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《The Mafia King's Obsession 》全部章節：第 21 章 - 第 30 章

166 章節

21

DIABLOI watch April disappear inside, and I am just about to leave when something catches my eye on the fire escape above her apartment. “Take the car back,” I tell my driver, my tone low and firm. “I’ll handle this myself.”He follows my gaze, his expression tightening. “You want backup?”“I think I can manage one man,” I reply, already stepping out of the car.Rain is pouring hard, drumming on the metal rungs of the fire escape. A figure dressed entirely in black is climbing slowly upward. His hand grips something dark and heavy. From this distance, it looks like a Beretta. My gut tells me exactly what’s happening.Someone from the Rossi Cartel must have been told that April was involved in something she shouldn’t be. Maybe Sloan whispered it into the right ear. Maybe Abel. Maybe Diego. Whoever it was, they set this up perfectly. A hired gun is about to take her life, and it’s all because of me. I should have kept my distance at that bar. I should have known better. Now, she’s in d

22

APRILI watch him as he climbs through the open window. He’s soaked from the rain, water dripping from his clothes and hair. His face is flushed, his eyes wild and sharp, and for a moment he looks less like a man and more like something primal. I wonder if this is what Diablo looks like when he loses control.Then, against my better judgment, I wonder if this is what he would be like in bed.I shake that thought away quickly. It’s not something I should be thinking about, not when my bed is just a few feet away and Aria is out again on one of her endless online dates. The apartment is quiet, just the sound of the rain outside and my heart pounding. We’re alone. If I wanted to, I could take his hand and lead him to my bed. It would take only a few steps.“You need to get out of those wet clothes,” I tell him.“I’ll be fine,” he says, shutting the window behind him and turning toward me.“No, you won’t. You’ll catch a cold if you stay like that. Wait here.”I walk into Aria’s room. Sh

23

APRIL I watch as Diablo pours half the steaming contents of the pan into a mug, then adds cocoa, sugar, and finally a splash of bourbon. The rich smell fills the air. He stirs it once before handing it to me.“Try that,” he says.I take a cautious sip, the warmth sliding down my throat, the taste sweet and smoky. “Damn, that’s good,” I say, feeling the alcohol hit me faster than I expected. “You’re full of surprises.”“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” he replies, taking a sip from his own mug.“Then tell me something.”He raises an eyebrow. “What do you want to know?”“Where are you from? You don’t look like you were born in the States. You’re too tanned for that.”“I was born in Rome.”My eyes widen. “Rome? That’s the one place I’ve always wanted to visit. What’s it like?”He shrugs. “I wouldn’t know. I left when I was three.”“Why did you move over here?”“You’d have to ask my parents that.”“Didn’t you ever ask them?”“They’re dead.”“Oh,” I whisper, guilt slipping into my

24

DIABLOThere was a time when I could have stopped this thing growing inside me, this obsession that’s taken hold. That time is long gone. I keep telling myself to focus, to remember why I’m here, but every thought circles back to her.How am I supposed to keep my mind on the mission when April Morgan is all I can think about? I have two choices. I can focus on getting that clean slate I’ve been chasing for years, or I can give in and hold on to her. I can’t do both. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.But maybe, just maybe, there’s a way to have both. If I think hard enough, plan it right, maybe I don’t have to lose her.I keep replaying that kiss in my head. The moment our lips touched, everything else vanished. It was the most reckless, stupid thing I’ve ever done, but I can’t regret it. Her lips were soft and warm, like they were made for mine. I wanted so much more than that one kiss. I wanted to push her down on that bed, feel her skin against mine, hear the sounds she m

25

DIABLO I can't stop thinking about that kiss. I had to leave right after it happened. Another second that close to her and I would have lost control completely. Every part of me wanted her, but I can't let that happen.If April gets close to me, she'll only end up hurt, and I won't let that be her fate.I tell myself to focus on the job, not on her lips or the way she looks at me like she's trying to see past the walls I've built. I'll keep her safe. That's all I can allow myself to do. Tonight, I'll make sure she's protected, even if it means staying in the shadows. When the car arrives, I'll sit in it and keep an eye on her apartment. Later, I'll watch her from the bar.No touching, no slipping up. She's off limits from now on. Like one of those clubs where you can look but not touch.The plain black car rolls up quietly and the back door swings open. I step inside, expecting to see one of my men waiting. Instead, it's Abel sitting in the back, his face unreadable as always, one o

