Loving My Father's Killer

CHAPTER 3: WRONG TIME, WRONG PLACE

Zade's POV

I stared down at the little body on the floor, with my eyebrows c****d. Although unconscious, her fingers were balled into fists. At least there was the steady rise and fall of her chest. She wasn't dead. Yet.

We have only had one wrong entry.

One.

And now, this woman was making it the second. “Who is she?” I asked the bouncer, and he swallowed hard that I could hear it.

“She said she was Tina Carlos.”

I couldn't help but run a hand through my face. My hands were itching to point the gun to his stupid chest. Of course, my men were competent, but competence doesn't always mean intelligence.

My gaze drifted down to her heels. They looked expensive and new. Even her nails were freshly manicured. The huge earrings that hung from her ear were definitely old money.

She didn't come to steal. But fine. She was there already.

“Get the hotel manager,” I said calmly. He gave me a small nod, and he headed out of the room.

The other men were looking up at me, like they were waiting for me to make a decision. Normally, I would have done it. But there was something about her that felt… off. I pushed the thought away. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for a kill.

“Search her,” I said, and they got to work immediately, running hands through her arms, and checking her shoes. They all stepped back, with empty hands. “She's unarmed.”

I almost laughed. How stupid can she be? Didn't she know who she was coming to see? She was either brave, or unbelievably stupid.

The door was opened a few minutes later, and the manager of the hotel was pushed in. He landed on his knees, right beside ‘Tina’. His eyes immediately scanned the room, taking in the sight of the guns, whiskey and stack of cash on the huge oak table.

He wasn't even shocked when he saw her body. He only hesitated, like he was making sure she was still alive.

“Have you seen her before?” I asked, and he craned his neck to get a better look, before nodding at me. “Where?”

“She was here a few years ago, and she did a few stupid things. Ended up getting arrested by the police. I haven't seen her ever since… until today.”

I closed my eyes. The day didn't go well. And now, this?

“Her name?”

“Naya Beckham.” he paused, before adding. “Cole Beckham's daughter.”

My jaw tightened immediately, and my hands were balled into fists at my sides. That was nothing less than a reflex action any f*****g time I heard his name.

The last time I heard his name, there was blood on my father's hands, and he kept cursing Cole over expensive whiskey. Those were things that my father ensured was etched to my brain. He didn't fail at that.

“Leave,” I said, waving the manager away. He scurried out immediately.

“We need to talk,” John, my father's trusted friend said, holding my arm. I looked down at him, and he let go immediately. He knew not to touch me. He gave me a small nod, and started heading out of the room. I followed him anyway, as he led me into the inner compartment.

My father knew he had to leave some guide for me. If he didn't, I wouldn't do things his way. And Johns has been making sure I kept carrying my father's legacy. I couldn't say it wasn't fun. Where else would tiny women find their way into my private lounge?

“What is it?” I asked, leaning against one of the walls, and John bowed his head, before extending a hand to take my hand in his, as he kissed my father's ring that had been on my finger since he retired. He released my arm immediately.

“Forgive me for what I'm about to say, but she's Beckham's daughter. He has been getting his nose into our business this whole time. At least, until his very pleasant death. If his daughter is here, she's continuing his work.”

Cole was a d**k. Every single mafia knew that. At least that was one of the things that we had in common.

“So what do you suggest?” I asked, and he took a step back.

“I suggest we put an end to her in the most silent manner. Her family won't even notice she's gone. Seems she was trouble anyway.”

He bit his lower lip, as he waited for me to speak. They all waited for things like this. My approval. My recognition.

“No,” I said, without thinking twice.

He frowned. “Why? Loose ends get people buried. You should know this from your father's story.”

I exhaled slowly. That wasn't one of the things I wanted to remember.

“You're hesitating, Zade,” he said, narrowing his eyes at me.

“I'm thinking.” I muttered under my breath.

“Your father never hesitated.”

I hated the comparison. “Well, I'm not my father, John. And his rash actions cost him mistakes. Stupid ones that could have been avoided, and spared lives.”

John finally went silent, and I finally spoke again. “I already made my decision,” I said, stuffing my hands into my pocket. “She has decisions to make.”

I walked back to the main room, and every single person got to their feet, like they were waiting for me to just tell them what to do. Things that they won't question anyway.

“Are we killing her?” one of the men asked. That was all they all wanted. They weren't getting it. Definitely not today.

I looked over at John one more time, and he was shaking his head vehemently. If he was disappointed , I couldn't tell. The last thing I needed him to do, was tell me that this was one of the things my father wouldn't approve of.

Unfortunately for him, I wasn't there to impress my father. I took my hands out of my pocket, as I finally spoke.

“Wake her up.”