan is to threaten the bosses and bargain in one of
the soundproof rooms in the back. The office is probably the easiest and it’s been the end to many mob enemies for years.

  Tonight, it’s going to be the end to my enemy.

  The bartender nods to me, and I hold my empty glass in the air, requesting a refill. He grabs the champagne bottle and pours me a new flute full as I force my eyes to survey the restaurant.

  I don't like not knowing where the Beneventis are. Brother or not, I don't trust them.

  “Looking for me?” Breaker asks as he comes up behind me. He leans over my shoulder and steals my drink.

  I roll my eyes back in my head when the stench of his alcohol-laced breath hits my nostrils. I flip around, pushing him to the side. “Why the hell would I be looking for you?”

  His finger flies up in the air, silencing my lips. “I want to say thank you.”

  “For what?”

  He points over to the door where Stone is taking off his jacket and handing it to the coat girl. Good. He isn't late. “You convinced him to stay.”

  I didn't have a choice. “It wasn't me. Must've been something you said to him at the club.”

  He looks at me pensively, and then over at Stone. “I didn't threaten your boyfriend if that's what you're thinking.”

  “I wouldn't put that past you.”

  He smirks. “I didn't say I wouldn't have, or I won’t. I just tried your suggestion first—no ultimatums. Guess it worked.”

  It didn't. After Hayden agreed to let me protect him, we told Stone. He wasn't happy, but he agreed to defer his acceptance for a year and help me with the plan and fallout. He's the one who shut down our plan to run after confronting his dad. “Looks like.”

  “Is the hunt done?”

  “No.”

  “Standing around here drinking isn't going to leave me in the clear.”

  “You already are in the clear, Breaker. The Commission approved your ascension. I need more time.”

  He furrows his brows and leans in to ask, “Time for what? You said you located him.”

  “I have, and it's not something I can rush.”

  He scoffs. “Are you starting to feel bad now, Kelsie?” He chuckles in disbelief. “Costa Beneventi's cold-hearted killer… suddenly grows a conscience?”

  “It's called being cautious, not having a conscience, dickwad.” The bartender slides me a full glass and disappears back to entertaining Breaker's toys.

  Breaker finishes his drink and holds the flute up between us. Toasting with an empty glass is a bad omen, but he's insisting. “You're going to have to start showing some respect when I'm in charge.”

  I smile, clink our glasses together, and point at his guests with my glass. “But you aren't yet, and you should remember you need someone like me to save your ass from the psycho girls you fuck with. You know that's Magdalena Cabrali, right?”

  “I might,” he replies proudly. Now my uncle’s plea makes more sense. Stone, Hayden, and I think Costa’s plan was to kill me if the caccia went south or he no longer needed me. But he needed me because without Stone, Breaker would be left vulnerable to people like the Cabrali twins.

  I shake my head. “She carved up her last boyfriend and drew hearts on his flesh with a knife.” Her dad covered it up and made it disappear, but she was bat-shit crazy. She made it last for two hours before she finally stabbed him in the heart.

  “You fucked a guy and killed him… she fucked a guy and killed him...” he trails off to emphasize the similarities.

  I harden my voice. “I wouldn't be drawing hearts on your flesh… Besides, last I heard, that wasn't her first time.”

  “Nothings been her first time for a very long time,” he admits. “But don’t worry that pretty little head of yours. She's not stupid enough to kill a Beneventi and risk a war between our families…”

  I'm not so sure about that. “If you say so.”

  He narrows his eyes on me, and brings a finger to his lips. “You have your hit list… I have mine.”

  He smiles and steps to the side, giving me a better view of the entrance. The nurse wheels my uncle in. He's looking paler than usual and there's a blanket extended over his lap. She stops the chair right in front of Stone. My uncle’s face lights up when he sees his son. The room stills, watching their reaction.

  Stone glances in my direction before bending down and hugging him. That's my signal. He's going to ask to speak to his father in the office. I wait for him to take over for the nurse and wheel him to the back. Breaker follows them but hangs behind to talk to his two men who disappear.

  I wait ten minutes and sneak to the back, stopping outside the office door. It's ajar so I listen to the conversation. Stone is supposed to get his dad talking about the secrets and bringing all his dirty tactics to light. I wait as patiently as a vengeful killer can—or rather, impatiently.

  “I'm glad you decided to stay, little brother,” Breaker speaks first.

  “I’m not back yet,” Stone answers. “I told Dad that before I make my decision, I need to know some things. Mom told me something, and I'm not sure what to think of it.”

