Page 1 of Playing with the Devil

CHAPTER 1

Antonio

“Told you, you should’ve taped her face to the bag.” Samantha quipped, peeking out from behind the punching bag and when my eyes darted to her, she lifted both hands—surrendering.

1461 days. That’s how long I’d been planning my revenge.

1460 days. That’s how long it took me to stop fantasizing about her in ways I no longer should have.

I grabbed my cellphone and scanned my screen, but still no word from Cesar.

Samantha snatched my phone from my hand and decided to turn up Sew Me Up by Spiritbox and said, and I fucking quote: “If I’m going to be stuck down here with your miserable ass, I get to choose the music.”

Ultimately, I contemplated killing her. But the thought of finding someone else to take her position was dreadful. So I opted to spare her life. For now.

She tossed my cellphone back onto my gym bag, idly waiting as she rocked back and forth on her heels.

With a deep inhale, my eyes shut as I braced myself. “What?” I snapped, casting her a glance.

“I’m just saying, okay? Boss, hear me out …” She crept closer. “Her brother is here, which means she can’t be far. It won’t be difficult to find him again and when we do…” She stopped in front of me. “I say we lure her out by strapping a bomb to his chest and if she doesn’t show, her brother goes poof.” Oh for fuck’s sake.

My tone was direct, slicing through the air. “Get out.”

Eyeing me with reluctance, she stepped back and left, slamming the door shut behind her. She was treading on the same line of impatience as me.

I rolled my shoulders back once before my fists collided with the bag again, harder than before.

There was a knock on the door before it opened, revealing Rosalia. I approached her anxious state.

“Mr. Antonio.” She glanced up at me. My chest rose and fell with irritation. She hesitated, stumbling over her words. “Mr. Gonzalez is here to see you.” If he wants to leave my house alive he’d better have some goddamn fantastic news.

“Send him up to my office.”

She nodded before hurrying away and I headed up to my bedroom, unwrapping my hands. My heart had been slamming against my ribcage all day, the damn organ not quieting down for a second.

Stepping into my bedroom I slammed the door shut harder than necessary, but I didn’t give a fuck.

I had been pissed off for so long that I didn’t even know what peace felt like anymore. But, part of me knew it would be equivalent to snuffing out every bit of light out of her eyes until she was nothing but a shell of her former self.

My staff had been walking on eggshells around me, and they had one little brunette to thank for that.

Liquid rage flooded my veins at the mere thought of getting my hands on her again.

This time, no one could save her from me. No one.

As soon as I was conscious in the hospital four years ago, I had my men scouring the earth for her but she was nowhere to be found. Like a whirlwind she had swept up massive destruction and disappeared.

That is, until her brother was stupid enough to show his face two weeks ago at one of my nightclubs that didn’t have my name on the front.

He’d met up with two men from the Fujimura yakuza in the VIP section. Three of my men had a good eye on him until he made them, and the fucker slithered his way down the stairs and out the back door, disappearing into the night.

My men roamed the entire area, but he was gone.

Now, Romeo Gonzalez was in my office sitting in front of me with a bubbling excitement he was fighting hard to contain. He reached down beside him, and into his briefcase on the floor, then whipped out a folder, handing it to me.

He made the effort to slowly light his cigar before leaning back in his chair and taking a long drag, expelling a cloud of smoke above his head.

Opening the file I glanced down. A fucking gold mine.