Twisted Desire

by Laura Dunaway

  I leaned forward on my chair and looked him straight in the eye. “I don’t talk about her like that, and I don’t want you to either,” I began. “But yeah, we’re together, and I don’t have any regrets. She’s the best thing to ever happen to me, and I refuse to make her stay here a minute longer than she has to.”

  Theo blew a huge breath and contemplated me for a minute. “I knew it, dude,” he said quietly. “I figured it would happen when Roman assigned you to watch over her. She’s hot and very sweet.”

  I had no idea how to take him. “And?”

  He set his chair back down and crossed his arms on the table. “And? And nothing. I don’t care what you guys do. It doesn’t matter. We’re about out of this sorry excuse of a job. She’s lucky to have you.”

  “Thanks, man,” I responded quietly. Theo had always been a friend, one of the very few I’d trusted in this mess. “So back to what I was saying. It’s time.”

  He took a swig of his beer, then wiped his face with his hand. “Yeah, I know, it’s time.”

  Penny was sitting at the window in our room, just staring off into space. She’d barely said a word since waking up. I had no idea how to handle this situation with her; I was no trained professional. But, it concerned me she wasn’t asking anything, or even spewing anger.

  “Querida?” I called to her.

  She didn’t move, didn’t speak. She just sat there. I ran a hand down my face, trying to figure out the best way to handle her. I didn’t want to say, or do, something that would make it worse for her. Feeling at a loss of what to do, I made a fist and almost slammed it against the door, then thought better of it, knowing it was stupid and something she didn’t need.

  I walked up behind her and bent down to press a kiss to the top of her head. “Talk to me,” I told her. “Please.”

  Not moving a muscle, she sighed. “What do you want me to say?”

  Her voice was weak, jittery. Not strong and clear like it normally was. “Anything. You’ve been through hell and found out your best friend not only betrayed you in the worst possible way but also then killed herself in front of you. Penny,” I said in a pleading voice as I bent down to my knees in front of her. “You can’t keep it bottled up inside, that much I do know.”

  Her eyes were hollow and empty. She barely glanced my way. “Talking about it isn’t going to change anything,” she said quietly. “What more is there? Roman Vitale got involved with her when she was just a teen. I never even knew this man existed till he abducted me, yet he’d been watching me for years. He abused her so horribly, she completely lost her mind, Tag,” Penny continued, finally looking in my eyes, her own starting to fill with tears.

  Finally, some emotion.

  I ran my hand down her hair, doing my best to comfort her in some way. Instinctively, she leaned into my touch. I stayed silent, knowing she wasn’t finished.

  “She thought she loved him, which made her hate me because he didn’t return her feelings. I don’t get it. She never once acted strange or hateful in any way. She was my best friend, the one I told everything to. How did she keep so many secrets for so long?”

  The tears kept falling down her cheeks, making me lean in and press kisses to them to wipe them away. My girl was hurting so bad. It was killing me. Roman was going to pay for all he’d done, if it was the last thing I did. He wouldn’t get away with it.

  When she collapsed against my chest in tears, I stood and lifted her into my arms, taking her to the bed. She was still in shock and exhausted. I wanted nothing more than to get her out of Roman’s compound and back to her home but knew she’d need to be stronger.

  Soon, querida, I silently told her.

  “Why did she do it, Tag?” she asked against my chest, her tears soaking my shirt. “How could she do it?”

  We were lying on the bed, Penny wrapped in my arms. My hand was smoothing her hair against her back, my lips pressed to her forehead. “I don’t know,” I replied, at a loss for words. “I don’t think anyone can understand it, querida.”

  She took a few breaths, trying to stop crying. When she tilted her head to look up at me, the tears in her eyes made me groan. She looked defeated, lost.

  “Has anyone,” she started, another sob coming out of her throat. “Has anyone told her family about her yet?”

  My eyes widened, as it hadn’t dawned on me to do that. Feeling like a dick, I closed my eyes and continued to comb my fingers through her hair. “I don’t know, but I’ll find out. I’m sure you have their phone number if we need it?”

  She nodded, not saying anything. I didn’t want to be in charge of dealing with Kimberly or telling her family, but it was important to Penny, so I’d do it. I’d do anything for my girl.

  “I’ll talk to Theo and see.”

  “Don’t leave me right now,” she asked on a hitched breath.

  I pulled her closer to me, pressing kisses to her neck, her nose, and her watery eyes. “I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered against her skin. “I’m never leaving you, okay?”

  She nodded again, and I felt her body relax a little against me. I knew when she finally got back home, she’d need extensive counseling. She’d been through more than most in a lifetime, and she needed help dealing with it all, more help than I could give her.

  “I want to go home,” she whispered against my chest.

