Dirty Chicago_Season One

by K. B. Andrews

  My eyes bounce up to his. “I didn’t know any of this. I just thought he was a new dealer who was getting too big too fast.”

  A puff of air leaves his lips. “He would’ve cut all our throats and not even batted an eye. You did the right thing. Trust me.”

  “How does Big play into all of this?”

  He shrugs while looking around the lot. “Not sure. Maybe he wants to take out Madden himself. Or maybe he’s worried that KingPin will out deal both of them put together. Either way, Big is looking out for Big.”

  Or… He’s not stupid enough to ignore an opportunity. He knows KingPin is a problem for Mad. He also knows I’ll do anything to protect my husband in any way I can. But is he really sneaky enough to go through all this trouble just to sleep with me?

  Hell yes. There’s no doubt in my mind he is. I guess only time will tell. In the meantime, this just becomes another incident I will bury deeply enough to forget all in the name of taking care of the man I love.

  The truck rumbles into the parking lot, and Enzo turns back to me. “You’re lucky I love you.” His hands cup my cheeks again, and he leans in for a kiss. I hold him against me by his lapels.

  This almost feels natural, at least it’s someplace I’ve been before — unlike up there with Big. Just the thought makes me want to shiver with disgust.

  He pulls away, but leaves his hands on my face, directing my eyes to his. “You’ll see. I’ll get you one of these days.”

  His words make me smile. If I wasn’t completely in love with my husband, I could definitely see myself with Enzo. He and Mad are so different.

  Mad is dedicated to his work, where Enzo is dedicated to me.

  “Yeah, I’m sure I’ll leave my husband sometime in the near future,” I joke.

  He doesn’t smile though. “I’m not joking, Amelia. I want you. And I won’t stop trying to prove it to you until you’re mine and only mine. I don’t like sharing.” He kisses me quickly before turning and leaving without another word.

  It’s going on 5:00 A.M. when I walk back in the bedroom and thankfully find Mad still out cold. I quietly set my phone back on the table where it should be and head to the bathroom to shower. I don’t know why, but I have this need to wash Big off of me — like Mad will be able to smell him on me.

  I take extra long in the shower, making sure to wash every inch of my skin. Twice. I step out and wrap myself up in my robe and twist my hair up into a towel. Just as I’m stepping out of the bathroom, Madden is rolling out of bed.

  He looks up at me with surprise covering his sculpted face. “What are you doing up so early?”

  I shrug as I walk through the bedroom. “Couldn’t sleep. Coffee?”

  “Please. I’ll be down soon,” he says, practically sleepwalking to the bathroom.

  Once downstairs, I pour us both a cup of coffee and make our plates with the breakfast the chef has already prepared and set out on the breakfast table.

  I take my seat and pick at the food on my plate before finally giving up on the idea of food and moving on to the coffee.

  “Good morning,” he says, walking into the kitchen and pressing a kiss to my lips before taking his seat across from me. “What are your plans for today?” He picks up the paper and opens it to see the headline about last night’s drug bust.

  “I’m not sure. I didn’t sleep well last night so maybe I’ll get a massage. You know, something to help me relax.”

  He nods, picking up his coffee and taking a sip.

  “What about you?”

  His head slowly lifts up to see me. “Work.” The quizzical look on his face snaps me back to my senses.

  Duh. I’m acting strangely. I need to get this under control. It’s nothing more than I’ve done for him before. When we first got together, he’d send me out to get whatever information he needed. He never knew how I got the information, just that I was good to have on his side in a tight situation. He never asked if I slept with the guys he sent me to, but I think deep down he knew the truth back then. Why should this make me feel any different?

  “Hi, Daddy,” Harper says, walking into the kitchen in a tiny pair of shorts, a tank top, and no bra.

  He doesn’t look away from the paper. “Good morning, princess.”

  She pours two cups of coffee and leaves the room with both. I giggle under my breath and shake my head. He doesn’t even realize she has someone up in her room. That would also explain her outfit from last night.

