“I think he’s saying he loves me more,” she says, scrunching her nose and cocking her head.
“Of course he is,” he placates.
I lick his face and say, “LIES! BROS BEFORE HOES! DON’T GIVE HER FALSE HOPE!”
“Shh,” he says, snuggling me. “Our secret, Bingster.”
A whine of protest escapes me, but I don’t fight him on this. I suppose we can have our secrets to spare her feelings. She’s my second favorite after all.
“That’s a good boy,” he coos. “Now let’s get inside. It’s bed time. Tomorrow, the adventure begins.”
Vincent
Three months later…
That’s What Dads Do
The entertainment room is dark to match my mood. My anxiety as high as Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface.
Today they return.
Today she returns.
The scene on the big screen right now is fitting. The last breath Don Corleone takes in The Godfather before he’s gunned down outside the market in Queens. It was how I felt the day they told me they were leaving. The day she went with them.
“Oh, Dad, it’s going to be fine. Just a little trip to personally pay back our IOUs!”
I don’t bother telling her I already took care of all of them from her list—even the motherfucking Aston Martin—because that’s what dads do. She’ll just come up with more excuses to leave me because that’s what daughters do.
“We’ll be back for Thanksgiving,” she says, her features softening. “I promise.”
Thanksgiving? That’s three months away. My eyes search her out and I glare her down. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Dad, it’s not really up for discussion. We’re going. Luca has the whole trip planned. There’s no chance of danger.”
I scoff, taking my eyes off one problem and landing them on another. “He is the danger!”
Luca chuckles, causing my fists to clench. “Oh, relax, Daddy Death. I wouldn’t let anything happen to my girl—”
“My girl.”
“My girl—”
“No, my—”
“All right, enough, you two.” Francis picks up her already packed bag and hands it to Luca and bends down to give Billy a kiss. “Now you take care of him for us. Make sure he’s nice to Gordon—”
“Gordon won’t be here when you get back. If you leave, I’m burying him in my crop field.” I swear I’ll do it just to keep them from leaving. Francis just shakes her head at me. “Dad, you’re not hurting Gordon. He’s been a huge help around here, and I think you actually like him.”
“Lies. He’s an old hag.”
“Hey! Watch the name callin’!” Beatrice hollers. “You ain’t so young lookin’ yourself, Deathy boy.”
Okay, maybe those three can go. My nerves are shot listening to them nag at each other day and night. But then I’d probably lose Paul in the process. Sonofabitch. Everyone is leaving me.
“Bea, can you go grab Chandler. Give us a minute?”
The woman nods to Frannie, shooting daggers at me, and walks back inside.
“You’re taking Mr. Bing?” Not the dog too! That’s it. I’m going to go get my gun. Shooting the old trio and tying up the rest.
“Of course. Chandler is one of us. We can’t go on more adventures without him.” She giggles when Luca smacks her in her rear. He’s dead. I consider that abuse. I turn on my heel to get my gun. No, my machete. “You know, you can always come with us.”
I stop in my tracks. My eyes close for a moment, fighting off the weakness to say yes, and scoop her in my arms and run off with her. I inhale a deep breath. “I can’t. I have business to attend to. Enjoy your silly adventure.”
And I storm inside, where Bea is scooping up Bing and walks out with my best friend. “Hag,” I whisper under my breath as I walk back to my office.
I feel her before I hear her.
“So, this is it?” Her voice hits me like an array of bullets piercing my heart. I stop, but I don’t offer her my full attention.
“You’re getting what you wanted from the day you were forced here. You get to leave. So get out.” My heart bleeds at the sound of her gasping. I hurt her. But her leaving is hurting me too.
“You know what? So be it. Go ahead and be the big dumb ape everyone’s made you out to be. The monster. The thief.”
I whip around to face her. “And what exactly did I steal?” Two large steps and I’m towering over her, my heavy breath hitting her face, warming her cheeks. “What exactly is it that you think I possibly would want to steal? I have it all. And if I don’t, I earn it. I don’t need to steal. I’m Vincent Lamberto. People hear my name and fall to my feet.” One step and our bodies are crushed against one another. “Tell me, Linz, what exactly do you think it is I have any interest in stealing?”
“Me.”
The knock on the door has me pulling back from the memory. “What is it?” I call to Paul, pausing my movie.
“Sorry to interrupt, Boss, I just wanted to let you know they’re here.”
I nod, giving no emotion away. I grumble about not caring under my breath and restart my movie. A few minutes pass and I become restless in my chair. It could be the too many slams of my boxing gloves against the punching bag I did earlier to keep my mind off today.
The sounds of laughter and commotion echo from down the hallway, and I hear my daughter’s voice. Dammit, I’ve missed her. I’ve missed her her whole life. Now that she’s gotten that damn adventure out of her system, she’s not going anywhere. Letting her leave was a mistake. She’s been away from me for twenty years. No more.
I cringe at the other three voices. “Jesus, they couldn’t find their own plans for Thanksgiving?” I mumble when the nagging gets closer.
“Well, where is Grandpa Death at?” one of the old fuckers asks.
