Iâm an idiot. I donât know why, for even one second, I considered crossing paths with Eli Monti. When I had to meet with one of my clientâs men tonight in a sketchy alleyway, I was prepared for the worst. Iâd agonized all day as to what I should provide in the way of intel. I needed to give them enough information that I appeared to still be in the game but not enough to jeopardize the current balancing act I was doing.
I wanted my guns first and foremost. I didnât give a shit about my reputation compared to that. But even thatâs a lie; I fucking love my job and donât want it threatened because of this asshole. My saving grace is that Iâve saved a lifetimeâs worth of money. If I truly wanted to, I could retire.
I angrily scoop into my caramel swirl ice cream as I sit in my bed, fucking fuming.
It might be easy for Eli to lie to his family about us, but itâs not my thing. I donât get close to people. The reality of our wedding now happening within the month has me freaking out. I know itâs not real. I know not to take it personally and that itâs a business transaction at best. But I still have no idea how Iâm going to pull this off. I scoop another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth and internally curse as a brain freeze takes over.
Stop being stupid, Jewel. Really think about this.
I purposefully removed my engagement ring tonight before meeting with my clientâs man. I donât know how closely theyâre following me, but I didnât want them discovering my engagement to the man they hired me to kill. For all I know, they might already know, and perhaps thatâs why theyâre asking for intel.
I couldnât see the manâs face because he was wearing a mask. I tap the back of the spoon against my lip, thinking. If I can figure out who that man is, maybe it will give me a lead about the identity of the person who wanted Eli targeted in the first place.
Not that I care if theyâre targeting the Monti family. Okay, maybe I like Eliâs mom a little, but her son most definitely should have a hit on him just for being the biggest asshole in the history of the world. But I need to understand who Iâm working for now that Iâm caught in the crossfire.
I grab my phone and call Rory. They answer on the second ring.
âI bought a yacht with the money youâve been sending me lately,â they say instead of a greeting. I smile.
âMaybe you should offer me to join you sometime,â I reply, making them snort. Then, I get down to the reason for my call. âCan you look into any gangs or organizations known for wearing masks?â
âAny particular type of mask?â they ask.
âNo, just a plain black mask.â
âOn it.â Rory hangs up, and Iâm hit with an intense abdominal cramp.
Wait a secondâ¦
I go to the bathroom and realize my period has started.
âAre you fucking kidding me?!â I say, groaning. Iâd been so preoccupied with everything going on I must have lost track of my cycle. âCould it get any worse right now?â I sulk, leaning my head against the wall.
On the upside, at least I still have half a tub of ice cream. On the downside, when I reach the bottom of the tub, it most likely wonât have all the answers I need.
Iâm furious all over again as if itâs the stress caused by Eli Monti that caused my period to start without my knowledge.
Fuck this guy and his broodiness. He sent me a message earlier, explaining that heâd like to make it up to me for being an ass, which is surprising for a man like him. He wants to take me for breakfast before we go wedding dress shopping.
Thatâs a hard no on both counts.
It would appear that this asshole needs to be reminded of who heâs dealing with. And I need to actually start looking for my guns.
So I grin to myself as I reply.