“You’re mad at me about the modeling Saturday, aren’t you?” she asked him.
Rome exhaled. “I don’t fucking like it.”
“It’s good money and I kind of enjoy it.”
“You don’t need to show off your tits to feel good about yourself,” he snapped at her and she gasped. He grabbed her by her sweater and pulled her close.
“These are mine and my brothers’. God knows what Mulgoff will have you wearing. I saw the fucking blue diamond sitting against the deep cleavage of your breasts and so did a shit load of other men. You’re part of me. Part of us, and you belong to us, no one else. It pisses me off to think about you showing off this body and wearing some expensive jewelry while men check you out, not the gems.”
“I love you, Rome. If it upsets you this much then I’ll make it the last time.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I want you happy, and aroused, not angry and grumpy,” she teased and lifted up on tiptoes and kissed his chin. He slid his hand along her ass and hip and suckled against her neck.
“Now make me happy and learn how to shoot a gun.”
She stepped back and he could see her hands shaking.
“Nice and steady. The safety lock is on. Just lift it up and get a feel for it and then point toward the target,” he told her.
She lifted it up and gripped it. “It’s heavy.”
“It’s an easy one to shoot and handle. When you get better and more comfortable I’ll buy you a lighter one.”
“I won’t need my own. I won’t ever be shooting one other than today,” she said to him.
He placed his hands on her hips and stood behind her. “I’m going to put on these ear protectors. It will be hard to hear me so I’ll tap your waist to shoot.” He placed the safety head and ear covers on her and then put ones on himself, too. He had already gone over the safety and how to shoot the gun before she actually picked it up. Hopefully she remembered the rules.
He reached out and clicked off the safety. “The safety is off. Point, aim, and pull the trigger,” he said to her and lowered his arms. She re-gripped the gun and he gave her hip a tap. She shot it.
He gave her hip a tap again and she shot again. He tapped her hip and she continued to shoot.
“How did I do?” she asked, swinging around with the gun and he grabbed her arm and pointed it down and onto the counter.
“Jesus, Rose, remember about safety? Don’t point it at anything unless you’re planning on shooting it. Shit,” he scolded and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and let go of the gun. He grabbed it and put on the safety then looked at the target.
“I’ll be damned. Look at that shit,” he said and she smiled wide, pulling off the protective gear.
“You shot that gun perfectly. You’re a natural.”
“More like beginner’s luck. Well, see ya later,” she said and went to walk away but he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close.
“Oh, no way, baby. You wait for me.” He kissed along her neck and ran his hands up under her sweater, cupping her breasts. She moaned into his mouth and he lifted her up so she straddled his waist. “Let’s grab the stuff and head inside. You got me locked, loaded, and ready,” he said and she chuckled.
“I don’t even want to admit this to you because you’ll have me out here all the time, but I’m feeling pretty riled up myself, Rome.”
He smirked at her and gave her a wink.
“A woman who can handle a gun like you just did is pretty fucking sexy.”
“You like that?”
“Oh yeah.”
“I’d do anything to make you and your brothers happy. Even if it scared me,” she admitted and he scrunched his eyes together and felt his chest tighten.
“Just love us, baby, and we’ll take care of the rest.” He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her.
Chapter 12
“We’re all set. Hiatte said they’re leaving in a few hours to start moving the merchandise. We got our buyers with their trucks in position and ready to switch out the antiques to the illegal Russian weapons and ammunition. One call to the state police and they’ll get pulled over and be busted for illegal arms deals. Their entire business will be destroyed,” Weiller said to him.
“Excellent, and I’ll be sitting in an estate looking at jewelry and waiting to tell their woman that they’re a bunch of thieves and liars. I want that call as soon as the deal is done.”
“What are your plans for Rose?”
“I’m not sure yet. It all depends on how this pans out. She’s going to be pretty upset that her men are criminals. We’ll have to wait and see. They’ll never know what hit them.”
“This is one hell of a plan to seek revenge against them. You know that Rome will probably not even be in one of those trucks as he’s still recovering from Dubai.”
“I’ve thought about that, too. Did you know that there’s been a rise in home invasions lately? I hear masked men, heavily armed with military-like artillery, shoot up estates, kill residents, and steal everything they can in less than twenty minutes.”
Weiller chuckled.
“Sounds like a good plan. Our men will notify us when we’re at the party.”
“Very good. Let’s get ready.”
* * * *
“The car is going to be here any minute,” Rose said as each of her men kissed her after making love to her for the afternoon.
“I’m going to be so tired,” she complained as Falco released her and Slade took her hand. They walked her downstairs.
“Good, then they won’t hire you again,” Mercury stated firmly.
“Nice, Merk,” Rome stated.
“Hey, I already told Rome that this was the last time I would model. Don’t make me change my mind to prove a point,” she said and Mercury snagged her from Falco and pressed her up against the wall by the front door.
He licked his lower lip and held her hands behind her back.
