Storms of Change

by Radclyffe

  “I had to go back to Manhattan unexpectedly.”

  Carter nodded. That didn’t explain why Rica hadn’t returned her call, but it was neither the time nor place to push her for further explanation. “Everything all right?”

  Rica smiled fleetingly. Angie had called because she’d been worried about some odd transactions which they still hadn’t sorted out. “Business is good.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  “I didn’t know you were coming today.”

  “Neither did I,” Carter said, which was the truth. She wasn’t happy to be there, because she hadn’t wanted Rica to see her with Rizzo or anyone else related to Pareto’s organization. But Rizzo had reported to Special Agent Allen that something was happening. Apparently the captains had all heard various forms of a rumor that the competition was gaining strength, and Rizzo felt some kind of retaliation might be coming. Allen had fairly salivated at the news and had insisted that Carter get an inside look at who seemed to be in Pareto’s favor. “I wouldn’t have come if I could’ve avoided it.”

  Rica gave Carter a curious look. “Why?”

  “Because you don’t want me here. And I don’t want to put another roadblock in front of—” Carter gave an exasperated sigh. “Whatever we have going.”

  “That’s very eloquent,” Rica said, but her eyes were smiling. “I’m sorry I missed you when you were in town.”

  At that, some of the tension eased from Carter’s chest, and she was able to take a full breath again. “Good. Are you going to be here for a few days?”

  “I don’t know. And I won’t see you here anyway. I told you that.”

  “All right, but—” Carter swept the crowd again and this time locked eyes with Lorenzo Brassi, who stood directly opposite them across the patio, watching them with the stillness of a great cat judging the distance to its prey. Just knowing that he was watching Rica caused Carter to clench her fists. “What about next weekend? If I come to you?”

  Rica regarded her thoughtfully. “Call me and we’ll see.”

  Carter tried to look unperturbed as Rica turned and walked away, because she knew Brassi was watching them. It took all her willpower not to follow Rica into the house, because now that she’d seen Rica, she ached to touch her. It was as if she’d been starving and hadn’t been able to identify the source of her pain until just that moment. Now, with surcease so close, it was agony to wait. She narrowed her eyes as she watched Lorenzo Brassi walk briskly into the house after Rica.

  *

  Rica slowed once she was inside and turned down the hallway toward her father’s study. Even as a child she had gone there for comfort and to escape from whatever troubled her. The cool dark room still held the smells she associated with her father, her childhood, and more innocent times. Though she was too old now to believe that there was any place where she could truly escape, this was still her favorite room in her father’s house.

  “Is that dyke what you think you want?” Enzo said from behind her.

  Rica stiffened, angry at herself for relaxing her vigilance. She had been taken off guard by seeing Carter. Not just seeing her, but realizing just how much she had wanted to see her. It had been so hard to maintain her cool facade while under the watchful eye of her father and his men when all she’d wanted was to kiss her. As if that were possible when there were at least a dozen men observing her. The last thing she wanted was to incite curiosity about her relationship with Carter, because if it reached her father’s ears, he would have Carter investigated at the very least. Worse, if he had any doubts about what was happening between them, he would order one of his trusted lieutenants to shadow them.

  While she had been struggling not to reveal how much she had wanted to be alone with Carter, she hadn’t noticed Enzo. And now she would pay for that lapse.

  “Does she make you come, Rica?” Enzo whispered harshly.

  Even before she felt Enzo’s hand on her arm, Rica stopped. She had to divert his attention from Carter at all costs. She hoped her expression was civil as she said lightly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Enzo. Can we please have just one family gathering without an argument?”

  He ran his finger along the edge of her jaw. “You’ve always been a terrible liar, cara.” He moved closer, forcing Rica back a step. “But the way your…friend looks at you, she would have given you both away, anyhow.”

  Rica’s heart sped up. She hated the thought of Enzo knowing anything about Carter. “Whatever you think you saw—”

  “If she had balls, I would say that you have hers in a vise. She is dying to fuck you, isn’t she?”

