THEY HAD MET almost 2 decades ago. Marshal had just left the army. He was lost; he did not know where to turn or what to do with the rest of his life.He had stumbled into a bar and prepared to get drunk, start a bar fight, and beat some people up, hoping that the violence would ease some pressure from his mind.He was on his fifth glass of beer when he picked the man he was going to fight with. To the naked eye, it was a suicide request because the man Marshall has chosen is over a head taller than everyone in the room, including Marshall, who is just average height and weight. As he gulped his beer, he estimated that the big man had over 150 to 200 pounds on him and was over a foot and a half taller than Marshall.That should be a challenge, he had thought to himself as he scanned the crowd for anybody that might cause a break in his party, like a cop.He noted an elderly looking man standing in the shadows, watching him closely. He ignored the man and instead just focused on the fi
"You DID NOT really mean what you said to Mr Vittorio, did you?" Kimberly asked the following day after they met with Vittorio Orsatti."Hm?" Maxim asked absently. He had cancelled work for today, and they were relaxing after a round of hot sex."You said you wanted Jon and his stepbrother dead; did you mean that literally?""Maybe. Let's see how Vittorio will handle it." Maxim shrugged. "Why are you just bringing that up now?" He asked. Kimberly looked away. "What about the reason I came to New Jersey?"Maxim turned to look at her and said, "I don't know if we should go on with that plan... It might have to be cancelled. But I know you have gotten a better reason to stay." He put his hand on her thighs and gave her a mischievous smile.She returned the smile and stood up from the couch. "He will be expecting me, though," She said as she pulled back the curtain and looked out the window.Maxim reached for an apple from a tray in the middle of the table and bit into it. "Why do you sa
MARSHALL SNOOPED CAREFULLY AROUND THE FENCE. He noted the cameras mounted at strategic places around him and hoped that they did not have motion sensors or night vision because the darkness and his camouflage hid him a little as he moved around.He noted that there were no guards on the grounds. He noted the service quarters that comprised the house for the cooks, cleaners, and gardeners. There was also another house near where the large garage was located; he suspected the house to be the driver's quarters.He crawled around the swimming pool, underneath a thick shrub, and picked a spot where he could lie and wait for the right moment. He settled for a long wait; he had a clear view of a full-length window, and he could see one of the young men inside. He wasn't sure which one was Jon and which was Lucas, but that wouldn't matter when both of them were dead.He put his binoculars to his eyes to get a closer view of the men. Even though the activities around were at a minimum because
"What DO YOU mean by you could not do it?" Vittorio snarled. Marshall turned nonchalantly and looked out the window. "I mean it exactly as I said it. I couldn't do it. There was a, uh, complication.""What does that even mean?" Vittorio asked angrily, "Have the years made you soft, Crouch?" He reverted back to the name that Marshall used years ago."Age hasn't made me soft," Marshall retorted, "But I know when to stop and not push my luck."Vittorio sighed and lifted a thin wrist to rub his eyes. "What type of complication happened? Your gun jammed?"Marshall gave a slight chuckle and shook his head, saying, "No. It was not something as dramatic as that.""What was it, then?" Vittorio asked."Well," Marshall stroked his chin, "The old guy showed up."Vittorio seemed to struggle to process the information. He raised his watery eyes to focus on Marshall before asking, "Stefan Stone showed up at their mansion?"Marshall nodded. "And you had a clear-cut chance to wipe out the whole fami
JON WAS IN his seat, facing the window, when he heard the door open and the sound of high heels walking into his office. He turned slowly on the seat and looked at Kimberly."Hello, Miss Berkley," He said dryly. "How may I help you today?"Kimberly scoffed, "Cut that crap, Jon." She dropped her bag on the couch and walked to one of the chairs opposite his table. "There is no need to behave like you are not happy to see me."Jon gave her a smile and said, "Have your seat, Kimberly, and maybe you can tell me why you are here."She sat down, crossed her legs, and remained quiet. Jon cocked his head, trying to prompt her to talk. According to what Lucas had told him, she was going to start a sexual scandal against him and the company, and so he was prepared for anything. He was very ready to react if she made any moves towards him or even got any closer than they were.She looked around the office with a smirk on her face. "You've done pretty well for yourself, Jonathan," She said. "I mea
JON HAD A smile plastered his face as the men from the trade centre scrutinized him with their looks. He was barely listening to what they were saying, and when he let Lucas answer the majority of the question, he suddenly had a weird feeling. It was like the air was charged with a subtle current of electricity; the tiny hairs on the nape of his neck stood on end.He suddenly felt like he was being watched—well, he was being watched by the fat men asking him about mundane things, but it was different from that.He looked around lazily."What do you think, Jonathan, eh?" One of the men asked, patting Jon's arm.He opened his mouth to talk, but before a word came out, a sudden red splotch splattered across his father's jacket.The bullet tore through Stefan before they heard the suppressed sound of the gun."Oh, shit!" Jon yelled. He leapt to his father's side, who held him from falling.There were screams as people jostled and ran away from the scene. "Lucas, call 911!" Jon yelled. "A
"OH, MY GOD!" Kim's hands were over her mouth as she looked at the TV in shock.She turned to Maxim and asked, "Did you know about this?" She asked. He shrugged, spraying some spice into what he was cooking. The frying pan burst into tall flames, and unperturbed, he flipped the food in the pan with a flickering of his wrist on the handle.The flames died down; he turned off the stove and wiped his hands with a dish towel before turning to Kim. "I said I wanted them dead," He said. "This was not what I asked for..." and then he muttered to himself, "I'm not sure you meant what I said literally, though.""Oh, god," Kim exclaimed, "Jon would be a mess right now.""You want to go check up on him?" Maxim asked slyly. He picked up a fork full of the pasta he was cooking."No, I don't," Kimberly snapped. "I sure do who might check up on him.""Hmm." Maxim chewed his food."Your fiancee Nicole would surely check on him," Her tone was biting. "I wonder how much you like that."Maxim's jaw sto
"HAS Maxim TOLD you anything like this?" Jon asked. Nicole shook her head and said, "It's just an assumption. Something you should not rule out completely."Jon nodded and said, "Thank you." He said, "For everything.""It's alright," She replied, holding his hand. "And you have my condolences."Jon nodded. "The airlines are doing pretty well," He said.Nicole shook her head and said, "No talking business today. And certainly not here." She gave him a small smile and walked away.Jon stood, watching her departing figure. He felt a presence beside him, so he turned to see Rick."I didn't know you would make it in time.""I wouldn't miss it for anything," Rick said sadly. "I was going to invite him to the official opening of my store next week."Jon sighed. "I am sure he would be proud of you.""He would be even prouder of you," Rick said.They exchanged a smile. Jon turned just in time to see Lucas hurry a person into a side room. He did not have enough time to see who it was.He ponder