Chapter 1: Xander
Xander
As Xander took a large gulp of his beer, he noticed his colleague and sort of friend, Marc, entering the bar and grill. The dark-skinned man headed straight to the table where Xander sat in the back corner.
“I hear you’re assigned to take out the daughter,” Marc casually said as he sat on the high-backed bar stool across from Xander. Marc didn’t bother dropping his voice, but with how loud the place was this Friday night, it wasn’t like anyone could hear him.
Xander nodded before taking a sip of his beer that had begun going warm, his gaze returning to the waitress he’d been watching the entire time. The short ponytail of her light-brown hair smacked her cheeks as she shook her head, giggling at something the man she was serving said. She’d been like this all night, smiling and engaging in small talk with everyone she served.
“And you thought you’d just stop for a drink before looking for her?” Marc asked when Xander didn’t elaborate.
“Who says I can’t do both?” Xander inclined his head toward the waitress weaving between the tables as she headed toward the side of the bar. He hadn’t been watching the girl out of interest. Admittedly, she was a pretty girl, but not his type. If what he’d witnessed from her for the past couple of hours was any indication, she was a good girl, and that just wasn’t Xander’s type. Not in the least bit.
Katherine Moore—born Katherine Montgomery—was the daughter of Rita and Jonathan Montgomery. They used to be part of the Russo crime family until over fifteen years ago when they stole millions and betrayed the family. The couple fled the country, leaving behind their six-year-old daughter.
For the past decade and a half, they’d only heard rumors about the couple’s whereabouts and the odd sighting, but nothing concrete had ever come up. Not until last week when there had been a sighting of them in Florida—the first sighting of them in the States since they left the country.
Luka sent a few men to check whether or not the claim was correct. If it was, they were to bring the couple back alive. But the men never made it back. Well, not alive, and not all of them. The fuckers had the nerve to send the heads to Luka’s house, addressed to him and his father, the former Don.
After that stunt that served as a fuck you to them—rather than send more men after them—Luka ordered Xander to kill their daughter so he could return the favor. Xander expected the daughter to be cut from the same cloth as her parents. The type to smile to your face as they stole your wallet right from under you. While she was the smiling type, Xander didn’t get the impression she was the manipulative, thieving type.
He’d never met her parents, he was only thirteen when they fled, but he’d heard the others talking about them. The men would talk about how gorgeous Rita was—gorgeous, but a manipulative bitch that slept with half the men, getting them to reveal secrets. Bets were going around about whether or not one of them was her daughter’s father. Jonathan was known for being ruthless. Whenever they wanted answers from someone, they’d send them to Jonathan. From the stories Xander had heard about him, it wasn’t a surprise he not only killed the men Luka sent after him but sent their heads back.
“Are you sure that’s her?” Marc’s eyebrows raised as he turned back to Xander.
“Positive.”
“Maybe it’s all an act,” Marc suggested as he turned back to watch Katherine apologize for bumping into a man a couple of tables from them, even though it was the man’s fault.
“You can see for yourself.” Xander drained the rest of his beer, and when Katherine was looking in his general direction, he raised his glass to flag her down. Despite not being his waitress, she came right over as soon as she deposited the drinks she was carrying on another table.
She gave both men a bright smile as her light green eyes scanned over them. “Is everything alright?”
“My friend here would like to order a drink, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen my waitress.”
Katherine made a face, it was brief, but Xander had been able to catch the flash of exasperation across her features. “Your waitress is probably somewhere in the back,” she said once her smile was back in place. The girl was a terrible liar. Her voice had lost all enthusiasm, and even though she hid her annoyance, Xander could see it in the way she pursed her lips. Pair that with her gaze darting around the room, looking for the other waitress, and you had a terrible liar.
Even if Katherine had been a decent liar, Xander knew for certain his waitress was in the bathroom fucking some guy. He knew because she first offered to take him back there. On a normal night, Xander might’ve considered her proposal, but not tonight. He took his work seriously and wanted to get this job done as soon as possible. After he turned her down, she soothed her bruised ego by taking another guy back there almost ten minutes ago.
Xander shared a brief look with Marc, seeing if he caught it also. Marc stroked his jaw as he considered Katherine.
“What can I get you?” Katherine asked, her smile becoming more genuine.
“Are you even old enough to be serving alcohol?” Marc’s tone held disbelief with a hint of amusement as he smirked.
