Vasquez took a long puff on his cigar, contemplating the offer.

‘That is very kind. However, I would quite like to witness your commitment to this future. I am in the position I am in, Sykes, by being an incredibly careful man.’

‘Not careful enough.’

Both men spun to the front door where Sam Pope was stood both hands wrapped around a gun that was pointed directly at them. Sykes, in a pathetic attempt to show defiance, reached into his jacket for his own gun, but Sam stepped forward. Despite the discomfort in his wrist that Sykes had taken great pleasure in shattering, Sam clung to the weapon in a cold, expert grip.

‘Hands on the table,’ Sam demanded, taking a few careful steps forward. Sykes grunted in fury and obliged, but Vasquez sat back in his chair, puffing on his cigar. Slowly, he began to clap.

‘You are impressive. Like a cockroach who refuses to die.’ Vasquez stopped applauding and his face turned into a twisted scowl. ‘But you’re signing your own death certificate with every second you point that at me.’

Sam ignored the threat.

He kept his finger calmly against the trigger.

‘Who are you?’ Sykes spat with frustration, his fist clenching with anger.

‘Like I said to you before, I’m just passing through. Looking to catch-up with an old friend.’ Sam took another step forward, the gun trained on two of the most powerful men in the drug trade. ‘Now I’ve had a hell of a few days. I owe you both a lot of pain, but I’m willing to let that slide if you answer just one question. Where the hell is Alex?’

Chapter Twenty-Five

Alex struggled against her restraints, a mixture of fear and frustration flooding her body as they refused to give. After a few minutes of twisting, the tape and cable ties began to cut into her skin, and she relented.

Defeated, she slumped back against the wall.

Considering she’d spent her entire adult life making bad decisions, she looked helplessly around the room, confirming that she’d outdone herself. All she’d ever wanted was to give her brother and sister the life their mother had never afforded her. Addiction had cruelly denied Alex a mother, and now her own poor judgment would snatch the idea of family from her siblings.

A tear formed in the corner of her eye and she shook it away, scolding herself for her own inner pity.

She’d made the decisions that led to this point.

Sam had warned her she was playing a dangerous game, but her desperation had blurred her judgment.

He’d abandoned her in Naples, heading back to the UK to put an end to Blackridge.