Saving Bonnie: A Dark Mafia Romance (Blood Ties Book 2)

by Sahara Roberts

  Her hand moves, and my attention goes to her face, needing to know what she’s planning. Delicate fingers come to my cheek, the tips drawing a lazy trail to my chin. She’s a beautiful sight, her features soft and hair flattened to the beads of moisture at her temples.

  When she leans in, putting her lips to mine, I nearly miss a step. The gentle brush against my mouth is all the more intriguing because she needed to learn what it’s like. Pausing mid-step, I let her find out.

  She’s hesitant, testing one spot then the next. Growing bolder, she discovers the seam of my lips, bringing her teeth to test the edge of my lip. My experience hasn’t led me through pure and unspoiled, yet I let her find her place. When her fingers are digging through my hair, I finally return the kiss. I half expect her to move away, but Bunny does the opposite, fusing our mouths together with unexpected hunger.

  In an instant, my blood is rushing through me again. This woman…

  Setting her down, I run my hand along her hip while continuing with the kiss. I was going to stop there, but a ragged breath later, I’m cupping her breast and following her as she leans against the wall. Her lips part, meeting me, keeping me from completely taking over. If I don’t get her inside, I’m going to fuck her where we stand.

  Tearing away, I manage to string together the words, “Get the door.”

  She blinks, trying to focus. “What?”

  “You have the key to the door.” Please let her have the key with her. If not, I might break through the damn thing.

  “It’s not locked,” she murmurs.

  That statement is enough to snap me out of my stupor. I jerk back, glaring at her as I pull my gun. How the hell could she be so careless?

  “Stay here.” Turning away, I head upstairs to clear the apartment even though I can verify two guys came in. But this is a crucial moment I need for myself so I can shake whatever cobwebs are still in my head after kissing Bunny Bustos.

  The door opens into a small sitting room with two overstuffed chairs. A bookcase sits in one corner and an empty coat rack in another. She put a large rug over the floor tile in what used to be the showers when the building was a firehouse. Going past, I step into the galley kitchen. Everything’s tidy, with a single plate, pan, and cup in the dish rack. An open door shows a well-stocked pantry sitting against the far wall, disproving my thought that she ate from the restaurant’s daily menu.

  Around the corner is a long hallway with a door standing open at the end. To the right, there’s a small bathroom. Cherry blossoms cover the teal shower curtain matching the decorations in the room. Out of habit, I flatten against the door, reaching over to check behind the curtain. As expected, the area is empty, except for a couple of white candles set at the far corners of the tub.

  Now I’m at the last room. Bunny’s bedroom. I check a dresser with a TV next to the closet, just to be sure. Across the room, a double bed with no headboard covered in comfortable pillows and an end table with a lamp and laptop.

  The bedroom is done in shades of green against the cream-colored walls. I can imagine her naked in here, white sheets pulled up to her breasts, dark hair spread across the pillow, her eyes another rich accent in the room.

  Fuck. I don’t need to go there. I should be focusing on the opportunity that’s fallen into my hands. No more having to sleep on a hard church bench. We can watch from wherever, including the hotel around the corner, and head in when the mark comes by so we can track her. Aw hell, I’ve gone soft.

  Sticking the piece into my belt, I retrace my path through the apartment. Although I try not to look at anything too closely, I’ve already memorized every framed nature print on the walls, along with the furniture. I just need to add Bunny’s naked body to start spinning another fantasy.

  The door, though thick and sturdy, barely has a latch. I’ll have to fix that, regardless of what else I do. Pulling it open, I find her on the stairwell, waiting. Her eyes are huge, but I blow past her. “Go to bed.” She shrinks against the wall.

  The door gives way to the night sky and light drizzle that met me earlier. In the few minutes that have gone by, the temperature dropped a few degrees. Then again, maybe I’m more aware of my surroundings now that my head isn’t focused on fucking Bunny.