  “I’m going back outside.” Rica tried to sidestep him, but he crowded her into an alcove off the main hallway. “Enzo.”

  When she tried to ward him off, he caught both wrists and shoved her against the wall, dragging her arms above her head. He crushed her hands together and gripped both wrists in one of his large hands. “You tease women like you do men,” he snarled. “But she won’t take what she wants, will she? I can see it in her face, how much she wants you. She’s sick with it. But you offer it in one breath and refuse her in the next. Bitch.”

  For a fleeting second, Rica asked herself if that’s what she did with Carter, but then his body crushed hers, and her only thoughts were of survival. Her wrists screamed with pain and her fingers went numb. She jerked her head away as his mouth closed on her neck.

  “Stop it,” she said urgently, trying not to raise her voice in case one of her father’s men was nearby. It was just like always. The horrible fear and humiliation—that he could do this to her over and over, and that only by admitting her helplessness could she escape. “Enzo. For God’s sake.”

  He fisted her dress and raked it up her thighs to her hips, nearly exposing her completely. Rica struggled, writhing beneath him in a frantic parody of lovemaking, and he slapped her sharply with his free hand. The blow rocked her head back and she tasted blood on the inside of her lip.

  “Hold still.”

  She twisted and tried to drive her hipbone between his legs, but he slapped her again. He’d never been like this before, so wild, so crazed. Rica’s stomach clenched with a rush of pain and nausea as she thrashed against his weight.

  “Do you fight her too?” Enzo rasped. He bit her neck and drove his hand between her thighs. He squeezed her tender flesh until she whimpered. “You want women because you can control them,” he grunted, forcing her legs apart. “You won’t make me like them.”

  Rica felt his hand fumbling between them, and a terrible chill ran through her at the sound of a zipper opening. “You can’t rape me. Enzo, you can’t—”

  “It’s not rape when you want it,” he snarled, transferring his hand quickly from her wrist to her throat.

  He pinned her to the wall with his vise-like grip on her neck, and her vision dimmed while she struggled to breathe. She gathered all of her strength in one last effort to fight back, and then, miraculously, he was gone. She gasped for breath and, through tear-filled eyes, saw Carter.

  “You son of a bitch,” Carter raged, driving her fist into Enzo’s throat. He gagged and dropped to his knees, both hands clamped to his neck. She pulled his head back with a fistful of hair and made sure that he saw her face. “Touch her again and I’ll kill you next time.”

  She spoke quietly, with deadly calm, and stared into his eyes until she was sure her words had registered. When she was certain that he had heard her, she slammed her fist under his chin. He dropped unconscious to the floor, and she gathered Rica into her arms.

  “I’m sorry,” Carter murmured, stroking Rica’s hair. “I should’ve come sooner. Jesus. Rica.”

  Rica fisted Carter’s shirt and pressed her forehead hard to her shoulder, willing back the tears, struggling not to tremble. “It’s all right. He didn’t…he didn’t.”

  Carter gently lifted Rica’s face, her eyes turning to stone at the sight of the angry red marks on Rica’s face. “The bastard hit you.”

>   “Carter, you have to get out of here.” With trembling hands, Rica smoothed down her dress and tried to tame her hair, which had fallen loose in the struggle. “Enzo. When he wakes up, he’ll come after you.”

  “Fine.”

  “No, you don’t understand. He’s my father’s second in command. You can’t do to him what you just did.”

  “The hell I can’t.” Carter flexed her fist, which was starting to stiffen. “He was going to rape you, Rica.”

  “He would have stopped. Even he wouldn’t do that.” Rica wasn’t certain, but she’d say anything to get Carter to settle down. Because Carter had a look on her face that was frightening in an entirely different way than Enzo had been frightening. Rica had never really understood the meaning of the words cold fury until now. “You can’t go against him this way, Carter. Please.”