  “What’s so funny?” he asks, finally looking up at me.

  “Nothing. I better go get dressed. Have a good day.” I stand, press a kiss to his lips, and walk out of the kitchen.

  I’m lying face down on the massage table when my phone begins ringing.

  “Would you like me to hand you that?” Jacob, the masseuse, asks me.

  “No, I’m sure it’ll stop soon.”

  When the phone stops ringing, it begins again. And again.

  I let out a sigh and hold out my hand for Jacob to hand it over.

  “Hello?”

  “Get to my office now!” Mad says.

  “What? What’s going on? I’m in the middle of my massage.”

  “Now, Amelia.”

  “Okay. I’m on my way.” I hang up the phone and sit up. “I’m sorry. I have to go,” I tell Jacob.

  He nods and begins wiping his hands free of the oil.

  I wrap the sheet around my body and grab some cash from my purse, passing it over.

  He takes the tip and leaves. Being alone causes my anxiety to rise. Why does he want me in his office? Never has he requested for me to go there. Does he know about the drug shuffle I did last night?

  I quickly dress and drive to the office. His secretary isn’t behind her desk as usual. That only leads me to believe that whatever is about to happen is going to be so messy he doesn’t want her to witness it.

  I stop outside his door and take a deep, cleansing breath. With a surge of bravery, I push open the door to find Mad behind his desk, his eyes trained on me. I’ve seen every emotion fathomable in those stormy orbs over the years. Never has he gazed upon me with betrayal reflected in them like he is now. I swallow hard and glance at Enzo, who’s is standing behind him with his arms crossed over his chest. Both of them wear serious looks on their faces.

  “What’s so important it couldn’t wait for me to finish my massage?” I ask, leaving the door open.

  “Close the door and come here,” he demands.

  I swallow down my fear. Fuck, we’re caught. He knows that I was working with Big and took the drugs. He must have caught Enzo bringing them in. But Enzo wouldn’t have rolled over on me like that. Internally, I frown as I rapidly try to figure out what’s going on.

  I close the door and walk up to his side.

  “Imagine how surprised I was when I got to the office and found this in my email.” He clicks on something and a video pops up.

  It’s from this morning. Me and Enzo in the parking lot. Him cupping my face and kissing me. Me holding him by his suit jacket. The look on my face… God, he knows.

  My mouth drops open as I look between the two men I’ve been sleeping with.

  “I can explain,” I try.

  “Explain? You’re having an affair with my fucking assistant!”

  “No! It’s not an affair. I don’t love him. It’s nothing more than what you do behind my back.”

  He takes a deep breath and stands slowly, but I can see the surprise written all over his face. He didn’t know that I knew he’s been fucking women every chance he gets.

  “What?” I snarl. “You didn’t think I knew all about what you’ve been doing? I’ve caught you on camera fucking several women over the years in our own house!” Good, I’ve shocked him. I’ve always adopted a policy of ignoring his extra-curriculars. Calling him out on it has taken him by complete surprise.

  “What? Who?” he has the audacity to ask.

  “How about Harper’s friend, Beth, for starters. I have cameras in
every room of our fucking house, Madden. You fuck anything that walks. Excuse me for thinking I could do the same.”

  He lets out a breath so deep it sounds like a growl. He wipes his hands over his face and turns for the drink cart. He pours a glass, swallows it all in one gulp, and turns to face me.

  “What I do is my business.”

  “And what I do is my business,” I shoot back.

  “Wrong! You’re mine.” He points his finger at me. “And you don’t go around fucking anyone you want. You belong to me.” He spins toward Enzo. “And you? You think you can fuck my wife and get away with it?” He pulls his gun out of its holster beneath his suit jacket and aims it at his head.

  Enzo quickly holds up his hands. “I’m sorry, Boss. I didn’t mean to let it happen… I just…”

  “What?” he asks, almost as a dare.

  “I love her,” Enzo admits.

  Mad’s face turns from anger to pure fucking hate. "You what?” He cocks the gun.

