Chapter Five
Shadow leaned back on the worn leather sofa. The place reeked of a high school locker room, stale donuts, and cheap coffee. Normally he handled his business with Maurice by phone or text, but his assignment was proving to be more complicated than he hoped.
“He’s had facial surgery, and I’ve already counted over a dozen body doubles,” said Maurice from his chair in front of the keyboard.
“We already know this,” said Shadow. He’d been doing recon on his mark for weeks, but the asshole was always one step ahead. Last night, Shadow had come seconds from pulling the trigger on a look-alike, only to discover it was another cold trail. It was too close of a call for his taste. “I need something I can use. Something that’ll give away the real target. Boss doesn’t want any mistakes.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Fuck. Tattoo, birthmark, something the doubles won’t have. I need to be one hundred percent certain before I blow his bastard’s brains to kingdom come.”
Maurice adjusted his glasses as hundreds of pics flashed across the numerous screens. “Give me a minute.”
Shadow tapped his foot. He was impatient about getting this job done, but also couldn’t get Riley off his mind. Since she barged into his life, he’d been slowly torn down the middle, his two worlds colliding. He needed his life at Killer of Kings—it was all he knew, and it kept the demons at bay.
Then there was her.
His carefully crafted veneer of normalcy helped him experience everything he’d lost, a life forever out of reach. He remembered the simplicity of having a drink with Riley under the stars. He could fall hard for a girl like her. As fucked up as it was, he already envisioned a future with his nosy little neighbor. They could play out all the fucking fairy tales, and scrub the past from their memories.
Only Shadow knew better. There was no going back, no happily ever after.
“You know Boss has me do a thorough background check on all his staff, right?”
Shadow narrowed his eyes, leaning over to rest his elbows on his knees. “What are you trying to say, Maurice?”
“Some of the reports say you’re a sociopath. That you have an attachment disorder so severe that you can’t function in normal society. Others call it PTSD.”
He ground his teeth. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Boss thinks you’re getting too close to one of your neighbors.”
“My personal life is none of Boss’s business. Or yours,” he said. “How about you do your fucking job and leave my past where it belongs? If you haven’t noticed, it’s been a long time since I was a little boy at the mercy of the system.”
His blood pressure rose to the point he could only hear his heart pounding in his ears. He usually kept his cool, but his past still managed to piss on his life and warp his thoughts. Shadow had been forced to watch his mother’s health deteriorate for years. Even in those final months, she refused to get medical help. Holed up in their tiny apartment, in the seediest part of the city, it had been just the two of them. When things got desperate, he resorted to stealing to bring food home. And painkillers. And cigarettes. He’d only been nine years old.
Then the years of foster care. The brutal beatings, the starvation, the lack of any affection. He’d gone through all the stages of hell until there was nothing left but emptiness.
He survived on the streets from thirteen onward, another miserable chapter of his fucked-up life. The more he reflected, the more his muscles tensed. When Maurice cleared his throat, Shadow realized his hands were in tight fists, his knuckles turned white.
“I just wanted to say that a report can’t define you. Sometimes they’re not worth the paper they’re written on.” Maurice gave him a little smile, then turned back to the monitors. “Ah, there we go.”
Maurice expanded an image. It was a small, insignificant tattoo in the web of his target’s thumb and first finger.
“What is it?” Shadow asked.
“Looks like the infinity symbol.”
“What a piece of shit. Are you sure it’s on the original? None of his doubles have it?”
“I’m sure, Shadow. This is what I do all day. Every day.”
He nodded, still reflecting on Maurice’s words. Shadow had always believed the poison the social workers fed him. It was one of the reasons he kept to himself, convinced he was a monster. Maurice’s declaration made him think.
“Why’d you mention that stuff about my reports, anyway?”
“Look, Shadow, I know all the dark stuff, from the foster system to your tours of duty. But, I also know what you do Thursday nights. I know about the shooting at the bar. You think you’re the devil? The devil doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”
He stood up, tucking the 9mm on the coffee table in the back of his pants. “Thanks for the information.” Then he got up to leave, his hand on the door handle. “Boss give any contracts on the girl?”
“No, but Killian’s his right-hand man these days.”
“Take care of yourself,” said Shadow, leaving the apartment. Once outside in the hallway, he leaned against the wall and scrubbed his hands over his face. He lived by himself and stayed away from other people to avoid this type of emotional overload. His memories were weaknesses he didn’t need to relive.
At least Riley was safe for now. Maurice was right—if Killian found out Boss put a hit out on an innocent woman, there’d be hell to pay.