I’m forty-five, goddammit! I hope Francis forgot the turkey so I can send them to fetch one and shoot them all on the way out and blame it on Gordon.
There’s a knock on the door and I turn hoping it’s Francis. When I see my first guest, I grunt and turn back to the movie.
“So happy to see you too, Daddy Death,” Luca says and invites himself in, taking a seat next to me. “Seriously? You’re watching The Godfather? Isn’t that kind of cliché?”
“It’s the best movie of all time. More people should appreciate it. And I told you, you call me that again, and I’ll be feeding your balls to the goats.” I point the remote to the TV, pressing the volume up a notch to drown him out.
“Lucky goat. But I think your daughter would be upset to not have—”
“Dad, there you are!”
That lucky motherfucker just got spared from me slitting his damn throat. I’d tell my daughter her clumsy husband slipped and fell across my machete.
“Hey! Come and say hello to everyone!” She enters the room and makes her way around the couch to bend down and give me a hug. I stand and wrap my little girl in my arms and embrace her. I also stare over her shoulder at Luca and lift my finger and make a slicing my neck motion, giving him a warning. “I’ve missed you, Dad.”
I forgo further threatening and focus on my girl. “I missed you too, Frannie. Paul says you’ve all had quite the adventure.”
She pulls away, her eyes so bright with excitement. “I don’t even know where to begin. It’s like you throw in the whole Bonnie and Clyde, minus them dying, and the Thelma and Louise, minus the car off the cliff, because, duh, who wants to die?” Luckily, they did not die. I already know every single detail of their adventure. I’ve had eyes on them since the moment they pulled out of my driveway. She continues to ramble, “Gah, it would have been so much funnier if Lindsay was able to join us. Shame she had to go back to work and her stupid boss Bruce wouldn’t let her off no matter how much I begged him. But she swears she’ll totally make it next time…”
The rest of her story goes mute at the mention of her name. Lindsay. The one I can’t get out of my head.
“… Oh, and then�
��”
Lindsay with the fiery green eyes and the spine of steel. Brave and beautiful.
“…and luckily, we made it out without setting anyone else on fire, but oh boy was that intense!” Frannie continues to babble, but I don’t hear a word she says because Lindsay’s voice cuts through all the chatter from the hallway.
“Where’s my brother and Fran?” she asks. There’s a short pause, and I’m suddenly frozen in my tracks when Lindsay walks into the room. Her eyes find mine and time stands still as we glare down one another, the electricity in the room threatening to fry us all.
“Oh lovely you made it—”
“Get out,” I bark out.
The other two whip around in my direction. “Dad, that’s not nice—”
“Get. Out. Lindsay stays. You two, get out.” My heart is hammering in my chest. They’re wasting time staring at me as if my request is foreign or some shit. I’m about to throw Luca out by his balls, when Francis finally gets the hint.
“Ruh-roh,” Frannie says, giggling. “Someone’s in trouble. Come on, Luca, let’s bail before we get a spankin’ too!”
“He spanks my sister and I’m going to retaliate.” He tosses Frannie over his shoulder, spanking her ass along the way out and making me see red.
“Close the door,” I bite out, and Luca waves, shutting the door behind them.
We stand there in silence, our eyes daring one another to pull away first. Her hair is down in dark, thick waves resting along her shoulders. My fingers twitch to grab her by the chin and take her mouth as mine.
“I forgot how bossy you were,” she grumbles, but something feels off. She’s wearing that club shit she has to wear for her job. Waitress. Since when do waitresses wear glitter? Since fucking never. I tried to stay away and not infiltrate her life, but it’s proving to be more and more difficult each day.
“What do you want?” she asks tiredly. “I don’t have the energy for this today.”
“Why?” I demand, stalking over to her. “Because you’ve been giving your smiles to everyone but me?”
She jerks her head up, her nostrils flaring. “They pay me for my smiles, Vinnie.”
My name on her lips has a calming effect until I see it. The bruise. Bluish purple barely hidden beneath a layer of makeup on her eye. Without thinking, I grip her jaw, tilting her head up so I can properly examine her. Her full tits brush against the front of my suit, making my dick harden.
“What the fuck is this, Linz?”
Her eyes water for a moment, but then she swallows. “None of your business.”
I knew it.
I went against my better judgment and let her leave.
She was safe here and I let her go. Just like I let Frannie go.
I’ll never make that mistake again.
“Hey!” she cries out when I snag her wrist and haul her through the side door that leads into my office. “What are you doing? Vinnie, stop!”
I won’t stop.
I’ll never stop until she’s safe.
She squeals when I manhandle her into my desk chair. As I hold her down, I unknot my tie and yank it from my collar. Her pink claws swipe at my face as I tie her wrist to the arm of the chair, but I dodge it barely. Then, I unbuckle my belt. It whips out with a swoosh. The fact she cowers is enough to know I’m doing the right thing. Protecting her from them. Whoever they are. I’ll fucking find them all.
“I hate you,” she bellows when I tie her other wrist down with my belt.
She kicks me in the fucking balls and her chair sails back against the wall. Her green eyes are wild but alive. Not broken down and sad like moments before.
I’m doing the right thing.
