by Sam Crescent
“Fine.”
Knocking on the door, all four men waited. Donnie was tense. He quickly checked that his gun was there and ready to draw out.
Keeping his arm behind his back, he held onto the gun. Charlene opened the door. Her lip was freshly bleeding, and tears were pouring out of her eyes.
“Go,” he said, whispering the words. He’d already given her Paige’s room number, and told her not to worry. Charlene didn’t wait around.
“Fucking whore. What’s taking you so long?” Anthony asked.
They walked into the apartment without saying a word, closing the door.
“When I fucking ask you a question you fucking answer it.”
The sound of his father’s voice filled him with disgust. Entering the room, he, Luiz, Tonio, and Jake spread out, flanking their fathers, who were all together in the sitting room. Lines of coke were crumbled on the clear coffee table, letting Donnie know he wasn’t making a mistake. The Family was corrupted by the very product they dealt in.
“What the fuck are you doing here, you little shit?” Anthony asked.
Tonio and Luiz’s father were also giving out disgusted looks. Their bodyguards had disappeared. Donnie had made sure the men guarding their fathers were loyal to him, not to the three old men they were staring down.
“Where’s Charlene?” Anthony asked.
“Gone.” He tilted his head to the side. When he’d imagined this moment in his mind, he thought he’d stand and talk it out. Instead, he brought his gun out and pointed it at his father. “This is for Mom and Henry.” Without batting an eye he fired his gun. One round bullet hole entered Anthony’s head before anyone could react.
Luiz and Tonio hadn’t been prepared and so were scrambling for their guns when their fathers went to draw.
Donnie shot them both in the hand, then stepped forward, looking them in the eye. This was not his kill.
“The Family is going to kill you,” Luiz’s father said, groaning and holding his hand.
Smiling, Donnie leaned down. “Who do you think requested this? I’ve been planning this for three years, and The Family in all quarters want you gone. We’re throwing out the trash, and bringing in the fresh product.”
He stepped back as Luiz and Tonio stepped forward.
“This is for Maria.” Luiz fired his weapon.
Tonio didn’t say anything. He just shot the man. The coldness in Tonio at times scared Donnie. He rarely talked, but there was always a murderous, evil glint in his eye.
“That business is done,” Jake said. “Damn, Donnie, you’re a wicked awesome shot.”
He smiled, calling in the cleanup crew. There was a small team who’d come, break down the bodies, and clean up the whole apartment as if there was nothing there.
“How do you feel?” Donnie asked, looking toward Luiz and Tonio.
“Relieved. We’ve got to get rid of Rafael now. I’m not waiting around.”
“Go,” Jake said. “I’ll make sure this is handled and get Charlene back here when it’s done.”
Donnie nodded, following his two friends out. Tonio didn’t say a word, and none of them talked while they rode toward Maria’s house.
Out of the corner of his eye, Donnie watched Luiz and Tonio put their guns away, taking out knives.
“We’ve got a special treat in store for Rafael,” Luiz said. “You don’t have to stay. It’s going to get real fucking bloody.”
“I don’t give a shit about a little blood.” Donnie parked the car, turning off the lights, and climbing out of the car. Tonio and Luiz were already at the door.
Maria had opened it looking terrified. One of her eyes was badly swollen, and she was holding her side protectively.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, whispering while glancing behind her. If fear had a taste, it was what Donnie was tasting. “He’ll kill you, Luiz.”
“Go to the car, Maria. You don’t need to see this.” Luiz didn’t back down.
“If you kill him you’ll be dead. I can’t live with that.” Tears were silently pouring down her cheeks. “Please, Luiz, don’t.”
“Dad’s dead. Our three fathers are all dead, Maria. We’re the new leadership now. A vote was cast, and the rot is being purged from The Family. I promised you I’d find a way. I did, we did.” He pointed toward them all. “Go to the car.”
Donnie handed her the keys, which she took, looking pale. He was shocked when Tonio stopped her with his hand to her cheek. They all stilled as Tonio caressed underneath the bruise on her eye.
“Go,” Tonio said, urging her toward the car.
