by Myers, K. L.
“How do you really feel, Angelo?”
“I’ve never thought of myself as someone who could have a life with a wife and children. That God didn’t have those kinds of plans for me. That’s why I walked away from Lillian all those years ago.” I know she knows the story because I shared it with her one night when we were getting to know each other. “Then, when everything happened with Vincent and Matteo, I thought that was another sign from God that I was meant to be alone. You know, every time I think I’ve found someone to be with, something bad happens.”
Bethany gets up off the sofa and walks over to me, climbing into my lap, and I let her. She grasps my face with both hands and places a kiss on my lips.
“Oh, Angelo. God isn’t making these things happen. They just happen. They aren’t signs that you have to live a life other than what you dream of. You just need to fight for what you want.”
I take her face in my hands and crush my lips to hers. She’s right. I need to take what I want, and right now, that is her. We kiss uncontrollably for several minutes. Soft, tender kisses followed by teeth-clanking, tongue-swapping, lustful kisses. Ones that make my dick harden beneath her ass. I know she feels it, because the little minx that she is grinds her ass against my bulge.
I break the kiss. “We have to stop, Bethany. As much as I could kiss you all day, Peanut is just down the hall, and he could come in any minute and find us.”
Bethany goes stiff in my arms. “Peanut,” she calls out, but the little guy doesn’t answer. “He doesn’t stay put this long, Angelo. Something’s wrong.”
She tries to stand, but I grab hold of her arm playfully, attempting to pull her back down against me. “Stop, Angelo. Peanut was coughing at lunch. Lillian wanted to check him, but I was too upset by seeing you that I told her no.” She rushes toward the hallway that leads to Peanut’s room. I quickly catch her by the arm and pull her to a stop. She tries to break free, but I lean down and whisper in her ear.
“Stay here. If there is even the slightest possibility that something is wrong, let me be the one to check.” Deep in my gut I know it’s not Peanut’s health that is making him quiet. I can sense it’s something more. “Please, Bethany.” I look her straight in the eyes. “Let me check on him.” I want her to see that I mean business and that she needs to let me do this. She nods her head in agreement. I reach behind me, placing my hand on my gun that is holstered at the small of my back, and look behind me at Bethany. She’s standing there, both arms wrapped tightly around her middle. Fear emanates from her blue eyes, but now is not the time to stop and comfort her. I’m on a mission, and I refuse to show mercy to anyone who is here to harm either of them.
I move stealthily down the hall until I am at Peanut’s door. I glance in and notice he’s not playing on the floor with his toys. I step further in his room, my gun in my hand behind my back, and I see him. Sound asleep on his bed.
I place my gun back in the holster and acknowledge to Bethany to come to me. She quickly releases herself and runs to me, pushing past me and into Peanut’s room. She breathes a sigh of relief when she sees him sound asleep.
“I guess all that fresh air tired him out today.”
I nod my head in agreement, but my instincts tell me something is off. It may not be with Peanut, but something overall has me on edge.
“I was going to stay with Lillian, but now that you know why I’m really here, will you let me stay with you?”
She should probably tell me to find somewhere else to stay. After all, it would be best for both of us emotionally until we can straighten out what is really going to happen between us instead of being forced together by fear. So, when she agrees to let me stay, I couldn’t be happier.
“I’ll take the spare room. You can’t say anything to Lillian or Lincoln, not until I can get an update from my father’s men. Do you understand?”
Bethany responds with her agreement. We leave Peanut to sleep, and I make my way to do a search of the backyard and call for an update.
At first glance, nothing appears out of sight, but then I notice a large white- and blue-trimmed dog house with the words RASCAL painted above the door. They didn’t have a dog when I was here last. My hand reaches around to the small of my back. I quickly remove my gun from its holster once again, holding it at my side. My heart beats just a little faster with each step I take. I know immediately that something is wrong.
Upon reaching the dog house, I find no dog. Quietly, I give a low whistle and call its name but receive no response. Quickly, I raise my gun in front of me. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt now that danger is just around the corner, waiting to rear its ugly head. Slowly, I move toward the side of the home and stop dead in my tracks when I come across Rascal. There lies a young German Sheppard pup, its throat slit and lying in a puddle of blood. My first thought is, How am I going to explain this one to Peanut? but I push it to the back of my mind.
Remembering the last time I was at this house and how I was caught off guard, I refuse to let that happen again. I canvas the rest of the yard, finding no one. I place my gun back inside its holster and retrieve the phone from my pocket. I punch in a few numbers and wait for Scott to pick up.
“Speak to me.”
I clench my free hand several times, trying to calm myself before I speak. “Where are you sons of bitches? There’s a dead dog in Bethany’s backyard and no one around. How did you all miss this?”
“Angelo?”
“Yes. Who the fuck else did you think it was?”
“Sorry. I didn’t look before I answered. I thought it was Patrick. He went to pick up lunch.”
I want to hurl my phone across the yard in anger. “Who is watching Bethany’s home?”
“No one right now, Angelo. It’s been quiet around here for days, so I figured since she wasn’t home, and she was with Ms. Vicci, It would be okay to run an errand.”
