by Marlee Wray
“Dennis, go cover the tab. Meet us outside.”
Frank’s bodyguard takes my arm in a vise grip and pulls me from the stool. “Keep moving,” he says, his breath hot and stale against my face.
I try to resist, but he twists my arm, and before I know what’s happening, we’re on the street.
“Don’t,” I say, jerking away.
Frank shifts and sends another text.
“Let’s walk around, Mr. P.,” the bodyguard says.
Frank narrows his eyes. “No. You go around and see what the driver’s doing. Zoe and I will wait here.”
Frank puts a hand on my waist and pulls me against him. The bodyguard nods and hurries away. Dennis exits behind a cheerful group. They jostle me as they pass. I think about calling out, but what will I say? That I was forced to let them pay my bar bill? That my best friend’s dad is trying to get me to live with him rent-free? He’ll just say I got riled up for no reason. A misunderstanding. But he’ll never forget it and I’ll definitely pay for that. No one is ever allowed to bring the police into Frank’s business. We’ve all been warned.
I try to move a step to the side to free a path out of the bar, but Frank is gripping me too tightly.
“We should move that way,” I say.
“No, right here’s good. They can go around,” Frank says, his eyes scanning the street. “Call the car, Dennis.”
Dennis looks around sharply and then calls. It rings twenty times and goes to voicemail. Something’s wrong.
“Back inside,” Frank grounds out.
When we turn, I see Connor come around the corner. Dennis jerks to attention and Frank’s fingers dig into my ribs. I want to launch myself into C’s arms, but I can’t move. I’m being held in place.
“Hello, C. What are you doing here?” Dennis asks bitterly with a nod to Frank that seems to say, “You see, I told you she betrayed you.”
My face is flushed and, despite the cold, sweat beads in the small of my back.
“What’s the word, Frank?” Connor says.
“Surprised to see you, C, with Anvil and Trick back in Coynston. Who’ve you got with you tonight?” he asks, looking around.
My heart plummets. The guys drove back? With Trick and Anvil gone, Connor’s alone against Frank and three of his men.
Connor’s eyes cut sharply to Dennis. “Don’t skin it.”
“What?” Dennis asks, fidgeting, his hand inside his jacket.
“Frank, if he draws down, one of my guys will drop him. If he’s yours, tell him not pull that piece.”
“One of your guys? Which guys would that be? Your crue has been counted.”
“Uh-huh. So it’s just us then, and we don’t needs guns out on a busy street. Let Zoe go inside the bar while we talk.”
“I knew,” Frank says with a smile, nodding. “I watched you watch her and said to myself, Connor wants that one. Broke your own rules, didn’t you, C?”
“Did I? Enlighten me.”
“You don’t usually let them get under your skin. Move over here, Dennis. Right on Zoe’s other side.”
“Your driver’s not coming. Your bodyguard’s not coming. It’s you, me, and Sanders with CC cameras pointing right at us.”
Frank looks around and then back at Connor.
“I know my move,” C says. “If you let her go, I’ll walk away. Otherwise, where she goes, I go. And if anyone is stupid enough to make a move that puts her life in danger, he is not long for this world. My word on that.”
“Seems like I have something you want pretty badly,” Frank says.
Connor stares at him, the coldness in his eyes enough to freeze liquor.
“Neither of us wants Zoe to get hurt,” Frank adds. “She’s like a daughter to me. Not to mention how upset Rachel would be if something happened to her.” Frank clears his throat. “Zoe and I decided tonight that she’ll move in with me for a while. If you want to see her, you’re welcome to come to the house. And once she’s done the things I’d like her to do, if you’re inclined to, you can help her pay some debts she has.”
“I’m happy to cover whatever debts she’s got,” Connor says, reaching out his hand. “Give her to me. When I’ve talked to her alone, if she wants to live with you, I’ll drop her off there myself.”
I stare at Connor, trying very hard not to betray any emotions. Frank’s fingers are still digging into my right side. On my left, I can smell Dennis’s sweat as he smashes against my left side, squeezing me between him and Frank.
“Her coming to stay is nonnegotiable,” Frank says.
“Everything’s negotiable,” Connor says.
