by Stone, Piper
“Every time you change your personality, going into the darkness, I wonder what kind of danger is right around the corner.” She pulled the bouquet to her face, closing her eyes as she breathed in.
I watched her movements, transfixed by the sheen on her face, the way the light managed to capture the highlights in her hair. My cock was stiff all over again.
Her words were more profound than I wanted to admit. I realized both fists were clenched around the steering wheel. The Glock pressing against my back was a reminder of just how dangerous sharing any kind of life together truly was. “We all have different personalities, Stephanie.”
“Yes, but you’re full of tension. Did something happen?”
I scanned the various mirrors, making certain we hadn’t been followed.
She snorted, shaking her head several times. “Un-fucking-believable.”
“What?”
“You think we’re being followed? Who the hell cares where we go?”
I had to admit that her attitude was challenging. I wasn’t in the mood to take additional crap from anyone. I twisted my hand on the steering wheel, counting to five before answering. “There’s always a chance of danger, especially right now. My marriage could be seen as a weakness, a vulnerability that certain people would enjoy taking advantage of.”
“Your marriage. I guess I’m not in the picture.” She pressed her hand against her mouth as she laughed.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?” She threw me a nasty glare before exhaling. “What are you so afraid of happening?”
Nothing that I was prepared to tell her about. She’d already pegged the kind of man that I was, but I certainly wasn’t going to share with her my methodology of doing business and the precarious events surrounding every aspect of what I did. “Look, we’ll be able to relax on this trip. I want both of us to enjoy it.”
She turned her head in my direction, a smirk covering her face. “Can we really? Maybe I should ask if you can relax. By the way, why did you have to leave this morning?”
“I had business to attend to.”
“On a Sunday right before we leave for God knows where,” she said, half laughing.
“My business never stops. That’s something you’re going to have to get used to.”
I shook my head, glancing in the rearview mirror as I made the turn toward the marina. Following closely behind were Rex and Trevor, both equipped with enough firepower to end any situation. I’d made several phone calls on my drive back from the city, making certain that there were no other immediate fires burning.
The kind that would drag me into hell upon my return.
I knew that Randolph wouldn’t allow my threats to go unheeded, but I also knew that he hadn’t taken kindly to my barging in. I had to assume that he’d attempt to exact revenge.
I’d also heard from Matteo, his account of exactly what was being reported in various local news sources enough to keep me on edge.
Some reporter had dredged up Marcus Crosby’s death, making references to crime lords and murder. While the man was dangerously off base, the fact he had any information meant there was a leak somewhere within the sect. Given what my father had said about protecting Stephanie, I didn’t like the scenarios that had already run through my mind. If any of the leaders believed she’d betrayed confidences, there could be a price on her head.
I would never allow them to get to her.
“Well, since this is a marriage in name only, I guess it doesn’t matter.” She exhaled, now glaring at the roses as if they were poison.
I pulled the car into the parking lot, allowing both men to walk the perimeter before cutting the engine and opening the door.
“Everything is clear, boss,” Rex said with a nod.
“You’re going to take the car back to the house?” I asked as I walked around to the passenger side. By then, Stephanie was already out of the car, hesitating before grabbing the roses.
“Absolutely.”
“You know the drill. No one is to know that we left from this marina or when we’re due back.” I’d taken great strides to charter the yacht in another name, the details of the trip only known by the captain at this point. The less people who knew the better.
Rex grabbed the various suitcases, heading for the dock.
“Don’t worry, boss. We’ll handle everything,” Trevor said as he unbuttoned his jacket, flashing his holster.
Stephanie noticed the action, turning her head sharply in my direction.
When my phone rang, I hissed, sick of the interruptions already. “Stephanie, go ahead and get on board. I’ll be right there.”
“Sure. Darling,” she mused, backing away from me.
“What now, Father?”
“Did you read the paper this morning?” he demanded.
“If you mean about Marcus? I was told.”
“Do you know what this means?”
I lifted my sunglasses, rubbing my eyes. “It means that a reporter did some digging. That was twenty years ago.”
“And you think the report is coincidental?” As usual, my father cursed under his breath, acting as if I was the root cause of all his worries.
I’d also learned that nothing in life was a product of coincidence. Someone was out to rattle our cages and I doubt it had anything to do with a reporter. “I understand the ramifications, Father. I’ll do whatever is necessary when I return.”
“Where are you going?”
“Where no one can find us.” With that, I ended the call, tempted to toss the phone into the water. Anger swept through me, the kind that would turn into blinding rage if I didn’t maintain control.
I knew in my gut someone was playing a vicious game. I would hunt down whoever was responsible. As I made my way toward the yacht, I made certain to scan the surroundings. The marina was busy on such a gorgeous weekend day, the various restaurants and shops filled with tourists. No one seemed to be paying any attention to the man in blue jeans and a well-worn polo.