If this motherfucker were here right now, I’d put a bullet between his eyes for being so sloppy. “I’ll deal with you when I see you. I want your ass over here right now. There’s a dead dog in the yard, so I’d say NOTHING is okay. You let your guard down. If anything happens, you’ll pay for it with your life.”
“I’m coming up the street now.”
Chapter 10
ANGELO
I run for the back door, push through it, and quickly slam it, locking us inside. Bethany, hearing all the noise, runs to my side.
“What’s wrong, Angelo?”
She’s trembling, and it causes my heart to race once again. My arm wraps around her shoulders. I want her to feel safe and know that I’m here to protect her.
“Rascal is dead.”
“Wha-wha-what?’
“Someone killed your dog. Is it possible it was a neighbor?”
Both of us look at each other, neither of us believing that I just asked that stupid question. We both know it wasn’t a neighbor, but everything inside of me is hoping she’ll say yes.
Her voice rises and cracks a little. “Did you just ask me if my neighbor killed my dog? Honestly?” Bethany shakes her head back and forth. “We both know this had nothing to do with my neighbors.”
Bethany quickly pulls away from me. “Peanut,” she exclaims and then runs back toward the boys’ room with me hot on her heals.
We bust through Peanut’s door to find him sound asleep on his bed. Bethany breathes a sigh of relief beside me. I keep walking and scoop his sleeping body into my arms.
“What are you doing? You’re going to wake him.”
“Exactly”
“But why?”
“Because you and he are going to Lincoln’s, and you’re going to stay there until I tell you it’s safe for you to come back.”
Peanut shifts in my arms. His little eyes blink a couple of times before they open.
“Angelwhoa?”
I smile down at him. “Hi, Ragazzino.”
“What razzino mean?”
I smile at him. “It means little boy.”
“Yay, Uncle Wuv. Let’s go, Mommy.”
I lock eyes with Bethany, daring her to challenge me or her son, but she concedes. “Okay, Peanut. Let’s go visit your uncle.” She reaches for her son’s hand but looks at me first before leaving. She glares at me, the corners of her lips turn down slightly, and I know she is less than happy about having to leave. But what I’m not sure is whether or not it’s leaving or having to leave me behind that most disturbs her.
I follow them to the driveway and ensure they are safely nestled inside before I close the back door. Peanut waves to me from his car seat. My finger swirls, giving Bethany the indication that I want her to roll her window down.
I point to the car that just pulled up behind her. “That is Scott. He will follow you to Lincoln’s, so that I know you get there safely. No stops along the way. Do you understand, Tesoro?”
Bethany nods her head, and I bend down to kiss her forehead through the open window. My eyes close as the warmth of the moment fills me. She doesn’t push me away. Even with danger in sight, she’s willing to let me love her.
“Scott,” I call out as I walk to the driver’s side of his car. “I want you to follow Bethany to Lincoln and Ms. Vicci’s home. Once they are safely inside, you come directly back here. By then, Patrick should be here as well. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“If anything happens to them, I’ll kill you myself.” Not that I’m not already contemplating doing so once they are out of danger. He should have never left her alone, regardless if she was with Lillian or not. Stupid mistakes like this are how people die.
I stand by the garage and watch as both cars pull away from the drive and head down the road. I give myself a brief moment to ask God to protect them, and then it’s time to force them out of my head and focus on finding Frankie. Focus on ending his life.
I take a few steps closer to the front door when a grey Honda pulls up to the curb. Patrick steps out from the driver’s side and jogs toward me.
“Got a 911 text from Scott. What’s up?”
I reach out, grabbing his shirt by the collar, and pull him toward me. “You should have never”—I grit me teeth— “ever”—spit flies from my lips—“have left this house unattended. The dog is dead because of the two of you, and I have no idea what else has been violated around here.”
Patrick stands a little straighter and pushes my hand away from him. “Look, I’m sorry. I needed a break. I wasn’t gone long. It won’t happen again.”
“You’re damn right, it won’t, and if you ever disrespect me by pushing my hand away again, I’ll cut each and every one of your fingers off. Don’t forget who I am just because I’ve been out of commission for a bit. Now, go dispose of the dog, and then I want every inch of the outside of this home secure. I’m going to check the inside. Scott will be back shortly, and then the three of us are going to have a come-to-Jesus discussion about the proper way to provide protection.”
Chapter 11
BETHANY
I look in my rearview mirror at Peanut. “You okay back there, baby?” I glance briefly at the road and then once again in the mirror, seeing his little head bob up and down. His eyes flicker a couple of times before they settle completely closed once again.
I punch in the gate code to Lincoln’s entrance and immediately know that it has signaled him that someone just passed through the gates onto his property. Sure enough, by the time I pull up to the front entrance, he’s standing outside the front door.
Before I can even exit the car, Lincoln is pulling open the back door and reaching in to unbuckle Peanut.
“Uncle Wuv,” he cries out, waving his arms in the air.
“Hey there, little man. What brings you by to see me?”
He speaks to Peanut, but I know the question is directed at me. Once Lincoln sets Peanut on the ground, his little feet take off running for the front door. “Play. I go play, Uncle Wuv?”
