“Miss DeLuca what can I do for you? I’m monitoring the boat shed; I installed cameras with audio yesterday when G gave me the rundown on what’s happening. Have I done something wrong?” Bruno’s forehead has a thin layer of sweat on it as he stands there wringing his hands together. He’s definitely not a fighter, hell of a computer guy, but couldn’t shoot a gun at anyone if he’s life depended on it.
“Not at all, Bruno. You’ve done a stellar job. What I need is a witness. And you’re it.”
“What?” Both G and Bruno call out in unison.
I take the switchblade out of my pocket and slice my palm open, I grab G’s hand and do the same thing. I grip our hands together, palm to palm. My blood is mixing with his. Our lives now forever entwined.
“As of this moment, your blood has now combined with mine. We now share the same lineage and we share the same life. From this moment on, I step down as head of this family and you now are the man who will take us to the next level. Congratulations old man. You’ve always been the best person for this job,” I hug G as he hugs me back.
“Is that all, Miss Deluca? Can I leave now?” Bruno asks me but I smile and look over at G. “Oh sorry, Mr G, I mean no disrespect, Sir. May I please leave now?”
“It’s still G and yes you can go. I’ll be up there soon to watch what’s happening at the boat shed.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Frankie, what the hell have you done?” G angrily asks me as he closes the door to the office.
“What I should’ve done years ago. Stepped back and let you take over. This is where you belong G, you know it and I know it. I was born into it, you were made for it. I’ve done a great job, all under your watchful eye. And I would’ve been able to do it even without you, but what I’m saying is that this is the place you need to be.”
“What if I stuff up?”
“I’ll kick your fucking arse,” I look him dead in the eye when I say that.
“What if….” I stop him.
“This isn’t a business that comes with a plan. Sell the drugs, take care of the girls and ship the weapons. You already know what to do. Stop being a fucking pussy and step up. The reins are yours, Boss.”
“Then get out of my fucking office,” G gently pushes me.
“One more thing, G, if I’m killed today and Jeremy’s not I need you to pass on a message to him.”
“What is it?”
“Tell him, he’s my redemption.”
“Frankie…”
“Time for me to go.” I walk out of the office before G can say something that will bring tears to my eyes. I need to get to Jeremy and I need to do whatever I can to ensure that he walks out of there alive.
Chapter 28
This is it. I look at my watch and it says 3.50pm. I drove myself to the boat shed even though G insisted I take a few men with me. But I refused. I refused because I really don’t want Jeremy’s life in any more danger than it’s already in. I look at my watch again and it says 3.51pm. I can’t hear anything and I can’t see anyone. Has Marko killed Jeremy and just not bothered to come? That doesn’t make sense because he wants what I’ve given to G. I gulp a large inhale and look around me; it’s eerily quiet on the line of the water where the boat shed stands. I’ve managed to calm my body down and be in control of myself and my emotions. No matter how bad the next few minutes get, I will not lose it and endanger Jeremy.
Then I hear the car approach, just like Miloni a few weeks back, a large SUV comes barrelling down the dirt road followed by another identical SUV. They stop a few yards away from me. The back passenger doors open and Marko emerges from one and two of my men from the distribution house exit from the other vehicle. I stand in the same rooted spot as the two men shield Marko from my view. Obviously their loyalty lays with Marko, bad choice boys.
“Sister, you came. I actually thought you’d sell him out.” He speaks from behind the two hired thugs. My old hired thugs, his soon to be dead thugs.
“Where is he?” There’s a small tremble in my voice but I’m hoping the anger I have has masked it enough for Marko to not hear it.
“In the car dear sister,” Marko’s still behind the goons.
“Let him out and I’ll come with you.”
“Our father fucked me over, now it’s time I take my vengeance out on you, DeLuca.” He spits out my surname. Cursed by a name that he’ll never hold.
“Let me see him and you can have me in return.”
“I can have you anyway.”