  Rolling her onto her side so I could spoon her, I brushed some of her hair behind her ear. “Soon, querida, I promise.”

  “I just want to see my mom and dad, my brothers and sisters. I want to be back where everything is safe and normal.” She uttered a weird laugh at that, making me lift my head to look at her. “Normal,” she spat out. “What the hell is that anymore?”

  She had a valid point. Roman had shot her normal to hell. She and I would figure out what her new normal would be once I got her home.

  “You’ll find a new normal, Penny,” I whispered in her ear, making her shiver. “You’ll find a better normal. Once you get home and recover from all of this, you’ll have it, I promise.”

  She turned her head to look up at me. “Will you be a part of that?”

  I knew what she was asking me; she was asking if I’d stay with her in New York when we got her back there. There was so much she didn’t know about me, about what I did. “I’m afraid so, sweet girl,” I teased her with a small smile. “I think you’re stuck with me.”

  She turned around then and swung her arms around my neck, squeezing tight. She buried her head in the crook of my neck, trembling. When I felt some tears going down my neck, I knew it was because she was crying.

  “Hey, hey,” I said, lifting her chin. “If you don’t want me around, just say so, querida,” I continued to tease. “No need for the tears and sadness.”

  She started to laugh, then hiccuped, then laughed again. “I love you so much, Tag,” she said as she pulled my lips down to hers for the sweetest kiss she’d ever given me. “I couldn’t live without you.”

  Hearing that made me groan. My hands went down her body and cupped her ass, pulling her closer to me. Her tongue swept over my mouth, making me instantly open and let it in. She started to suck on mine, making me jolt. She never lost her ability to make me come alive in an instant, and I loved her for it.

  I loved her.

  “I need you right now,” she whispered against my mouth. “Please.”

  She didn’t need to ask twice. I’d always be there for her, in any way she needed. I put my hands under her shirt and lifted it overhead, tossing it on the floor. Cupping her breasts through her bra, I moved my hands to the back and unfastened the clasp, pulling it down her arms and tossing it on the floor. I bent my head down and kissed each nipple, back and forth, over and over. When I heard her deep moan, it made me crazy, and I took them in my hands and lifted them to my face, massaging as I sucked.

  “Aaahhhh,” she exclaimed.

  I knew this was her way of needing escape from reality, and I was only happy to help her. I’d never ti
re of pleasuring my girl. She had been a gift from God for me, and I’d never take her for granted.

  I loved her.

  There would never be anyone else for me. No one would come close. My life and my heart belonged to Penelope Santoro.

  “Mmmm,” she moaned as I moved my mouth down her body. Her hands clasped onto my head, her fingertips running over the short growth of hair growing in. When I reached the center of her body, the triangle between her legs, we both moaned at the intense pleasure it brought us.

  My tongue took that first swipe between her folds, and the scream she let out only made me go taste her harder, until I could actually feel her vibrating beneath my tongue. Knowing she was close only pushed me more and made me start to hum against her sweet bud as I licked to give her more pleasure. Her hips bucked as she cried out her release, her hands clawing the sheets as her head thrashed right and left.

  I lifted my head between her thighs to watch her come down from her orgasm, the sight more beautiful than anything I’d ever seen. Some of her dark hair was plastered to her forehead, her eyes shut in ecstasy. I crawled up her body, leaned on my elbows, and pressed a light kiss to her gorgeous mouth. Her eyes fluttered open when I raised my head, and the completely sated look in them let me know I’d done my job, and more.

  Her hands framed my face, bringing my forehead to hers. “I love you so much, Tag,” she breathed. “So much.”

  We didn’t talk anymore after that.

  Chapter 29

  I stood out on the massive porch in the back area of the compound. Beautiful and colorful flowers, from roses to hydrangeas, surrounded me with their scent filling the air with the ocean breeze. My shirt flapped in that breeze, giving me a chill, but I ignored it.

  It was time.

  Penny was slowly getting stronger, but wouldn’t fully recover until I got her home, that much I knew. For someone who spewed such hatred at her, Roman was sure having a hard time recovering from Kimberly’s decision to blow her head off. No one but Theo had seen or talked to him since everything happened. Oh, and his doctor, who up until yesterday, had him under heavy sedation at Roman’s own request.

  Theo came to me an hour ago and told me everything was all set. We’d take care of business here, then board the airplane that was already waiting at the airport. Penny would have to leave everything behind, except her sketches. I’d made sure to pack them in my bag. I knew she wouldn’t mind ditching her stuff, seeing as it was all bought and paid for by a monster that’d had some sick fantasy about her, kidnapped her, wanting her for himself.

  “Dude?”

  I turned my head and saw Theo step out of the shadows. “Yeah?”

