* * * *
“So until we figure out who this other buyer is we really can’t do much but keep negotiating and push our price higher,” Fedarro said to them.
“Hopefully we’ll know who the other buyer is soon. It’s really being kept under wraps, which makes me more suspicious,” Roman said.
“Collin and me, too. How are we doing keeping security up with the street deals in that neighborhood? I know you guys took care of Alvarez, but I don’t want anyone else thinking they can slide in and do shit,” Fedarro said.
“So far things have been quiet, Fedarro. Kind of suspicious, if you ask me. I’m thinking we may need to ramp up security around that neighborhood and keep ears there,” Cobra said to them.
“Then do it. I trust your instincts, Cobra.”
Cobra looked at Roman, but Roman was staring straight toward the doorway. As Cobra looked, he felt his blood rush to his head and anger fill his gut. Roberto Simi and his two security guys, Lane and Parker, were walking through the front entryway.
“The fucking nerve,” Roman stated, standing up straighter.
“Who are they?” Scotch asked.
“The guy in the middle is the one moving in on Alessa,” Prince stated.
“Ohh,” Major said and Lenox and Ziek moved closer.
“Maybe the two of you should stay right here while Lenox and I fuck with them,” Ziek said.
“Are you kidding? I’m not missing this opportunity,” Cobra said just as Alessa walked out of the kitchen carrying her two bags, and immediately Parker and Lane took them from her, and then Roberto pulled Alessa into his arms and hugged her.
Her back was turned away from them and Roberto’s eyes landed on Cobra’s. Cobra watched Roberto slide his palm up under her shirt against the skin on her back and then down over her ass just as she pulled back.
He quickly smiled at her. Cobra and Roman headed toward them.
“Guys, no damage to the place,” Fedarro called after them. One look over his shoulder, and he saw that all the men had scowls on their faces and were ready to back them up if need be.
Alessa was talking to Roberto, but the man’s eyes never left Cobra’s. Alessa followed his line of sight and when she turned around to see Cobra and Roman she looked concerned. She should have been. The man was going to suffer one day for putting his hands on her. He, his brother, and his cousins needed to make a decision about Alessa and quickly before this dick took her from them.
“What are you doing here?” Roman asked, straight-faced and pissed.
“Roman, these are my friends,” she said, and Cobra gave Roberto the stare down.
“They aren’t welcome here, and they know why,” Roman stated.
“It’s a public place, and I’m picking up Alessa,” Roberto said calmly, then took Alessa’s hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles but holding Roman’s gaze.
Cobra clenched his teeth.
“We can give her a ride wherever she needs to go,” Cobra said.
“Too late, Cobra, she has a ride, then I’m going to feed my hard working woman,” Roberto stated and wrapped an arm around Alessa’s waist and kissed her shoulder. She wouldn’t look at Cobra or Roman. Cobra got even angrier.
“She isn’t your woman,” Roman stated firmly.
“Guys, come on. Don’t do this. Let’s go. I need to have the deliveries to the storefront in fifteen minutes,” she said to Parker and Lane.
“Then show us where the things are and we’ll start moving them into the SUV, honey,” Parker said. Were they interested in Alessa, too, and perhaps sharing her? Fuck. Not his woman. This was fucking bullshit.
“They’re set up on that table there. I’ll help you.”
“Alessa, a minute,” Cobra said to her and grabbed her hand as she turned and pointed to the table.
She paused.
“What is it, Cobra?”
“A minute alone,” he said and eyed over Roberto. Roberto stared at him and narrowed his eyes.
She looked at Roberto. “I’ll be a minute,” she said to him and he nodded but stood right there as Lane and Parker grabbed the trays of desserts, and then carried them to the SUV.
Cobra pulled her a few feet away, and Roman stood there staring at Roberto with his arms crossed.
Cobra placed his hands on her shoulders and bent lower to look her in the eyes. She looked scared. “Don’t fucking trust this guy. He’s bad news. He’s using you.”
“Using me for what, Cobra?”
“Don’t trust him.”
“I need to go.” She went to turn but Cobra pulled her close, cupped her cheek under her hair, and tilted her head back to look up at him.
“I know we hurt your feelings. It wasn’t our intention, but don’t be stupid and trust this guy. Follow your gut, if you aren’t going to follow my orders to stay clear of this guy. Can you promise me that you’ll follow your gut?” he asked her. She held his gaze and nodded. He stared at her.
“Alessa, are you ready?” Roberto asked, narrowing his eyes back at Roman and Cobra now.
Cobra pulled her back and kissed her on the mouth. He ran his hand over her ass and squeezed. She pushed from his hold.
“Cobra.”
“What the hell?” Roberto stated and she stepped back, staring at him. Cobra pointed at her.
“You watch your ass, Roberto. You lay one fucking finger on her, hurt her in any way, and we’re coming for you.”
Roberto took her hand.
“What are you going to do Cobra, Roman? Kill me? Is that how you made men act? Like animals? I’m a business man, spending time with my beautiful friend, Alessa. She has class and sophistication. She isn’t like the whores you, Roman, and the others are used to surrounding yourselves with. Don’t grab her and kiss her again as if she has no rights or say in the matter,” Roberto threatened him.
