Page 86 of Steal My Heart

“Should I be worried that you’re a serial killer?” I’m only halfway joking.

Alessandra laughs, pausing the show. “If only I were that interesting. Besides, having accidentally walked in on a man being dismembered, I can assure you blood and gore isn’t my jam.”

“That’s…disturbing.”

“I know, right?” She hits play.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Angelo

“Mr. Bennett, thank you for coming on such short notice.”

Maks rips off the tape from my lawyer’s mouth, and he sputters, “Mr. Calvani, what is the meaning of this?”

“I’ll give you three guesses, and two of them can be wrong.” I mock.

“I have no idea.”

“Shall I refresh your recollection?” I snap my fingers, and Maks pulls out a laptop and sets it up on the dinette. Hitting play, the footage from the necklace Remi was wearing last night appears on the screen.

Mr. Bennett’s face blanches, realizing he’s been caught. “It’s not what you think!”

“That you didn’t want me looking through the mayor’s phone, so much so that you’d risk murder? Oh, it’s exactly what I think. The question is why?”

He remains silent.

“You will answer that question, Mr. Bennett. The easy way or the hard way. It makes no difference to me.”

Maks shoves Mr. Bennett out of his seat and drags him to the edge of the boat.

“No, wait!”

“You wanted to drown my woman?” The words are out, and I don’t regret them. “Let’s give you a little taste of your own medicine.”

Mr. Bennett’s head is shoved under the surface of the water, his muffled cries music to my ears.

Maks pulls my lawyer’s head out of the water, the pathetic man coughing and fighting for a breath.

“I’ve got all day, Mr. Bennett. Again,” I order.

His head is forced underwater.

Over and over and over again.

“Wait,” Mr. Bennett’s chest heaves as he tries to catch his breath.

“I’m waiting with batedbreath.”

“Go fuck yourself.” He wheezes.

My head tips back with laughter. “Oh, Mr. Bennett. I didn’t realize you had balls. A shame they’re about to be cut off. Knife.” I rise and hold out my hand, and one’s placed in my palm. Strolling across the boat, I squat down next to Mr. Bennett.

“Wait, I’ll tell you! But only if you swear to kill me quickly.”

Twirling the knife in my hand, I consider for a moment. “I swear it.”

He breathes a sigh of relief. “I didn’t want you to see the texts I sent to the mayor, because I’ve been sabotaging your relationship with him.”