“Such a good boy,” Annabel says lovingly, as she pats her son’s cheek. “Oh look! The Andersons are here. I’m going to say hello. Will you get Marley more water, Gabe? Keep her hydrated.”
“Sure thing.”
As soon as she’s out of earshot, I spin around on my stool to face a smiling Gabriel. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Have you lost your goddamned mind?” I hiss through clenched teeth.
“Oh, quite the contrary, baby. Ever since getting my cock back inside you, I’ve been thinking crystal clear.”
“We are sitting in a ball room packed with people,” I hiss. “One of which is your ex-girlfriend who’s been staring at me like she’s coming up with creative and painful ways to torture and kill me, and you think feeling me up is an appropriate thing to do?”
His face turns thunderous the second I stop talking. “Kiersten’s been watching you?”
I scoff sarcastically. “I wouldn’t say watching is the correct word. More like trying to melt my flesh with her eyes.”
Gabriel grips my shoulders tightly and leans down so we’re face to face. All hints of the carefree man from just a moment ago are gone. “Stay away from her, Marley. If she comes anywhere near you, you walk away and call me immediately.”
I roll my eyes and let out a huff of laughter. “Pretty sure I can take care of myself, Gabriel.”
His grip on my shoulders tightens almost painfully and he gives me a little shake. “I’m serious. This isn’t a fucking joke. You see her coming, you go the other direction.”
The seriousness in his tone instantly dries up my sarcasm. “Yeah. Okay. I promise,” I speak softly.
He visibly relaxes with that, dropping his shoulders and breathing deeply. And just like that, carefree Gabriel returns. He leans in closer and inhales deeply. “You smell fucking fantastic, baby,” he tells me, and I’m quickly reminded of our time in the ladies room earlier.
I want you to smell me on you. And I want you to remember who the fuck you belong to.
“Gabriel,” I whisper, “that was a mistake—”
“That was fucking epic, and a long goddamned time coming!” he fumes.
“It doesn’t change anything.”
“Like hell it doesn’t.” He leans in so close I can feel the stubble on his jaw scrape against my cheek. “You’ve got my come drying between your thighs right fucking now. And bruises in the shape of my fingers on your body. You. Are. Mine. And there’s nothing you can say or do to change that. Don’t fucking test me, my bella, because I’m running out of patience.
Ice cold water comes raining down on me, painfully jolting me awake, and sucking the air from my lungs. Once I have my bearings, I look up to see Aldo standing over my bed holding an empty pitcher.
“What the fuck!”
“Get your ass outta bed. It’s two in the goddamned afternoon.”
“I don’t give a flying shit what time it is! What the hell’s your problem?”
“My problem is that my boss, my friend, and most importantly my fucking BROTHER-IN-LAW is drunk off his ass a-fucking-gain, passed out in bed instead of trying to find the man who killed my sister!”
Jumping out of the bed is clearly a mistake, considering my scotch-soaked brain feels like it’s rattling around in my skull, making my stomach lurch, but I’ll be damned if I just lie here and listen to him spout his bullshit.
“What the fuck do you think I’ve been doing this whole goddamned time, Aldo? You think I’ve just been sitting back relaxing like this is a vacation for me?” My shouting exacerbates the pounding in my head tenfold, but there’s no checking my temper when it comes to this.
“Well, you certainly weren’t there when I got a call from Gianni that we’ve got a lead on finding Almaraz. From the looks of it, and the fact you smell like a fucking distillery, I’d say you were swimming in another bottle of scotch.”
Ignoring his jab, I concentrate on the one thing he said that stood out the most. “You got a lead? What the hell is it?”
“Gianni got a source that says Almaraz has himself a sweet piece of Russian pussy. Apparently, he’s been sprung on this chick for a while but kept it quiet. My guess is because of shit like this. Maybe the sick fuck didn’t want any blowback coming her way. Who the fuck knows. All I know is he’s got a girlfriend and if we can find this bitch, maybe we can use her to draw him out.”
