by CJ Bishop
Cruz knew all about being a “guest” in the enemy’s home. Clint had taken in many guests who never saw the light of another day.
Terrell touched Cruz’s face and turned his head, inspecting his bruised jaw. “What happened here?”
“What can I say?” Cruz murmured. “The truth hurts, especially when you’re the one telling it.”
When Riccardo started to raise his fist, Terrell shut him down. “Easy, now. What truth are we talking about?”
“It isn’t the truth,” Riccardo said tightly, glaring at Cruz. “And it isn’t important.”
Terrell nodded and moved on. “I hear you and the cowboy are pretty tight. Is that true?”
“We’re pals, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“It is.”
“If we take down the cowboy,” Riccardo said, a smile forming. “We’ll be famous.”
Cruz huffed. “You try and you’ll be dead.”
“You don’t think our plan to use you as bait will work?” Terrell asked. “The man may be ruthless, but he has his loyalties.”
“Do you have any idea what happened to the last man who used the bait and trap on the cowboy?”
“Let me guess,” Terrell smiled dryly. “He’s dead?”
Cruz chuckled low. “That would be one hell of an understatement.”
“We know,” Riccardo drawled. “He’s a badass motherfucker. We got it. And we’re prepared.”
Cruz just smiled. “By the time you realize just how wrong you are, you’ll be tucked away in his guest room. But by all means, proceed with your plan. And when you’re hanging from chains with a red-hot crowbar stuffed up your ass and every bone in your body busted to rat shit, just remember—you were warned.”
•
“You all right?” Clint clasped his hand on Sanchez’s shoulder.
Sanchez nodded. “Trying to be.” He looked at the cowboy. “Did he tell you that he had severe nightmares after what happened with you and Axel? I had some myself.”
The horror of that day rippled behind the cowboy’s jade green eyes. “So did I. But…no, he didn’t tell me.”
“They went away the last couple months, but after Diego…” Sanchez let out a heavy breath. “The nightmares started coming back. He didn’t tell me, I just figured it out. When I asked him, he admitted they had.”
“And you’re afraid that all of this is going to make them worse?”
Sanchez raked his hand through his hair. “More than anything else, I’m afraid of losing him.” He looked at the cowboy. “My nightmares may have stopped, but for as long as I live…what we walked in on that day will haunt me. I don’t know that I could go through that and come out of it sane.” His vision swam and he shook his head. “I don’t know how you came through it with your mind intact.”
“Who says I did?” Clint murmured with a hollow tone. “Every time Axel takes off his shirt and I see the scars, for a moment…I’m back in that room, helpless to save him while he’s tortured right in front of me.” He cleared his throat. “That isn’t something you get over—ever. You just learn to deal with it, use the good things in your life to dull the pain and horror this world piles on you. If I didn’t keep a tight grip, I would live every fucking second in fear that another of my enemies would get their hands on Axel and maybe this time take him from me forever.” He squeezed Sanchez’s shoulder. “But you can’t let the panic take hold or it will ruin your life and rob you of the good memories you would otherwise be making with the people you love.”
Sanchez looked at him and smiled. “You’re pretty deep for a rough and rowdy cowboy gangster.”
Clint chuckled. “Yeah, well, that’s about the extent of my wisdom.”
“I doubt that,” Sanchez countered with a soft laugh. He exhaled and sobered. “So, you really trust Flynn?”
“Do you?”
Sanchez thought about it. “I think I do. His care for Caterina was genuine. I think he will do everything in his power to keep her safe.”
Clint nodded. “I agree.”
The Egyptian wandered their way. “He has potential,” Cochise murmured gruffly. “Any man who’ll rip another man’s dick off with his bare hands for revenge…demands respect.”
Sanchez stared at him then looked at Clint, and the two of them laughed. “I sure as shit wouldn’t want to disrespect a man like that,” Sanchez said.
The Egyptian pointed at him, a faint smile twitching his lips. “No…you would not.”