  Facing the sky, I stand there a minute, letting the rain clear my head. I have a lot to do before sunrise. Starting with security for the building and a lock for Bunny’s door. I’m damn well going to keep her safe, even if it’s just from me.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Bunny

  Darkness closes in at the edge of my consciousness, surrounding me. In the distance a copper shield pushes through, disintegrating the mass into a curtain of smoke. The exhaust swirls, going faster every second. The world shatters in front of me, pushing against the center of my forehead. I snap my eyes open. The room is dark, and my frightened breathing is the only sound.

  What brought me awake? The alarm? No, more like the alarm not going off. My heart races, and I sit up in bed, still wearing yesterday’s clothes. Every detail from last night slams into me. The gun, the guys, the cleanup, and Tino.

  Swallowing hard, I swing my legs off the bed and reach for my phone. The spot is empty. I turn on the lamp and check again. Where’s my cell? Tino. He kept it last night, and I hadn’t even realized it was missing.

  Out of sorts, I go to the kitchen and check the clock on the stove: five fifteen. Oh my goodness. I should’ve been downstairs fifteen minutes ago to start on the prep and the tortillas. There isn’t even time to shower. Running my hands through my hair, I rush to the bathroom. A quick brush, and I’m pulling it into a bun. Toothbrush. Toothpaste. Done. Splash of water on my face, not that I need anything to wake me up at this point, and I grab a towel to dry off as I run to the bedroom.

  After changing clothes in record time, I’m heading downstairs when I catch sight of the box by the doorway. Tino was here at some point. The heat of embarrassment rushes across my face and body. I waited last night, not knowing if he’d be back. Apparently, he came and went while I was knocked out hard.

  There’s no time to worry about it now, not when I’m nearly twenty minutes late on the morning prep. I’m halfway across the living room when I find another surprise. A bright little square is stuck to the front door. I pull it off to read the numbers seven, seven, five, nine followed by instructions to work the new four-digit code lock. The heat on my face rises. It would be too much to think this is a coincidence when it’s the exact amount my ex took from my bank account. Tino made it the code to the keyless lock he installed on the front door.

  Crumpling the note, I shove it in my pocket and head downstairs. Stopping on the third step, I exhale and double back. Once I push the button in the middle, and the lock engages, I continue down the stairs.

  It’s still raining, so I’m careful about where to step. Inside the kitchen, Tino is at the table, my table, focusing on a laptop in front of him. My tummy does a flip-flop as last night’s little sexcapade goes through my mind.

  “Glad you thought to go back,” he says, appearing pleased. “You’re learning.”

  How did he know?

  “Come look at this,” he says, without looking away.

  The way my body reacted last night, I really don’t want to be that close to him. Certainly not while I’m all flustered over being late. Though right now, that’s the perfect opportunity to avoid him. “I need to start prep or we’re going to get slammed.” I grab an apron from the rack in the storage room and pull the neck strap over my head. Actually, with the rain, we might have a little slack, but he doesn’t need to know that. I grab a sack of flour and head to the table, my heart pounding in my chest.

  “Fine.” He lowers the screen. “I was going to show you your new security system.”

  “Whaaaat?” His statement stops me in my tracks. He brings the screen up, knowing he’s hooked me. It takes effort but I drag my feet over to stand at his shoulder. He glances over with an air of self-satisfaction at having me unde
r this thumb. He leaves the laptop facing him, so I have to come closer if I want to see what’s going on.

  The screen shows the kitchen, where we’re next to each other. He flips to the storage room, dining area, front door, register, and finally to the stairwell going to the apartment. “We can do a single view or split view so you can see them all at the same time.” He tiles the six squares to show me. “You’re fully covered in every area of the building. When the system is armed, you’ll get a notice if the sensor goes off, and you’ll see the stream from the nearest camera.”

  “Wh-When did you do all this?” I haul the flour onto the table.

  “I had a team come in overnight, and we were good to go within a couple of hours. They’ll finish the cameras at the front once it stops raining.”

