"Fuck!" I yelled, straightening my posture, readying myself for another attack.
"Stop pushing me away, Liam!" she screamed.
"You're fuckin' psycho."
Her demeanor changed instantly, her brows furrowing as her lips tightened. She grabbed for Rico's side piece, which was still lying next to him.
"Don't do it, Whynter," I warned.
She looked at me, her lip curling up at the side, her face dripping with crazy. Wrapping her fingers around the gun, she swiftly lifted it from the ground and aimed it at me.
Bang!
A breath escaped my lungs as my finger released the trigger. Frozen, I stared at her, watching as she silently gazed back. She blinked—once—then twice before looking down at the fresh wound in her chest.
"But I did it for you. I did it all for you," she said before falling dead to the ground.
The moment seemed to last forever as I watched her lids flutter closed.
"Liam, help Christian!" Lexi screamed from behind, pulling me from my daze.
I turned from the two dead corpses and ran over to Christian's bloodied and lifeless body. I pressed two fingers next to his carotid, feeling for a pulse, of which I found a slight beat.
"He's still alive," I said with a smile, pulling out my phone to call 9-1-1. "He's still alive," I echoed quietly to myself.
"Christian. Stay with me, Christian," Lexi whispered through her intense tears, running her fingers through his hair.
My heart sank as I watched her comfort him with words I'd hoped she'd whisper to me instead.
"Hello, 9-1-1, what's your emergency…"
EPILOGUE
LIAM
2 weeks later…
I made my way down the hospital hall toward Christian's room. I wanted to apologize personally to him for what my anger had set in motion. I never thought I would be in the position to apologize to the man who stole my wife—to the man who ruined my life. But in retrospect, he did me a favor. Demi wasn't loyal, and she was obviously crazy. At this point, I probably owed him a thank you.
I loosened my tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of my dress shirt. This wasn't going to be easy, but it needed to be done. Before stepping foot into his room, I heard Lexi's voice drift out from inside. I pulled my foot back from the doorway and leaned my shoulder against the wall next to the doorframe.
"I love you, Christian. I've always loved you. I wanna give our marriage another chance."
"Nothing would make me happier, my love," Christian replied softly, his heart monitor beeping steadily in the background.
That was all I needed to hear. I guess nothing brings two people together better than a traumatic experience. Unfortunately, for me, I wasn't one of those two people. I pushed myself off the wall and headed back the way I came. My car was already packed and ready for my move back home.
After everything that happened, I couldn’t stay. Reminders of Lexi littered every corner of the city, so the least I could do for the woman I loved was to set her free to be with the man she chose.
CHRISTIAN
5 weeks after that…
After getting out of the hospital, I felt like a new man with a new purpose in life—to make Lexi happy. Step one—starting a family. It was something she had always wanted, but I had never been willing to give. I was too afraid to give up my freedom and women, but now I was ready to lay all that down. I was willing to lay my life down. For her. She was everything I never knew I wanted, and everything I never knew I needed, all wrapped up in a tight, sexy, bundle of softness.
Lexi was my everything, and it was time I showed her…
**********************************
ENVY
A year ago I lost the love of my life to a man who didn't deserve her. Honestly, I probably didn't deserve her, either.
So I started over. Ready to dive into my work and forget about women and the heartache they brought. Until my uncle died, yanking me back to a city I wanted nothing to do with—yanking me back to Kelley.
I had left her in my rear view mirror when I was a kid trying to make a name for myself, and seeing her again brought back every feeling I wasn't ready to deal with.
CRIMES
LIAM
San Diego, a year later…
I watched him wink at me as he strolled out of the courtroom, just as smug as he came in.
I shook my head. "That son of a bitch."
Jackie, my co-council, and boss, moved toward me, her long brown hair swaying behind her. Her shiny red lips separated, but I didn't want to hear the bullshit she was about to spew. She was always the level-headed one, and if I'd let her, she'd probably say something profound—something worthy of me letting go of the whole thing—but I didn't wanna let it go.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"I'm sorry?" I echoed.
"Tell that to the next woman he shoves into a dark alleyway," I growled, walking out of the courtroom.
"Liam," she yelled as the door swung closed behind me.
I kept walking. Nothing she had to say was going to make any difference to me. Obviously, it was free reign to commit crimes on women and I, for one, was tired of the shit.
I headed down the courthouse steps, dodging the bustling downtown crowds, stopping mid-stride when I saw the bastard, Alex, leaning up against the side of the building across the street, eyeing women as they passed.
I swiped my palm over my mouth, praying I could control myself long enough to walk away, but the smug look on his face was enough to send me into a veritable craze.
There I stood—frozen—just staring at him, which caught his attention.
"Mr. Storm. Come join me," he invited, grinning from ear to ear.
Suddenly, and in a flash of heat, I was standing next to him—his mere presence egging me to snap his little neck.
I lost it. "You piece of shit," I said, punching him square in the jaw.
His head jolted to one side. "What are you doing? Are you fuckin' crazy?" he asked, wiping the stream of blood from the side of his mouth.