“That’s called incest dear brother and that isn’t gonna happen.”
“Get him out.” He instructs someone in the car.
From around the other side of the car I see Jeremy being pushed along.
My heart stops beating at the sight of him.
He’s clothes are bloody and torn, his face has been beaten to the point that one eye’s swollen shut again, his lip so large he can’t close his mouth and his hands are handcuffed in front of him. Jeremy’s walking like a zombie dragging his feet and his shoulders are slumped forward. I stop myself from running to him, embracing and checking his body for any concealed wounds.
“What did you do to him?”
“Your boy likes my drugs.”
“What the fuck did you give him?” I shout at Marko but remain on the same spot.
“Looks like I’ve got a new customer. Wonder what he’ll do for his next taste of it. But don’t worry your pretty little head about it, sister, you won’t be around to worry about him. Now come, you’ve seen him, he’s alive. It’s time to do some business.”
“You want me, Marko, you drag your arse from behind your goons and come get me.”
“Go get her,” He says to the guy standing in front of him to the right. The guy takes one step forward and this is the moment that all lives of those present at the boat shed, change.
A shot from behind me and Marko’s head snaps back as he falls to the ground, dead.
A shot comes from Marko’s goons and my body gets thrown backward by a few feet.
It’s at this point that I can’t see anything else, I only hear shots. But quickly my sound is following in the same direction as my sight.
A muffled yell.
A painful breath.
A brilliant white serene light behind my eyes.
Chapter 29
“Can she hear me?”
“I don’t know, Jeremy. But talk to her like she can.”
Déjà vu.
Why the hell have I heard this conversation before?
“Darling, can you hear me? You need to open your eyes now.”
“Frankie, we need you to wake up now.”
“I just said that,” Jeremy growls.
“No you called her Darling. You’re an idiot.”
“Shut up, G.”
“Can you two find somewhere else to bicker?”
“Frankie,” G sighs as I feel his lips to my forehead. The moment they’re gone I feel the soft warm lips of Jeremy on my dry mouth. I strain to open my eyes and when I do I struggle for them to come in to focus. But when they centre, I notice that we’re at the island. I can hear the waves of the ocean and smell the salt in the air.
“What happened?” I groan as I try to sit up.
“Don’t move, Darling, you’ve been shot.”
“Well that explains the pain in my shoulder. Tell me what happened?”
I look over to G who’s standing next to my bed on the right and Jeremy’s sitting on a chair on my left. Jeremy’s face doesn’t look as bad as it did at the boat shed but the bruising is now a pale yellow color, so it must’ve been a few days since I’ve been shot.
“Fifteen took them all out, none of them are alive. One of Marko’s boys shot you, I had our own people close by but by the time we got there they were all dead. Except for Jeremy. He was looking all strung out and had no idea what was going on. You, Frankie, were breathing shallow. Lucky we had the doctor on standby too, cause he patched you up and got you stable enough to
fly you out here. We landed straight on the island and no one knows we’re here.”
I go to move my arms and noticed the line leading into a cannula.
“How long have I been out?”
“It was touch and go. That doctor works miracles. You’ve been out for six days.”
“That’s why your face is almost as beautiful as normal,” I say as Jeremy winks at me and grips my hand harder.
“Now that I know you’re alive, Frankie, I’m gonna leave the island and go back home. I’ll check in with you in a few days.” He bends and kisses me on the cheek. “Take care of our girl, Jeremy,” G shakes Jeremy’s hand and walks out of the bedroom door.
Silence is all Jeremy and I have and quite frankly it’s completely uncomfortable.
“Why are you here, Jeremy?” I manoeuvre my body a little so I’m sitting up; Jeremy assists me by propping extra pillows behind my back.
“Because I can’t stay away from you.”
“Jeremy...” I sigh ready to tell him that I’m not a good person and he needs to leave as quickly as he can, even though I don’t want him to.