“Sweet, sweet Rose, you’re going to get a nice pink ass tonight when you get home from this, and it will definitely be your last night modeling. This body is ours.” He kissed her tenderly and she closed her eyes and moaned into his mouth. When he released her lips and then her hands she remained against the wall.
Her gut clenched and she was suddenly feeling scared. Frightened to leave them when she had spent so many hours with them the last week and a half.
“I don’t have to go. I can cancel,” she said to them.
Mercury narrowed his eyes at her. “That would be rude.”
“Let’s get through this and in four days we can celebrate your birthday and get ready for the gallery event next month,” Rylan added.
She nibbled her bottom lip.
“The car is here,” Remo said.
“I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave you,” she said and felt her eyes well up with tears.
“We have business to take care of tonight anyway. Enjoy yourself, make some money since you refuse to even use that debit card we gave you, and tonight when you get home we’ll be here to make love and plan your birthday celebration,” Mercury said to her.
She pulled away from the wall and caressed his cheek.
“I love you. Be careful,” she said and they walked her out to the car and watched her go.
* * * *
“Let’s get ready,” Mercury said to them. He could tell they were all on edge and even concerned about Rose.
“We need to be fully focused here. All of us. She’ll be safe at that party. We need to take precautions and get the job done. Hopefully Nicolai calls me in time,” Mercury said to them.
“If he doesn’t?” Rome asked.
“I don’t even want to think about that. Rylan, call Vaughn and make sure he and the guys are set. I need to meet Graham and Cooper at the restaurant. Everyone keep in touch and stick to the plan and then update times. Molokai is not going to get away with this.”
* * * *
Rose was walking around the party talking to the many women there. They were pretty friendly and especially the hostess, Cassidy Monclaire. She complimented her numerous times, and introduced her by her first name and not as if she were only the model. It was different and she liked this event a lot more than the others she did. Plus the evening dress she wore was black, tight fitting, and short. It was a designer cocktail dress that showed off only a small amount of cleavage but also accentuated the various jewels she wore that were for sale.
When she entered another room with more guests and more men she was shocked to see Molokai Volupus and Weiller Onsanna. She felt her gut clench and knew that if her men knew he was here they would flip out. She remembered their conversation and concern that Molokai had been responsible for shooting Rome and he could have killed his other brothers, too. Although she didn’t know the details an instant protectiveness came over her. She wouldn’t let on to what she knew, but she wouldn’t be manipulated either. A lot had changed in the last two weeks. She was a different woman.
As she was stopped by an older couple interested in the earrings she wore, she told them a little bit about the emeralds and they asked if Mulgoff brought anything larger along with him. One of his assistants heard the conversation and offered to show them some other items that were on display. They smiled and walked away. Before she turned around she felt the hand on her hip.
She turned.
“Rose, so wonderful to see you again,” Molokai said to her and then leaned closer and kissed her cheek hello.
“Mr. Volopus, how are you?” she asked.
“Molokai, remember? You look stunning, as usual. I understand that you’ll be organizing a gallery event with your paintings in about a month. You must be very excited.”
“I am. Thank you for asking.”
“Mulgoff definitely thinks you’re special. I couldn’t agree more,” he said, eyeing over her breasts.
“I should walk around and mingle more. I’m working, you know,” she said softly.
As she went to move, he stopped her. “I like you too, Rose. I think you’re very sweet but a bit naïve. Probably because you are so young.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t take offense. It’s just fair warning from an older man who has seen a lot and knows a lot.”
“About what?”
“About men, and how they may not be who they pretend to be. You should be careful who you mingle with,” he said to her and gave her the once-over. It made her feel cheap—like he was looking down at her choice to be in a ménage relationship. She hadn’t really prepared for a confrontation.
She pulled her arm away and looked him over. “I don’t know what you’re taking about.” She walked away, feeling like something was going on here but she hadn’t a clue about what. She wanted to call Mercury or one of the others. She wondered if she should pretend feeling sick and then call them to come get her.
“Rose.” She heard Mulgoff call her name.
“I need you to model a special set for me, please,” he said and she could see the woman smiling and looking like she couldn’t decide on two special necklace and earring sets. She reluctantly went over and hoped the night went quickly. She couldn’t wait to be home in her lovers’ arms, safe and secure. She had grown so dependent upon them in such a short time. She felt a twinge of emptiness inside of her and she didn’t like it one bit. I miss them. Oh God, I can’t live without them. I hope they miss me too, she thought as Mulgoff asked her to turn around so he could take off the necklace she was wearing and model this other set.
* * * *
“It’s a setup. They’re planning on somehow switching out the merchandise in the trucks,” Nicolai told Mercury over the phone as he stood by a bar with Cooper and Graham.
“It’s not what we expected. He isn’t going to make it look like we screwed up and got robbed, he’s going to plant something else and get us arrested,” Mercury stated.
“Exactly. Your brothers are en route already. It’s going to go down.”
“Do what you need to, Nicolai. I owe you.”
“Yes, you do.” He clicked off the phone and texted his brothers.
“What’s the plan then?” Graham asked him as he explained.
