"Could that be a day trip perhaps?" she teased as her fingers tickled the back of his neck.
"Believe me, you'll love the Caymans too, Peaches. The scenery is equally awe-inspiring and there are a lot of things for us to see and do while we're there. Either way, I promise you won't be bored."
Max studied the water again and thought about how different everything could have been but it worked out for the best.
Mila had only given him a small part of his money; five hundred thousand to be exact but along with the cash was the information about a sizeable portion of the banks Dimitri used in Switzerland.
He knew the right people and for a fee that was well worth it, Trey Lennon, a member of the Lucifer's Saints, had hacked into various accounts belonging to his former mentor. He'd drained over two hundred million dollars in five-million-dollar withdrawals and programmed each to take a trip around the world. As the money hopped from one account to another, it eventually became untraceable through its many networks. Trey had set the pattern to last for two weeks before the money ended up in several accounts in the Cayman Islands. The operation had cost him well over two million dollars but it was worth it to Max.
Money would no longer be an issue for them and although they would never go back to the carefree lifestyle they lived before, without financial problems, every part of their existence would be tolerable.
Not that Max was all that concerned about being on the run from Dimitri. Now that he knew the chances of him taking out his brother and father were slim, it'd given him time to focus on the Koslakov Mafia and their network of associates. As beautiful and lovely as their current vacation spot happened to be, it also served as a frequent location Yevgeny Kitaev visited often. He owned a huge second home, a hillside villa on a golf course in Montego Bay. He was in good company with many other well-to-do Europeans and Jamaican native families who happened to be the most fortunate on the tiny island sitting in the middle of paradise.
Dimitri would be the last man he would go after but until he did get around to him, he planned to assassinate every one of his stepfather's partners and acquaintances. His Russian backers would finally think he'd gone too far and decided to wage war on his own people and one by one, they would all fall away from him like dominoes.
This is exactly the reaction Max was hoping for. It would make it that much easier to tear his former mentor's kingdom down, brick by bloody brick.
After Dimitri's business associates had been dispatched of, he would go after the key soldiers. They would never see him coming because although he knew he was capable of becoming a monster, it was a side of him he wished Mags had tamed.
Unfortunately, she was only one person and although she had been a calming influence on him as a person-both psychologically and spiritually. However, she would never be able to change who he fundamentally was. The beast inside him was created by one monster: Dimitri Koslakov and not until he was dead, gone and in the ground rotting would that dark side of him succumb to light and perhaps an overwhelming sense of peace.
Max wasn't naïve and never thought he could ever truly be a good person but perhaps there was some part of him that was worthy of redemption. He had to place his faith in that, the same way he knew he loved Mags more with each passing day. There was hope that one day, he'd love her so much, his heart might burst from happiness but until then, he was content to hold her in his arms and show his emotions rather than embarrass her constantly by expressing to her how much she meant to him.
Mags turned toward him before she stood.
Her thigh was fine though an ugly purple bruise still marred her perfect golden skin. The bullet had to be operated and removed but since it wasn't an actual live round, they were able to blame the accident on the ineptness of phantom friend to handle a weapon.
Their story, which was accepted by the emergency attendants, was a friend-who didn't realize she'd slid the safety off-aimed, fired and shot Mags accidentally.
It wasn't exactly a lie since he knew his mother had meant to wound her but maybe should have aimed somewhere other than her thigh.
"I'm gonna take a dip in the water. You sure you don't wanna come?" she questioned while all he could do was look at her and drink in the essence of her beautiful body.
"I don't know. That could be a dangerous proposition coming from you," he murmured as his eyes stared into those pale green orbs that had him positively mesmerized.
Mags laughed out loud. "Oh come on, Max. Please don't tell me you're scared of little ole me. What could I do to a big, strong guy like you? Smother you to death with my breasts? Maybe choke the life out of you with my thighs? I'm still healing you know."
Max laughed out loud. "Okay, fine, you've convinced me."
She rewarded him with a tempting smile as he stood to his feet. He grabbed her suddenly and threw her over his shoulders as she began to fight and pound his shoulders with her fists.
"Put me down! This isn't funny, Max!"
"Actually, it's hilarious." He ran towards the water and held her over his shoulders until he was waist deep before he set her down.
She placed her hands on his pecs and glared at him with cold green eyes. "That was an asshole thing to do."
"Come on, Peaches, live a little. You know what they say about all work and no play."
"Very funny." Her facial features softened as she looked at him again. "Are you sure we should do this, Max? I mean, once we put the plan in motion, there's no going back. We could live a good life. Hell, we've got more money than most people will ever spend in a lifetime and we can stay one step ahead of Dimitri."
Max shook his head as he stared at her with bright aquamarine eyes. "It's not a choice, Mags-at least not one we get to make. He's gunning for us-I shot his wife for Christ's sake. He wants me dead."
She looked away from him and glanced towards the sun. "All I know is when I was with the WKs, Koslakov was feared more than Abandonato. I can't tell you why because they're just as deadly to me-different ways they do business but dead is dead if you fuck up and piss them off. I don't know . . . maybe Brad and Nel didn't fear Angelo as much as they feared Dimitri because he didn't look for me hard enough. Perhaps if he found me and knew what they'd done to me . . . maybe he could have put the fear of God in them."
His right hand grabbed her throat before he worked his way up to her chin and turned her to face him. "Abandonato did everything in his power to find you, Mags. I know because I was the one put on the detail to make sure he never located you. The WKs have been doin' business on and off with the Koslakov Mafia for a while. They figured they needed protection from the Italians after what they did to your parents. Please don't think Angelo isn't gunnin' for the people who did that to his favorite cousin and her husband not to mention the disappearance of their daughter."
"What's your plan then? A life on the run?"
Max shook his head. "The WKs are small fish in a big motherfuckin' pond. You said you wanted to know why they killed your parents. Along the way, I've told you a lot of half-truths. The real reason why your parents are dead is because Sophia was Angelo's cousin. That was Dimitri's first strike against Angelo. No one knew we were comin' at the time-hell, we didn't even know Nevada was gonna be our home base.
"For a while, Dimitri tried to get some traction in Southern Nevada but it was a no-go. The Tri-Cities area-Reno, Carson City, Lake Tahoe-was a better fit. Before he knew he wouldn't be able to get past the Italians and the union s in Vegas, he put out a hit on your mother. The WKs accepted the offer. Five million dollars. They owed Abandonato two mil and kept the rest. Your dad didn't steal shit. He'd always played fair with them but he died because of who he was married to and no other reason."
She lightly bit her bottom lip. "I know why you're telling me this . . . but why now?"
"We can't have secrets from one another-not if this is going to work. You knew I saved your life but perhaps you didn't know why. Now you do," he answered honestly.
"Why do I get the feeling that isn't the only reason?"
Max smiled genuinely. "It's not. I still want to meet with Angelo Abandonato. As soon we get back to the States, I plan to arrange a meet."
"Are you sure about that?" She looked into his eyes again. "Meeting him would be a dream come true for me. Now I know he thought I was important enough to look for, I have all the respect for him in the world. How do we know he won't get spooked and put a bullet in your brain?"
"Well, first of all, I do want to marry you. Raz was right about one thing. I love fucking men but I love fucking women too. I've always known I could go both ways and for a long time, I thought perhaps Raz and me had a future. That was until I met you. I need a ride or die chick, Mags. Without a fucking doubt, that woman is you. I knew it from the first time you stepped into Brad's office and met me. I sure as hell know it now."