Sanchez shifted, cleared his throat, and mumbled, “Excuse me while I go change my shorts.”
“Fuck,” Cochise snorted and moved away.
“Don’t sweat it,” Clint smiled dryly. “He can make me shit my pants.”
Sanchez laughed. “He’s one scary motherfucker.” He flinched when his cell hummed, and answered the call. He glanced at Clint. “It’s Flynn. They just brought Cruz in.” He spoke with Flynn a few more minutes then ended the call. “They’re going to want you next,” he told Clint.
“I know.”
“Does Axel know about this?”
Clint shook his head. “And he isn’t going to. He worries enough just imagining the danger I’m in. He doesn’t need things clarified. I’ll be home soon, we’ll have us a good hard stress-reducing fuck, then all will be well. The less he knows about what I do in this world, the better off he’ll be.”
•
When Flynn finished talking with Sanchez, he put his phone away. He entered his father’s study and paused in the doorway, instantly catching Cruz’s stare. His eyes shifted to Riccardo who stood to Cruz’s right while Terrell spoke to their new acquisition. Riccardo noticed Flynn and a smug smile stretched across his face.
Smile while you can, motherfucker, because I’m gonna bust out every one of your fucking teeth before this over.
Flynn put on his game face and walked over to the men.
“How’s your girlfriend?” Riccardo smirked. “Did she miss you? I bet she didn’t. I kept her company.”
Holding his fury in check, Flynn ignored the man and addressed his father. “Are you going after the cowboy next?”
Terrell looked at him dully and Flynn expected one of his usual insults. His father refrained and nodded. “We need to take out the heavyweights first. The cowboy and his Egyptian friend are the two deadliest. We need get rid of them right fucking quick.”
“Fuck,” Cruz chuffed.
“Shut it,” Riccardo warned.
Flynn moved around his father and eyed Cruz’s scuffed face. “What happened to him?” He looked at Riccardo. “You do this?”
“What do you care?”
“Why did he hit you?” Flynn asked Cruz.
“It doesn’t fucking matter,” Riccardo started.
“I said he was a cock-loving closet case.”
Riccardo flared. “Shut your fucking mouth, motherfucker.”
“Why’d you call him that?” Flynn asked, amused.
“He said he wanted to fuck me in the ass.” Cruz shrugged. “How else was I to interpret it?”
“I didn’t fucking say that! You lying fuck!”
Cruz smiled small. “Close enough.”
Licking his lips slowly, Flynn cleared his throat and eyed Cruz. “And this is how you…cooperate?” He raised one eyebrow as he recalled the cowboy’s words to Cruz.
“I didn’t realize you boys were so sensitive. My apologies.”
Flynn smiled. “Only some of us,” he murmured, glancing at Riccardo. “Perhaps those with something to hide?”
“Fuck you, you little shit,” Riccardo fumed. “Maybe you should ask your bitch how much I like pussy.”
“Enough!” Terrell stared hard at them all. “Fuck! I feel like I’m running a fucking kindergarten. We have grown up shit to deal with, so stop your fucking bickering.”
Riccardo drilled Flynn with an icy glare. “Sorry, boss.” He frowned and spoke to Flynn. “Where’s the guy you brought in? And where the hell’s Hal, Cullen, and Carter?”
> Flynn held his eyes on Riccardo, preventing them from flickering to Cruz. “They’re dead.”
“What?”
“The fucker got a hold of Cullen’s gun and killed them.”
“And you just miraculously escaped?” Riccardo questioned skeptically. “What’d you do—run away like a little girl? You fucking coward.”
“Only a fool stands still when bullets are flying at his head,” Flynn said. “Getting myself killed wasn’t going to bring them back.”
“And the fucker still got away? Nice. You’re really on top of things, aren’t you?”
“Fuck off,” Flynn said dryly. “You weren’t there.”
“I know. If I had been, we’d have the fucker and our men would still be alive.”