Donnie didn’t question the action. Together they made their way into the house, hunting for the man who’d given Maria nothing but pain. They found him in the sitting room dressed in a robe. He was masturbating and looking toward the doorway, clearly relishing his wife’s return. Donnie was sickened by the bastard.
Rafael froze when he saw them. “What the fuck are you doing in my house?”
“Does it turn you on, hitting women? Hitting my sister?” Luiz asked.
“Maria’s my wife. What I do with her is my business.”
“It isn’t anymore,” Tonio said, lunging toward the man. Donnie leaned against the doorframe watching as his two friends began to beat the man who’d caused nothing but hurt. Blood sprayed around the room, hitting his shirt.
Donnie felt nothing about the masculine screams and the begging that came from Rafael.
“The Family is going to kill you. No one interferes with a man disciplining his wif—”
Tonio slammed the blade inside Rafael’s stomach. “Didn’t we tell you? We’re the new leadership now, and we fucking kill men who hurt women.” He drew his blade up inch by inch with each word he spoke. “You should have never laid a finger on her.”
It was going to be a long night.
****
Paige paced the long hallway near the door. Jake had already taken Charlene back to her apartment. They’d been gone six hours, but Charlene hadn’t been able to rest. Her heavy pregnancy made it hard for her to calm down. She’d been so worried about what would happen.
Paige’s own fears were starting to get the better of her now. She checked her cell phone hoping for a call or something from Donnie. Nothing.
She didn’t know where he was or what he’d been doing. Well, she knew exactly what he’d been doing. Where was he now? Why wasn’t he back home?
Running fingers through her hair she was about to call the police when the door to their apartment opened. Donnie entered, closing and locking the door behind him. He was covered in blood, and she didn’t care. Dropping her cell phone she rushed toward him, wrapping her arms around him, trying to find as much comfort as possible.
“I was so worried.”
“I’m covered in blood.”
“I don’t care.” She held him tightly. “I didn’t know what I’d do if you’d not come through that door. I was so worried.”
“I didn’t let him,” he said, holding her close.
“You didn’t let him what?” she asked, pulling away long enough to look him in the eye.
“I was going to play with him. Make him pay for the years of hell he’d given me. I didn’t know if I was going to make it. When I stood looking at him, I thought about you, and I knew in that moment, I wanted you far more than I wanted to make him pay. I killed him with one shot, then put a bullet in Luiz and Tonio’s fathers so they had time to kill them, themselves.” He cupped her face. “Until I had you I didn’t care if I lived or died. You’ve given me someone to love, and because of that, I will not take any risks over my safety.”
She took his hand leading him toward the bathroom. They both needed to bathe, and she needed to burn their clothes. The evidence.
“What happened?” she asked, stripping down before starting on his clothes. He told her everything, about taking out their three fathers, then moving to Maria’s house, where they killed Rafael. Maria was staying with Luiz until all the mess w
as cleaned up.
“We’ll have a meeting calling on all the soldiers and The Family. Afterward, we’ll start picking out the rot from the fresh, and dealing with any blowback headed our way,” Donnie said. “I went to visit your mother.”
Paige paused as she climbed in the tub. Donnie was already inside the tub.
“I gave her two choices. She could keep her mouth shut, stay in the luxury my father provided, and stay away from you. Or I’d kill her.”
“What did she decide?” Paige didn’t want anything to do with her mother. Not once did Sharon try to protect her, and she’d moved in with one of the men responsible for killing her father, so Paige couldn’t trust her.
“She likes her lifestyle. You won’t be having any trouble from her.” He wrapped his arm around her. “Are you afraid of me?”
“No. You would never hurt me.” She leaned back showing him that she loved him. “Maria’s safe?”
“Yes. No pain will ever come to her again. Luiz and I’ve got a feeling Tonio will see to that.”
“Tonio fancies Maria?”
“I believe so.”
She frowned. “They’d make an odd pair.”
“I never thought this was possible,” he said.
“What?”
“I’ve just killed several men, and you’re sharing a bath with me, talking about our friends.”
She held her hand up, and he locked their fingers together. “I never claimed to be perfect, and I know for a fact you’re not. I love you, Donnie, for better or for worse. I stick to my promises, and nothing you say is ever going to change that.” She looked up at him. “I love you.”
