A Deal With The Devil

CHAPTER SEVEN: BAD WIND

“Rémy Valois.” Her name slipped out of my mouth like a curse.

She smiled. Not the polite kind of smile people wore when they wanted something from me. Rémy’s smile was different. Too relaxed. Too amused. Like there was something funny about this whole situation.

Like she already knew something I didn’t.

She sat casually on one of the wooden crates beside the shipment, one leg crossed over the other, as though she hadn’t just walked into a restricted De Santis warehouse without permission.

Her black coat was draped over her shoulders, revealing a fitted cream blouse beneath it. Her copper-red hair fell loosely around her face, and there wasn’t a single trace of apprehension in her expression.

Not even when my men surrounded her from all angles.

“It’s been a while, Luca De Santis.”

I stopped a few feet away from her. “Not long enough,” I replied, my voice steady and controlled.

She laughed softly. “That’s not what you used to say.”

“I’ve changed.”

“I doubt that,” she said, her smile widening.

I looked around the warehouse. Three of my men stood behind her. Another two guarded the entrance.

Nobody had relaxed since I’d arrived. Good. They knew better than to relax after allowing the warehouse to be infiltrated by this psycho.

“What are you doing here?”

She glanced around and shrugged. “Visiting an old friend.”

“You’re standing beside a De Santis shipment. I don’t recall living in a wooden crate. You could have booked an appointment and met me at my office.”

“Does that really sound like something I’ll do?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What do you want, Remy?”

She tilted her head and pouted. “I just missed you.”

“Cut the nonsense and start talking. I’m not playing games, Rémy.”

“That’s unfortunate.” She slid off the crate and straightened her blouse. “I was hoping you’d have gotten more fun with age.”

One of my men shifted behind her.

Rémy’s eyes flicked toward him for half a second. The movement was so small most people wouldn’t have noticed.

I did.

So did he. His hand moved instinctively toward his weapon.

Rémy smiled at him.

He immediately lowered his hand.

Mind games. Interesting…

I stepped closer. “Tell me why you’re here.”

She looked at me for a long moment. Then her gaze moved past my shoulder toward the containers.

“Your men are nervous.”

“Stop prevaricating,” I said, my patience running thin.

“There he is,” she laughed.

“Who?” I asked, my eyes quickly scanning the room.

“The Luca I remember.”

I stared at her. “Careful with your words.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll tell you,” she giggled.

“Start talking.”

She rolled her eyes. “You have something that I want, De Santis.”

“And what is that?” I asked, my posture growing tense. This woman was an assassin. She carried a bad omen everywhere she went.

“Patience, De Santis. You’ll find out in due time.” She smirked in amusement.

“I’m done playing your games. Matteo?” I called out impatiently and he emerged from a dark corner of the room, startling everyone including Rémy. I almost missed how her eyes flashed with interest at the sight of Matteo.

She quickly pulled herself together. “Matteo Ferrante. I never thought I’d meet you so soon.” She strode to where he stood and moved to trace her finger on his chest when he caught her—clutching her long dainty fingers in his calloused hand.

“Hmm feisty. I like it.”

“Escort her out, Matteo. And make sure the warehouse is secure. I don’t want any slip ups next time,” I warned.

Matteo gestured for her to follow him and she winked at me before sashaying out of the room.

“She’s bad news. Make sure she doesn’t get near any of our warehouses. Avoid talking to her as much as possible if she were ever to come around you. She’s good at mind games. Do not let her fool you.”

“Yes Don!” They all echoed.

“Unload the boxes. I want to take a look.”

“Yes, Don.” The men immediately got to work.

I stayed where I was, watching the containers being opened one after another. Crates of imported liquor. Electronics. Weapons. Nothing appeared out of place.

Yet something about the entire situation bothered me.

Rémy.

She had walked into one of my warehouses as though she owned the place, refused to explain herself, and then left without giving me a single useful answer.

Typical.

I crouched beside one of the crates and inspected its contents myself. Everything was accounted for.

“Don.”

I looked up. Matteo stood a few feet away, his expression unreadable.

“What?” I asked, impatient.

“She left.”

“I can see that.”

He hesitated. “You want me to follow her?”

“No.”

His eyebrow lifted slightly in a nonverbal ‘why’.

“If she came here for a reason, she’ll make sure I find out eventually.”

Matteo nodded.

I glanced toward the warehouse entrance. “And Matteo?”

“Yes?”

“Stay away from her.”

A faint crease appeared between his brows. “Why?”

“Because she’s bad news.”

He almost smirked. “I gathered that. She’s interesting.”

I gave him a hard look.

“This isn’t a joke.”

“I know,” he nodded.

“Good.” I turned back toward the shipment but my mind wasn’t on the boxes anymore. It was on Rémy’s final look before she left. She hadn’t looked at the shipment.

She hadn’t looked at my men. She had looked at me. For a fraction of a second, something had changed in her eyes.

I dismissed the thought almost immediately. Rémy was a crazy psychopath. She probably found everything interesting. There was no reason to read anything into it.

“Everything’s clean, Don,” Matteo said after making sure all the crates were put away.

“Good.”

I straightened.

“Get the shipment moved. Double the guards tonight.”

“Yes, Don.”

“And find out how she got past the outer security.”

Matteo nodded.

I walked toward the exit. By the time I reached my car, the strange feeling in my chest had returned. Something was coming. I just didn’t know what.

~ ~ ~

The mansion was quieter when I returned.

It was well past midnight.

Most of the lights in the main corridors had been dimmed, and the guards stationed throughout the estate barely moved as I walked past them.

I loosened my tie as I climbed the stairs.

Rémy’s face crossed my mind again. I pushed it away. I had more important things to worry about.

The moment I reached the second floor, I heard something. A low, rumbling sound.

I stopped.

My hand instinctively moved toward the gun beneath my jacket. I listened intently.

There it was again.

A deep, strange rumble coming from somewhere down the corridor. It sounded almost like a wild animal.

My eyes narrowed. The hallway was empty. I slowly moved toward the sound. It was coming from Elena’s room. I stopped outside her door.

It was slightly ajar.

My hand settled firmly around the grip of my gun.

I pushed the door open. “Elena?”

There was no answer. The room was dark but the sound only grew louder.

I stepped inside and froze at what I saw.