“Shh, stop. You tried to kill me in my own fucking restaurant. I’m going to kill you. The choice you have is whether I make it quick or drag it out.” Cocking his gun, Luca smiled. “I’m hoping you’ll let me drag it out.”
A hand landed on Luca’s shoulder, and I flinched. I’d completely forgotten there was anyone else in the bathroom. “Pete’s cleared the hallway. You want me to step out?” Marco, definitely Marco.
Luca nodded, his eyes never leaving Alec. “Yeah, you and Pete watch the hall. I got this.”
Once the door closed, Luca loosened up. “Now, where’s Cy?”
Alec shook his head. “I don’t know. They don’t tell me anything.”
Luca pointed his long-barreledgun and shot Alec’s knee. The pop was muffled, but Alec’s scream was far from it. My racing heart drowned out the thumping of the club’s music. It felt like we were in another world entirely, miles away from the drunken scene outside the door. My hands tightened over my lips, silent tears running down my fingers.
“See—” When Alec continued to wail, Luca loosened his tie, taking it off and shoving it into Alec’s sobbing mouth.
Luca sighed, his bloody hands leaving a smear on his forehead as he pushed his hair from his eyes. “See, you didn’t just shoot me, Alec. No, you and your fucking cousin almost hit someone precious to me. Had that happened . . .” Luca shook his arms out and stepped right where blood gushed from the fresh bullet wound. The tie barely muffled Alec’s screams.
With closed eyes, Luca took a deep breath. “Had you killedher,you would’ve seen my bad side.”
A laugh sat at the back of my throat. This wasn’t his bad side? Fuck.
Luca opened his eyes, his face grim. “Now, I’m going to remove the tie, and you’re going to tell me where Cy is. Okay?”
Alec’s eyes shut tight, and tears spilled down his cheeks. Blood and sweat left a shiny mess on his forehead. He nodded, a groan escaping his mouth when Luca leaned down to rip the tie away.
“Cy is in Chicago.” Alec moaned as he tried to adjust his body.
Luca nodded as he stood back up. “And does he plan on coming back here any time soon?”
Alec nodded. “Next month for Dimitri’s engagement party.”
Luca smiled. “YouGreekshave no loyalty.”
“No, I—”
“Shh. It’s fine. Thank you for being honest.” Luca pointed the gun at Alec’s face. Fear locked my body in place, and my eyes refused to look away or evenclose.
“I’m a man of my word.”
Luca pulled the trigger, and a soft pop filled the room.
The bullet entered Alec’s forehead, and his body jerked before it went limp. The pool of blood beneath him grew faster by the second. Luca’s expensive leather shoes squished in it as he took a step toward the door.
Vomit pushed up my throat and spewed around my hands. The violence of the heaving forced chunks of burrito onto the floor. My eyes widened in horror as the stall door slammedopen. Dropping my hands from my mouth, I braced myself against the stall walls and spewed every bit of food and drink I’d had that day on the floor at Luca’s feet.
“Sasha?”
I kept my eyes down and grabbed toilet paper with shaky hands, trying in vain to wipe myself clean.
Bloody hands reached into my line of vision, and I slapped them away as I tried to stand. My legs gave out, and Luca hoisted me up against him. His lips brushed against my forehead as he whispered, “What the hell are you doing here?”
Shaking my head, I mumbled, “Had to pee.”
A shocked laugh fell from his lips. The whoosh of air blew back loose hairs, and I caught a hint of scotch on his breath. Leaning me against the stall wall, he scanned me for injury, which felt ridiculous as a corpse bled out next to our feet. “Igottaget you out of here.”
A sharp knock on the door drew Luca’s attention. “Give me a second!”
After he made sure I could stand on my own, he stepped out of the stall. The squelch of blood and vomit threatened to send me back into a puking fit. Not a second later,he grabbed my hand and pulled me to a small closet in the corner. Gently, he pushed me in next to rolls of toilet paper and paper towels. “Stay here until I cometoget you. Don’t come out for anyone else. I don’t know who I can trust right now.”
Pressing a kiss to my forehead, he closed the door and called Marco in.