“No don’t talk. You said I’m your redemption, well, Darling you’re my resolution. Without you I have no courage, without you I have no soul and without you I have no life. I’ve been merely existing, just taking breaths because that’s how my body’s programmed. I don’t want to be on this earth without you, I can’t be away from you for one more moment. I need you and I want you. My life for yours, Frankie.”
His words have broken me down, the lump in my throat’s from extreme happiness and the ice around my heart has completely dissolved.
“I love you, Jeremy.” He leans in and kisses me softly on the lips. “But you need to know that G now runs the business.”
“I know, he and I talked. He’s a good man and he loves you so much.”
“I want to stay on the island and just not do anything for a while, Jeremy.”
“And I’ll follow you anywhere you want to go.”
Chapter 30
“Frankie, wake up.”
“No.”
“Come on, Darling, we need to go for a swim.”
“No.”
“The doctor said it’s good for your shoulder to swim.”
“Stop talking. I’m sleeping.”
“Not if I do this.” He runs his finger on the inside of my thigh up towards my rapidly soaking slit.
“Hmmmm,” I moan as I shamelessly open my legs.
“My dirty girl wants this does she?” His finger circles my pulsating slit as he presses his thumb down on my clit.
“Yes please. I’ll wake up if you fuck me first.”
“Is that right?” I feel the scratch of his stubble on my neck as he nudges my head to the side so he can kiss down towards my shoulder. I move my head and grab his hair to hold him in the position.
“Yes,” I growl.
“Up on your hands and knees.” Holy shit. That voice. The deep scratchy and erotic tone and the command. God how I want that right now.
I slide the sheet down my legs and I’m already totally exposed. Jeremy likes me to sleep with nothing on; he also likes to feel me against his body while we sleep. A lot of times, my sleep is interrupted and when it is, it’s unfucking believable. Especially when Jeremy uses that tone which incidentally he’s using on me right now.
“There’s my dirty girl. Hmmmm, yes I like you like this. Now should I fuck you the way I want or the way you want?” I’m on all fours on the bed and Jeremy’s running his hand over my arse. He grabs onto my cheeks roughly and squeezes them. “Should I let my cock in here?” He runs his finger around my dark hole and I try to push back but he immediately withdraws his finger so I can’t find any friction there. “Oh should I fuck you here?” He plunges a finger into my pussy and my body instantly heats up as my nipples tighten and elongate on their own. I lay my head on the bed and drive back a little so I can rub my clit on Jeremy’s hand. “Or maybe I should fuck you here.” The fingers that were in my pussy are now well coated with my arousal as Jeremy presses them beyond my lips and into my mouth. “Suck me clean.” I do and fucking love it. I swirl my tongue around his fingers and nip at his fingertips as he slowly slides them out of my mouth. “No I think I might have a snack first.” My heart races as I feel his hot breath at the top of my thighs. I open my legs a little more but it’s really not needed, Jeremy starts licking my slit with determination, almost like a desperate want imperative for his survival. Fuck, an inferno burns through my skin and I need to have more pressure on my clit and slit so I can come. “You taste so good, Darling.” But he stops, just short of me finding my first orgasm for the day.
“Shit,” I growl with frustration.
Jeremy lies on the bed next to me where I can see his beautiful thick cock standing tall and ready for me. “Ride me my dirty girl. I want to watch as you move that sexy body of yours all over me.”
I straddle his hips and line him up; as I sink down and I tilt my hips back a little and hit a spot that makes us both moan at the same time. Jeremy’s eyes close as my head rolls back. I still for a moment just letting the sensation of being filled and stretched overtake my heightened senses, Jeremy starts fondling my breasts and I bring my head forward and open my eyes to see Jeremy staring at me. I start to move my hips as Jeremy watches me riding his cock. His hands run down the length of my body and anchor onto my hips.
With circles and small thrusts I fuck Jeremy and take what I want. “You feel so warm and tight, Darling. I love how our bodies can’t lie. You want this as much as I do.”
