“I would try to hurry up and start writing your story if I were you. Get the information from his books and get it over with,” he said. “Does your friend have someone to guard your house?”
“I’m not worried about that,” I said. “You know I have my carry permit. I’m not afraid to use it.”
“Shoot first, ask questions later?” he joked.
“Hardly. If anything, I’d get too caught up in the questioning to remember I had a gun in the first place.”
He sighed. “I really can’t wait until this is all over. Even if you don’t get Tilucci put away, at least I can skip town.”
I looked at him. “If you’re that concerned, why don’t you skip town now?”
“Don’t you need my help?” he asked, looking a little hurt.
“Of course. Your help has been invaluable to me. I really couldn’t have gotten this far, this quickly without your help. What I find puzzling is the fact that you didn’t have to do any of this. You could have given me a few names and then split.”
“I guess I got caught up in the excitement of it all. Besides, it would feel wrong to let you get mixed up in all of this trouble by yourself.”
“I don’t need your protection,” I mocked.
“I know,” he said, getting flustered. “Those are my principles and I have no choice but to stick to them.”
“I’m just kidding. I’m glad that you stayed with me,” I said, feeling a little warm. I was starting to get a little too sentimental and it was making me feel uncomfortable like I was putting too much of myself out there.
I really did find it baffling that Bryce would want to stay with me while I went around town, questioning people that he had connections to. He already did his part, but he still felt the need to escort me around the city. For someone who was so disinterested in helping me at the start, we were starting to become a little team. I understood that Tilucci made him do bad things and was now threatening his daughter, but besides that, I didn’t understand his motivation behind it all.
“Are you up for talking to Coulson tomorrow?” he asked. “I get off work at three, so we can go a little earlier.”
“That would be great,” I said. I knew I could handle it alone, but it was still nice to have some company. I was starting to enjoy my time with Bryce. He didn’t say a lot, but I knew that he had a lot going on under the surface. If I knew how to do anything, it was to get people to spill their stories. I couldn’t wait to find out what made Bryce Baron tick.
“Thanks for the ride,” I said as he pulled up to my place.
“No problem. See you tomorrow.”
I smiled at him and walked to the stoop. Glancing behind me, I saw him waiting for me to go inside, like a parent dropping a kid off at school. It was oddly sweet.
As I went to open the door, my foot knocked over something metallic that skittered across the brick with a clang. The reflection from the street light caught my eye and I bent down to examine the object.
There, on my front step, was a bullet with my initials etched into it.
“Bryce?” I called to him, trying to stay calm, but feeling panic bubble up under the surface.
I didn’t have the chance to say anymore before he was bounding up the sidewalk. “What is it?” he asked, audibly shaken.
He put his hand on my upper back and leaned over me, looking and the bullet in my hand.
“Shit, we need to get out of here, now,” he breathed.
Just as he grabbed me by the hand to leave, two muscular men jumped out from the bushes flanking my home. A gloved hand covered my mouth before I could let out a scream. I could see Bryce wrestling with the slightly larger man as I grappled with the other guy. His hand went from my mouth to my throat, clenching tightly.
I wheezed, but there was no one that could assist me. Bryce was dealing blows to the other man’s torso and caught a few in the face himself. I remembered my hand to hand combat training and jabbed my elbows into his gut and throat. He recoiled, dropping me. I delivered hard kicks to his groin and torso, causing him to cower. I pulled him into a headlock; bearing down until his face turned a bright shade of red, then tinged purple.
“He’s out,” Bryce panted. I wasn’t sure which guy he was referring to.
I let go of the man’s head and took a few steps back. I had two burly and very unconscious men on my front stoop.
“Let’s get them out of here,” Bryce said, grabbing the larger of the two men. He dragged him to the other side of the street and propped them up against the wall. Then, he came back for the other man and did the same.
“We need to leave right now,” he said.
“Do you think I should go inside and get an extra change of clothes or something?”
“Someone might be inside. We can’t risk that.”
I obeyed his wishes and hopped back into the passenger seat. He tore off down the street, leaving the men behind us.
“Tilucci’s men, I’m guessing?”
“Definitely,” he said.
“I’m glad you were there,” I said. “They came out of nowhere.”
“They tend to do that,” he said flatly. “We’re going to have to find a safe place to stay overnight. Is that okay with you?”
“I don’t think we have any other choice,” I replied.
“It’s weird, though,” he said as he drove into the dark night, “Tilucci would never send an engraved bullet to someone as a threat. That’s too sexy of a move. The thugs, though, that’s Tilucci’s work through and through. I can’t wrap my head around it.”
I knew someone who would send an engraved bullet. I was once gifted an engraved locket by the same man. He was a romantic sort of man, not particularly warm and kind, but cool and dramatic. Where words failed him, he could purchase a stunning display of gifts and lure you into bed. He was a master of making a point and getting what he wanted.
“That was Max,” I said quietly.
Bryce wrinkled his brow. “Yeah, that would make sense. How did you know that?” he asked.