“We got a name?”
“Yeah, Marlena Levkova.”
“Do we know anything else about her?”
Aldo sighs and reaches up to rub his temples. This tells me everything I need to know. Other than this bitch’s name, we don’t have shit.
“Not right now, but we’ll get it.”
I hate that the trust I once had in one of my oldest friends is now gone. I hate that I have to question Gianni, but I don’t really have a choice, so I ask, “And you trust Gianni’s intel on this?”
Something crosses over Aldo’s eyes, but disappears before I can place it, replaced with something almost hopeful, like he’s desperate to believe. “Not really much choice at this point. We haven’t had anything to use in too long, so if Gianni’s sure about this, I’m willing to follow through. I guess the question is how do you wanna play this when we find her?”
Squeezing my eyes closed, images of Camilla and Robby flash behind my eyelids. Seeing their faces causes a pain greater than anything a hundred bottles of scotch could cause. Every time I think back to that day, my chest tightens and my heart physically aches. The only time I’m able to dull that pain is when I’m drunk, something that’s been happening more frequently lately. Aldo’s right. I need to get my shit together. This is the first solid lead we’ve had in God knows how long, and no way in hell I’m letting this one slip through my fingers.
Every day I wake up without Camilla and Robby is another day in hell. Only one thing is going to make me feel any better.
I look at Aldo and I see the second he recognizes the determination in my eyes. I need revenge. I need it for myself, for Aldo, but mostly, I need it for them.
“We use her any fucking way we can to get to Almaraz.”
***
The limo ride home is eerily quiet. While I’m completely exhausted and desperate for a good night’s sleep, Gabriel’s silence has me unsettled. I was certain the second he got me into the back of the car, he’d try to force my hand once again. I’m embarrassed to admit I even sort of hoped for it.
Now, there’s nothing. His eyes stay focused on what’s beyond the window while I go from looking out my own to staring at him from the corner of my eye, anticipating what may or may not happen. By the time we arrive at his building, I’m a bundle of jumbled up nerves, just waiting for whatever he has in store. Silence is something I’ve never experienced from Gabriel before, so I’m disconcerted, to say the least.
The elevator ride up to his apartment is just as bad as the car ride. He stays in one corner while I stand in the other, neither of us saying a word. I’m just about to speak up once Gabriel’s unlocked his front door and let us both in, but he finally, finally says something.
It’s just not what I expected him to say.
“Sit down, Marley. We need to talk.”
I am not in the mood for this.
“Gabriel, I’m tired. I just want to shower and go to bed. We’ll talk later.”
I turn on my heels for the hall but jerk to a stop when he grabs my arm. “We’ll talk now. Sit down or I’ll tie your sexy ass to a chair.”
Narrowing my eyes into a scowl, I stomp past the imposing man and plop down on the couch. “You want to talk, so talk,” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest.
I see my mistake the minute Gabriel’s eyes drift to my breasts, now pushed to full attention with my folded arms propping them up. Annoyed at the flood of arousal I’m feeling simply because of his lust filled eyes on me, I snap, “You mind getting to your point so I can go to bed or are you just going to stand there staring at my tits all night?”
He
looks back to my face with a predatory grin. “Just trying to imagine how sore your nipples must be right now. You went off like a fucking rocket when I was rough with them. Flooded my cock, baby.”
I flatten my lips and glare, making sure my face doesn’t betray my body’s reaction as my nipples harden and my clit pulses between my legs. I’m still extremely sensitive from our restroom activities, but that doesn’t stop me from being turned on at the thought of how good it felt as he pounded into me like a mad man. “If that’s what you want to discuss, I’m done. Goodnight,” I say, standing on shaky legs.
“Sit. Down.”
His tone brooks no room for argument and my backside hits the couch cushion quicker than my brain can register my body has moved.
“I told you what happened to my family and…how things unfolded after that, but you never let me give you the full story. When I made moves to take Almaraz’s operation out for under him, it was never my plan to stay in the drug business. Even before I set out to do it, I had someone lined up to hand it over to once I finally got my hands on Almaraz.”