  Dread pools in my stomach. Last night, I literally owed this man my life. Now, how deep in the hole am I? So far, it’s one pile of unexpected costs on top of another, and I’m still dangerously close to a zero balance on my account. “Do we need a camera there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Tino, I can’t afford—”

  “It’s covered.” He gives me a hard stare.

  Heat pools through to my cheeks. I didn’t ask for extra security when I made the deal with him, but after last night, I’d be a fool to say no. So I don’t.

  His gaze sweeps down to my printed apron. The only cups you should worry about hold coffee. The corner of his mouth twitched.

  “Those cameras will help with my current task. I’ll tack on the bill for the installation.”

  “But wouldn’t you be adding a lot of extra cost?” Hope goes against conscience, and I cross my fingers, praying for the best. “Won’t someone ask questions?”

  “No. The cost won’t matter as long as I get what I’m after.”

  His gaze lingers on me, leaving me wondering what or who he’s after. Because right now, it feels like he’s talking about me.

  “Besides, you’re an excellent negotiator.” He has the audacity to wink.

  I wish I had the nerve to smack him. There was no real negotiation—I agreed out of desperation. But I can’t deny there’s nothing like feeling safe under your own roof. Especially when you’d lost that sense of security and thought you’d never get it back. Maybe it’ll only last a couple of weeks, but I’ll take what I can get.

  “I need to clean the table.” Somehow I manage to utter the words without having my face go up in flames.

  “I had Mate’s people clean after the construction crew finished. They took care of the table with a medical grade solution.” He hitches a shoulder. “Or forensic grade solution, before using your kitchen wipes.”

  And with that, the fire hits my face after all. I’ve always kept my private life private. Yet this time I blurted everything to a total stranger. Mate knows about my financial trouble due to my ex and the arrangement I have with Tino. She has to know exactly what happened at that table.

  I turn away, busying myself by setting two pots of water on the stove. Then head over for the rest of the ingredients.

  He closes the laptop and gets up. “Keep the stool behind the register for today. It needs to dry completely.

  “Okay.” A closer inspection shows the repair was done by adding a knot in the wood. If I hadn’t stared at those stools every day of my life, I wouldn’t be able to tell.

  “I’m heading upstairs for a while. Once my backup shows, I’ll be gone for a few hours.”

  I may have gone blank for a second when he said he’s headed upstairs. To my apartment…to my bed. He’s right, something’s definitely wrong with me. After what I let him do last night, I feel weird about having him in my personal space. This is supposed to be a business relationship. I swallow hard. “I umm, I didn’t make the bed.”

  He stops. All six-plus feet of him is looming over me, and I’m hit by that sensation of having him holding back. Pressure builds in my chest.

  This time the corner of his lips pulls to one side. “When I’m in your bed, it’ll end up messy anyway.” Then he disappears out the door without another word.

  *****

  Tino

  I plug in the four-digit code to the lock to let myself into her apartment. She has to recognize the numbers on the pin code, yet she didn’t say a word. The simple act makes me even more suspicious. Everybody has something to hide. I just have to figure out what.

  Last night, after installing the dead bolt, I checked the living room, kitchen, and pantry. I didn’t go into her room. She could be the type to wake easily. While I’ve walked up to a mark without having him hear me, going through drawers and closets takes considerably more skill when someone’s asleep a few feet away. I don’t need to risk getting caught when I can come in this morning and have the place to myself.

  I set the laptop on her dresser to watch her in the kitchen. Bunny’s working on the flour mix. Even through the camera, I can see the muscles on her arms flex with each move.

  She brings over one pot of water and starts pouring. At this point she’s committed, so she won’t be coming upstairs anytime soon.

  I hit the bathroom first. Toiletries, towels, cleaning supplies, everything you’d expect to find. Heading into the bedroom, I open the closet door. The boxes at the top hold typical mementos. A flower-print box sitting at the end is full of pictures. A find like this, in an age where people keep pictures on their phones or tablets, is gold. Curious, I dig through the stacks. Most are black and whites, a number of Polaroids, and some standard four by six. Bunny with a woman, presumably her mother, and another who must be the grandmother she mentioned. Her grandfather is in some of those, but mostly in the black and whites. She must have lost him when she was a kid. Iris is in a few with Bonnie and the family.

