by Sam Crescent
“I was a young girl.”
“And yet, he gave you this.”
He held up the bank card in front of them. She imagined all color left her as she stared at the damaging evidence.
“What are you doing with that?” she asked.
“Let’s just say I needed to know what you were hiding.”
“You’ve been watching me?”
“I’ve been watching you, and so have my guys. They knew you were hiding something, but we just didn’t know what.”
She was shocked.
“What is it, Paige?” he asked.
Paige bit her lip, recalling her father’s warning never to tell what it was.
“Do you have any fucking idea what my father was going to do to you?” he asked.
Wrapping her arms around herself, Paige turned and sat on her bed.
Chapter Six
Donnie had watched her through the crack of the door as she’d sat on the bed, twirling the very card he was holding now between her fingers. He’d just known that the card was what he’d been looking for this past year.
“If I take this down to my father now, it won’t matter that I’ve decided to take you as my wife. He will kill you.”
“Did you or The Family kill my father?” she asked, looking up at him. “Is he even dead?”
“We don’t know if your father is dead. We believe so. Your father wasn’t the kind of guy who could stay lost for this long or evade one of our men. He wasn’t that bright.” It was how he got caught. “I believe your father made a bargain and turned his back on The Family after they failed to allow him to be more than a soldier. Our enemies fucked him over, killed him, and made sure we could never identify him. The coke was taken, and the money that was supposed to pay for it has been gone all these years.”
Her lip wobbled as the tears fell. “I don’t know what it is,” she said.
“Your father did give you this?”
She nodded. “Yes, he gave me the card. He woke me up one night and told me that if anything was to happen to him, I was to keep the card a secret. When I was old enough, I was to go, and hide.” She laughed.
The sound was like a kick to the gut. She looked so damned sad that it tore at his heart.
“I didn’t listen to him. I should have gone months ago when I first found out my father was really dead. I just thought he’d gone out. I had no idea he worked for The Family. How stupid am I?”
“Our soldiers are paid to make sure they keep our secret. Your father was no different.”
“And he was killed because you wouldn’t allow him to become more. It must have really crushed him to be nothing to you men.”
Donnie pocketed the card. “I knew your father. Richard was a good man, and he was always talking about his daughter. I’d never seen a picture of you though. I didn’t even know we were in the same school until Sharon turned up with you.” The moment she stepped out of the card, he’d been changed.
“Aren’t you going to give that card to your father? He’s going to want that money.”
“I’m not going to.”
She looked up at him, shocked. “What?”
“I need you to trust me.”
“Why should I trust you? You’ve done nothing but lie to me.”
He cupped her face, forcing her to look into his eyes. “No, I haven’t, and stop trying to make out that I have lied to you. I’ve simply not told you everything. I may have befriended you in the hope of finding out what you knew, but I didn’t lie to you, not once. I care about you, Paige, I always have. I’d have gladly gotten to know you without finding out about your father. You’re different.”
“Why are you marrying me? We’re supposed to be related.”
Donnie smiled. “You think I give a fuck about labels? We’re not related, and with the way you responded to my kiss a few weeks ago, you don’t see me as your brother either.” Glancing down the front of her body, he smirked. “You’re nipples are hard as rock. I’ve thought about your tits, Paige, wondering how they’d feel in my hands, or how they’d look bouncing in front of me.” He didn’t hold anything back, telling her exactly what he wanted.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t believe you.” Paige pulled out of his hands, moving away from him. “I can’t marry you. I don’t want to get married.”
He noticed she said that she didn’t want to get married, but she didn’t say that she didn’t want to get married to him. It made a hell of a difference to him. Donnie was no longer dealing with an underage girl. Grabbing her around the waist, he slammed her against the wall, trapping her there with his body.
“What are you doing? Let me go.” Grabbing her hands, he pressed them up above her head in a similar position he had her in a couple of weeks ago.
“No. I’m not going to let you go.” Holding her in place with one hand, with his other he stroked down her body, finally allowing himself the pleasure of touching her. He slid his hand down her arm, going around her neck, and staying there for several seconds. Her pulse raced against the tip of his fingers. Donnie didn’t move away, letting her know not to test him. His father was a monster, but so was he. She’d seen him coming home covered in blood. Paige hadn’t witnessed his cruelty, but if she pushed him, he’d have no choice.
Caressing down her body, he cupped her tit, stroking his thumb over her budded nipple. She gasped, freezing beneath his touch.
“I know you want me as much as I want you.” He pressed his cock against her stomach so she knew exactly how much he wanted her. “I’m going to really fuck you hard when we’re married, Paige. I’ll always be your fucking stepbrother, but you’ll be my wife.” She wasn’t wearing a bra, and he pushed his hand above her shirt, finally cupping her large tit in his hand.
She wasn’t fighting him, and he was sure he scented her pussy. Her eyes were dilated, and she didn’t look away from him.
“Donnie,” she said his name on a moan.
“That’s right, baby. You’re going to be all mine. Moaning my name as I fuck your tight little pussy. You’re a virgin, and on our wedding night, I’m going to make you mine. No other man is ever going to know how good you feel.” He pressed his nose against her neck, breathing her in. “You smell so damn good.”
