"That's because he's already working for me." My father pressed his hands to the table and eyeballed me in a way that had me wanting to shrink back. "Tell me about Grace Adams, son, and don't leave out a detail."
"Alright." I brushed my hands down my thighs. "She's a girl at the library that I had sex with a few times. Nothing more."
"The city girl?" He lifted his eyebrow before walking to the window. "You've been missing a lot over the last few years." He glanced back at me. "Since Delaney died."
"Was murdered." I leaned back in my chair. "I like to read. It gives me something to escape to. I'm not like you, Dad. I can't bottle that shit up inside and release it in vengeance. A good historical novel every once in a while and I'm right as rain."
"And you're in love with her." He turned and cupped his hands before his waist.
"No. I like her, yes, but I know what type of danger she would be in if I brought her here." I tried to play it cool, but my insides were a jumbled mess, my heart racing. What the fuck had my father been up to? Was Cole in with him before Nate brought the bastard over to my place?
"The day your mother died was the last time I took a full breath of air in my lungs." He turned back to the window. "We were driving home from church because God forbid we missed it." He chuckled, and I sank farther in my chair.
"Dad. Grace isn't-"
"Shut the fuck up," he barked loudly and pointed a finger at me. "Sit still and listen to this so you'll understand why you cannot be with this woman. If you love her, you have to turn away, Erik. Death will come for her."
I nodded and pursed my lips. There was no talking back to my old man, no matter how old I was. He was still in charge of all of us, and always would be.
"We were in the car, me driving, your beautiful momma in the passenger's side seat. You kids were in the back." He brushed his hand down his face and stared out the window. "It was a beautiful day, and I thought everything was settled between me and the Coopers, between me and the Castalettas. They were the only threats on US soil, and we'd made a pact to keep to our territories and remain respectful of each other."
I stood up and walked to stand beside him. Where he scared the shit out of me, he was still my father. I loved him deeply and hated to see the pain on his face. It had been there, hiding out behind a mask of indifference or rage for as long as I could remember.
He continued. "The truck that hit us came out of nowhere." His voice softened. "It hit your mother's side of the car and broke her back, her legs and fractured her skull in several places. The jolt knocked your sister out, but you sat in the back, wide-eyed, not saying a word, but your little mouth was in an 'O' like a silent scream." He choked on emotion.
It was the first time I'd seen him have any type of emotion over our loss. "Dad." I reached out and slid my hand up his arm to cup his shoulder. "You don't have to do this. I'll walk away from Grace if that's what you want. I don't need to hear this-"
"Yes, you do." He gripped my arm and pressed me with a hard stare. A million demons lived in the depths of his dark eyes, and for the first time in a long time, standing before him as he towered over me left me scared of who he had become. "We rushed her to the hospital, and she died the minute we got her there. I stayed in that room with her corpse for hours, screaming my guts out." He lifted his hand and wiped at his eyes. "She's the only woman I have ever loved. And someone took her from me."
"Who?" I whispered as emotion pressed against the back of my throat. Mysteries from my childhood were unraveling before my eyes, and where I didn't want to bathe in the painful emotion of our loss, I needed to know what happened to my mother.
"I thought it was Terrance." He released me and walked back to his desk to drop down into his chair. "Terrance Cooper. That old bastard." He chuckled low in his chest. "I should have checked into it. I was young and dumb."
"What did you do?" I walked back toward his desk and stood beside him.
"I took a flight to California and strangled his beautiful wife with my bare hands as she lay sleeping in their bed. She reminded me of your mother, which made it hard as fuck to do, but he had to pay for what he'd done to me." He glanced up, his face looking so much older than it had a few minutes before.
"And? Was the score settled then?" I forced back the torrent of emotion flapping around in my chest.
"No." He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, covered his face. "It was just the beginning, Erik. Terrance didn't kill your mother. It was a true accident. The guy that hit us was high and running from the cops. Had I paid attention at all, I would have known that."