"Just keeping my fellow citizens safe from criminals like you."
"Criminal? That's not what the jury said."
"Liam!" Jackie yelled from across the street.
I looked over to see her frantically waving at me. "Fuck," I said, realizing the immediate consequences of my actions.
"You're a piece of shit, Storm."
Jackie hurried across the street, her heels clicking against the pavement with each step. "Liam, what the hell are you doing?" she asked, half out of breath.
I stepped away from Alex. "Nothin'. I'm not doing shit."
"I wanna file a complaint," Alex said, rubbing the side of his jaw. "I wanna press charges on this crazy animal."
Jackie crossed her arms, shaking her head, while Alex laughed like a hyena in the background.
"Goddammit, Liam," Jackie whispered through tight lips.
"He was asking for it, Jackie," I said as the crowd grew around us, whispering amongst themselves.
"You knew this was your last chance to show me you were getting your temper under control."
"I don't give a fuck anymore, Jackie."
"You haven't given a fuck since you came back from Los Angeles last year."
Fuck.
She had to bring up Los Angeles. Just the thought of the place brought back memories of Lexi.
God, I miss that woman.
"Go home and cool off. I'll take care of this," she said, stepping toward Alex.
"You can't take care of me. I want him arrested for assault," Alex screamed, pointing at me.
Jackie shot me the stare of death. "Go, Liam."
"He's a goddamn rapist!"
The crowd gasped in horror at the information.
"The jury found me innocent," Alex bellowed to the dispersing crowd.
"Even they know you're guilty, you fuckin' asshole," I said as I turned and rounded the corner toward my car.
My phone rang as I trudged down the street.
I almost let it go to voicemail, but the thought that it could be someone's one phone call from prison always hung around my mind. I reached into my pocket and pulled it out, looking at the screen to discern the number.
It didn’t register as the county jail like it usually did, or as anyone on my contact list.
"Hello," I said, holding the phone up to my ear as I unlocked my car door and slid into the driver seat.
"Mr. Storm?" an elderly man's voice filtered through the earpiece.
"Yes?"
"I'm Kerris Miller, your Uncle Kenny's lawyer," he cleared his throat. "Was his lawyer."
"What do you mean was?"
"Your uncle died last week. I phoned and left a message. Didn’t you get it?"
"No. No, I didn't," I said, laying my keys on my lap, exhaling a breath of despair into the warm car air.
"Oh. Well, I am very sorry to have to be the one to deliver the news—"
"What happened?" I interrupted.
Honestly, I didn’t have to ask. Uncle Kenny had always had a bad heart, and after my Aunt Carla died, his health just slid downhill.
"Heart attack."
"Yeah, I figured."
"When is the funeral?"
"I already threw him a small one yesterday. When I didn’t hear from you, I assumed you weren't interested."
"Interested? In attending my uncle's funeral?" I asked angrily.
"Mr. Storm, I didn’t mean it that way," he said, trying to diffuse the situation.
"So what do you want? Payment for the funeral?"
"No. Nothing like that. Your uncle was a good friend of mine. It was my honor to send him off as best I could. It's his house. It needs to be dealt with."
"Well, I can't come right now," I said as my other line began to beep. "Hold on please."
"Sure thing."
It was Jackie calling. I clicked over to the other line. "Jackie."
"I'm gonna have to suspend you, Liam. It was the only way I could get him to drop the charges."
"What the fuck?"
"Hey, you did this. I'm just trying to mitigate the damage."
"I'm not a fuckin' case, Jackie."
"But you are! You're always getting in trouble because of that temper of yours. Take a month and figure it out."
"A month? Are you serious?"
"Take it or leave it, and I suggest you take it."
I shook my head and clicked over to Mr. Miller. "I'll be there tomorrow."
"Okay. I'll meet you at the house around nine."
"That'll be all right," I said, clicking back to Jackie.
"Fine, I'll take a month off."
"Come back with a new attitude please, or I'll make it permanent. You need to get over whatever happened in LA. Maybe you need to talk about it."
"I don’t wanna talk about it."
"You need to do something, 'cause what you're doing isn't working."
I clicked off the call. I didn’t need or want her advice. My heart was heavy enough with thoughts of Lexi and my uncle, and all I wanted to do was forget. I started the engine and sped off toward a local bar, ready to drown my sorrows in a bottle of scotch.
**********************************
BETRAYED
I'd been deployed for too long.
All I wanted was to get back to Sierra and the baby girl she was carrying.
Little did I know what kind of hell I would be walking into the minute I stepped off the plane.
Sierra was gone.
My baby was gone.
All that was left of them was a ransacked apartment and unanswered questions.
She'd left me, and taken my baby with her.
Well—that's what I thought, until I got the phone call.
You have this pull. Like gravity. But if I follow you—that's how it'll always be. Me. Following you.
PROLOGUE
"Look at me and tell me what you see."
"Anger," I whispered.
"Are you scared of me?"
I nodded.
"Do you think I'm going to hurt you?" he asked, pacing around me.