“I will be a much better father than Anthony ever was to me. I swear to you, Paige.”
She smiled. “You’ll come home at odd hours, covered in blood, but I believe you. You’re nothing like your father, Donnie. You’re a better man than him.”
“I’m going to have another little brother or sister,” he said.
“I know. Charlene looks terrified. We’ll be there for her. She’s going to need a friend.”
“She doesn’t want to return home,” he said. “She’s afraid to leave The Family because of everything she knows.”
“Give her time. We’re all going to be family.”
“How did I ever get so lucky?”
“I don’t know. I owe you for my life.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
She smiled. “I kind of like the thought of being in your debt.”
“Your stepbrother’s debt?”
“I never claimed to be perfect.” She leaned up, pressing her lips to his.
Epilogue
Four months later
As predicted, The Family was divided over the change of leadership to Donnie, Luiz, Tonio, and Jake. Many didn’t like their young age, while some relished the change. Donnie stared around Luiz’s luxurious house, which he’d kept even after they’d disposed of their fathers’ bodies.
They had invited many of The Family, most of who had flown in for the gathering. He’d just welcomed into the fold a baby sister. Charlene had given birth a week ago, and to show her he meant to keep her safe, he’d prepared a party.
Paige rested her head against his shoulder. “She looks nervous.”
“I imagine she is. Many people here would gladly see her dead. It’s not every day that a mistress’s baby is welcomed as an actual member of The Family.” That was one of the changes he’d made. He, Luiz, Tonio, and Jake had made subtle changes over the past four months, and most of those had been in the girls working in the clubs. Donnie was working with the local police force in order to get the girls sent back to their families. He didn’t like trafficking women, and using them to line The Family’s pocket. They had enough money of their own. He’d also used the money from Paige’s father to help re-home women who couldn’t go back home.
They had problems with many of their people, but between him and his friends, they’d dealt with them swiftly.
Those who threatened the new leadership were killed or forced to leave. Donnie wasn’t going to risk the life of his family.
Pressing his hand to Paige’s stomach, he rubbed her slightly swollen stomach. The doctor had told him the good news that day.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m tired. I never expected to be having a baby at eighteen, and I’m scared.”
“We’ll get through it together. Charlene will help guide you.” He kissed her temple, loving the fact he’d bound her to him for the rest of his life.
“Will you still love me when I’m the size of a whale, with big feet, and a bad temper?” she asked.
“I’ll never stop loving you. I can’t wait for our baby to come into the world. It means you’ll never want to leave my side.”
It was his biggest fear that one day Paige would wake up and realize she was bound to a monster. He thanked the good Lord every single day that she had yet to see it herself.
“I’m not going anywhere.” She placed her hand over his heart. He took her hand within his, kissing her knuckles. It was hard for him to keep the love he felt for this woman off his face. They had faced so much together in their short time, but some people grow up faster than others. He wasn’t going to waste weeks, months, or years pretending he didn’t love her. This way, he got her all to himself for the next sixty years.
Donnie could live with that.
****
“You’re not down at the party,” Tonio said, entering Maria’s bedroom. He stared at the beautiful woman before him, wishing there was something he could do to reach out to her.
“I don’t want to be down there. The Family has new leadership, but they’ve not changed from the inside.”
She stared up at him. It had been so long since he’d seen her without bruises. Her beauty took his breath away.
“We’re changing everything.”
“You can’t change what happened, Tonio. You can’t change me.”
He swallowed past the lump in his throat. This was the one person he’d failed. She’d needed him years ago, but he’d been too much of a fool to help. Maria should never have married Rafael. She should have married him.
“What did you think?” she asked. “You’d take out Rafael and I’d come back to you?”
“Don’t, Maria,” he said. “I hadn’t hoped for anything.”
“He tortured me, Tonio. I can’t just forget that. Whatever was between us ended the moment Rafael put his ring on my finger. Move on because I’m not the girl you remember.”
She turned away from him. He reached out about to touch her but stopped.
Maria was right. They were two different people. The love they’d once had was long gone. Her innocence was gone, but so was his, and no one could ever understand what he’d been through, not one person. If they ever found out, it would destroy him.
The End
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Other Books by Sam Crescent:
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