"Fuck." I walked around the other side of the desk and sat down. "And Terrance knew it was you that killed his wife."
"Oh yes." He nodded. "I made sure he knew."
"What does this mean? Was he involved in Delany's death? Was that his payback to you, Dad?" Ice water ran through my veins.
"What it means is that you have no right to bring this woman into our lives. I'm sorry that your birthright gives you this place, this chair," he rubbed his chest as his face darkened, "this responsibility, but when I die, and God, I hope it's soon, you will lead this syndicate. The first thing they always come for is your woman, son. I pray you're not the selfish bastard I was. Leave this girl alone. Walk away."
I held my tongue. I didn't want the syndicate, but I had no choice in the matter until my father passed away, which would be a long time coming. He had too much protection from the outside world, including mine.
"Alright." I stood up. "You're not going to tell me about Delany's death, are you?"
"Nothing to tell." He shrugged. "She was next on the list, and they broke me by stealing my little girl and violating her. I learned my lesson, and I'll never love anyone but you again. Period."
I nodded. "And Cole is watching me."
"He is. It's for your own good." My father stood. "You have to understand that as your father, I'm here to protect you when you cannot seem to protect yourself. Now is one of those times. You have no clue what's headed your way."
"Then tell me." I reached for the door, forcing my anger back down. To lash out at my father would get me nowhere.
"No. It's a moment of growth for you, Erik. Beautiful women like Grace who have a good heart and a safe world to live in will never accept what we do. She will ask you to turn your back on what we've built here."
"I don't think so, Dad."
"I don't care what you think." His voice boomed, the sound of it slapping me into silence. "She will ask you to choose her over this, over us, over family. Your answer is no. Do you hear me?"
I nodded and walked out. My whole body shook as I walked back to the bedroom and dropped down on the edge of the bed. My father was right. If she belonged to me, they would take her first. To find her missing would be the end of my humanity.
And yet he was wrong in that she would ask me to choose her over my syndicate. She'd never do that. She respected who I was and what I had to do enough not even to ask questions.
She was perfect for me, but it was over. It had to be.
I picked up the phone and dialed Nate's number. He picked up on the second ring.
"What's up, man?"
"Did you know that Cole was following me, keeping tabs for my old man?"
"No, but why does this surprise you, Erik? Your father isn't willing to part with anything he calls his own. This is the fucking reason I ran from you all those years ago. He's possessive. Of course, he's got Cole following you. Why wouldn't he? You're hanging out every afternoon in a goddamn library and falling in love with the wrong type of woman."
"I'm going to break his fucking neck."
"Your father?"
"No. Cole Matthenson. I might break yours too for bringing the bastard to my house last week."
"Let's meet up at Kadia later tonight. We'll get him up there and figure this shit out."
"Erik." Kane stuck his head into the room.
"What?" I barked and pulled the phone from my face, throwing
it across the room.
"I found another one of those fuckers that stole from your father. We'll put a hit on him tomorrow. You down?"
"Yes." I stood up and took a long breath. "I need to let off some steam."
"Sex or death. Both tie for my favorites."
"Death sounds much less involved." I turned and walked to the window in my bedroom, letting my eyes move across the beautifully sunny day. The nightmare about Grace rolled over me again, and I set myself right.
One more time in her arms, buried in her body and then I was done... for good.
Chapter 18
Grace
"Stop fidgeting with it." Jenna reached out and pushed my hand away from my top.
"It's too low. Shit." I glanced down to see the tops of my small breasts poking out above the silky green top Jenna forced me to buy that afternoon. "And this skirt makes me feel like a hooker."
"You look beautiful. Stop." She gave me a warning look over her shoulder before walking up to the opening of Kadia.
Nate stood at the door looking like a Greek god, his dark blond hair spiky, his blue eyes filled with life. He filled out his shirt and jeans beautifully, but he wasn't Erik. No one was.