He headed out to the downtown core. According to his recon, the target had an appointment with a banker at 3:00, but it could be more smoke and mirrors. Shadow sat in his SUV and watched the entrance of the bank with his binoculars. As boredom settled in, he massaged behind his neck with one hand and checked his Rolex. A couple minutes to three, two cars pulled up in front. He waited to see who would step out after the rear passenger door was held open. When he spotted Chains driving the lead car, he tossed his binoculars and bolted from his vehicle.
Did Boss have more than one guy on the job or was Chains backstabbing Killer of Kings? Either way, his day just got more fucked up. He called Boss on his cell as he walked along the sidewalk, weaving in and out of suits. Shadow hated crowds.
“You finished the job early?” asked Boss.
“Good one. Since you have your finger on the pulse of the city, you know the answer. What I need to know is why Chains is driving around with my mark.”
“I don’t remember saying it was exclusive.”
Shadow growled his irritation. “He’s going to blow his cover if he makes a move on the wrong guy. Maurice said he has a fucking army of body doubles.”
“Chain is infiltrating on the down low. Nothing to do with your mark. I like to have eyes and ears everywhere. Just worry about getting your contract fulfilled.”
“I’m on it.”
Shadow shut off his phone and shoved it in his pocket. He had to get close enough to see the tattoo before he could take out his mark. It wouldn’t be easy. As he approached the two idling cars, he glared at Chains, sitting in the driver’s seat. He’d only worked with Chains briefly while they were handling the Dead Angels MC clean-up, but Shadow preferred to work alone.
He discreetly pressed a tracker to the rear of both vehicles before walking toward the bank. Shadow blended into the surroundings. Today, he’d dressed the part, wearing the tailored Brioni suit he saved for knocking off upscale bastards. The five men flanking his target were on alert, so he couldn’t get close. With the security cameras and armed guards, he wouldn’t be pulling out his guns inside the bank. He just needed to verify he had the right man, and then he’d follow the piece of shit outside of the city and take out all six of them.
Shadow had complete faith in his ability to get the job done, no matter how many fuckers he had to take down. Boss had taught him well. Firsthand experience at Killer of Kings over the last twenty years had put him at the top of his game.
The foyer of the historic bank was massive, the vaulting ceilings reminiscent of the museums in Rome. The marble floors shined with a mirror finish. Shadow had traveled the world on assignments, and spoke several languages. Italy had been one of his favorites.
He took out his phone, keeping tabs on the group while trying to look occupied. Shadow discreetly took pics of the men in the entourage. His mark had dirty-blond hair and looked to be in his mid-thirties. He’d expected someone much older considering how far his criminal enterprise reached. Didn’t matter. It was either him or a double, and Shadow was getting fucking sick of recon.
Maybe shaking things up would bring the real man to the surface … or send him deeper into hiding. He had to do this one right, just as Boss instructed. He liked assignments that were cut and dry—find and eliminate the mark without all this bullshit. Maybe Boss was punishing him for his last fuck-up.
“You clean up well.” The voice came from directly behind him. As much as he’d love to whirl around and shove his Glock in the asshole’s face, he kept still.
“Don’t get excited. I’m not into dudes,” said Shadow before he turned partly to the side.
He frowned when he saw Anthony DeVino, one of the mob’s low-ranking hitmen. Shadow should have expected competition with such a high payout.
“What? Not happy to see me?”
“You reek of cold cuts and cigars, not exactly a pleasant combination.” Shadow put his phone away, occasionally keeping tabs on his mark as he crossed his arms. “Give me some space.”
“You’re breakin’ my heart here, Shadow.”
“What do you want?”
Anthony shrugged, but glanced to the other end of the foyer. “I’m guessing the same as you.”
“Then we have nothing else to say, do we?” said Shadow.
Anthony stayed quiet for a shocking ten seconds. “Boss doesn’t own the city.”
“And Renzo Carpollo does? Keep telling yourself that, DeVino. Usa la testa, vai a casa.” If he had to take out Anthony to fulfill this contract, he wouldn’t think twice. Killer of Kings considered him a scavenger, always ready to pick up the scraps left by real hitmen.
Shadow headed to the main entrance, each step punctuated on the stone floor. He waited on the stairs outside, hoping to get a good look at the mystery man as he left. He couldn’t stop thinking about Riley’s lip-reading skill. If he could understand what they were saying across the foyer, it could be a game changer. It would save him a lot of time and recon. He liked to work solo, and didn’t want to drag around one of Boss’s hired lip-readers to every lead. If he needed one, he knew exactly who he’d use—Riley. He enjoyed watching her, and being around her, even if at times she was a bit prickly.
