The Banker Read online

  “What is it?” His voice was particularly cold, a direct contrast to the summer heat.

  I turned the wheel and turned the car around. “Cato, there’s something I need to tell you.”

  From the left came a squadron of black cars, along with a tank in the front. An actual tank. They turned the corner in the road, hidden from my view just a moment ago when I drove in the opposite direction. “Oh my god.” I slammed on the brakes, and my eyes went to the rearview mirror. A brigade exited the cemetery and came this way, a string of equally armored cars.

  We were in the middle of a war.

  Cato turned to me, giving me a look so cold there were shards of ice in his gaze. His jaw was clenched with the same tightness as his fists, and he looked so livid, like he didn’t know what to do with himself. He couldn’t decide how he wanted to kill me—if he wanted to strangle me or shoot me. “You aren’t as clever as you think you are.” He stepped out of the car.

  The pulse in my neck exploded into a raging panic. My chest couldn’t keep up with my need for air, and the adrenaline was so strong, I thought I might pass out then and there. Cato knew about this the entire time. I thought I’d played him—but he played me.

  He opened my door and unclicked my safety belt. “Out.”

  “Cato—”

  He grabbed me by the hair and dragged me out of the car.

  I screamed as the hair was yanked from my scalp and I was pulled from the car like an animal. My body hit the hot asphalt, and my knees scraped against the rough surface.

  He grabbed me by the neck and pulled me to my feet before he guided me past the militia and to his private car. The back door was already open, and he pushed me inside, making me fall across the leather seats as he slammed the door behind me.

  “Shit.”

  When he opened the door on the other side, that’s when the gunshots went off.

  The war had begun.

  The second he got in, the car took off in the opposite direction, taking us away from the battle that raged where we’d sat just moments ago.

  As if nothing had happened at all, Cato looked out the window. He didn’t scream or yell. He didn’t pound his fist into my face. He was unnaturally still and quiet, and that made him far more terrifying.

  “Cato, it’s not how it looks—”

  With lightning speed, he struck me across the face and made my head smack into the window. “Be silent, bitch.” His arctic gaze burned into mine, and now he was the asshole I’d met a month ago—only worse. Now he was a monster, a demon. He was the Cato Marino everyone warned me about.

  “Please listen to me.”

  He moved to hit me again.

  I blocked his hit and pushed back. “I changed my mind. I turned around. I couldn’t go through with it.”

  He got his fingers around my neck and squeezed me so hard I couldn’t breathe. “I don’t give a shit if you changed your mind. When we arrive at my estate, I will put you on your knees and execute you like the traitors before you. Your blood will seep into the soil and bring new life to my garden. Your body will be dumped in the landfill where I put my enemies—and you will rot like the trash that you are.”

  I tried to push his hand away, but the lack of oxygen made me weak. I couldn’t put up a fight to match him—even if I were fully prepared for it.

  Just when I was about to pass out, he released me.

  “I did it to save my father. And if I refused, they were going to rape and kill me.”

  He faced forward, indifferent to my statements. “Your father is already dead. Perhaps if you were smarter, you would have figured that out.”

  “What…?”

  He didn’t look at the emotion on my face. He didn’t care about me at all anymore. “They killed him the second they had him. You did all of this for nothing. You could have asked for my help at any time. Instead, you conspired against me and actually believed you had a chance to accomplish the impossible.”

  “I wanted to ask for help, but I was afraid you would kill me.”

  He looked out the window, his hands resting on his thighs.

  “You would have killed me, Cato. I had no other option. I had to save my father…but in the end, I changed my mind. I couldn’t do that to you. You didn’t deserve it…and I couldn’t go through with it.”

  “Maybe you turned around because you knew I was on to you.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “We’ll never know,” he said coldly. “And I don’t care either way. You made your choice, and I’ve made mine. Enjoy your last few minutes of life—just don’t shit in my car.”