"Wow." He reached for Jenna, pulling her against him and kissing her before turning to face me. His eyebrow lifted. "You look fucking hot, Grace."
"Thanks," I mumbled and moved past him as embarrassment threatened to swallow me whole. Why the hell had I agreed to dress like a tramp and come to a club without Erik? Nothing good could come of it. I could hear Jenna explaining to Nate that I was moody thanks to my new outfit.
"Among other things," I ranted and walked toward the bar. The club was filling up fast, which was good. I hoped to get lost somewhere on the dance floor after toking up on a few shots. If I was going to pretend to have a good time while my heart ached over Erik, the least I could do was get drunk enough to pull it off.
"Hi, pretty girl. What can I get for you tonight?" The bartender wasn't one I'd seen before.
"I'll take two shots of whiskey and a Bud Light." I tapped the bar and smiled at him as he winked and walked off.
"You starting without me?" Jenna was a little winded as she sat down on the barstool next to me.
"I feel out of place." I glanced around.
"Why? You look incredible, and tonight is about us, right?"
"I guess." I turned back and handed the bartender my card. "You can start a tab for the two of us."
"No, it's on the house." He pulled up his phone and showed us the text from Nate that he'd pick up our drinks.
"Such a good guy." Jenna laughed and turned, blowing a kiss up toward him.
I wanted what they had. If Jenna could pull off dating a bad boy and having her father be the DA of New York, why couldn't I? My Mom and Dad barely interacted with Thomas and me anymore. It's not like they were my hang-up. What was?
Right. Erik not wanting anything more than what we had, which was nothing.
"Hey. You're getting in your head. Take the two shots and let's go dance. No worrying or being sad tonight about anything. Got it?" Jenna picked up her beer and leaned it toward me. "It's girl's night."
I downed the first shot, letting it burn down my chest and deep into my belly. "Okay." I picked up my beer, hit it against hers and took the other shot. "I'm going to be drunk before too long."
"Good. I'm not going to get sloppy, so you just let your hair down and have fun. I'll be here to take you home when it's over."
"Don't let me go home with anyone but you or Erik, okay?" I turned and grabbed her wrist, heading for the dance floor.
"Is Erik coming?" She moved up beside me, tucking herself against my arm.
"I don't know. I doubt it. I didn't say anything to him, but it's not like I could if I wanted to. He has an unlisted number." I hiccupped and turned, pulling her toward me and wrapping an arm around her shoulder as I danced seductively.
"Feels like college again." She gripped my hip and smiled. "Well, when you were in college with me."
"I don't miss it a bit." I took another sip of my beer. "Where is Nate?"
She glanced over her shoulder. "No clue. I gotta pee."
"Leave me here. I'll be fine." I turned and danced into the middle of the floor as the liquor worked its magic. All tension and worry dissipated inside of me and nothing mattered but the deep pumping of the base. It left me needy and horny. I wished Erik were there.
"Hey there." A deep voice resounded behind me, and strong hands slid over my hips. "You good for a dance?"
I spun around to find one of Thomas's old frat brothers in front of me. He'd graduated a few years back but still looked like he was in his early twenties.
"Jerry Black. How are you?" I laughed and lifted up to hug him. He wrapped his strong arms around me and leaned down, kissing my cheek.
"Much better now. I was back in town for the weekend and thought-"
A scream left me as he was jerked back and chucked half-way off the club floor. Erik.
"What do you think you're doing?" Erik whipped around and grabbed my wrist. "Done with me so soon, Kitten?"
"What? No."
Erik released me and turned, popping Jerry in the face as he stood up. Erik had four or five solid punches on my old friend before some of the bouncers pulled Jerry out and tossed him into the street.
Tears burned my eyes, and I turned to walk to the bathroom as bile rose in my throat.
"Not so fast." Erik grabbed my hand and pulled me backward. I lost my footing and crashed into him.