26

DIABLO "Diablo, I know we have not spoken much lately but I am not as emptyhearted as you imagine. I have moral standards, unlike you," Abel says."You mean your paymasters want the summit to go ahead. All you are is a glorified gopher," I snap back."That is harsh. This gopher is offering you a clean slate, remember? You stop this plot and all the kiddies in the world will be grateful.Does that reach anywhere into your cold charred heart?" he asks, voice soft but sharp.An unwanted image flashes through my head, not about the summit or any of that bullshit. It is me and April together, a baby in her arms, my hand resting on hers, a family that might have been. I push the image away quickly while Abel keeps talking."That vial gets leaked at the summit and half the leaders of the free world die in one blow. It will not just wreck the chance of an agreement, it will throw the world into chaos.If word gets out the vial came from one of our labs, we will get blamed, Diablo. Do you und

27

APRIL After the NightWhat are you supposed to do when you’re meant to show up for work but you were attacked the night before? I keep turning the thought over and over in my head. Should I go in or stay home? I need the money so badly, but after what happened last night, maybe it isn’t such a good idea.Joe ran off like a scared cat when I needed him the most. How can I ever trust him again? Still, at least the men who attacked me won’t be back. They’re gone for good, and I can’t say I’m sorry about it after what they tried to do.But what do I do about Joe? How can I work for a man who left me like that? If I don’t go in, I won’t get the money he owes me, and I need it.The bills keep stacking up, and Aria depends on me for my share to keep us both afloat. I can’t let her down.And then there’s Diablo. He’s counting on me to get into the office. No matter how secretive he’s been, or the argument we had, I still want to see him. If I don’t go into work, I might never see him again.

28

APRILI want him so badly, even though I know he’s hiding things from me, even though I know he’s bad for me. So bad it feels good? Isn’t that the saying, or is that just for cheesy movies and pop songs?I take a deep breath and step out of the bathroom ten minutes later. I find Jammie behind the bar and speak quietly. "Did Joe say anything to you about last night?""Not a word," she replies."Have you heard from him today?""Only to say he’s at the market, picking up more nachos and pickled eggs. Michelin star effort, right?"I hesitate for a moment, then say, "Listen, if you see me take someone into his office later, don’t say anything, okay?"Jammie raises an eyebrow, grinning. "Are you planning a little office rendezvous, April, you naughty girl?""No," I squeak, high enough to crack the beer glasses behind the bar. "Nothing like that.""Bullshit. Who’s the lucky guy?""No one," I mumble, trying to keep my voice steady."You have to give me something, April."I glance at her, then

29

DIABLOWhen April calls me, I am staring at the shoelaces of a dead man.The strange thing about death is that it never sends a warning. One moment you are breathing, the next you are nothing more than a body cooling on the ground.In my line of work, men go out in the morning and never come back. They sit on the edge of their bed, tying their laces, thinking about their plans for the day, never knowing that it will be their last sunrise. I have seen it too many times. The shoelaces stay tied forever.It gets to me sometimes, more than I like to admit. I think about the men I have ordered killed, the ones who betrayed the family. Each one of them thought they had more time. I nod once to the right person and their fate is sealed. They never make it home to untie their shoes.The body in front of me belongs to a man from the Rossi Cartel. The tattoos on his knuckles tell me that much. He broke into my house last night, made it all the way to my study. I should be dead right now, but a

30

DIABLO I imagine April’s smiling face near St. Peter’s or down by the Spanish Fountain, throwing a coin over her shoulder like the tourists do. Only she wouldn’t do it to come back, because she’d never want to leave. We’d live there together, and it would be perfect.“Stay on the line,” I tell her as I speed through the traffic. “Keep talking to me.”Her voice trembles. “I’m scared, Diablo. I’m really scared.”“Is there anything in there you could use as a weapon?”“I don’t know. Maybe.”“Look around. A stapler, a mug, anything.”“There’s Joe’s coffee mug in here.”“Good. Break it.”“What?”“Break it, now.”I hear a sharp crash through the phone. “I did it. Now what?”“Find the sharpest edge and keep it between your fingers. Be ready to jab. Is there a pen?”“Yes, there’s a pot of them.”“Grab one. Keep it in your other hand. If anyone comes in, go for the eyes. They won’t even have time to scream.”There’s silence for a moment. Then she asks quietly, “How do you know that?”“Just tr

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