“So, what? You’ve kept up being a drug dealer for all these years because you’re still looking for him?” I ask, all attitude and sarcasm.
Running a hand through his hair, he takes a seat across from me and rests his elbows on his knees. “No. I decided a while ago to hand over the drug operation whether I ever found him or not. I couldn’t keep living the way I was living, Marley.”
My eyes widen at his admission. When I first found out about his past, I assumed the worst. Yes, he said it was all for revenge initially, but people change when money becomes involved. I let myself believe it had become a permanent part of Gabriel.
“What happened then?”
Letting out a frustrated breath, he leans back in his chair and rubs at his eyes. “Gianni happened.”
“I don’t understand. Who’s Gianni?”
“Gianni was a friend of mine growing up. Outside of Aldo, he was my best friend. He worked for me, and when my family was killed, he was at my side the entire time. He and Aldo were the only ones I trusted to help me take Almaraz down.”
My shoulders stiffen as I ask, “Was he…one of the men with you at my house that night?”
He knows exactly what night I’m talking about. “Yes,” he whispers miserably. “He and Aldo were with me that night.”
Goosebumps break out over my skin and I have to fight back the urge to throw up.
“No one was supposed to die, my bella. I swear to you. I gave strict orders no women or children were ever to be harmed by my men. Not after experiencing what I did. You have to know I would never, never condone something like that.”
I struggle not to believe him. The truth stares back at me when I look into his eyes; but my brain is yelling at me not to believe him, that he’s a liar who will only break my heart again. “It was him, wasn’t it? Gianni?”
“Yes, he pointed the gun and shot before either me or Aldo could stop him.”
My mind rewinds back to that night as I whisper, “The angry man.”
“What?”
“The angry man,” I repeat louder. “I remember listening from my hiding spot, and I remember one of the men being so angry. I think he frightened me the most. Right before the gunshot, my mother said that there was no one else in the house, and he said—”
“Good, less bloodshed,” Gabriel finishes in a hushed voice as my wide eyes shoot to his. “Then he pulled the trigger. That was Gianni, baby. He went against my orders and shot your mother that night. That was just the beginning.”
My body begins to tremble fiercely, its natural reaction when I want to escape. I won’t though, not this time. I need to hear him out. I’m desperate to know the truth.
“He got greedy. The money we were making from distributing was too much for him to handle. He started fucking up, making bad judgment calls, going against my orders. When I made the decision to hand the operation over, he lost his shit. He wanted us to maintain. We ran enough to be one of the biggest distributors in the northeast region and he didn’t want to give up the money or the power that held. When I pushed it anyway, he turned against me. He’s hell bent on destroying me any way he possibly can. He’s out for blood now. He’s killed people in an attempt to get to me.”
“Who has he killed?”
“Reyes’ men. We set up a meeting at a warehouse to get everything squared away. Gianni was there. Took out some of Reyes’ crew.”
I can’t wrap my head around everything I’m hearing. “Wait. Reyes? Like Juan Reyes? The man you introduced me to tonight as a business associate?”
He nods and continues explaining. “Juan Reyes runs several very popular clubs all around Chicago; and like me, he was raised in a world where what’s on the outside hides something a lot more dangerous on the inside. Only difference is, he never had any intentions of getting out of it. That’s why he was so quick to jump on it when I offered him a trade. He’d get to be the fourth largest distributor in the country, and in exchange, Bertozzi Enterprises gains some extremely lucrative pieces of real estate. He was who I was meeting with the first time you and I met. I’d already started the process of moving everything over before I ever laid eyes on you.”
Shaking my head, I try to absorb everything I’m hearing. “I remember him. At Fletcher’s. When I saw him tonight, he looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure out where I knew him. The first time I ever saw you, I remember thinking he was dangerous. I felt uncomfortable around him as soon as he walked through the door.”
Gabriel leans forward. “Reyes is…an enigmatic man. But you don’t have any reasons to be scared of him, my bella.”