Xander’s gaze remained on Katherine’s face, watching her reaction carefully. He expected her to be annoyed, maybe roll her eyes or instantly correct him and tell him her age to prove she was old enough. She didn’t do either of these things. Katherine giggled, and not a fake one. This one was as genuine as the grins she’d been giving out all night. “I’ve been told that before.”
After they gave her their drink orders, she said she’d be back soon as she hurried away.
Marc whistled as he watched her leave, shaking his head as he grinned. “Man, I was worried Luka had given you a difficult hit, but it’s just the opposite.” Despite his jab at Katherine not looking like she was twenty-one, Marc’s gaze roamed over her petite frame as she headed toward the bar.
Xander sighed, leaning back in his chair, brushing a strand of his black hair from his face that had escaped his bun. “I know.” Killing the girl almost wasn’t worth Xander’s time. He could see how easily he’d be able to lure her away from witnesses once her shift was over. She had a trusting air to her. The kind that came from growing up in a stable home. And once he had her alone, he had little doubt any resistance she put up would be a match for him. Killing her would be way too fucking easy and boring, especially when he’d had high hopes for her based on her parents.
“Wanna make this more interesting?” Marc asked, his gaze finally leaving Katherine.
Xander sighed, knowing where Marc was going. Usually, he flat-out refused to hear any of the other man’s ideas for bets, but not tonight. If there was a chance this bet could make this hit less child’s play, he’d take it.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Xander waved a hand at Marc, silently telling him to continue, and Marc grinned as he tapped his chin in contemplation as he watched Katherine again. “I bet you can’t get that girl to fall in love with you before you kill her. She has to say the words I love you. If you win, I’ll take care of the body and the shipping. But if you lose, you have to help me dispose of my next two bodies.”
Xander’s eyebrows shot up as he snorted and shook his head. “You’re a sick bastard, you know that, right?”
“Is that a yes or no?” Marc asked, still grinning like a fucking asshole.
Before Xander could tell him the bet would be way too goddamn easy, Katherine returned to the table, carrying Xander’s beer and Marc’s whisky. “Can I get you anything else? Would either of you like a menu?”
“You know what I would like, sweetheart?” Marc asked, and based on his tone, Xander knew the next words out of his mouth would make the girl uncomfortable. “For you to suck my dick, maybe in the bathroom?”
Xander dropped his head and back and sighed at Marc’s lack of tact. He was always like this with women, and it was honestly surprising he ever got any women to take him up on his offer.
The polite smile had slipped from Katherine’s face as she scrunched her nose. “I’m sorry, you’re talking to the wrong waitress. Wait until Allie returns, and maybe you can try again.”
Xander hadn’t expected her to respond that way and couldn’t stop himself from chuckling.
“I’m sorry for my friend being an asshole,” Xander said once he finally stopped laughing. If he was going to take Marc’s dumbass fucking bet, his friend just made it that much more difficult on him.
Katherine rolled her eyes as she snorted, shaking her head. Her reaction, once again, intrigued Xander, being one he hadn’t expected. He thought she’d be a blushing mess and would find a way to excuse herself. “I’m a little disappointed that you have to resort to this tactic.” Her words were soft, and Xander had to lean closer to be able to hear.
“Come again?” He asked, arching a brow, surprised at the hint of annoyance in her sweet voice.
She gave him a look that said it should be obvious as she let loose a sigh. “I know the routine; I’ve had it used on me many times. One friend is a perverted jackass, making the other look good in comparison, especially when they apologize on behalf of their friend.”
Marc choked on his whisky and fell into a coughing fit that Xander ignored in favor of staring at Katherine in shock.
“I thought better of you—expected at least some more original material.” Katherine cringed moments after she finished speaking as if she just now realized she just insulted a customer. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” Her gaze darted over her shoulder, and she sagged in relief. “There’s your waitress.”
Katherine didn’t say anything else, turning away and hurrying from the table.
As soon as Marc stopped coughing up his lungs, he began laughing like a goddamn maniac. Even in the loud bar, he drew attention from the surrounding tables. “You can back down from the bet. I won’t judge you for it. I didn’t expect the girl to have some bite.”
Xander’s focus had yet to leave Katherine. Where before it had been to observe her and gauge how best to take her out, it was now in curiosity. Part of him had been interested in taking Marc’s bet before because it was a way to make this boring hit interesting. And it would be a fun way to fuck with her parents, telling them he fucked their daughter before killing her. He even considered videotaping it to send it to her parents, along with her head. But now, he was not only seriously considering saying yes, he wanted to and was excited about it.
Xander always loved a challenge, and Katherine had just given him his newest challenge.
“I’m in.”