  The car pulled up to the roundabout where the fountain stood, the exact place where he had executed a Russian traitor just weeks ago. His men stood there with their guns on their hips, and Bates was in the center, looking even more pissed than Cato. With his arms across his chest, he stared at my window like he could see me through the tint.

  I knew Cato didn’t unleash empty threats. He would drag me out of that car and force me to my knees like a prisoner of war. I’d done this to save my father, but now I realized, no matter what decision I’d made, I was destined to wind up dead anyway.

  When Cato stepped out of the car, the men opened my door and yanked me out.

  Bates was on me fast. “What did I say?” He grabbed me by the neck and punched me hard in the face.

  I dropped to the ground instantly. I’d never been hit like that in my life. My lip bled and vertigo started. The pain didn’t knock me off my feet right away. It was the momentum packed into the punch.

  Cato did nothing.

  “I told you not to fuck with my brother.” He yanked my hand off my face then punched me again. “You fucking whore.”

  My head snapped back at the impact of his fist. Now the pain kicked in—and it was excruciating.

  Cato grabbed a pistol from one of his men. “Stop.”

  Bates punched me again, making my nose bleed.

  “Enough.” This time, Cato grabbed him by the arm and pulled him off.

  “You should be the one doing this.” Bates yanked his arm free. “Make that bitch suffer.”

  “Not interested. Not worth my time.” He cocked the gun and walked toward me, the weapon hanging at his side. There was no pity in his eyes for the way his brother had beat me. The second Cato’s eyes settled on me, that same rage took over. He raised the gun and pointed it at me, aiming for my skull.

  On the ground like an animal, I was defenseless. All I could do was look at the barrel that would give me the release of death. I’d lived my life fearlessly, but in that moment, all I felt was fear. There were no words to describe how it felt to have a gun pointed at me like that, to see the man’s hand not shake at all. “I did it to save my father…what else was I supposed to do?” I refused to cry or shake. My last moments on earth would be full of dignity…at least as much as I could possess with blood dripping down my face.

  “Don’t care.”

  “You would have done the same.”

  “And I would have paid the price for it—and not begged for my life.” Cato was the stone-cold killer he was rumored to be. He’d fucked me and shared private moments with me over dinner, but none of that mattered now.

  Now that I had nothing left to say, I said the only thing that might matter. I wasn’t completely sure it was the truth, but based on all my symptoms, I couldn’t find a more logical explanation. “I’m pregnant.”

  The gun shook as he narrowed his eyes.

  “Liar,” Bates barked. “And even if you aren’t, you think we give a damn? Two birds with one stone.”

  The gun continued to shake in Cato’s hand. “I expected more out of you.”

  “I’m not lying, Cato. You know I’ve been sick for over a week.”

  “From the guilt—of being a lying bitch.”

  I placed my hand over my stomach, like that would make a difference.

  He still didn’t pull the trigger.

  Bates stared at his brother, his ar
ms over his chest. “Cato, kill her.”

  Cato continued to hold the gun, but his resolve faded.

  “She’s lying,” Bates said. “And even if she isn’t, who gives a shit? Kill her or I will.”

  The rage remained in Cato’s eyes as he lowered the gun to the ground.

  “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” Bates stepped in and snatched the gun out of his hand. He pointed at me and fired.

  Cato managed to push the gun away from my direction at the right second. “What the fuck are you doing?” He snatched the gun.

  “You’re too much of a pussy to kill her. So I’ll do it.”

  Cato emptied the bullets out of the barrel. “We can’t.”

  Bates stared at his brother furiously, his jaw tight and his head shaking slightly. “Who gives a shit, Cato? Even if she is pregnant, and even if it’s yours, it doesn’t fucking matter. Kill them both and be done with it.”

  Cato lowered his voice so the men wouldn’t overhear his words. “Father left us. He turned his back on us because he was a coward. I’m not a coward. I’m not like him.”

  Bates turned silent, and his eyes shifted back and forth as he looked at his brother. “It’s not the same—”

  “It is the same. If she’s telling the truth, that’s my blood in there. That’s my family. You don’t turn your back on family.”