  Carter had never heard the edge of fear in Rica’s voice before, and she hated that she might have been responsible for even part of it. She cupped Rica’s cheek and very softly kissed her bruised mouth. “All right. But you’re coming with me.”

  Rica shook her head. “I can handle him.”

  “He’s crazy, Rica. To try to do what he just did?” Carter brushed a stray lock of hair off Rica’s cheek. “I’m not leaving you alone, especially not with him anywhere in the vicinity.”

  Enzo moaned and twitched, and Rica caught her breath.

  “All right,” Rica said impatiently. “All right. Where are we going?”

  “Come on.” Carter took her hand. “I’ll take you home.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Where are we going?” Rica tugged her seat belt forward and shifted sideways in the bucket seat. With each mile that Carter put between Enzo and them, Rica regained a little more of her self-control. Still, every time she remembered the venom in his voice and the cruel indifference of his hands roaming her body, a wave of loathing washed through her. Looking at Carter helped banish the horror.

  “Back to Provincetown.”

  “That’s the first place Enzo will look.” Rica pulled the blue blazer she’d snatched from a closet closer around her. She had been in such a hurry to get away that she hadn’t said good night to anyone, not even her father. Carter had urged her to tell him she was leaving, at the very least, but Rica had feared that Enzo would intercept them at any moment. “He won’t care that you’re a woman. He’ll hurt you, Carter.”

  “You’re shaking.” Carter turned on the heat, then reached across the gap between them and took Rica’s hand. Her fingers were cold. “He’ll want to hurt me. But he didn’t get where he is by being stupid. He won’t do anything until he knows what all the consequences might be. He’s not coming tonight.”

  “But he will come.” Rica shivered despite the blast of hot air. Enzo had threatened her before, even physically accosted her, although he’d never come as close to raping her as he had that evening. Still, she’d never been so frightened, and it was more than the near rape. He had almost succeeded in stripping her of the one thing she clung to, her ability to define herself by her own rules and desires. She was not a pawn in her father’s game or a victim of circumstance if she controlled who touched her life, her body—her heart. “He won’t forget this.”

  “Neither will I.” Carter’s hand tightened on the wheel as she remembered coming around the corner and seeing Enzo molesting Rica. Her dress had been bunched around her thighs, and he was grinding himself between her legs. Rica’s cheek was flaming from where he’d struck her, and her eyes were wild with panic. Carter knew if she’d had her gun, she would have put it to the back of his head and pulled the trigger without a second’s remorse. She still wanted to. And because she knew that Rica would sense her anger, just as she sensed Rica’s lingering panic, Carter forced the image from her mind. All that mattered was that Rica feel safe. “How’s your cheek? Should I stop for ice?”

  Rica tentatively probed her left cheek. Her entire head throbbed. “My jaw hurts a little when I move it, but I think it’s just swollen.”

  “Maybe we should have it checked.”

  “No. No doctors.”

  “Rica, if you’re hurt—”

  “I’m not. I’m fine. Please, just take me home.”

  Carter heard the panic just below the surface, and the sound tore at her. She knew that Rica had to be hurting in more than just her body for her control to slip enough for her fear to show “Hey, it’s okay. Why don’t you put your seat back and try to get some sleep. We’ll be there in about an hour.”

  “You should stop somewhere and I’ll rent a car. There’s no need for you to take me home.”

  “Rica,” Carter said softly. “What do you take me for? I’m not leaving you alone.”

  Rica studied Carter’s face, which was obscured by shadow. Who was she really, this woman who had come into her life and made her feel safe? She knew nothing of her except things she wished were not true. “You just said he wouldn’t come tonight.”

  “He won’t. But I’m not leaving you alone after what happened.”

  “I’m all right. It’s not the first time Enzo has been…difficult.”

  Carter’s fingers tightened around Rica’s. “How long?”

  “Since we were teenagers.”

  “Bastard.” Carter glanced at Rica. “Did he force himself on you then?”

  “He tried,” Rica said, her expression distant. “I always managed to stop him.”