Flynn’s stare flickered to Cruz. The man stared back, the look in his eyes reminding Flynn who his true allies were…and whose opinions really mattered.
CHAPTER 33
“A New Friend”
______________________________________________
“I want to see Caterina,” Cruz said. “I want to know she’s all right.”
“You don’t trust our word on it?” Riccardo smiled.
Cruz ignored him and looked at Terrell. “May I see her?”
“Well, since you asked so nicely.” He turned to Riccardo. “Go get the girl.”
“My pleasure.”
Flynn halted him before he took two steps. “I’ll get her.” He walked out before either man could protest.
“I don’t think he trusts me,” Riccardo smirked.
“Imagine that,” Cruz stated dryly.
Riccardo stepped closer. “Every time you open your mouth, I want to knock it closed.”
“That’s funny,” Cruz said. “I feel the same about you.”
Terrell grunted. “Don’t fucking start it again.”
A few minutes later, Flynn returned with Caterina. “Cruz!” She rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him hard. She buried her face in his neck, choking back tears. “I’m scared,” she whispered in his ear.
He turned his face against her hair. “Don’t be,” he murmured. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Not nice to lie to a pretty lady,” Riccardo said.
“Don’t listen to him,” Cruz whispered. “Trust your big brother.”
“I do,” Caterina trembled.
Cruz didn’t like the way Riccardo was looking at Caterina, his lustful eyes crawling all over her body. Flynn watched him like a hawk.
“I think we should bring in the cowboy and the Egyptian at the same time,” Riccardo told Terrell. “Deal with them both in one go.” He looked at Cruz. “In fact, I think we should cap all three of the them as soon as we get a hold of the other two. They’re too dangerous to keep around too long.”
“No…” Caterina looked fearfully at Terrell. “You can’t…please.”
“What did you think we were doing here, darling?” Terrell asked. “You can’t fight a war without piling up a few casualties. These boys got to go.”
Caterina clung to Cruz, shaking.
“I can take care of myself,” Cruz said quietly to her. “Why don’t you go on back to your room.”
Flynn came forward and gently took her arm. “Come on.”
“I’ll be by later to tuck you in.” Riccardo winked at her.
Flynn started to speak when Caterina glared at the man, tears in her eyes. “You come near me again and I’ll cut off your fucking balls with a pair of scissors.”
Riccardo chuckled. “It’s the spirited ones that are the most fun between the sheets.”
“You’re never going to find out, asshole,” Flynn muttered and led Caterina out of the room.
“That’s what he thinks,” he murmured and smiled at Cruz. “I already got a sample and she screamed for more. All this…” he waved his hand toward the door. “It’s just show for you and for Flynn. She doesn’t want you to know she’s horny for bad boy dick.”
Cruz stared back at him dully. “Have you ever seen a man get his tongue cut out? It’s really quite interesting how easily it just slices right off.”
“You trying to scare me, fucker?” Riccardo murmured. “It ain’t working.”
“I’m not the one who’s going to do the removal,” Cruz said. “I’ll leave that to the expert.”
“What expert?”
Cruz smiled. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Ignore his empty threats,” Terrell told Riccardo. “He’s just trying to get under your skin. He’s helpless and he knows it. Take him downstairs and make sure he’s secure. Put at least two men on him. Then we’ll work on acquiring his two friends.”
•
“Is he really going to kill him?” Caterina struggled to control her fear, but the thought of losing Cruz crippled her in every way. To her own ears, her question sounded ridiculous. Hadn’t she known that was Terrell’s end game from the start? Why else would he have wanted to capture them?
“Listen.” Flynn cupped her face and kissed her mouth. “Trust me. I will do everything I can to keep him from harm. And his guys, they aren’t going to just stand back and let this happen. The one called Sanchez, that’s his boyfriend, right?”
Caterina nodded.
“A man in love will go to great lengths to protect the one he loves. Sanchez and the others…” he kissed her again. “They will come for him. And for you.”