The yacht itself was one often chartered by our family, the captain and his crew completely aware of our need for privacy. The staff was paid extremely well to keep their mouths shut and their eyes peeled at all times. As I approached, both Rex and Trevor were just getting off, having positioned our luggage in our cabin.
Rex narrowed his eyes, glancing over my shoulder. “Where’s Mrs. Capodanno?”
“Oh, shit!” Trevor hissed, immediately reaching for his gun.
The question burned into my mind, the understanding creating the very kind of rage I’d just attempted to suppress. I took off running down the dock, both men following. “Find her. I don’t care what you have to do.”
They raced in opposite directions as I shoved my way through the crowd, able to see over the heads of the majority. I had to keep my damn cool. The last thing I needed was to draw attention of any type. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I powered into several shops, customers emitting squeals of surprise. I tore my way through one of the bistros, almost knocking over a table.
And still nothing.
My heart raced as I caught a glimpse of a girl with the same kind of hair. By the time I made it the fifty yards ahead of me, the girl had disappeared. I was frantic, turning in a full circle, forced to take deep breaths.
Then I saw her face.
Her eyes shining as she left one of the stores, smiling as she held a package close to her chest, struggling to keep hold of the roses.
Within three seconds, I grasped her arm, yanking her against me. “What the hell do you think you were doing?”
Her smile quickly faded, her bright eyes fading into pools of anger. “Let go of me. You’re hurting my arm.”
“I asked you a question.” I kept my voice low even as various shoppers attempted to move out of our direction, giving me harsh glares.
She managed to jerk out of my grasp, hissing before shoving the package at me. The flowers dropped from her hands, spilling o
nto the deck. Her glare became woeful as she glanced at the loose petals floating out to sea. She crouched down quickly, snatching them into her hands.
What surprised me was that she took the time to adjust the roses, brushing off imaginary dirt then wrapping the tissue paper tightly around them.
“I wanted to buy you something. That’s it. Do you honestly think I would try and get away from you? Trust me, it has crossed my mind more than once.” Her voice was filled with anger as well as remorse.
The rage I felt inside had little to do with her impetuous behavior. The man standing in the shadows taking picture after picture was the real reason. I counted to five, steadying my voice. “Listen to me very carefully,” I said as I crowded her space. “We’re being watched and while the man appears to be a reporter, I can’t be certain.”
“Oh, he’s a reporter all right. You should have heard his insinuations.” She tipped her head in the man’s direction, hissing at him. “Asshole.”
“Stephanie, you’re coming with me and we’re getting on the ship. Now.”
“Fuck you too. I’m tired of being told what to do.” Stephanie took a step away from me, snarling in exasperation.
As Rex came charging in our direction, I merely nodded in the location of the photographer. I knew my soldier knew exactly what to do. I took her arm, ready to drag her away if necessary. She noticed my silent command, shifting her gaze toward the unknown man, gasping in time with the tourists as Rex corralled the photographer, jerking the camera out of his hand.
A commotion ensued as shoppers began to run out of the way, the mystery guest cursing as Rex attempted to keep him away from us.
“What the hell are you doing? He was just a reporter, not some murderer,” she insisted as I wrapped one hand around her neck, pushing her in the direction of the yacht.
“Yeah? You think so, Stephanie? You’re right, that man was taking our pictures. Even if he meant no physical harm though, where do you think the glossies were about to end up? That’s the last thing we need.”
“You’re crazy. You really think they care about us now?”
“Oh, they care and I’m trying to keep us alive. My enemies are your enemies now. Come on. I need to get you to safety.” I was able to get her onto the yacht without another incident, yanking her down the single flight of stairs to the stateroom intended to be ours. I shoved her inside, finally letting her go, also attempting to catch my breath. “Stay in here. Do not leave this room. Do you hear me?”
“Let’s get this straight, Christian. You’re not my master. I don’t care about the damn marriage vows. It’s all a game, a sick and twisted game and one I’m only going to play for so long, but definitely with my terms,” she chided, glaring at me with utter hatred.
“That’s where you’re wrong. This is no game, Stephanie. Granted, we were born into something we didn’t choose and while the good father wants everyone to believe it has to do with God’s divine will, this is all about control and power. The only way out of this situation is to beat everyone else. Just like Russian roulette.”
“Jesus. Sounds just like the man I married.” Her defiance only increased. She tossed the roses onto one of the tables, disgust riding her face. “You did a nice thing, although I have to wonder whether you stole the roses from someone’s yard. I’m not certain I’d put that past you. Or maybe you think every yard in the Hamptons belongs to you. What’s next, the entire east coast?”
We were both angry, frustrated with being railroaded. I knew that in my heart, but the dominating sadist buried inside was ready to keep her in a steel cage until she repented.
I realized the thought was just as horrific as the invisible cage we’d both been placed in.
Yeah, I was just like them.
I took long strides in her direction, still struggling to calm my nerves, angrier than I should have been. “Regardless, I own you, Stephanie. You signed the contract of your own free will and you belong to me. Get that through your head. The terms were spelled out. I’m in charge.”