“But,” I say, “what if he’s the one who broke into my apartment? What if he’s pissed he’s not getting the drugs as soon as he’d hoped and he’s taking it out on you? You can’t be sure—”
Lifting his hand, Gabriel stops my frantic ranting. “It was Gianni who trashed your apartment. Also, Gianni left that note on your windshield. He wants payback.”
“Jesus Christ,” I whisper on an exhale as I rake my hands through my hair and collapse back into the couch. “This is just…this is crazy. My mind, right now, can’t possibly comprehend everything you’ve just told me.”
Standing, Gabriel walks to me and crouches down so we’re eye to eye. “I know this is a lot to take in, but this is everything, Marley. No more secrets. I’ve told you everything. I’ll find Gianni and I’ll stop him, I promise. Bertozzi Enterprises will be legit and I’ll just be a regular guy. That’s the future, my bella. Our future.” He leans forward and presses a hard kiss to my lips before pulling back and standing. “Now get some sleep, baby. It’s been a long night.”
He turns and walks out of the room, leaving me bewildered. Is he really going to do all the things he just promised? Will he be able to pull it off? I stand and walk to my bedroom, not bothering to wash my face or brush my teeth. Sliding out of my dress and heels, I throw on a t-shirt and panties and fall into bed.
This has to have been one of the most exhausting nights of my life.
“How’s house arrest?” Carmen asks through the phone as I wander through the kitchen making a cup of coffee.
“It’s hardly house arrest. I’m actually about to start getting ready for work.”
When I woke this morning, Gabriel was already gone. Jane had left a plate of French toast and link sausage in the oven to stay warm for me, and the rest of the house was quiet. It’s been three days since the holiday party, and everything has been quiet. While I’m thankful for the reprieve, I’m hit with a pang of disappointment every morning I wake up and he’s already gone.
“Have you heard anything on when your apartment will be move-in ready?”
“Not yet,” I answer just as the coffee machine gurgles in completion. As I move to the fridge for the creamer, parts of my body still throb from Gabriel’s overuse the other night. My nipples are bruised a fading purple, and every brush of them against my t-shi
rt sends sparks to my equally sore pussy. Although the dull ache between my legs is getting better each day, it’s a constant reminder of just how much I loved Gabriel’s rough handling of me. Sex with him was always phenomenal, but that night he didn’t hold back.
Every time we’ve been together, even when he was giving me exactly what I wanted, I always felt he was holding a piece of himself back, as if he was afraid to let loose completely at the risk of hurting me. At the party, his always spectacularly maintained self-control snapped, and I got to reap the outstanding benefits of that. Even with everything standing between us, I still trust Gabriel to the point where I’m able to shed all my inhibitions and do things I never even fantasized about. When I’m with him like that, nothing else exists. My past can’t haunt me.
“But I’m not planning on waiting any longer. If the landlord hasn’t finished cleaning it up already, I’ll just take care of the rest of it myself. It’s time I get back to the real world.”
“You really think that’s a good idea?” she asks as I dump a generous amount of hazelnut creamer into my coffee cup. “I mean, with everything you told me about this Gianni guy, I’m not so sure you moving back to your apartment by yourself is such a good idea.”
I’m sure it’s not the smartest idea, but that doesn’t change my decision. “I just can’t stay here anymore, Carmen. I need to be back in my own space.”
She stays silent for several seconds before finally asking the one question I’ve been avoiding for the last three days. “Did something happen you aren’t telling me about?” There’s accusation in her tone. She’s knows I’ve been keeping something from her. I called her the day after the party and filled her in on everything Gabriel had told me the night before, but I made sure to leave out some very crucial information. Now it was time to fess up.
“We had sex.”
Silence. Then finally, “What? When?” she shrieks into the phone.
“The night of the party,” I say softly.
“Wait. When the hell…” she trails off, before finally saying, “Noooooo, you didn’t! You dirty little hoe! You let him fuck you at the party?”
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