“Luca! Luca!” she screams.
I rush her and press my palm against her lips. “Don’t make me gag you, Linz. Test me.”
Her face turns red with fury, but she nods. I jerk my hand back and glower at her.
“Tell me what happened,” I demand, crossing my arms over my chest. “Now.”
“Screw off, Vinnie. I don’t have to tell you anything.”
I take a step toward her, but safely away from kicking distance. “You have to tell me everything. Or else.”
“I know your threats are empty,” she hisses. “You proved that with Frannie and Luca.”
Difficult woman!
I yank open my drawer, looking for my handy—bad guys always have this shit handy—duct tape and rip off a strip. “You don’t want to speak? Fine. I’ll keep you here until you do.”
“You assho—”
Her words are cut short when I seal them off with the tape. My dick loves her furious glare, messy hair, heaving breasts, and bound wrists.
“I made the mistake of letting you go once,” I tell her with a growl. “It’s never happening again.” Then, I flash her a wicked smile. “Stay there. I’ll be back to feed you later. Like old times.”
She snarls behind the tape.
As I exit the office door and close it behind me, Cala bounds into my arms. “Pappa Death! I missed you!”
“I missed you too, princess,” I coo, kissing her rosy cheek. “Are you hungry?”
“Starvin’ Marvin!” Her nose scrunches. “Where’s Mommy?”
“Resting. I’m taking care of her now.”
She hugs my neck. “I love you, Pappa Death.”
“Love you too, sweetie.”
Nope. They’re never fucking leaving again.
To be continued…one day.
But not today. Some other day. We’re busy.
Go on, now.
Bye.
Love Not Included Series
Life in a Rut, Love not Included
Life Next Door
My So Called Life
Life as We Know It
Standalones
Faking It
Love Broken
Sundays are for Hangovers
Lake Redstone
Paranormal/Fantasy
Sinful Instincts
Unlocking Adeline
#HotCom Series
Passing Peter Parker
Creed’s Expectations
Exquisite Taste
2 Lovers Series
Text 2 Lovers
Hate 2 Lovers
Thieves 2 Lovers
Four Father Series
Blackstone
Four Sons Series
Hayden
Elite Seven Series
Pride
Psychological Romance Standalones:
My Torin
Whispers and the Roars
Cold Cole Heart
Blue Hill Blood
Romantic Suspense Standalones:
Dirty Ugly Toy
El Malo
Notice
Sweet Jayne
The Road Back to Us
Surviving Harley
Love and Law
Moth to a Flame
Erased
Extremely Forbidden Romance Standalones:
The Wild
Hale
Like Dragonflies
Taboo Treats:
Bad Bad Bad
Coach Long
Ex-Rated Attraction
Mr. Blakely
Easton
Crybaby
Lawn Boys
Malfeasance
Renner’s Rules
The Glue
Dane
Enzo
Red Hot Winter
Dr. Dan
KKinky Reads Collection:
Share Me
Choke Me
Daddy Me
Watch Me
Hurt Me
Contemporary Romance Standalones:
Wicked Lies Boys Tell
The Day She Cried
Untimely You
Heath
Sundays are for Hangovers
A Merry Christmas with Judy
Zeke’s Eden
Schooled by a Senior
Give Me Yesterday
Sunshine and the Stalker
/>
Bidding for Keeps
B-Sides and Rarities
Paranormal Romance Standalones:
Apartment 2B
Running Free
Mad Sea
War & Peace Series:
This is War, Baby (Book 1)
This is Love, Baby (Book 2)
This Isn’t Over, Baby (Book 3)
This Isn’t You, Baby (Book 4)
This is Me, Baby (Book 5)
This Isn’t Fair, Baby (Book 6)
This is the End, Baby (Book 7—a novella)
Lost Planet Series:
The Forgotten Commander (Book 1)
The Vanished Specialist (Book 2)
The Mad Lieutenant (Book 3)
The Uncertain Scientist (Book 4)
The Lonely Orphan (Book 5)
2 Lovers Series:
Text 2 Lovers (Book 1)
Hate 2 Lovers (Book 2)
Thieves 2 Lovers (Book 3)
Pretty Little Dolls Series:
Pretty Stolen Dolls (Book 1)
Pretty Lost Dolls (Book 2)
Pretty New Doll (Book 3)
Pretty Broken Dolls (Book 4)
The V Games Series:
Vlad (Book 1)
Ven (Book 2)
Vas (Book 3)
Four Fathers Books:
Pearson
Four Sons Books:
Camden
Elite Seven Books:
Gluttony
Greed
Not Safe for Amazon Books:
The Wild
Hale
Bad Bad Bad
This is War, Baby
Like Dragonflies
The Breaking the Rules Series:
Broken (Book 1)
Wrong (Book 2)
Scarred (Book 3)
Mistake (Book 4)
Crushed (Book 5—a novella)
The Vegas Aces Series:
Rock Country (Book 1)
Rock Heart (Book 2)
Rock Bottom (Book 3)
The Becoming Her Series:
Becoming Lady Thomas (Book 1)
Becoming Countess Dumont (Book 2)
Conheartists Page 24