My brother turns to face Peanut, who is already reaching for the door handle. “Go ahead, little man, but don’t get into trouble. You know where you’re allowed to go and where not, right?”
My son nods his head and then pushes the front door open, sprinting inside. Lincoln eyes the car that followed me in, noticing the driver is still inside the car. He lifts his chin in acknowledgement of the man behind the wheel.
“Who’s that, Bethany?”
I bite my bottom lip, contemplating how to explain this to him. “That is Scott. Angelo sent him to follow me here.” I shrug my shoulders and smile.
“Angelo? How did you end up with Angelo?”
I wave a hand at Scott, signaling him to pull forward. When he reaches me, I lean in through the open passenger window. “I’m safe. Please don’t let anything happen to Angelo.”
He gives me a flick of his hand. “He’ll be just fine. Don’t worry.”
The passenger window begins to roll up as the car slowly pulls away. Don’t worry, that’s what everyone always says but never really means it.
“Bethany, would you like to explain, please?” Lincoln calls out.
I walk over to my brother, link my arm with his, and pull him toward the open door. “Well, if you must know, I had lunch with Lillian today, and Angelo happened to show up at her office.”
Lincoln’s jaw clenches briefly, indicating that he is not happy about what I’ve just told him.
“And whose idea was it for you to have lunch with Lillian today?” I start to answer, but he stops me. “That wasn’t really a question, Bethany. I’ll stake my life on the fact that it was Lillian’s.” I nod in confirmation. “I’m going to have a few choice words with her when she gets home tonight.”
“It’s fine, Love. Eventually, I would have had to see him. I’m glad, actually.” I sigh briefly. “Which is why I’m here.”
Alarm bells are ringing in my brother’s ears, I’m sure. Having Angelo in town and my unexpected visit, in which I’ve been followed to his home, aren’t a normal day in my life or his.
“What’s going on, Bethany?”
“Let’s talk inside.”
* * *
Lincoln is less than pleased to hear that both Peanut and I may still be in danger. There aren’t many times I’ve heard my brother raise his voice in general, let alone to me.
Lillian walks in the door three hours later. Instantly, she knows there is something wrong when she sees my brother’s face. Usually, he’s quite a handsome man, but today, his hair is a mess from the numerous times he’s run his hand through it. His face has had a constant frown on it since I filled him in on everything.
He stands, walks over to the love of his life, and presses a kiss to her lips. “We’ll discuss why you ignored my warning later, but right now, we have bigger problems.”
Lillian raises an eyebrow in question. “What’s going on?”
I take that opportunity to let her know what all transpired from the time Angelo and I left her office until now. Calmly, she walks over and tosses her purse on the sofa, but not before taking her phone from inside. Lincoln and I both watch as she lightly pushes the keypad, then places the phone to her ear.
“Angelo,” she says very sternly, “I’m not going to ask since I already know what I’ve heard is more than likely true. What I want to know is why I’m hearing this from Bethany and not from you.”
Lillian listens intently as I’m sure Angelo runs through what he knows. There must be a pause on the other end because Lillian speaks once more, only this time, her voice is raised and agitated.
“I don’t care whose order it was. You of all people know that I don’t buy into the whole keep-the-women-and-children-in-the-dark bit. The minute you knew there was something wrong,
you should have called me, not pretended to come visit me for some stupid reason.”
Lillian is quiet once more as she concentrates on what Angelo is telling her. Both Lincoln and I glance at each other, and I roll my eyes. Lillian speaks once more, and both of us listen intently.
“They’ll be safe here. End it now, Angelo. I don’t care what you have to do, but it ends now. I want, no, I need things to go back to normal. Lincoln, Bethany, Peanut, and I won’t be mixed up in that world anymore. I won’t lose Lincoln because my lineage keeps coming back to haunt me, and I’ll be damned if I’m walking away from him. Do you understand me?”
My brother walks to Lillian, embracing her in his arms. She ends her call and tosses the phone beside her purse. Lillian rests her head on Lincoln’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry this is happening again.”
Lincoln squeezes her tighter and kisses the top of her head. “We’ll get through this together, and for the record, there is no way I would let you walk away. Not now, not ever, Lillian. You’re mine. I own your heart, and you own mine.” Lincoln pulls back to look Lillian straight in the eyes. “You understand that, right? Whatever happens, we deal with it together head on, straight up. Now, come. Dinner is ready. We’ve just been waiting on you.”
Chapter 12
ANGELO
I stand in the warehouse I own, with my phone in my hand ready to call my father. I failed Bethany once; I won’t fail her again. I stare at the asshole strapped to the chair in front of me, recalling the last two hours.
It wasn’t long after Bethany left that I discovered hidden cameras in her bedroom and bathroom. Anger consumed me. Cocking my arm back, I drove my fist forward, and it connected with drywall and went through Bethany’s bedroom wall. That sick fuck Frankie had been watching her. I didn’t know for how long, but I planned to make sure every last fucking peeping device he’d planted was removed. Scott soon entered the room to find me leaning against Bethany’s bedroom wall. I had already punched several holes in the wall and was trying to compose myself.