“I love you, Jeremy,” I lean down and kiss him as I keep moving my hips. He flips us so quickly without even coming out of me.
He moves one leg so it’s over his shoulder and pushes the other out so it’s fully extended. He gets into a new angle and the depth he can get to is starting to make me count stars. His hips move in a rhythmic even beat; I swivel my hips and lift up as he pushes in. He grabs my right hand and entwines our fingers together. “I love you so much, Frankie.” His hips move faster as I move my own body to match his tempo. He leans down and sucks a nipple in his mouth while he flicks it with his tongue. I move my other hand to his nipple piercing and start rubbing it with my thumb. “Fuck,” he growls against my breast. My own body responds to his as I start to thrust up quicker. I arch my back and push my breast further into his mouth.
“Jeremy,” I sigh as his body pushes further into mine. Our two bodies connecting and melding into one. Jeremy quickens his movements and the tingling sensation that has started in my stomach, is contracting and becoming a tightening throughout my entire body. I close my eyes as warmth and heat embodies me while I feel Jeremy spill over the edge.
With a small moan I quietly come. This time feels different to me, a connection of mind body and spirit. A connection of two souls into one perfect moment.
Jeremy relaxes his hold on me and lies down next to me. With his arms around me he brings me to lie on top of him. “I didn’t know I was lost until the day I found you, Frankie.” I smile against his chest. “I was drowning in a life and I didn’t know why I was there.”
“I’ve stumbled my way through darkness Jeremy, my beacon will always be you. You’re my light and you’ve lead me out of the dark.”
“Marry me, Darling.”
Chapter 31
“I’ve been asking you for the last nine months and you keep saying no. You’re my wife in my eyes regardless of what your answer is. So just say yes and be done with it.”
“I swear to God, Jeremy if you don’t shut the fuck up about this marriage bullshit I will fucking kill you myself.”
I grip his hand even harder as I push through this contraction.
“I want it to be official, so say yes.”
“Shut up.”
“Say yes and I will.”
The pain in my lower back can only be described as excruciating. Nothing comes close to the immense and intense pain coming every three minut
es.
“Say yes, Frankie.”
“Come closer so I can punch you out.” Jeremy laughs as he bends and kisses me on the forehead.
“God I love you. I tell you what, if it’s a girl you have to say yes, if it’s a boy you’re allowed to say yes.”
What’s the damn difference?
Another contraction hits but this one feels more intense. I scream through the pain as the midwife here at Carney Hospital checks me again.
“Okay, Miss DeLuca you’re fully dilated, so soon you’ll feel like pushing.”
“You can’t push until you agree.”
“FINE, I’ll fucking marry you now shut the fuck up and let me do this.”
“That’s all I wanted, I love you, Frankie.” He kisses me on the lips as I get a huge overwhelming urge to push.
“That’s it, Miss DeLuca, I can see the head. Mr Miller come watch as your baby’s being born.”
Jeremy holds onto my hand but positions himself to watch as our child makes his or her presence known.
“I can see the head, Darling. Wow, look at all that hair. Almost there, a little more,” he encourages me.
“One more push, Miss DeLuca and your baby will be here. And congratulations on your engagement.”
I feel the contractions almost here and when it hits an almighty push overtakes me.
“Congratulations, you have a….”
Epilogue
Jeremy
9 years later
“Sweetheart,” I call out.
“Here, Daddy,” I hear her voice bounce back from the study.
“What’re you doing?”
“Just finishing my homework, Dad. Do you need me to help you with dinner?”
I smile at her and know she’s got that compassion from me and definitely not from Frankie. “No, Sweetheart, can you finish up and get ready for dinner please? Uncle G will be here soon.”
“Sure Dad, I’ll finish the rest of my homework later.”
My beautiful girl. She looks just like her mother, her long auburn air and gorgeous large blue eyes are just like Frankie’s.
My Life for Yours Page 16