  “Everything’s set. The men are stationed and on guard. Penny is in your room, a guard outside your door and the french doors. You told her to stay put, right?”

  I nodded. “Yes. She has no desire to leave our room after what happened.”

  “Good. Let’s do this.”

  I pulled the gun from the waistband of my jeans and turned to follow Theo in the house. His own gun was in his hand, ready to aim at any moment. I felt my body tense, the adrenaline start to pump, ready for anything and everything. The house was eerily quiet as we stalked down the hall, as if preparing itself for what was to come.

  Thoughts of my sweet girl kept me going, knowing that her nightmare was almost over. Once I completed this last assignment, she was going home, and I was going with her. I’d finally be done with Roman and his cartel, hopefully having a break before deciding what to do about my future. The only thing I was sure of was her, of being with Penny. She was finally going home to a father who never botched up a drug deal, to a father and family who were going insane with worry about her, until I made a phone call to Raul a few hours ago.

  We got further down the hall, to the room at the end where Kimberly offed herself and where a TV was blaring. Ever since Roman had awakened and gotten out of bed, that was where he’d been. A fitting place to be for what was about to happen.

  We reached the door and Theo paused, turning to face me. “I think it’s better if you go in first. After all, this is your baby, right?”

  I nodded and stepped in front of him, pressing my shoulder to the door. Years and years of hard work were finally coming to an end. My time being undercover in Roman’s cartel was about to pay off.

  I felt Theo’s hand on my shoulder. “Dude, be ready for anything, and know I’ve got your back. He’s completely lost it. I’m sure us announcing that we’re DEA agents will make him lose his shit even more.”

  He was right. Roman had definitely shown a decline in his mental health the past few weeks, and especially after Kimberly. Once we barged in and arrested him, who knows what would happen.

  “Well, whatever happens,” I started to respond. “The end result will be Roman Vitale in handcuffs. The sick bastard is going down, right now.”

  We nodded at each other, then I quickly opened the door, both of us stalking inside. Roman was sitting on the same sofa, his normally perfectly styled hair completely messy and sticking out everywhere. It didn’t faze him that he was no longer alone in the room. He didn’t turn around to see who was there, didn’t move a muscle.

  “Roman?” I spoke out.

  Nothing.

  Looking at Theo, I tried again as I walked closer to him. “Roman? Look at me.”

  He glanced over, then back to the TV. I stalked over to it and turned it off, turning to face him. Theo was on the other side of Roman, who didn’t seem to notice. He started to sit up, his upper lip forming into a snarl.

  “Turn that back on,” he growled, his ice-blue eyes shooting daggers at me.

  “I think turning the TV off is the least of your problems,” I replied, raising my hand to show him the gun. His eyes showed confusion for a second, then went blank.

  “What are you doing, Tag?” he asked, sitting back and folding his arms over his chest. The red velvet robe he wore shifted a little, exposing a royal blue pajama top. I guess that’s what he’ll be wearing when he gets his mug shot taken.

  “I’m placing you under arrest,” I replied in a stern tone. I reached into my back pocket, pulling out my badge and stepping closer so he could see it.

  His eyes bulged, and sweat started to form at his brow. “What the hell?” he roared, suddenly jerking up. “Is this a damn joke?” He looked at me, then at Theo, as if we’d suddenly bust into laughter and say “Just kidding.”

  Theo stepped closer to him, flashing him his badge as well. “I’m afraid not, Roman,” he told him. “This is very real. We’re DEA, and like he said, you’re under arrest.”

  Roman looked like a deer caught in the headlights for just one second before suddenly bolting off the couch, standing between us. We both took a step toward him when he reached into the pocket of his robe and brandished a gun at us.

  “Well, isn’t this interesting,” he commented, looking back and forth at us. “My two most trusted men have betrayed me.”

  I rolled my eyes and started for him, not worried in the least he was holding a gun on me. Before I’d taken two steps, though, his eyes turned to slits and his lip was back to a snarl. “One more step, son, and it’s your head that gets blown off this time.”

  I paused, not wiling to test him. Looking at Theo behind him, he nodded, letting me know he had my back. Lifting my gun, I showed Roman he wasn’t the only one who was armed.

  “Looks like we’ve found ourselves with a problem,” I told him. “You have a gun, I have a gun, neither one of us willing to set them down. I suggest you do, though, and surrender because you’re finished, Roman.”

  He raised his gun higher, aiming right at my heart. “Oh no, I’m afraid you’re wrong, you fool. I’ve only just begun. You think I never knew about your little relationship with Penny, but I did. I’m not a stupid man, Tag. Unfortunately, Jamille decided to kill herself, which interfered with my plan.” Tears started to well in his eyes at the mention of Kimberly/Jamille, and he swiped at them with t
he hand holding the gun.