“Roberto, let’s go. Please. I want to leave now,” she said holding onto Roberto. She clung to him when she should be with Cobra and his brother and cousins.
They headed out, and Roberto kept a hand on her lower back nearly to her ass and as he turned to look at them, a smirk covered his face. Cobra stepped forward only for Roman to grab him.
“He’s up to something. Now that he knows she’s important to us, we probably placed her into further danger. He’ll do whatever he can to make her hate us, and to keep from us,” Roman said.
“Why did you let him leave with her?” Ziek asked as he and Lenox joined them.
“I want people on him immediately, Roman. Men we can trust. I’m not letting an enemy of ours take our woman from us.” Cobra stated.
“Our woman, huh?” Ziek asked and raised one of his eyebrows at Cobra.
“Fuck yeah. Alessa is going to be our woman, and if that dick finagles his way into her bed, I’m going to really lose my shit.”
“Something isn’t right. I know they met by chance, but now knowing how we feel about her, he’ll push harder to get her in his bed and to be his. That can’t happen,” Roman said firmly.
“It isn’t going to happen. Get men on them now,” Cobra ordered, and Ziek took out his phone and walked away.
Cobra headed out of the bar area and to the back room before he did something rash, like throw something. He was angry, jealous, and actually hurt. He didn’t like seeing her with another man, period. But he loathed seeing her with Roberto Simi. This wasn’t ending here.
* * * *
Alessa slid into the seat and felt the tears hit her eyes. She wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t let Cobra’s behavior get the better of her. Why had he done that? What was it he was after? Was Roberto right, and perhaps Cobra did see her as some piece of ass he could play with? She was confused. She didn’t want to think the worst and obviously there was bad blood between the men and Roberto. She felt the hand cover her hand and she looked at Roberto.
“When did you allow those men in your bed and to use you?” he asked her, shocking her.
“What? I never slept with them.”
“A man kisses a woman like that, it means he has screwed her or fooled around with her. Either way, he wants you.”
“No. I never slept with them,” she said, playing with her hands.
“What did you do with them?” he asked.
“Roberto, they aren’t right for me. I knew that and I haven’t accepted their advances, or involved myself in their games.”
“You fooled around with them, though. I know you did. Don’t lie to me and make me feel like you’re not the woman I thought you were.”
She was shocked.
“They kissed me one day a couple of weeks ago out of nowhere.”
“You let them?” he asked.
“It was complicated.”
“You were curious, interested?”
“They were with me when I was drugged. They watched over me, and apparently I told them I was attracted to them. Things got out of hand but I stopped them when I realized that it would only be sex to them. That they never made a commitment to a woman ever, and certainly someone like myself wouldn’t be able to change men like them. That’s the honest truth.”
“So when they call you tonight, tomorrow, whenever, and they make up lies about who I am and why I don’t like them, are you going to take their word over mine because of the crush you had on them and because they protected you when you were drugged?”
“No. I have way too much going on in my life right now. When you told me you would take your time, that we could be friends, and that you would care about my feelings, talk with me, give me advice, and be here for me, I knew that I could learn to trust you as I got through the fears I have. I’m comfortable with you, Roberto. You’ve been such a great support and friend.”
He turned in the seat grabbed her and pulled her closer, cupped the back of her head and hair and stared down into her eyes.
“I’m losing patience. Especially after seeing that man kiss you like that.” He pressed his mouth over hers and kissed her hard. He plunged his tongue in deeply and she was shocked when she felt on edge, guarded, and completely unsure about this.
Follow your gut, Cobra told her. Why was she suddenly feeling like Roberto could be up to something?
* * * *
Gisella sat by the table in the office reading through the documents for a real estate investment when she overheard Fedarro talking on the phone. She usually didn’t listen, knowing that she wasn’t supposed to be aware of his business, but the door was slightly ajar. What caught her full attention was the fact that he, Collin, and some others were trying to purchase a strip of buildings and someone was setting up red tape to put in the way. That there was another buyer, and that somehow they had an in with the deceased owner’s family and were making deals. She heard the name Roger Preston and she stood up and walked closer to the door.
“My associates and I have been more than patient with the process. It seems unethical that this lawyer is refusing to allow negotiations to occur legitimately between both interested parties. Talk to this guy, Roger Preston, and find out who the other interested party is, and I’m certain things can be negotiated. I’m a reasonable man, but when pushed into a corner I will become more aggressive.”
She gasped when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and Collin appeared, looking pissed off. He pressed the door open and she saw Fedarro’s angry expression soften at the sight of her, but then Collin spoke.
“Look who I found listening in on your conversation,” he said and closed the door behind them.
“Collin, I wasn’t snooping or anything.”
“Gisella, we talked about this. About you not knowing our business and you needing to respect that.”
“I know, Fedarro, but the door was ajar and—”
Collin turned her around to face him, his hands on his hips. “So it’s his fault for having the door ajar?”
“No. God no, it wasn’t that. Listen, I heard you say the name Roger Preston and I recognized it.”