“We thought this might be a possibility. My brothers and the others are prepared to get hijacked but they won’t be successful. We’ll switch out the merchandise. Vaughn has friends he can trust in the state police. It will come down on Molokai and Hiatte. I need to call Rome.”
Mercury’s heart was racing. It was difficult to not want to get in the car and be part of this switch. It was worse to not know where Molokai was and to know that if they screwed him over before Molokai could screw them, that the man would be pissed and retaliate as he was hunted down by police.
As he called Rome he spoke to Cooper and Graham.
“Find a way to track down Molokai.”
Cooper nodded and then took out his cell phone.
“Rome, it’s a fucking setup,” he told him and started to explain what was going on when he heard the house alarm.
“Rylan, what is that?” he heard Rome yell.
“Someone got through the perimeter and set off the alarms.”
“Grab the guns and be ready. We’re on our way,” Mercury said and pointed at Graham and Cooper to follow.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t fucking know but someone just came onto the property unannounced and the alarms are going off.”
“Shit, Merk, do you have guards on site?”
“Yes, only four,” he said and got into the passenger seat as Graham drove and Cooper got into the back seat.
“I’m calling the others and sending them to your place now. They can get there faster than us,” Cooper told Mercury.
As they sped down the road Mercury thought about how he was moving farther from where Rose was, but this situation had to be resolved. She didn’t need to be in the middle of this. It was their situation and they had to fight, maybe kill, to stay alive.
His cell phone rang and he saw it was Slade.
“I got dead bodies all over the fucking place. What the fuck is going on? There’s a bunch of weapons at this storage facility.”
“That’s what they were going to plant on us to take the company down. Sit tight. Nicolai will get people to you.”
“Nicolai?” Slade asked.
“Fuck,” he added.
“This is a fucking mess, Merk. These guys we grabbed who tried to take us out said that they were offered ten thousand apiece to knock us out and switch the loads. They were going to call the cops.”
“Don’t worry, Vaughn has that end covered, too.”
* * * *
“What the fuck is this shit?” Remo yelled as he fired his gun and took out two more men in black. He and Rome plus their four guards were picking off men left and right as they tried to get into the house. When the gunfire stopped they took their time sweeping the property when someone tackled Remo. Remo fought back and then Rome heard the two gunshots as Remo killed the guy.
They heard vehicles approaching and tires squealing.
“Rome, Remo!” Cooper yelled out with Mercury and Graham running toward them, guns drawn.
“I think we got them all,” Rome said.
“Holy shit. There’s like twenty of them,” Cooper said and called it in with his phone.
“What the fuck?” Remo asked.
“Molokai is going down for all of this. He was going to fucking kill you,” Mercury said and his teeth were clenched.
“He didn’t. We were steps ahead. How are the others?” Rome asked.
“Nicolai is assisting and Vaughn has the police involved. It will be put on Molokai, Weiller, and Hiatte. They’ll be wanted men for illegal gun and ammunition smuggling, setting us up to try and take the fall, and shooting up our fucking house trying to kill us,” Mercury stated.
“Merk, we got a fucking huge problem,” Cooper said to him.
“What?” they all asked.
“Molokai and Weiller are at the Monclaires’, where Rose is.”
“Fuck!” Mercury yelled and started dishing out orders as they ran to the SUV.
“I’m going to kill him if he touches her. I swear to God.”
* * * *
Molokai slammed his hand against the wall, putting a hole in it. Weiller widened his eyes and then looked around them.
“We have to get the fuck out of here. How did this go so fucking wrong? I’m not going to jail, Molokai. I’m not.”
“Grab Rose. She’s in the back room.”
“And do what? Add abducting her to the list? The state police are coming after us!” Weiller yelled at him.
“The James brothers are not going to get the last laugh. I was hoping not to do this to the woman but they’ve left me no choice. Let them be miserable knowing that they sacrificed their woman to stay on top. They’ll never find her and if they are lucky enough to, they won’t want her.”
* * * *
Rose bent down to grab her bag and she saw that her cell phone had messages. When she saw Mercury’s number and the word urgent she panicked. Then she saw the others. Stay away from Molokai, he wants to hurt you. She dropped the phone and then felt the gun against her back.
“Not a sound,” Weiller whispered. Tears stung her eyes as she walked.
“What are you doing? Why?” she asked and he ushered her to the back door.
“No questions. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Then put the gun down and explain to me what’s going on.”
“You got involved with the wrong men, Rose. You’re going to die,” he said as he opened the back door and pushed her forward. She turned around and kicked the gun from his hands and then ran. She couldn’t see where she was going and then suddenly she was tackled to the ground by something huge and heavy. She lost her breath and the hits came fast. To her side, her ribs, and then he flipped her over. Tape went over her mouth and then her hands were tied as she tried screaming and kicking but Cuppa, Molokai’s guard, was in a rage. He snagged her up like a sack of potatoes and carried her to a car. He tossed her inside and she lay face down on leather seats. She was shaking, crying as the car moved and took off.
A Shot of Love Potion [Love on the Rocks 5] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 18