  “Mad, please… don’t do this,” I beg.

  He looks at me, confusion written across his face. “You’re going to beg me to spare his life? The man you’ve been fucking behind my back?” An evil smile spreads across his face. “No, I don’t think so.” He turns back to him, aiming the gun.

  I jump in front of Enzo. “Madden, don’t do this. I won’t let you kill him because of me.” I shake my head as tears fill my eyes.

  I know I’m no good. I know I’m a whore and a gold digger, but I’m not so fucking bad that I’d let someone die because of my actions.

  Madden laughs. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? You’re supposed to be mine. You’re supposed to have my back. And this whole time you’ve been fucking him?” he asks with an uncharacteristic crack in his voice. The pain in his eyes and voice make it seem like he might actually be hurt. He points at Enzo with the gun.

  Enzo spins me around, his eyes bouncing back and forth from me to Madden. “It’s okay, Amelia. I’ve always known how this could end.” He cups my cheeks and peers deeply into my eyes. “As long as you know that I’ve always loved you. You weren’t just another woman for me. You were the only woman.”

  Rage starts to simmer in my belly. Why is he saying this? This isn’t what he needs to say right now. He needs to be blaming everything on me. He needs to save his own ass. I’ll deal with Madden later. Enzo needs to be able to walk out of this room and never come back.

  I open my mouth to stop him from talking, but Mad pushes me out of the way. He and Enzo topple to the floor. I hear nothing but hits and groans.

  Madden is on top, and he reaches for the gun, but I quickly grab it before he can. I step back, holding it against my chest.

  “Give me the gun, Amelia,” Madden demands.

  I shake my head. “No. I’m not going to let you kill him. Let him go. Let him walk out, and then I’ll give you the gun. This is my fault. Not his. You want to shoot someone, shoot me.”

  “No!” Enzo yells from beneath Madden.

  Madden stands and slowly moves toward me. “Give me the fucking gun, Amelia.” He holds out his hand.

  “No!”

  “Amelia!” Enzo screams my name.

  “Run, Enzo,” Madden nearly whispers.

  Enzo and I both freeze, looking at Mad.

  “Run as far as you fucking can. If I ever see you again, you’re dead on the spot.”

  “No,” Enzo yells.

  “I’ll give you to the count of three. Then I’m going to take that gun from my wife and shoot you in the fucking head,” Madden growls.

  “One.”

  I look at Enzo, nodding my head, encouraging him to go. He looks at me with pain in his eyes.

  “Two.”

  “Just go, Enzo,” I beg.

  He gets to his feet and takes a couple steps backward, toward the door. He looks from the door to me and back. Something’s holding him back. Preventing him from leaving without me. His heart. He does love me. But unlucky for him, I don’t have a heart.

  “Three.”

  The End of Part Two

  Episode Three

  Harper

  1

  “Don’t look at that one. That’s Novelli’s daughter,” a man sitting in front of the stage tells the guy next to him.

  I roll my eyes and drop down to my knees, crawling to the edge of the stage. I’m directly in front of them, but they’re both looking at their laps.

  “You must have me confused with someone else.” I pull off the white school girl shirt that’s tied up between my breasts, letting it fall from my fingertips.

  Their heads pop up. “You’re not a Novelli? I could’ve sworn you were. I thought I saw you at his office once.” His brows pull together in a frown, while his eyes intently watch me as I continue to move and wiggle on the stage.

  “Mr. Novelli holds a lot of business meetings in his office. If I was there, that’s all it was.” I smile, reaching around my neck and pulling the string on my bikini top. The string pops out of the tie, letting my red top fall and reveal my chest to the club.

  “Well, in that case…” He reaches into his pocket then motions for me to come closer.

  I get as close to him as I can, and he opens his hand.

  “Roll with us and we’ll meet you when you get off,” he says, holding out a little, white pill.

  I smile and take it, keeping it in my closed fist.