“I’m going to call Andrea and make sure everything is fine with your daughter,” I said quickly, changing the topic. I wasn’t sure if I could explain my relationship with Max quite yet. A call to Andrea would buy me some time.
“Andrea,” I gasped when she answered the phone. “Is everything all right?”
“Of course,” she said. “We’ve had no movement out here. I even managed to hide some security devices around the house when the homeowners were gone earlier today. No one can enter or exit that house without my whole team knowing about it.”
“Good,” I said, feeling relieved. I knew I could count on her.
“Is everything okay with you? You sound out of breath.”
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” I said. “Some thugs tried to rough us up, but we took them pretty easily. We’re going to lay low for a little bit, but I’ll keep in close contact with you.”
“Stay safe. Let me know if you need reinforcements.”
“Thanks, but we’re good for now. Talk to you soon.”
I rested my phone on my lap and closed my eyes for a moment. Everything was happening all at once, but I needed to stay calm and focused on the next task.
“What did she say?” Bryce asked.
“Everything’s fine over there. Nothing to worry about.”
He nodded, a look of concern etched on his face.
“Where are we going?” I asked. We had been driving for nearly ten minutes and I had no idea where we were headed.
“I’m going to find an obscure hotel for us to hide out in. I don’t really have any friends here anymore. Besides, we don’t want to endanger anyone else.”
“Good call. I’m going to start writing this story in case—” I trailed off. I had to face facts. There was a decent chance that Tilucci and his men were going to do everything in their power to keep me from writing the story. I had to at least start it, so someone could finish my work in case something bad happened to me.
/> I quickly typed a few paragraphs into my phone to upload to the station’s servers. Pat knew how to access my work.
For some reason, I kept getting distracted by the images in my mind from tonight. It had been so long since I felt the touch of a man, in any way. Even just his big hand on my back made my skin tingle. It felt so good to have such an attractive man care about me. I know it was pathetic, but I loved being in danger, just so I could watch for his look of concern that he gave me.
I forced myself to get back to my work. If I got a good start on the Tilucci story, maybe I’d have a chance to work on Bryce’s story.
Shower With Me
Jane
“Do you have any vacancies tonight?” I asked the front desk worker as Bryce anxiously stood by.
“Let me check,” the woman said as I looked around the lobby. It wasn’t a fancy hotel by any means, but it would do. Bryce drove us into a suburb of the city so hopefully, we would be in the middle of nowhere, and not somewhere we would be easily spotted.
“We have just one room left. No smoking, queen-sized bed. Is that okay?”
“We’ll take it,” I said before Bryce could object. I handed the woman my credit card and she gave us a key in return.
“I can sleep on the floor,” he said as we walked through the outdoor corridor to our room. “You can have the bed.”
“I’m not shy,” I said, opening the door to the tiny bedroom. “It doesn’t make any difference to me.”
Once inside, I turned on the dim light and Bryce locked the door. I plopped down on the bed.
“This is kinda exciting,” I said. “You know if we’ve pissed people off this much, we’re getting to them. I bet they’re more afraid of us than we are of them.”
He gave a weak smile before sitting down in the chair. “How’s the story coming along?”
“Pretty well. I have plenty anecdotal evidence, but I need some of the hard facts. I also really need to talk to Coulson to see if she can give me any clues into the scope of the crimes Tilucci’s committed.”
He grimaced. “Try not to get your hopes up. I can’t imagine she’s going to want to tell you much. Besides, being bound to confidentiality agreements, I don’t know how much she could say.”
“At the very least, she could answer some very specific questions about the law. Besides, you and I both have a pretty clear idea about what laws have been broken.”
I was full of wild energy after getting attacked and running out of town. I had Tilucci right where I wanted him. I got such a thrill from near misses. I knew that eventually, someone would come after us and we would be ready. Like it or not, Bryce was stuck with me now.
He seemed so stiff and uncomfortable sitting in the wooden desk chair, like a teenage boy on his first date. He did not seem nearly as excited by this recent development as I was.
“You look like you could use a drink,” I said, peering into the mini bar. “What will it be? Vodka, rum, whiskey?”
“I’m fine,” he said.
“It’s on me,” I insisted. “Actually, I’ll probably charge this to the station.” I grabbed a tiny bottle of vodka and poured it into a glass with a splash of cranberry juice.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll take the whiskey.”
I tossed him the bottle and he poured it into a glass and mixed it with a little water from the bathroom faucet.
“Is there somewhere else you’re supposed to be right now?” I asked, taking another drink.
“There’s nowhere for me to ever be, apart from work. I don’t really do much.”
“Same here,” I said. “My work is my life. Still, I would be lying if I said that it didn’t ever get lonely sometimes.”
He nodded in agreement. “You don’t have a boyfriend?”
I laughed. “Nope. It’s hard to date when you’re married to your job. Plus, a lot of guys tell me that I’m intimidating. Apparently, there’s something off-putting about a woman who can stand up for herself.”
“I don’t think that at all,” he said. “I think there’s something incredibly sexy about a strong woman who doesn’t take shit from anybody.”
I blushed. Bryce looked toward the floor. We both took long swallows from our cups.
