by Chelle Bliss
“What do we do now?” I said, tucking my head under his chin and resting my cheek on his chest.
His hand stroked my back. “We need to be very careful for now.”
“Am I going to be a prisoner in this house?” My fingers traced the outline of his pec.
“No, sugar. You won’t. We just need to make sure the doors are locked at all times, the kids aren’t outside alone, and that we keep our eye out for anyone near the house. When you aren’t home, just be conscious of your surroundings. If someone looks out of the ordinary, you need to let me know and make sure not to be alone.”
My finger found its way to his nipple, toying with his piercing underneath his shirt. “Maybe it’s time I learn to shoot a gun.”
“Fuck,” he muttered into my hair.
Pressing my palm flat on his chest, I pushed myself up to look him straight in the eyes. “You’re not always home, Joe. I want to know that I can protect the girls if someone comes in the house.”
His hand snaked around my neck and his thumb rested on my cheek. “You’re right. We’ll go to the range tomorrow.”
“I’ll never let anything happen to the girls, baby.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.” He blew out a breath and shook his head slowly. “I never want you to be in a situation where you have to shoot someone.”
“Joe,” I said, nuzzling my nose against his. “I know you worry, but it’s best that I can defend our family if need be. You can’t be here all the time. I want to know that I can handle any situation on my own. I’ll feel better about being here during the day when you’re out or at night if you stop by the Neon Cowboy.”
“I’ll be going to work and coming straight home. I don’t want you to be alone longer than necessary. No more Neon Cowboy unless you’re with me. No more guys’ nights out.”
“No?”
His eyes shifted. “There will be no more girls’ nights either.”
“Hold up there, buddy.” I placed his face in my hands, much in the same manner Gigi did when she wanted to get her way. “We’re not allowed to have a girls’ night out?”
“Not out. You girls can meet at one of the houses where it’s safer.” His eyes came back to mine. “Okay?”
Resting my forehead against his, I caressed his cheeks with my fingertips, feeling the scruff that had formed throughout the day. “We’ll figure something out.”
“No harebrained schemes either. It’s too dangerous right now.”
“Fine,” I whispered.
“Suzy, I’m serious.”
“I know.” I wouldn’t go against his wishes, especially if our lives were in danger. Izzy, I wasn’t so sure about. She’d be harder to control. The image of her with the leash and James spanking her ass popped into my head, and I started to laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.”
“Suzette, you can’t keep things from me. Not now.”
“Well…” I sat up and smiled. “I was thinking about how James was going to control Izzy through this. I thought about her at the club with the leash—”
He put his hand over my face. “Do not ever speak of that night again,” he said with wild eyes. “I’ve wiped it from my mind.”
“It was sexy, though,” I mumbled into the palm of his hand.
“It’s my baby sister. If I didn’t know her so well or like James so much, I would’ve knocked his lights out.” He pulled his hand away, and I bit my lip to stop from smiling again.
“You wanna play slave and Master?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“As long as I get to be the Master.” He grinned and my belly flipped.
I squealed and bounced in his lap, feeling his cock harden underneath me. “I’ll never say no to that.” My husband needed to get his mind off things. I wanted to get lost in him and not think about the people who might be after us. I’d do anything to give his mind a moment’s peace.
After I climbed off his lap, I turned around and wiggled my behind in his face, which earned me a slap on the ass.
“Strip,” he commanded before I could take another step.
I froze, glancing up the stairs. “But the kids.”
“Are they sleeping?” he asked as he stood.
“They are.”
He crossed his arms over his wide chest, placing his feet shoulder-width apart. “I didn’t think slaves were allowed to speak.”
“We haven’t started yet.”
“I’ll give you one reprieve. As soon as the bedroom door closes, you’re mine, sugar.”
“You got it,” I said as I dashed up the steps before he could catch me.
“I’m waiting,” I whisper-yelled into the hallway from the bedroom door. “Are you man enough for all this?” My hands traveled up my body as I swayed my hips. I probably looked like a moron, but to Joe, I was the most beautiful girl in the world.
“I’m ready for everything I plan to take.” He closed the bedroom door, grabbing me by the waist and carrying me to the bed. “Where do I begin?”
“I’ve been a bad girl.” I smirked, knowing I was in for it, and I couldn’t have been more excited. Joe Gallo was all mine.
It’s All in the Wrist
Joe
“That’s it, sugar.” The thought of her having to use it on someone made my skin crawl. “Just point, aim, shoot.”
“That was fun,” she said with her earmuffs still in place. They had pink ones at the range for the ladies, and she looked cute as a button and scary as fuck all at once.
“It’s not supposed to be fun.”
“You’re such a Debbie Downer,” she said when she set down the Glock 19.
I placed my hands on her shoulders. “It won’t be fun if you have to kill someone.”
She wrinkled her nose. “No, that would be horrible. But I’d do it if I needed to, Joe.”
“Always aim for the chest. It’s easier to hit.”
“Gotcha.” She nodded and removed her earmuffs. “Last resort. Point, aim, and shoot at their chest.”