He paced along the wide stairs, occasionally checking his watch. When he heard voices approaching, he left a wide berth of space at the entrance. Two bodyguards came out first, followed by the blond and the three other guards. Shadow moved in closer, pretending to absently talk on his phone.
They moved too fast for him to see the guy’s hand. The odds of seeing the small tattoo was slim to none to start with. Normally, he’d follow and kill them anyway. If it was the wrong guy, he’d keep hunting. Since Boss wanted this hit to be perfect, with nothing done to alert the target, he had to bide his time.
****
Shadow had been MIA for almost two weeks. It drove her crazy. Not because she hadn’t seen him, but because she couldn’t stop obsessing over him. Riley prided herself on keeping her heart locked up tight. It was better that way.
Shadow complicated everything.
She refused to knock on his door and look desperate. If he wanted to see her, he knew where she lived and worked. It would have been easier to put him out of her head if she hadn’t believed there’d been something building between them. Had she been completely wrong? Maybe he was just a nice guy, a neighbor looking out for her. Maybe she’d imagined everything else—the intimacy, the possessiveness, the way he looked at her. God, she wanted to believe a man like Shadow could fall for her. But like the rest of her life, it looked like it would end in more disappointment.
After work, she locked up her bakery and headed to her car. She noticed that ever since the “incident”, the area near her bakery was unusually clear of parked cars. It was odd. Of course, she couldn’t get that day out of her head. Not because Shadow killed a man, but because he’d done it for her. He literally killed for her. And now he was gone.
She started up her car, and then rolled down the windows. Even the evenings were humid at this time of year.
“No more broken windows?”
Riley gasped. Shadow’s hand was on the roof of her car, his face distractingly close. “Um, no. Everything’s been good.”
He nodded. “I’m glad.”
The only place opened at this hour was the variety store and the bar. She hoped he’d been there to see her, but wasn’t going to hold her breath. “I hope you weren’t here for baked goods. I closed shop a while ago.”
“I’m here for you.”
Her heart melted, but she kept up a collected front. “Oh?”
“I want to take you out to dinner, Riley.”
Her name on his lips sent butterflies rushing to her womb. This was the last thing she expected from Mr. MIA. She became tongue-tied, part of her expecting him to be playing a cruel trick on her. Riley played along. “When?”
“Tonight. I’ll pick you up in an hour.” He stared at her with those dark, haunted eyes. The man was completely confident. Why shouldn’t he be?
She chuckled. “Are you being serious?”
He winked. “Wear something nice. It’s fine dining.”
Then he stood straight and walked off.
What the actual fuck?
She tried to wrap her mind around what just happened. Shadow wanted to take her to dinner? Fine dining? Riley didn’t even think she owned a nice dress. She had an hour to get showered and dressed, so she made haste getting out of the plaza.
It was nearly eight o’clock by the time she was ready. Clothes littered her bedroom floor. She’d tried on just about her whole wardrobe, but guessed she couldn’t go wrong with a little black dress. After doing her hair and makeup, she dug out her heels from the back of the closet. Riley wasn’t a high maintenance girl. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d worn heels or lipstick.
She did a twirl in front of the hall mirror, trying to envision what Shadow would see when he showed up at her door. Riley smiled. It was fun getting dressed up, and she was happy with the final outcome.
When a loud, hollow knocking echoed in her little bungalow, Riley froze in place. She’d half expected him to be a no-show.
She opened the door and stared at Shadow. He wore a full suit, his dark hair slicked back. The man looked good enough to eat.
“You look stunning,” he said, his voice rough and smooth at the same time.
“Thank you,” she said. “I don’t have many fancy dresses.”
He wet his thick lips, and she couldn’t look away. “You’re perfect.” The way he said the words left no room for argument. He reached out his hand and she took it.
Soon after locking up, they were in his car, the soft leather caressing her thighs.
“I never see you drive this car,” she said.
“It’s for special occasions.”
She breathed in his subtle cologne, a mix of musk and sandalwood. His hands on the steering wheel were big and strong, his fingers long with neatly trimmed nails. She noticed little details about people, and the oddest things seemed to turn her on.
“I haven’t seen you around for weeks,” she said, being nosy. He hadn’t even put out his garbage.
The hum of the engine picked up as he sped down the highway. “I’ve been working a lot. My current assignment has been a challenge.”
“Investments, right?”
“Right.”
She bit her lip, wanting to know more about Shadow, but not wanting to pry. He’d asked her to dinner, so her previous assumption that they had a connection must have been right. Sooner or later, he had to open up.
“I haven’t had any more trouble at the plaza,” she said. “I was scared they’d try and retaliate or get the police involved.” Riley still couldn’t understand how murder could be swept under the rug.