He released her breast, hearing her whimper as he glided his hand down to her stomach. She quivered beneath his touch. He didn’t stop there, going down to her pants. The pajamas were no protection against him.
Cupping her naked pussy, he groaned. The fine hairs covering the lips of her snatch were wet to the touch.
Sliding his finger between her slit, he stroked over her clit. She moaned, wriggling on his finger. Sucking on her neck, he moaned, wanting her own hands on his. There would be time for that later. He wanted to give her pleasure and to show her exactly how good it could be between them.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he said, pinching her clit. She gasped, moaned, and shook in his arms.
The next time he had her in arms she was going to be completely naked, begging for his cock.
Her eyes were closed, and when she went over the peak into an orgasm, he claimed her lips with his own, sliding his tongue in and out of her mouth.
Donnie slowed his touches, waiting for her to come down from the peak. He rubbed her nub, loving the way she screamed his name even as he pulled away. Staring into her eyes, which she now opened, he licked the cream off his fingers, moaning at the musky taste of her exploding on his tongue. He was going to spend hours licking her beautiful cunt, basking in her cream.
“You’ve got to learn to trust me, Paige.”
“Why?” Her voice was croaky and her lips swollen from his kisses.
“You’re in my fucking debt, baby. My father would have gladly pulled the trigger, and by the end of the afternoon, your very presence would be a passing fucking memory.” He released her wrists, and she slowly brought her hands between them, rubbing at her wrists where he’d held her.
There was a red mark from his to
uch, but he didn’t care. She’d come in his arms, crying out his name.
She wouldn’t have been able to keep herself standing straight without his help.
“Now I owe you?”
“You’re alive because of me. You didn’t want to die.”
“How would you know?”
“Believe it or not, Paige. I’ve listened to you over the past months. You don’t want to die. There’s so much you want from life. College, love, sex, experience, I’ve heard all of your desires, and I can give you everything.”
“You can give me love?”
Donnie gritted his teeth. “I’ll give you something to love.” He pressed a hand to her stomach. “We don’t wait around to start a family.” He’d wear condoms to start off with, or maybe he’d get her settled first by putting his kid inside her.
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. Now, give me the number to this card.” He pulled the card out of his pocket, and stroked it lightly down her cheek. “You’ve got to learn to trust me.”
“Why?” she asked.
Damn, she was so fucking stubborn.
“I’m the only person standing between you and my father. He will kill you if he wants to. If you want to take him on, be my guest.” There was only so much he could do to stop her from killing herself. He wasn’t a miracle worker. If she was determined to die, then he’d steer clear of her, and not help her.
“I don’t want to die.”
“Then I’m your only option.”
“I’ll owe you.”
“Consider a lifetime of being my wife, payment in full.” He cupped her cheek, kissing her lips. “Don’t worry, Paige, I’ll protect you.”
She told him four numbers. “That’s the code to the card. It’s what my father made me memorize.”
“I’m really sorry he’s gone and he put you up to this.”
“Did my mom know?”
“I don’t know, baby. She was only allowed in the house because of your father. My mother was dead for a long time before our parents got together.” Tears spilled down her cheeks. He wiped them away torn by her fear.
Turning his back on her, Donnie made his way out of the room, down toward his father. He’d already pocketed the card, and he wouldn’t be letting his father know that he had it.
“You’re back,” Anthony said, leaning back.
“I’m back.”
Sharon was in the office, and she held a bag of peas to her face. Her makeup was running from her tears, and her clothing ruffled.
“You will organize the wedding for a month from now.”
“A month?” she asked. She turned to look at Anthony. “You promised me Paige wouldn’t be part of this world. She’s going away to college.”
“No, she’s not. I’ve already handled that. You really were stupid enough to think Paige would get away? She’s my stepdaughter. The Family wouldn’t allow any of our girls to get away. Paige is no fucking different. You’re an idiot to think I’d allow it.”
“She’s only your stepdaughter. She’s Richard’s daughter.”
“Paige knows too much. She’s going to be my wife, and I’ll keep her in line. In one month I want to be married to her.” Donnie stared at her mother. “You were the one who brought her into the fold. This is the price you pay for this life. You knew what was going to happen the moment you climbed out of that car bringing her here.” He shrugged. “Be thankful I’ve decided to take her for myself, as otherwise she’d be with someone like Rafael.”
He nodded toward his father, leaving his home. Jake was outside waiting.
“What’s going on?” Jake asked.
“We’re going to Tonio’s place, now.”
Climbing into the car, he waited long enough for Jake to get inside the car. Pulling out of the driveway, Donnie didn’t talk. He only wanted to speak once, not twice. Luiz was already waiting with Tonio.
Thirty minutes later, he pulled into the underground parking facility to the building owned by The Family in the center of the city.
Side by side, Jake and Donnie walked to the elevator, keying in their own code. They all had an apartment in this building, as did his father, who kept a mistress in the apartment for when he didn’t want to screw Sharon.
Luiz opened the door at his knock. “What’s going on?” he asked.