"Yes."
"You're right," he said smugly.
My eyes glistened with tears, as anxiety began to fill every cell in my body.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you—just yet. Someone wants me to do certain things to you first. Things you won't soon forget."
"Who?" I asked as a tear cascaded down my cheek.
"It doesn't matter really. Just know you pissed this person off enough to be handcuffed to that chair."
I struggled against the cold steel of my restraints, but it was no use. I was nowhere near strong enough to break free. "Do what you wish, but be swift about it. Once he finds you, you won't live long enough to regret this."
"Who?" he asked, his imposing body blocking my view of the window.
"It doesn't matter since you'll be dead," I whispered.
DEBAUCHERY
CHANCE
A year ago…
I walked into my apartment to the sound of moaning layered with the heavy grunting of a man. I glanced over my shoulder to the metal numbers nailed to my door.
"434," I said under my breath.
Yup, this is my apartment.
Another squeal filtered in from the bedroom.
I know this bitch ain't fuckin' up in here.
Rushing into the room, my body hot from anger, I laid eyes on the debauchery taking place on my six-hundred-dollar Serta mattress.
"What the fuck are you doing, Nicole?" I yelled from the bedroom door.
She squealed in shocked, pushing the naked man off of her. "Chance, what are you doing home so early?"
"Is that really what you're gonna ask me right now?" I asked, shifting my gaze over to the asshole she was cheating with.
My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped when I realized who was lying butt-naked next to her. "Sebastian?"
He smiled awkwardly, and waved. "Hey, Chance."
"Hey Chance?" I echoed, jumping on to the bed with my first hurling toward his jaw. "Backstabbing son-of-a-bitch," I yelled, repeatedly pounding my fist into his cheek.
"Stop it, Chance. Leave him alone," her irritating voice filtered through my anger.
My face whipped to the side, my vision red with fury. "Are you kidding me, Nicole?" I asked as I got off the bed. "Get the fuck outta my house!"
"Your house?" she asked with an attitude.
"Yeah, my fuckin' house. Do you pay rent?"
Sebastian got up, still holding on to his jaw. "Let's go, baby," he said, holding out his hand for her to grab.
She looked at me with her wide blue eyes, scanning my face for something. Forgiveness maybe.
Forgiveness my ass.
I stepped back to let them walk by, annoyed they were taking the time to put on their clothes right in front of me.
"Do that shit outside!" I hollered.
Sebastian shot me a glance as he walked out of the bedroom door. "See you at work tomorrow," he said, with a bloody smile.
Resentment washed over me, realizing I would have to see this asshole every day at work, and save his life if he needed me to.
Brotherhood.
I shook my head, wondering what that word must have meant to him, because it certainly didn’t mean the same thing to me. What kind of asshole fucks his brother's girl?
Following them out of the room to make sure they left, I worked hard to keep myself from slamming him up against the wall.
"What about my stuff, Chance?" she asked, holding on to Sebastian's hand at the front door.
Is she fuckin' serious?
"Text me your new address and I'll drop your dirty ass underwear off at the curb," I said, pushing the door closed.
"Stop being mean, Chance," she whined.
A smile washed over my face. "Good luck with her, Sebastian," I said, slamming the door in their face.
PERKS
RICARDO
4 months later…
"I want you," I whispered in
her ear, grazing past her in the tight hallway.
"I know you do. A lot of people do," she replied with a sass that made my dick hard.
"Is that so?"
"Do you even think you can handle me?"
I smiled. "How much?"
"I didn't think you had to pay. Isn't that the perk of owning me?"
"I don't have to pay, but I'll throw you a little something for that pretty little face of yours."
"A hundred."
I chuckled. "A hundred?"
"I'm worth it," she said confidently.
"And what if I'm disappointed after…then what?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I'll owe you."
"But you already owe me. I took you off the streets, and gave you a place to stay. You're living like a queen if you ask me," I said, moving toward her.
"Then I guess I'll owe you more," she whispered, looking at the floor.
I slid my hand down the length of her arm, resting it on the thickness of her ass. "Get in the room, baby girl," I said, giving her a good squeeze.
I watched her hips sway as she sauntered into one of the back rooms, unbuckling my belt as I followed. I closed the door behind me, resting my hand on her shoulder, pushing her to her knees. I stood in front of her, letting my pants drop around my ankles. I pressed my palm to the back of her head.
"Give me a hundred dollars' worth."
Separating her lips, she took me into the warmth of her mouth. My tip rested at the back of her throat as she suckled on my throbbing dick, my hand guiding her in the speed I liked. The speed that would make me cum the fastest. She did good work, and I immediately felt the overwhelming heat of a climax wash over me, but I wasn’t ready to finish yet. I wanted more of her, and I wanted my hundred dollars' worth.
I slipped myself out of her mouth. "Lay face down on the bed."
Raking my fingertips up her tight miniskirt, I shifted the lace material of her panties to the side, sliding my fingers into her already hot entrance.
Wrath: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (Deadly Sin Series Book 1) Page 14