  Bates sighed loudly, furious at the turn of events.

  Cato nodded to one of his men. “Get her a pregnancy test.”

  Now I really did hope I was pregnant. If I wasn’t…I would be dead.

  Bates turned to me, a disgusted sneer on his face.

  Cato approached me and squatted down so our faces were closer together. “Take the test. But if it’s negative, I will torture you before I kill you. So, if you’re lying, you might want to reconsider.”

  I could either get a quick death now—or a painful one later. “I’ll take the test.”

  He stepped back and didn’t help me to my feet. One of the men escorted me inside, put the box in my hand, and then stood outside the door while I did my business. Armed with rifles, the men would blow my brains out the second I stepped out of line.

  “God…please be positive.” I peed on the stick and then waited for two minutes to pass. I always knew I wanted a family, but I didn’t expect that time to come so soon. I’d imagined I would be married to a man I loved for years before it happened. I’d never anticipated a moment like this, that being pregnant could save my life.

  When the two minutes were up, I looked at the results.

  Pregnant.

  Thank fucking god.

  I held the stick in my hand and felt the tears well up in my eyes. I’d been on birth control for years, but somehow this happened—a little miracle. My baby was about to save my life. I walked out with the stick held in my hand and was escorted to the front by the armed guards.

  Cato snatched the stick from my grasp and read the results. He gave no reaction.

  Bates came to his side and read it too. “Fuck.” He turned to me. “She did it on purpose.”

  “I didn’t.” I spoke with a weak voice because my words didn’t seem to matter. It wasn’t on purpose, but of course, I looked guilty. I couldn’t blame either one of them for assuming that. “I know you don’t believe me, but I didn’t.”

  Cato stared at the pregnancy test again, like he needed to check it once more.

  Bates looked like he wanted to strangle me. “Check to make sure it’s yours.”

  “I will. But I already know it is.” Cato slipped the stick into his pocket.

  Bates shook his head and walked off.

  Cato stared me down, his expression impossible to read. He used to let me read his soul, decipher the emotions he worked so hard to hide from the world. But now he treated me like an enemy. “You’ll live here with me until the baby comes. It’s not safe for you to live alone. Once people find out, you’ll be a target. I’ll provide for you and protect you.”

  There was the man I knew. The compassionate and caring man. “Okay.” I didn’t want to live there with him full time, but I was so grateful I wouldn’t be dying that I didn’t dare argue.

  “But once the baby is here, I’ll finish this.” He raised the empty gun so I could see it. “Enjoy the last nine months of your life. They’ll go by quick.”

  “What…?” He was going to take my child and then kill me? “You can’t be serious—”

  “I’m dead serious.” He stepped closer to me, his face nearly touching mine. “My son or daughter is living inside you. They’re the only thing I care about. You’re just a surrogate, and once your job is fulfilled, you will serve your punishment.”

  “Cato, they can’t not have a mother—”

  “Shut up.”

  It was the only time in my life when I obeyed.

  “I grew up with a single parent, and I turned out fine. We don’t need you.”

  Tears flew out of my eyes and streaked down my cheeks. The migraine behind my eyes didn’t affect my tears. The pain from being thrown around in the car and onto the concrete had nothing to do with it either. But the idea of never knowing my baby, spending nine months carrying it, only to have it taken away…was unbearable. “Please…Cato. No. Don’t do that to me. You can’t…please. Mercy.”

  He kept up his cold expression, immune to my emotional plea. “I’ll let you hold the baby once. That’s the most mercy you’ll get from me.”

  The story continues in The Dictator…

  The only reason I'm still alive is because of the baby growing inside me.

  My baby saved my life.

  Now I'm a prisoner inside Cato's fortress. He's pissed at me, livid every time he looks at me. He refuses to sleep with me because now I'm the enemy.

  But I miss him...and he misses me.

  I only slept with Cato to save my father, but now he means something to me. I care about him, and I know he cares about me.

  Can I earn his forgiveness? Can I earn his trust?

  But even if I do, will he shoot me anyway?

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