  “I’m surprised your father let him live.” Carter’s voice hardened. “He didn’t blame you, did he?”

  “I never told him.”

  “Why?” Carter lifted Rica’s hand and brushed her lips over Rica’s fingers, hoping to soften the question.

  “He would have killed Enzo,” Rica said with certainty. “And I didn’t want that.”

  “I’m not following, honey,” Carter said gently.

  “Because even when we were young I could see that Enzo was the son my father had never had.” Rica stared at Carter. “Don’t you see? As long as he stays in my father’s favor, Enzo will take his place, not me. Most of the family will welcome him as successor.”

  “Jesus,” Carter murmured. “So you kept quiet all these years so you wouldn’t be pressed to take over?”

  “Yes.”

  “And now I’ve made things a lot more difficult for you.” Carter thought bitterly of the irony that by investigating the suspicions that Rica was connected to organized crime, she’d made Rica’s efforts not to be involved even harder. Everything was turned around. “Jesus, I’m sorry.”

  Rica leaned over and kissed Carter on the corner of her mouth. “No. You’ve made everything better, if just for a little while.” Then she leaned her head against Carter’s shoulder and closed her eyes.

  Carter drove on, wondering how long it would take Enzo to make his move on her, and if she could make things right for Rica before he did.

  *

  “Rica.” Carter stroked Rica’s shoulder and kissed her forehead. “We’re here.”

  “Mmm.” Enjoying the sensation of Carter’s arm around her and the heat of her body, Rica rubbed her cheek against Carter’s shoulder. The stabbing pain brought her awake and she jolted upright. “Oh, God.”

  “What is it? Your jaw?”

  “Cheek.”

  Carter swore. “I’m going to find someone to check that. There’s gotta be a doctor in this town.”

  Rica curled her hand around Carter’s thigh, restraining her as she pushed her door open. “No. Please. It just startled me. It’s not that bad.”

  “We’ll take a look at it inside where we can get some light on it.” Carter added frustration and helplessness to her long list of confused emotions where Rica was concerned. But none of her discomfort was Rica’s fault, and she carefully kept her unease from showing. “Just wait here for a few minutes while I check the house. Let me have your key.”

  “For what? I thought you said you weren’t worried about Enzo.” Rica gripped Carter’s forearm. “God, he could
have been here by plane an hour ago. You’re not going in there.”

  Carter took Rica’s hands in hers. “He’s not inside. There’s no way he would have left your house early. He wouldn’t risk missing a meeting with your father or rousing his suspicions. Just the same, I’m not letting you walk in there until we’re certain that he didn’t send one of his friends.”

  “You don’t know who might be in there,” Rica said urgently. “You might be brave, but you’re no match for Enzo’s muscle.” She slipped one hand behind Carter and patted her back and hips. “You’re not even armed.”

  “Don’t worry.” Carter gently pulled away from Rica and reached for the trunk release. “Let me have your key, Rica. Please.”

  “I don’t even have my purse.”

  “No spare key under the flower pot?”

  Rica managed a small smile. “They’re inside, but the keypad next to the garage door opens it with a code. It’s not very noisy.”

  “Well, if there’s anyone inside, they already know we’re out here. What’s the code?”

  “0-7-0-5.”

  Carter slid out of the car. “Be right back.”

  Carter retrieved her Glock semiautomatic from the compartment in the side panel of the Explorer’s cargo area, taking care to tuck her badge and ID down out of sight before closing it again. Then she walked quickly toward the house, staying in the shadows and avoiding the seashells that liberally lined the drive. She wasn’t quite as certain as she had professed to Rica that Enzo hadn’t sent one of his boys to scare them, or, if he was as crazy as she suspected, to manhandle Rica back to Boston. No cars were parked on the street, and none in the nearby driveways looked out of place, but that didn’t mean someone couldn’t have parked a few blocks away and walked. If they had come over by plane from Boston, they wouldn’t have arrived much sooner than she and Rica.