“Tell me about Arianna,” I said, taking a chance. If there was any time to ask him personal questions, this was the time.
His expression softened. “She’s amazing,” he said. “She’s so young, but already so smart. She’s just started school and she’s already reading books to her aunt and uncle.”
“That’s great,” I said. It was so cute to see his eyes light up as he spoke of her. “I bet you really miss her.”
“I’m going to get her back one day,” he said, finishing his drink. I handed him another bottle. “When I gave her aunt and uncle full custody, they told me that if things ever got better for me, they’d give me partial custody. I could never take her back full time. She was so young when I gave her up. She doesn’t know any other way of life. If I could get weekends with her one day, that would be the best thing in the world.”
Listening to him talk about his daughter made me feel all warm inside. My dad left when I was young, and here was Bryce, talking about how much he wanted to be in his daughter’s life. Hearing this made him even more attractive.
If I learned anything in the past few days, it was that Bryce was a protector. I knew this because I was the same way. We both sacrificed a lot, just to keep other people safe. I felt like we had a deeper connection because of it.
“I’m sure all of that makes you highly motivated to put Tilucci and his cronies away for good.”
“You have no idea,” he muttered.
“I’ll tell you what,” I said, draining my drink, “if it comes down to it, I’ll let you take a shot at Tilucci.”
He smiled. “Deal.”
By now, the alcohol’s effect was just starting to kick in. I felt relaxed and Bryce had even moved from his uncomfortable chair to the bed. We sat on the edges, leaned up against the headboard. It felt so nice to be near another person like that.
“I never asked you,” I said, gaining courage. “Why are you single?”
He laughed. “I’m not really boyfriend material.”
“I don’t buy that for a minute. You’re a good guy with some actual morals, you care about your kid, and you’re hot as hell.”
“Am I?” he chuckled.
“There’s no way I’m the first to break this news to you.”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” he responded.
“Great,” I said sarcastically. “Every woman wants to be told that she’s ‘not bad.’”
“You know what I mean,” he said, his head leaning in toward mine. “You’re beautiful.”
The tension between us was palpable. I wanted him to lean in just a little further and kiss me. He was staring directly into my eyes like he was trying to read my mind. I wonder if he was thinking the same thing.
He blinked a few times and leaned back. “Do you mind if I take a shower?” he asked. “I just realized how late it is.”
“Sure,” I said, disappointed that he didn’t make a move on me.
He walked into the bathroom and shut the door. A few moments later, I heard him start the water.
There was no point in denying it, even to myself. I was so into Bryce. I felt the carnal urge to press my body up against his. I wanted to make him feel good. We were both two lonely people with a mutual attraction to each other. I wanted him and I wanted him now.
What could I do, though? If he was shy and never made a move on me, I would regret it so much. I didn’t want to be too forward and I didn’t know how to broach the subject. What if I propositioned him and he turned me down? I don’t know if I could deal with that embarrassment.
I couldn’t get the thought of his naked body in the shower out of my mind. I needed to see him, to touch him, immediately. At the very least, he needed to know how badly I wanted him. I had to get it off my chest.
/> I don’t know if it was the alcohol or the adrenaline, but my body went on autopilot for a few seconds. Before I could talk myself out of it, I walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind me.
Upon hearing the door, Bryce poked his head out from behind the curtain. He kept everything below his waist covered, but I could still see the water rippling down his abs.
“What’s going on?” he asked, the tone of surprise.
My eyes narrowed and I stood up a little straighter. “I want you.”
He shook his head slightly as if the water in his ears was distorting his hearing. “What did you say?”
“I can’t stop thinking about how much I want to fuck you right now.”
His eyes widened a little bit before a corner of his mouth turned up into a half grin. “Get in here.”
I immediately yanked my sweater over my head and pulled my jeans off, tossing them in the corner. Next came my underwear and bra, flung on top of the pile. I slid the curtain back a little and stepped into the shower.
Before this moment, I had already seen Bryce nearly nude, but it was different in the boxing ring. He was lean from fighting, but his muscles bulged when he moved. I was still so surprised that he was even into me, let alone the fact that the sight of me made him engorged. Was it possible that all those days in the car where I checked him out, he was doing the same?
He placed his hands on my waist and mine cradled his neck. His lips were so soft when pressed against mine. After a few blissful moments of kissing, we began to explore each other’s bodies. His hands found my breasts and mine grabbed onto his tight butt. I could feel him growing harder and harder against my body.
I wanted him to do anything and everything to me. I needed to watch him melt from my touch.
He was attempting to do the same to me. He started touching me and I didn’t want him to stop. The bathroom steamed up to the point where we were in the center of a fine mist. It all felt like an erotic dream.
When I was fully aroused it was my turn to tantalize him. I knelt in front of him, slowly stroking his shaft before taking him into my mouth. He emitted a soft moan as I worked my way up and down him, caressing him with my tongue. I listening to his breathing speed up and felt his flesh pulsing. When he was about to climax, I got up and braced myself against the shower wall, inviting him in.
Her Protection: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (Omerta Series Book 2) Page 7