“Right.” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close against me. “Don’t let the person get too close. You don’t want them to get control of the gun.”
“Okay,” she sighed before squeezing me tightly. “Want to go to lunch?” She batted her eyelashes at me, knowing full well it was hard for me to say no.
“I can’t. I’m going to be late for work. Want to come with me, and maybe after my first client, we can sneak away? I’m sure everyone would love to see you.”
“You sure Ma will be okay watching them a little longer?” She looped her hand behind my back as we walked out of the shooting range.
I threw my arm over her shoulder and tucked her under me. “I’m sure Ma is happy as a pig in shit right now. She’ll be fine.”
My mother would be in her glory surrounded by her grandkids. Her house had almost become like a day care. Kids were shuffled in and out every day. Slowly, she had amassed an army of Gallos and still wanted more.
I climbed onto the bike, straddling it between my legs and waiting for Suzy to jump on back. Every time she rode on the back of my bike, I thought about our first night together. She had been so afraid of riding with me. Now, when shit got crazy, she asked me to take her for a ride so she could feel the wind blowing through her hair. Times had changed.
* * *
“Suzy!” Izzy screeched when we walked through the front door of Inked. She blew past me, nudging my shoulder in the process, and headed straight for my wife.
“Good morning to you too,” I mumbled before walking to the back and leaving the girls alone.
“Yo,” Mike said like he always did every morning when he saw me.
I grumbled instead of replying. He was a little too happy for me this morning.
“Brought Suzy with you today?” He glanced toward the waiting room before looking at me again.
“Yeah. We were at the range.”
“Golf?” His head jerked backward and his fo
rehead wrinkled.
“No, dumbass. The shooting range.” I started to ready my station—laying out plastic wrap over everything to make the area sterile and avoid a ton of cleanup later.
“Ah. How did that go?”
“Better than I thought, actually.”
“What went better?” Anthony asked when he walked out of the back room.
“Joe took Little Miss Suzy to the shooting range.”
Anthony’s eyes grew wide. “Holy fuck!”
“Don’t start.”
“The thought of Suzy with a gun scares the fuck out of me. And it’s eerily sexy too.”
“Don’t let her hear you. She’d probably shoot you in the balls,” I told him, even though we both knew it wasn’t true.
“That cream puff?” he laughed. “The person who should never own a gun is our little sister.”
“Too late,” Izzy said when she walked into the back with Suzy close behind her. “I own more guns than all of you put together.” She smirked and placed her hands on her hips. “I’ve got great aim too.”
“You’re not allowed to count James’s guns into your total.”
“We’re married. What’s his is mine and what’s mine is mine.”
Mike gave Izzy a weird look. “You can’t have everything, Iz.”
“Watch me,” she said, tossing her hair behind her shoulder and walking toward the storage room.
“Clearly you still aren’t well-versed in the way of the woman, Mikey,” Suzy said with a giggle as she took the open chair to my left.
“Mia loves me.” He shrugged.
“You better hold on to that one, brother.”
“Fuck you,” he said, flipping me the middle finger.
“Want to get anything pierced while you’re here, Suzy Q?” Mike asked, glancing at me briefly with a wicked grin before turning his attention to the appointment book.
“I heard clit piercings are amazing.”
I choked. “Absolutely not!”
“Don’t knock it until you try it,” Mike teased as he turned the page. “I have some time to fit you in.”
“She doesn’t need your services.”
“Joseph,” she said with a voice so smooth and calm that I knew I was about to get yelled at, but she could say anything she wanted… Mike was not going to be looking at her naked. He’d seen enough when he pierced her nipples years ago.
“I think I’ll get my balls pierced, then.” I didn’t bother to look at her while I placed the inkwells on the table.
“Don’t you dare! I love your balls.”
Mike started to gag. “I don’t want to think about your junk.”
“I love your pussy, sugar. No one touches it but me.”
“All right, all right.” She put her hands in the air. “I don’t need anything pierced today, Mike, but thanks. I don’t wear my piercings anymore. Not since Gigi was born.”
“Seriously?” He glanced at me before shrugging. “Just trying to be a helper.”
“If you really want to help, why don’t you go organize the back room? It’s a bigger mess than usual.” Izzy walked out, carrying some new bottles of ink we received yesterday to restock the stations.
“We’ve been so busy with all the other shit that I haven’t had time.” He dragged his hand through his hair, looking much like myself lately—stressed. “Mia freaked out when I told her last night.”
“Why didn’t you assholes tell us sooner?” Izzy asked, glaring back and forth between them.
“We didn’t want to say anything until we knew for sure.”
“I don’t know how James expects me to live in a bubble. I have shit to do, people to see, and places to go. I can’t have a bodyguard looking over my shoulder and following me around like a puppy dog.”
“A bodyguard?” Suzy asked, leaning forward in her seat and putting her face in her hands.
“James said he’s going to assign a guy from ALFA to each of us until it’s over.” Izzy rolled her eyes.
“What?” Suzy shot up from the chair and fisted her hands at her sides.
“He called me this morning with that brilliant idea. Idiot.”
James had the right idea. We could defend ourselves, but our women needed extra protection, especially with the little ones running around.