He was right; there was no way Sanchez would let Cruz die. He would fight the devil himself to save the love of his life.
“My father isn’t going to wait long to try and get the cowboy and his Egyptian friend,” Flynn said. “He won’t want to leave them out there free to devise a rescue plan. Bringing them in together is more of a risk than they know. Those two are deadly by themselves, put them together and they’re a force to be reckoned with. It’s a foolish move to capture them together. But it works in our favor.”
Caterina hugged him and held on tight. “I just want this to be over,” she whispered. “I want to be back in your apartment again, the two of us making love.”
He held her and caressed her back. “I want that, too,” he murmured. “We’ll be there, soon. We will.” He kissed her hair and released her, then took out his phone.
“What’re you doing?”
“Keeping the men informed.”
•
Riccardo and two of his men took Cruz down to the basement and into what used to be a furnace room, but didn’t appear to be functional. Riccardo instructed the men to fasten his arms above his head, tying him to a pipe overhead. He produced a knife and cut Cruz’s shirt off his body.
“I knew you wanted me,” Cruz said. “Just couldn’t take it any longer, could you? Had to have a closer look.”
The other men stood back as Riccardo stepped up close. “You’re a sick fucker.”
The wind exploded from Cruz’s lungs as Riccardo’s fist nailed him in the gut.
“You’re going to pay for your sick, twisted insinuations.” He punched him again, connecting with his ribs.
Cruz clenched his jaw, his breath hissing between his teeth.
Stepping back, breath quick, Riccardo stared at him coldly. “I should bring the bitch down here and fuck her right in front of you. See if you call me a faggot then.”
Drawing in a ragged breath, Cruz rasped, “What’re you getting so upset about if it isn’t true?”
“I told you,” he growled and drilled him in the side. “No respectable straight man likes being labeled a stinking faggot. So, unless you do want to watch a little fuck-fest with me and your bitch, you’ll shut your fucking mouth right now.”
Cruz gasped, sucking in air, and stared at Riccardo—but said no more.
“There you go,” Riccardo smiled. “I knew you were capable of listening.”
The furnace room door opened suddenly and Riccardo turned around. Flynn entered and walked over to the man. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Excuse me?
” Riccardo replied low and cold.
“Why are you beating him?”
“Because it’s fun,” Riccardo snapped back. “What the fuck business is it of yours?”
“Don’t you have more important things to do? My father told you to secure him and set a couple men to guard him.”
Riccardo narrowed his eyes. “Don’t talk to me like a fucking subordinate. You are the fuck up around here, and your father knows it. Because of you, we lost three men who were each a hell of a lot more useful than your worthless ass.”
“Whatever,” Flynn muttered. “My father wants you upstairs.” He glanced toward the other two men. “And take your cronies with you. I’ll watch our guest.”
Riccardo snorted. “Sure you can handle it? Don’t want him to get a hold of your gun and shoot you dead.” He smiled. “Well, I wouldn’t feel the loss, but I don’t want our guest to escape.”
“He gave himself up, asshole,” Flynn reminded. “Why would he try to escape?”
“Who’s to say? Maybe he’ll come to his senses and realize that no bitch is worth dying for.”
Flynn stared at him. “My father is waiting.”
Riccardo huffed and turned back to Cruz, punching him hard in the gut. “A little parting gift.”
“You’re a dick,” Flynn muttered.
“What do you care?” Riccardo asked. “You want him dead more than any of us. What does it matter if I use him for a punching bag first?” His eyes narrowed. “Or has your little whore talked you out of your vendetta? You gonna ignore the fact he murdered your momma, just so you can get you some of that sweet pussy? Ah, what a son you are.”
“Fuck off.”
Riccardo chuckled. “You’re a dumb fuck, you know that?” He walked for the door and the other two men followed him.
“Not as dumb as you think,” Flynn muttered to himself as the three men left the room.