He flicked his wrist to adjust his watch, his eyes on the road. “I dealt with them. It won’t be a problem.”
What did that mean? Was that why no one from the bar dared park near her bakery? The mere thought that Shadow had that much weight gave her a little rush. It definitely turned her on to be with such a capable man. He made her feel safe, and that was something she’d lacked most of her life.
The inside of the car was too quiet. She shifted and watched the darkened scenery rush by, and her thoughts drifted. Riley remembered the day she’d been taken into police protective custody, the beginning of her foster care nightmare. The cops had given her a yellow knitted monkey, a small consolation for what was to come.
That wasn’t the day she’d lost her sense of safety, though. That had ended before she could remember. Being born to an addict was a special kind of hell. The nauseating rollercoaster ride ended when her mother tried to sell her for one night of fucking to an undercover agent in exchange for drugs. She’d been twelve. Although she’d been spared that trauma, her childhood innocence had been lost amongst layers of dysfunction she desperately wanted to wipe from memory.
Even as an adult, she never looked up her mother. Why would she? Riley only had herself to rely on, and that’s how she liked it.
“We’re here.” Shadow’s voice snapped her out of her reverie.
She looked around, the lights and glitter of a massive archway now catching her attention. It was fine dining to the tenth degree. A valet opened her door, and she stepped out, feeling awkward with such luxuries.
A long line-up of people stood behind a red velvet rope, a bouncer keeping them back, but Shadow appeared and led her up the steps ahead of everyone. She felt like Cinderella, in more ways than one.
“This is way too fancy,” she whispered.
Shadow led her inside where he followed the hostess to their table. “This is the one I requested?” he asked.
“It is, sir.”
He held out her chair, and she sat down, watching the flames of the candle flicker when her foot nudged the table leg. To her right, she heard live piano and violin.
Shadow sat across from her. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“I was just surprised since you disappeared after that night in my backyard.”
“My work is complicated, but I promise I’d rather be with you,” he said.
She smiled. “No offense, but I tend to be skeptical. I haven’t exactly had good experience with men.”
“I have no reason to lie.” His eyes were deep pools she could get lost in, and she craved to know every secret.
“Then tell me something about yourself. Everything about you is a mystery. I want to know the real you.”
“You don’t want to know him.”
Riley tilted her head. “Of course I do,” she said. She thought of something to ask. “How did you get the name Shadow?”
He paused, then slowly bit his lower lip. “It’s just a name.”
“Did your mother give it to you?” Why was he so afraid to open up to her? It seemed she finally met someone more secretive than she was.
The waitress came with water. Shadow immediately grabbed his glass and took a drink. “My boss gave it to me. A long time ago.”
“It suits you.” She didn’t pry further on the subject, but she wasn’t done with him. “Have you been married before?”
This question didn’t seem to upset him like the other. In fact, he smirked, a deliciously sexy tilt of the lips. “No, I haven’t been married.”
“Children?”
He shook his head, then looked at his menu. She decided to look at hers, only to find it was in French. When she glanced over at him, he had the same devilish smirk.
“Need help?” he asked.
“Maybe a little. I’m not interested in eating snails or duck liver.”
The waitress returned to see if they needed help with their order. Shadow spoke in fluent French, which surprised her. “Did you want a glass of wine?” he asked her.
“Sure. Whatever you’re having.”
When the waitress left, she leaned over the table. “Are you French?”
“Just a language I picked up. I travel a lot for work.”
“I’ve never been out of this state.”
“Never traveled?”
Riley shook her head. Now that she thought of it, there weren’t many boxes checked off on her bucket list, but at least she had her bakery, and that was a big one. She didn’t need bright lights and luxury vacations.
“There are so many places I’d love to show you,” he said. “Maybe I will one day.”
All she’d ever wanted was a simple life. She’d expected to live it alone, but now she craved so much more … thanks to the man sitting across from her. Riley was terrified to get her hopes up, only to have them dashed. “Girls like me learn to let go of dreams. There’s no disappointment that way.”
“Don’t say that,” he said. He reached his arm across the table and held her wrist, and she held his. “Have big dreams. You deserve them.” With his free hand, he ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek. She closed her eyes, savoring this new level of intimacy.
When he abruptly pulled away, she swallowed hard and adjusted her dress. She’d completely fallen under his spell for those few minutes.
Shadow stared at another table, completely focused on the people being seated. “Riley, can you do me a favor?”
“Okay…” She supposed she owned him a lot of favors after the glass repair.
“Don’t look now, but I need you to read the lips at that table.”