“When?” I asked and felt a weight lifted off my shoulder.
“Starting tomorrow. He said they’re going to close any open cases and be assigned to the Gallo girls first thing in the morning.”
“Oh, dear God.” Suzy straightened, stiff as a board. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Hey, if you’re lucky, you’ll get one of the cute ones.” Izzy’s statement made me listen a little closer to their conversation. “Maybe Bear will protect you. He’s a handsome devil.”
Suzy blanched. “He’s like a brother to me.”
Thank Christ.
“Frisco?”
“Again, like a brother.”
“Sam?” Izzy grimaced saying his name.
“Even Sam has become like a long-lost cousin.”
“You realize I’m sitting right here, yeah?” I growled.
“Hush it,” Izzy said, pointing at me. “You’re hopeless. Babysitter it is.”
“Damn it,” Suzy said and collapsed back into the chair. “Do you really think this is necessary, Joe?”
I sighed, and even though my brother and James didn’t always have the best ideas, this one was spot-on. “Afraid so, sweetheart.”
“It’s such bullshit,” Suzy grumbled.
Everyone looked at each other in shock at her words, and I knew shit was probably going to be hitting the fan very soon.
Caged Animal
Suzy
At exactly nine in the morning, Frisco knocked. “Hey, doll,” he said when I opened the door.
“Hey, Frisco. Come on in,” I told him and stepped to the side for him to walk inside.
“Hey, buddy.” Joe greeted him in the foyer with a giant smile. “Glad you’re here.”
I rolled my eyes because I wasn’t happy about his presence in my home. I loved Frisco, we’d been friends for years, but that didn’t mean I wanted him watching over me the entire day, every day, until the threat was neutralized.
“Just know I’m here until you get home, and I’ll keep them safe.” Frisco smiled and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “I know Sunshine isn’t happy about this, but I promise to stay in the background and out of her way.”
Without saying a word, I walked out of the room and headed toward the kitchen. Ro and Lu would be hungry soon, and I was warming up two bottles and mixing some rice cereal for their bellies. The two girls ate way more than I ever remembered Gigi eating at the same age. They were growing like weeds.
They both were rolling over constantly and ready to start crawling. I dreaded that day. Right now, I could keep an eye on them because they stayed wherever I set them down, but as soon as they crawled, it would be a constant game of cat and mouse.
I looked around the living room, where I spent the most time, when Joe and Frisco walked into the room. “Babe, can you grab some baby gates today on your way home from work?” There were easily five ways for the twins to escape from this room.
Joe grabbed his keys off the counter and shoved his wallet into his back pocket. “What happened to the ones we had?”
“I gave them to Max to use. I want new ones anyway. Get at least five. Five,” I repeated and pointed at each entryway. “I don’t want to be chasing them around the house all day.”
He wrapped his muscular arms around me, cocooning me in his warm embrace. “Gotcha. I’ll grab at least five and more if they have them. That way we don’t have to move them around the house.”
“Thanks, baby.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his soft lips.
“I won’t be gone too late tonight.”
“I’ll be okay,” I reassured him and peered over his shoulder at Frisco. “I’m sure Georgia will be happy if Frisco makes it home
at a reasonable time.” The statement earned me a wink from Frisco.
“No going anywhere without him. Got me, sugar?” Joe stared down at me with his stern look I loved so much.
“Whatever you say, Joe.”
When I smiled, his eyes grew more serious, his stare turning more severe. “I’m serious. Do not go anywhere without Frisco.”
“Yes, sir.” I saluted him.
He smacked me on the ass before pulling me closer against him. “Don’t make me punish you later.”
Rubbing my nose against his, I laughed. “It’s not really punishment when I like it.”
Joe shook his head and sighed. “Be a good girl.”
I tucked my hand under Joe’s T-shirt and dragged my fingertips over the dimples above his ass. “Just go to work. I promise not to put my life in danger—or our girls. Stop being so overprotective and scoot. You’re wasting Frisco’s time, Joe.”
“I’m out. Thanks for being here.”
“Just go,” I repeated myself, letting my hand wander down to his ass and giving him a small pinch. He barely flinched. He said good-bye and walked out.
I turned to face Frisco. “Sucks having to babysit me, huh?”
“I’m not babysitting you, Sunshine.” His arms were crossed in front of his chest, muscles bulging under his solid black T-shirt.
“What would you call it?”
He laughed and tipped his head back. “Protecting you and the girls.”
“Coffee?” I changed the subject, because what he called protecting, I called watching. “We have a few minutes peace left until Ro and Lu are up to eat again.”
“Sure,” Frisco said, unfolding his arms before walking toward the island counter.
He looked good. Better than I’d ever seen him. Being with Georgia, his wife and my good friend, agreed with him. Pushing them together was difficult. The two of them were so quick to find reasons not to be together, even though they were perfect for each other. They almost reminded me of Joe and me when we first hooked up.
“How’s Georgia?” I asked, pouring him a cup of coffee.
“Working like crazy these days. There’s some book fair at the school, so she’s been staying late.”