“You know him?” Fedarro demanded to know, coming around his desk to stand in the front. She glanced at Collin, who raised one of his eyebrows up at her, and she felt intimated. They were powerful made men, she understood that power and respected them. She loved them, too, and maybe she could help. After all, they had been very moody the last several weeks over this complicated deal. She wanted to help in the beginning, but they refused to have her be involved in any way with their business. She understood they were protecting her. However, Roger Preston was not a good man at all.
“I met him several times before,” she said as there was a knock at the door. She turned to look and Collin motioned for Cobra and Lenox to come inside.
“We were just discussing some things with Gisella. Seems she was listening to my conversation and knows of this Roger Preston,” Fedarro said to them.
“Yeah, he and Calvin Froster are buddy, buddy. They’ve done a few other deals together, not so legit at all. They take bribes, and that’s probably why they’re holding up this process.”
“Calvin Froster? Oh boy,” Gisella said and nibbled her bottom lip. This wasn’t good. This deal was between her men and Cobra, Lenox, Roman, and Ziek, and they wanted Alessa. Her mind was processing everything and she really started to get a bad feeling in her gut. This was going to get crazy complicated, fast. How could she not tell them about Calvin being Alessa’s ex, about his abuse and the fact he cheated on her, and that Roger Preston was her uncle? Her father’s brothers no less, and they all abandoned Alessa, shut her out when she decided to separate from the family business. How bad was this deal?
“Okay, I know that look,” Fedarro stated, arms crossed in front of his chest and eyes narrowed on her. “Start talking,” he ordered.
“I don’t know—”
“Gisella, no matter what, a nice, hard ass spanking is coming your way for eavesdropping. You want to make it several more ass spankings?” Collin commanded. She glanced at Cobra and Ziek and felt her cheeks warm.
“I know both Calvin and Roger. What seems to be the problem with this deal you’re trying to make?”
“No. You are not knowing about the deal or being involved with the deal,” Collin said to her firmly.
“Collin, who is standing in the way? Roger Preston because he is getting money under the table to stop you from getting this deal to go through and to buy the property from an estate sale?” she asked.
“Obviously this isn’t the first conversation she’s overheard,” Cobra said, and his firm, hard expression had her stepping toward Collin.
Collin made her stand in the center. “No, you got yourself into this so start talking about what you know about these two men, and what you think is going on here since you are so interested in assisting,” Collin commanded. She was in trouble now.
“Well, first of all, Roger Preston is an asshole. He will take any kind of bribe, money under the table to make a deal happen. So if you want to win over this deal for the real estate you want, he’s the one to put the pressure on. However, if Calvin Froster is involved, too, well, things could get complicated in more ways than one. Calvin is a slime ball, but not as smart as Roger. He sees money signs, women, popularity, and shows no loyalty whatsoever. He’s more than likely the one hiding who the other interested party is. He won’t budge and will use his family connections just as Roger will to block your moves and counter moves.”
“How do you know these two men?” Cobra asked her.
She nibbled her bottom lip and then lowered her eyes. “I don’t really know them. I mean, I met them a couple of times, and my real estate activities didn’t have me cross theirs ever, but word travels quickly as to who to go to for quick under-the-table sales.”
“I have a feeling there’s more you’re not telling us,” Collin said.
“Me, too,” Ziek added this time.
“Well, it doesn’t really matter, but
Roger Preston is Alessa’s uncle, and Calvin is Alessa’s ex-boyfriend.”
“What?” Cobra asked, teeth clenched. He and Ziek both had instant scowls on their faces.
“The one that cheated on her and was abusive?” Ziek asked.
“Abusive?” Collin asked.
“Yes, Alessa was involved with Calvin through law school.”
“Alessa went to law school?” Collin asked.
“Yes, but then it wasn’t really what she wanted so she told her family, the Prestons, and they flipped out on her. Basically they had arranged her to marry Calvin and connect the two families.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Fedarro asked, shaking his head.
“No, unfortunately for Alessa, it’s true. She’s been through so much. Which is partially why she is resistant to her attraction to you guys,” she said to Cobra and Ziek.
Ziek’s eyes widened.
“So she is attracted to us but what this guy did to her stands in the way, and now this guy, Roberto, is up her ass now, too?” Ziek asked.
“She thinks Roberto is safer. He isn’t being pushy for more and despite not really having the same strong feelings, she’s trying to process everything.”
“What did this Calvin do to her?” Collin asked.
“He cheated on her. He destroyed her dreams of becoming a pastry chef, even put her down, warned her to not get fat, and told her that she would be at his beck and call. I think he struck her, or was abusive in other ways. I never got details, but I could tell that she really feared his anger, and I guess any man’s aggressive behavior. Throw in being drugged and not remembering anything for the time, and she’s really scared of getting involved with anyone.”
“She’s seeing Roberto though,” Cobra stated in a snappy voice.
“I think it’s because he’s been taking things slow with her, being her friend first, supporting her in her dreams of opening up her own business.”
“We would support her,” Cobra stated.
Gisella raised both of her eyebrows up at Cobra and Ziek.
“Uhm, had you even had a conversation with her about her dreams, maybe discussed options and ways she could achieve those dreams?”
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