Donnie pulled out the card, throwing it onto the coffee table in the middle of the sitting room. Tonio was drinking coffee, looking way too calm. “This is what Paige was keeping a secret?”
“Yes. I found it today. She didn’t have a clue I was watching her. I’ve got the access PIN as well.”
“It’s in Paige’s name,” Luiz said, leaning down to read the details. “This is the money Richard took?”
“Yeah. He told Paige never to tell anyone about it, not even Sharon. Richard knew he was going to be fucked, but he made sure his girl was set for life.”
“Then Sharon came and put her in the middle of all of the shit,” Jake said, taking a seat.
“This very morning my father was going to kill her for that information.” Donnie ran fingers through his hair, recalling her screams of fear as his father touched her. She’d been so damned scared. This was what The Family did, it destroyed people like Paige, and even Maria.
“What stopped him?”
He let out a sigh, looking at each of his friends. “In a month’s time, I’ll be marrying Paige. She’s going to be my wife.”
“Wait, what?” Luiz asked.
“Dad was already using her birthday to put her on display for one of the men. I wasn’t going to risk Paige being put through hell.”
“Like Maria?” Luiz spat the words out.
“Exactly, the difference with Paige and Maria, is Rafael can’t kill her, whereas Paige could end up dead.”
“How is that any different? Maria could end up dead.” Luiz stood, anger clearly shining in his eyes.
“She’s part of The Family, Luiz. Your father may be a bastard because he married her off to Rafael, but you and I both know he wouldn’t let her death stand. Rafael is afraid of your father.”
“It’s a shame he doesn’t keep his fucking fists to himself.”
It was well known that none of The Family interrupted with anyone’s marriage. What happened between a man and his wife, was between them. Donnie hated it, but there was no choice they had.
“Paige could be killed and my father wouldn’t do shit,” Donnie said. “I can’t let her die. It’s not her fault that her father made a big fucking mistake.”
Richard had been trying to do well.
“Sorry, Donnie,” Luiz said. “I just can’t stand for Maria to be in pain. You know that.”
Picking up the card, he looked at all of his friends. “This is the key to bringing down The Family, and taking our place. It’s time for us to move forward.”
“Can you do it?” Jake asked. “Can you kill your father?”
“I can kill my father. What about you? Can you convince your father to come to our side?”
Jake was the only one out of the three that didn’t have to kill his father. With Jake’s father being a soldier, he didn’t stand in their way.
“He knows what needs to be done.”
Donnie looked toward Luiz and Tonio.
“I’ve told you, if killing my father means I get to take out that piece of shit, I’m in,” Luiz said.
“Hey, I’ve taken the belt from my dad for the last fucking time. I’m not going to watch him hurt anyone else.”
There was a future with The Family that didn’t involve cruelty. Donnie had a vision, and all he needed was his three friends to keep their part of the bargain. First, he needed to get Paige away from the man who’d kill her without caring.
****
Paige was in shock. There was no other word for it. In one month she was going to get married. Her mother was already preparing the details. Staring at her reflection, she wanted to get out of the red dress and burn it. The birthday party was s
till going ahead without a problem. Sharon and Anthony had told her tonight they were announcing her marriage, and she was to keep everything that went down today, to herself. There wasn’t anyone else she’d tell about what had happened.
She’d almost died, and instead she was getting married to Donnie. Paige couldn’t believe she was going to marry him. He was part of the mafia, someone who was dangerous, and yet he was going to be her husband. The whole thing was surreal to her. She was going to belong to him, and there wasn’t anything she could do. Donnie had saved her life even though he didn’t have to.
He didn’t lie to you.
You want him.
Biting her lip, she wiped away the tears that had once again fallen.
Her very life was in the hands of the men her father had tried to protect her from. Letting out a breath, she ran her hands down her sides, wishing there was something she could do, anything that would make the pain lessen.
Someone knocked on the door, and she called for them to enter. Where would she live when she was married to Donnie? Wow, married at eighteen. It was something out of a bad romance film. Only this between her and Donnie was anything but a romance.
Sharon entered the room. She no longer looked emotional or scruffy. Her puffy eyes were now smoky from the makeup she was wearing. Any kind of fear was gone, and in its place was a superficial woman that Paige didn’t recognize. “Our guests are arriving.” Sharon moved behind her, pulling her hair back from her face. “I love your raven hair, Paige. Donnie is really lucky getting a girl like you as his wife.”
“You’re going to stand and say that to me now?” she asked, annoyed that her mother would try to find some good in what was happening.
The only good that Paige saw was the fact that she trusted Donnie. She was in Donnie’s debt, and for the longest time she’d not seen him as a brother, nor as a friend. Donnie had seen it himself that very morning: she was attracted to him.
“You can either make this very hard for yourself, Paige, or you can accept what is happening and learn to live with it.”
“You’re insane. Nothing like that is ever going to fucking happen. I’m being married off to keep my silence, and all because you couldn’t handle some hard living.” When her mother went to touch her cheek, she slapped her hand down, glaring at her. “No. I don’t want you fucking touching me. You’re no mother of mine.”