  “So now you want to tell me the secrets?” Breaker’s voice becomes agitated. “When I needed your help, you weren’t as benevolent with your wisdom.”

  “I didn’t know you knew the word benevolent.”

  Breaker scoffs. “Big mouth for someone coming around here asking for favors.”

  “It’s not a favor,” Stone reminds him. “You want me here, remember?”

  I think that was meant for his father.

  “I’ve found other arrangements,” Breaker raises his voice.

  Interesting.

  Breaker continues, “You forced me to have to do things differently when you shut me out.” He pauses and the sound of a chair dragging against the floor reaches my ears. “You could have helped me from the beginning. So many things could have been different, but you chose to leave. You let Mom get in your head and—”

  “Shut up, Bartolomeo.”

  That should get him to stop talking. He only gets referred to by his birth name when the situation is serious.

  Stone continues, “I need the truth if you want me to stay…and a favor.”

  “See,” Breaker says with a humorous pitch. “I knew you wanted something.”

  Costa interferes again, “What do you not understand from shut up, Bartolomeo?”

  Okay,” Breaker pouts, “but I can almost guess what this is about.”

  “Please don’t,” Costa says. “Your mouth needs to stop talking.”

  A weird silence comes over them and I peek through the slit in the door, between the hinges. I can only see Stone from here.

  “What do you want to know, son?” Costa asks Stone.

  Stone shuffles on his feet and glances toward the door way. “Was Laura working with the FBI against you?”

  I quickly duck back and out of sight before the other Beneventis catch me.

  “She was,” Costa answers.

  “And Fabrizio,” Breaker adds, not heeding Costa’s warning. “They were traitors.”

  He really should have kept his mouth shut. I don’t like how harsh he sounds.

  “You knew?” Stone’s shocked voice spurs me to action. I reach under my skirt and grab my gun.

  Breaker clicks his tongue and passes the conversation over to his father. “I got a tip that we had a rat, so I hired surveillance and found out that it was Bobby, or Robert West…”

  “Who gave you the tip?”

  “Kade, the same guy I hired to do surveillance. You didn’t know him.”

  But I did. Why the hell was he on the list if he was working for Costa?

  “His name sounds familiar.” Stone watched the videos on the flash drive with me and Hayden. “Kelsie mentioned him.”

  Brilliant, manipulative mind.

  “That’s because he was number one on the list.” Costa coughs and it sounds like a fridge is opening. After a brief pause, Costa begins again, “He couldn’t find me the fucking pen drive.�
�

  “Why would he know where the flash drive was?”

  “Because he was close with West. He was supposed to find it for me in exchange for the kid’s life... I got tired of waiting and put them both on the list.”

  “You killed West?” Stone asks.

  “I did more than that. I came to find out that Fabrizio was working with West and knew where he was. They had become friends.”

  “What did you do?” Stone presses.

  “He betrayed me!” My uncle enters into a coughing fit after shouting his last statement. He isn't well at all.

  “I need to know it all. No secrets!”

  Breaker answers, to my surprise, “I followed Fabrizio to West's hideout. Dad sent me to kill both of them, but when I got there only Fabrizio was there. I killed him first, then waited for West. Franco cleaned up—”

  I slam the door open. “You killed our father?” The gun in my hand is pointed at Breaker’s temple. I didn’t see that coming. “Did you bash his face in too?”

  “Kelsie,” Stone shouts. “Wait.”

  “I didn’t bash anyone’s face in,” he growls and strains his eyes to look at me. “Franco did that…” He lifts a hand in the air and press the nozzle deeper. “Did you say our?”

  He didn’t know. It's my turn to lead the conversation. “Talk, old man, or I finish your line right here.”

  Costa wheezes before raggedly confessing to Breaker, “I knew your mother had an affair with Fabrizio. I always suspected you were his, but you were mine.”

  Breaker bellows, “What? That's why he didn't fight me.”

  I lower my gun. “Continue,” I order, now pointing the gun at the older Beneventi and walking behind him.

  Neither of the brothers stop me as I aim at the back of his head.

  “You made me make my bones killing my father?” Breaker’s awed by Costa’s wretchedness. “That’s cruel, even for you.”

  “Cruelty is how you succeed in this world, not being a pansy-ass Kind Killer. You either take the gun and shoot the person with no remorse, or you turn the fucking thing on yourself.”

  Stone nods his head and steps to his father. He squats down at eye level and says, “Is that what you said to my mother before she decided to kill herself?”