“In charge.” She kept the harsh expression, tilting her head until she could lock eyes with mine. “No one is my master, Christian. Not you. Not my father. And not this ridiculous sect. If this is all about money and greed, then the veil needs to be broken, the cult torn apart, and I plan on figuring out a way to make that happen. The sooner you get that through your head the better.”
She actually believed she could end the sect’s reign. I had to give her credit even if she had naively underestimated the Council would never allow that to happen. I took another deep breath before finishing my statement. “You broke the rules and I’m going to have to punish you. That’s the only way you’re going to learn.”
The look on her face was one of disdain. “You are kidding me.”
“There is nothing to joke about here. Nothing. Anytime you break the rules, you’ll be disciplined. Period.”
“My God, you’re an asshole!”
I lifted my hand and could tell in a flash that she believed I was going to hit her instead of cupping her face. The single whimper slipping past her lips brought bile to my throat. The shock of the realization hit me hard, more so than I could have ever imagined. Domination was one thing. Abuse wasn’t tolerable. What had been done to her in the past? I backed away, disgusted with myself, enraged anyone had ever harmed her. “Just stay here until we’re safely out of the marina.”
“Fine. Whatever. Here. Take your damn package. I don’t give a shit if you wear them or not.” She threw the bag in my direction, hissing as I allowed it to drop to the floor.
Growling, I yanked the satchel from the floor, ripping the paper edges apart. Inside was a pair of swim trunks. Very little ever surprised me. The small and intimate gesture did in more than one way. I gazed down the length of her, every part of my body tense. My overreaction was unusual behavior.
She laughed dryly, giving me the same onceover I’d given her, only she wasn’t undressing me with her eyes. She was envisioning my death. “You said you didn’t have anything to swim in. I thought you might like to have a pair of trunks since we’re obviously going on this great honeymoon on the water. No worries, Christian. You can just toss them. I don’t give a fuck.”
The tension was horrible, filling me with remorse.
“I want you to know that I would never hurt you,” I said quietly.
“Yeah? Well, words can hurt just as much as actions, Christian. Just another thing for you to ignore, much like you do everything else. You must be in control of all things.”
There was nothing I could say to retract the harsh mannerisms or the anger I’d shown her. What she didn’t know was that I’d never had anyone make a gesture of kindness in that manner.
When I turned, ready to head up the stairs, I slammed my hand against the doorjamb, the reverberating echo causing her to exhale. I shifted to face her once again, watching as she backed away, her fists clenched.
“You don’t understand my life, Stephanie. You also don’t comprehend the world revolved around the sect. Now that I’ve been tossed into a different position, there will be more people gunning for me, terrified of my eventual seat on the Council.”
“That’s what this sham of a marriage is about, making certain a third seat on the Council is given to the family. Imagine the control.” She stood still, her jaw clenched.
“That is my guess. Maybe you can begin to see how much of a target you are. Today? That reporter could have been an assassin. You could have been kidnapped or killed.”
“Jesus Christ. That’s the kind of life you want to live? Always worried you’re going to be murdered in the street? Never being to relax?” she demanded. “That’s not what I want, not that you give a shit.”
“Maybe that’s not what I’d always wanted, but that is the kind of life I’ve been dealt. You’re now my wife. You will always have a price on your head. There will always be someone attempting to take down our family and the organization.”
“You mean th
e cult,” she said under her breath.
We were getting nowhere but her bravado would need to change. Her time living in New York City had made her tough.
Not enough that her attitude would keep her safe.
“Whether or not you choose to believe this, there are monsters who would stop at nothing to take you away from me. I can’t... no, I won’t allow that to happen, no matter if that means taking away all your privileges.”
Stephanie’s eyes opened wide, her mouth pinching as she walked closer. “Why, Christian? Seriously, why bother? So you can have a trophy to show off?”
I lowered my head, stars floating in front of my eyes. “Because I actually do care about you and your welfare. I realize you might find that just another thing that’s difficult to believe. However, that still doesn’t mean you can act like a fool or defy me in any manner. You’re going to learn to respect me, Stephanie. At this point, I may be the only person capable of keeping you alive. Your father handed you over to me and trust me, I realize how much that took for him to do but the deed is done.”
“You make me sound like nothing but a commodity.”
“That’s what you are to the Council, a continuation of power, a reign of terror.” I loathed the hatred and venom in her eyes, but it was time she faced the truth.
“Well, how wonderful,” she whispered, fighting back tears. “My own father sold me off.”
I wanted to tell her that her suspicions were right, but at this point, I wanted to find out the reason why.
“There is nowhere for you to go, no place that I won’t find you and if I can, my enemies will as well. When I return, there will be a stern lesson in what it means to break the rules.” I said after softening my tone.
She remained quiet.
Another impasse.
Another reason for her to hate me.
As I walked up the stairs, I realized I’d suddenly muttered words I’d never said in my entire life, ones that I hadn’t intended on ever spouting off.
Thank God she hadn’t heard me.