"What's the matter with you? He's an old friend."
He glanced down the length of my body. "What's the matter with me? You're dressed like you're looking for a man, Grace. Is that what you're up to tonight?"
"No." I pulled from his grasp only to have him wrap his arms around me and pin me against him. The anger and hate in his handsome face scared me. "Let me go."
"Not yet." He leaned down and pressed his forehead to mine. "And until I do, you mess with another guy, expect him not to wake up the next morning. I don't play with what I consider to be mine, Kitten. You should know this already."
"Where's the guy from the park?" I pushed against his chest. "I want him back."
"Go find him." He released me and turned, walking casually to the bar.
Go find him? What the fuck did that mean? I spun on my heel and walked to the bathroom as tears blurred my vision. I made it to a stall and dropped down fully clothed onto the toilet as the room spun. Why the hell had I listened to Jenna about getting blitzed and dressing up for a girl's night out?
Nothing ever worked out that way for me.
It took me a few minutes, but I finally gathered my wits enough to get up and walk back out into the bar. Erik stood with Jenna by the bar, his eyes locked onto me. He looked like a dark prince. My prince.
A handsome older guy with a great smile stood beside them, talking as I approached.
"Grace. Have you met Fredrick Carrington? He owns this place." Erik reached out and took my hand, pulling me to his side.
Jenna gave me a concerned glare but turned her attention back to Fredrick. "Are you married? I swear I’ve never seen you with a woman."
He chuckled. "No. Commitment isn't something my life allows too well."
"I would guess not." I glanced around and tried to still my racing heart. Having Erik so close to me was almost too much. Combined with the alcohol and the anger pumping through my system, I was ready to pounce on him.
"It's one of a kind." Fredrick nodded. "Enjoy your evening and let me know if you need anything. I'm happy to take care of it personally."
I watched him walk off as my stomach cramped. "I don't feel so good."
"Too much to drink?" Jenna reached out and touched the side of my face.
"Let's get you home." Erik tightened his grip on my hand and half-pulled me through the club, leaving Jenna standing at the bar.
I waved at her over my shoulder and gave her the best apologetic look
I could. By the time we walked into the street, I was hot.
"Erik." I jerked my hand from him. "What the fuck are you doing? I came with Jenna tonight. It was supposed to be a g-"
He pulled me flush against him and leaned down, pressing his soft lips to mine and opening me up as he tongue fucked me on the street beside the club.
I moaned and reached up to run my fingers through the back of his hair. He tasted like cinnamon and sugar and felt like heaven. My body woke up, almost purring for his attention.
"Don't talk to me like that again. I'm in charge, Kitten. Not you." He nipped at my lips, and I nodded, completely breathless. "Let's get you home."
"Take me home with you." I wrapped myself around his side as we walked out into the parking lot and got into a black Porsche.
"No. I can't." He started the car and reached over, running his hand up my thigh and squeezing softly. "This shit between us has to stop."
"I'm scared." I wrapped my arms around myself. "Something is happening with my brother and this fucking cop you know won't leave me alone, and-"
"Cole's bothering you?" His voice dropped low.
"Just that once, but it's more than I'm used to." I reached up and touched my lips. "I'm going to be sick."
"Not in the car, baby." He jerked over to the side of the road, reached over me and pushed the door open as I stumbled out and knelt down to throw up. He was beside me before the first wave of sickness splashed over me.
I started to cry in the middle of it. I'd always hated throwing up. Something about it seemed so insanely violent, like I was going to hack up an internal organ or something.
"Shh... it's okay. I'm right here." His voice was soft, loving.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled and stood on shaky legs.
He reached for me before my knees gave out, and I leaned against him. "Lightweight."
"Cheap date." I gave him a weary smile and snuggled against him as he picked me up and carried me back to the car.
"Lay back and relax. I'll take you to my place for the night, but tomorrow morning you have to leave, Grace. This thing between us has gone too far."
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