  One of the boxes on the floor is overflowing with books, most with naked dudes on the cover, ready to kiss the woman in their arms. She owns a fair amount of clothes but not like her closet is packed from end to end. Nothing in the pockets or hidden on the hangers.

  It isn’t until I go through the dresser drawers and get past the T-shirts and jeans that things get interesting. Lacy bras are stacked across the front of the wide drawer. Along the back are dozens of pairs of neatly folded underwear. I pull one out, but instead of finding those pretty little numbers that would cup her beautiful ass, she uses the style that look like shorts. How disappointing.

  The television hides nothing at the base and sides. The prints on the wall are exactly that, prints. They’re different kinds of flowers in shades of purple, pink, and white, all showing the green stems. The mattress, pillows, and box spring are clean. Normally I’d want to cut into the box spring, the easiest place to hide anything, but considering everything else in the apartment, I know there’ll be nothing to find.

  Then I get to the nightstand. The top drawer has a thin purple-flower thing that dances around once you turn the knob at the bottom. I can’t help but grin. Even her vibrator is girly.

  I half expected to find something like this after I went through her phone last night. The reading app is full of those romance books. Several are stopped in places she may have read before pulling this out to play. Hell, the stuff some of those writers put into the books made me wonder about Miss Bunny’s fantasies.

  It was actually the reason I didn’t wake her. When I came in earlier, I was able to go into her bedroom and put a cover on her without a problem. Later, when I went to the kitchen, I went through her phone. Thinking about what she might be doing while she was reading got my imagination going. I knew damn well if I went to her bedroom, I’d end up inside her again. I’m an inconsiderate bastard that way. And with all the searching I did, the one thing I didn’t find was a single condom.

  I glance over at the laptop. How a woman who looks like her doesn’t have a line of men hanging around her is beyond me.

  My phone rings, and I drag my attention away from the screen. It’s Kassy, so it must be six o’clock.

  “Morning,” she chirps with too much ene
rgy. Her coffee maker beeps in the background. “Read your email. You got a video feed? How? I didn’t find anything to do with security at that place.”

  “I had it installed. We’ll add cameras outside once the weather clears.”

  “Wow.” The note of disbelief annoys me. “How did you manage that?” I miss the days she was too polite to ask.

  “I didn’t ask for permission.” Not that I normally do because I don’t have time or patience to deal with anyone’s shit. “I’ll get Frank logged on once he gets here.”

  “Frank’s not there?”

  Yeah, things were different after working a deal with Bunny. “I sent him home and told him to take over in the morning.”

  “You still think something might be going on at the firehouse?”

  “Didn’t find anything, so far.” At least nothing I could readily identify. “Check the employees and see what you find.”

  “Gotcha. Just let me feed Princess and I’ll start digging in.”

  The phone vibrates, announcing an incoming text. “Hang on.” I pull the phone away. I’m parked. No laptop. “Fantastic.”

  “What’s wrong?” Kassy asks with concern.

  “I’ll have to give Frank this laptop and a converter for his car.”

  “I suppose he’ll need wireless on his phone.”

  I exhale in a rush. “I’m sure.” Some backup. “Can’t believe he’s unprepared,” I mutter into the phone.

  “Well, he’s probably low on cash. Paying child support for three kids can’t be cheap.”

  “Yeah, I get it, but I need to cover all bases.”

  “You really think we missed something on this woman?”

  I’m not sure if Bonnie’s got secrets, but if she does, I need to know what they are. “Only one way to find out.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Bunny

  Seven, seven, five, nine. I grimace while the lock buzzes as the dead bolt unlocks the door. Saul, how could you? I thought things ended in a good place. Instead, he takes everything I have. I owe him a phone call, but I’m going to have to wait until I can use my cell. Otherwise, I’ll have an audience hanging on every word I have to say.