Page 77

“My pleasure.”
She fell asleep with his voice in her ear and knew she had never felt more safe and secure than she did at that moment.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Cyprus
Marc Antony Ferante was bored. He had everything he wanted, everything he needed. It wasn’t enough…would never be enough. He was a consumer, a user of all things. Whatever came to mind that he desired, it was his within seconds of having the thought.
He didn’t consider himself better than anyone else. Truth was, he didn’t consider anyone else at all. They were here for his use, entertainment, enjoyment—whatever he desired—he had people to supply that need night and day.
He had wealth—in the bank, in stocks, the choicest properties. There was literally nothing in this world that either he didn’t already have or couldn’t get with one command.
Still he wanted more. A dissatisfaction loomed within him, and he couldn’t put his finger on what that something was. It amused him in a way, because he knew once he decided on what that something was, he would have no trouble obtaining it. He was just that good.
The phone beside him intoned a delightful tune, one he’d had created just for him. If there was one thing he wanted above all others it was to have what no one else could get.
Reaching over, he slid a slender finger across the answer icon. “Yes?”
“The girl dropped the film.”
A self-satisfied smirk lifted his mouth. “Of course she did.” The little message he’d sent to her house had no doubt scared her silly. People were just so predictable, especially women.
“You won this round. Doesn’t mean it won’t come back in the future and bite you. You need to be more careful.”
Ferante rolled his eyes at the overdramatic tone. “You worry too much. She was just some nobody trying to make a name for herself. I knew that once I set my dogs on her, she wouldn’t last. They never do.”
“Maybe so, but you’re on her radar now. She may talk.”
“Then we should have disposed of her. That was my suggestion, if you remember.”
The man sighed. “Yes, I know that, and while it was a good suggestion, I have to weigh many variables before commissioning such things. You only have yourself to be concerned with. I have a responsibility to many.”
“Of course you do.” Ferante mentally shrugged. Soothing the beast never hurt his cause. Little did the beast know that he was as disposable as everyone else. He was, however, infinitely more useful than most.
“If she starts talking, we won’t have a choice, though, will we?”
Another sigh. “No, we won’t.”
Knowing it was a foregone conclusion at some point, Ferante said, “Let me know when you want that to happen. My man is still in play. His methods are quite unique—he’s the artistic sort and a bit eccentric. However, he does know how to get the job done.”
“I would like to avoid that, if possible.”
Understanding his reasoning but not agreeing with him, Ferante made noises he thought sounded sympathetic. It was tiresome, but sometimes one had to pretend to care. An amusement in its own way, because people were just too stupid to accept that he did not care at all, about anyone but himself. He held regard for no one, not even for this man who’d started him in the business.
“I’ll call you if anything changes. In the meantime, if you could keep a lower profile, that would be helpful.”
“I do what I do. People who don’t like it shouldn’t exist.”
There was the expected shocked silence. He didn’t really understand why there was shock, though. It wasn’t as if he made a secret of how he felt. He prided himself on his openness. He was actually the only authentic person he knew.
“There are people watching your actions.”
Ah, yes, the all-powerful people who believed they made the world turn. He didn’t mind doing for them what he did. It was often an entertaining and mutually beneficial arrangement.
“Rudy, Rudy, Rudy,” Ferante mocked. “Don’t worry so much. I’m not.”
There was a long pause. Yes, he knew the man hated the shortened name. And that’s exactly why he used it.