  Truth is, Daddy doesn’t know I work here. I’m sure you’re probably wondering why the Novelli princess is working at a strip joint. But it’s not for the money. It’s totally for the attention. I love having all eyes on me at all times. I like being the center of attention. Being in the background has never suited me, so I demand to be the focus everywhere I can.

  “See you two after work.” I grin before getting up and grabbing ahold of the pole.

  As I’m swinging around it, I get a flash of a few of the guys who work for Daddy as they walk in.

  The song wraps up, and I grab my clothes and walk off stage. Once in the changing room, I put on my short skirt and the flower pasties that cover my nipples. Then I walk out onto the main floor.

  The guys have their drinks and chose to sit in a back corner. I have to make sure my dad isn’t meeting them here. I’ve never known my dad to go to strip clubs. He prefers to rent out entire floors in clubs and bring in his own dancers. However, if something came up unexpectedly, this could be a last resort.

  As I get closer, I see Enzo in the center of the men. He looks completely fucking wasted. His dark eyes are bloodshot, and he has a lopsided grin on his face, but I can tell he’s upset about something. The lines he gets around his eyes when he’s mad are present, despite his half-smile.

  I walk into the center of the men and sit on Enzo’s lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

  “Whoa,” he says, holding his arms out to his side, being careful not to touch me. “Harper?” his voice is full of surprise.

  “Hello, gorgeous.” I simper. “At least act like you like me or you’ll get me fired,” I say through my teeth, careful to maintain my smile.

  He lets his arms fall down so his hands are resting on the seat, but he still doesn’t touch me. “Does your dad know you’re working here?” He’s so drunk his words are slurred.

  “No! And you’re not going to tell him. That’s why I came over here. He’s not meeting you all here, is he?” I look around the group.

  Enzo shakes his head. “I won’t be able to tell him shit anyway. I’ve been fired.”

  I stand and grab his hand, pulling him along behind me.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To a private room.” I tug him behind the black curtain.

  “No private dances, Harper,” he mumbles as he stumbles.

  I open the door and motion for him to walk inside. “I just want a quiet place to talk.”

  He looks at me, the room, and back at me before letting out a long breath and stepping inside.

  I close the door behind him, and
when I turn around, he collapses into the chair.

  “What do you mean he fired you?” I walk across the room and stand in front of him.

  “He fired me. He was going to kill me. But I got lucky, and he fired me instead. However, I wouldn’t put it past him to shoot me on the spot the next time he sees me.”

  I drop down to my knees and look up at him. “Well, maybe if you talk to him…”

  He shakes his head, forlornly. “It won’t work. Trust me. I fucked up big time. He won’t ever trust me again.”

  I stand and walk over to the corner of the room where I left my bag. Every night, each girl claims her private room. We can bring rope to tie up the client. We can bring props. Whatever. But I brought a flask full of Daddy’s expensive bourbon. With my back turned toward him, I uncap it and take a long swallow before dropping the pill still in my hand into the flask. I put the cap in place, give it a shake, and walk back over to Enzo.

  “Here.” I hand it over. He looks at it, a little unsure, but finally takes it. He uncaps it and takes several long drinks.

  “That’s better. At least you’ll be able to forget about your shitty day for a while.”

  I sit on the platform in front of him and watch as he takes drink after drink. He looks pissed, yet sad at the same time.

  His eyes get glossy and even redder. He’s beyond drunk, and his pill should be kicking in any minute now.

  I get off the platform and kneel in front of him. His eyes land on mine. “What are you doing?”

  My hands find his belt. “I want to make you feel better, Enzo.” With nimble fingers, I unfasten his belt. Already I can see the outline of his hard dick through his pants.

  He grabs my hands. “Harper, no. There’s more than one reason we can’t do this.”

  His fingers hold onto my wrists weakly, but they aren’t stopping me from freeing him. “I’ve wanted you since I was thirteen, Enzo. Do me a favor and fuck me like I’ve imagined so many times.” When the words leave my lips, I lean forward, sliding him into my mouth.