“Not when the muzzle of a Glock’s a couple inches from her heart,” Dennis says. “You might want to think that over and step off.”
I can’t move. I can’t even breathe.
Connor’s gaze flicks to Dennis. “She’s the only leverage you have. Think this through, Sanders. If you kill her, you’re dead. But if you walk away while Frank’s still holding onto her, you get to go unharmed. I’ve already said I’m staying with her.” Connor looks back at Frank. “And what are you thinking, Frank? At this range, if he shoots, it could go through her and into you. Let him go get your car. As long as Zoe’s not hurt, we can work this problem all night and into next week for all I care.”
“Pass your gun to me. Discreetly,” Frank says.
“No,” I whisper.
Connor looks at me, then at Frank. “I would, but I can’t.”
“Enough of this. Let’s go, Mr. Palermo,” Dennis says. “There’s nothing he can do while I have a gun on her. We’ll go back into the parking lot, get in the car and go.”
“What do you say, C?” Frank asks. “This standoff is going nowhere. I’ll take Zoe home, and we can negotiate in a better location. I won’t let anything happen to her while she’s staying with me. My word on that.”
“It’s up to Zoe,” C says.
I stare at him, unsure what he wants me to say. His face gives nothing away. Finally I close my eyes. I don’t want to go with Frank and Dennis, but I don’t want Connor or myself to get hurt and I can feel Dennis getting increasingly impatient. He’s always been a hothead, so I don’t trust him to do the logical thing.
“Okay,” I say, opening my eyes. “I’ll go back to Frank’s.”
“I’ll come with you,” Connor says.
“You’re not getting in the car armed,” Frank says.
“Understood,” C says.
I shake my head. I trust that they won’t hurt me, their leverage, if they plan to negotiate with Connor. I don’t trust that they won’t hurt us if they have us both.
“That’s a bad move,” I whisper. “Don’t come.”
“Let’s get going,” Frank says quickly. “Connor, walk in front of us, so we can watch you.”
“At my back? I don’t think so,” Connor says, walking parallel to us on the end near Frank.
We go around the corner and into the parking lot. I spot Frank’s silver limo at the back of lot.
“I know Dennis hit our van. I guess Mangia was with him. But who tipped us off that money was stashed at Zoe’s? I can’t see Dennis doing that, since it meant we retrieved the part of the take he held back,” C says casually. “If he’d wanted her to take the blame, there were other things he could’ve left. The money wrapper and Little Joe’s wallet. Did you know they took Joe’s wallet?” C laughs softly. “That’s a low-rent move. And the execution was sloppy as hell. Your standards are slipping, Frank.”
“You son-of-a-bitch,” Dennis says, dropping back and turning.
“No!” Frank yells.
The crack of a shot rings out, and Dennis’s head jerks back. He falls, his own gun discharging, the bullet slamming into a car’s side mirror and shattering it. Frank lets go of me and dives between a pair of cars.
Connor grabs me and jerks me behind a truck.
I look back to my left and see Dennis on his back, eyes open, a wound on his forehead and blood draining from the bac
k of his head. My stomach churns, and I look away.
Connor’s dropped down to the ground and is looking under the cars. There’s a gun in his right hand. He shakes his head. “Slippery son of a bitch.”
He rolls onto his side and is up, holding out his left hand to me. I take it.
“Stay low,” he says, guiding me. We exit the lot between buildings, and the Rover is idling on the street. We get in, and Anvil is driving. He goes around the corner and turns onto a residential street.
I don’t understand what we’re doing, but say nothing. Eventually we back into a dark driveway and he kills the lights.
“Caldwell. 2118,” Anvil says.
“Yeah,” C says softly as he texts.
Then we wait. After a few minutes there’s a rap on the truck. I jump, but C shakes his head that everything’s okay.
The back opens partway and a figure rolls in, panting. He pulls the gate closed. Anvil starts the Rover and pulls out. I peer into the back at the masked, hooded figure.
He pushes the black hood off and drags the black ski mask off. It’s Trick. He remains on his back.
“You were early, C,” Anvil says. “Sanders got a shot off.”
“Way wide,” Connor says.
“Trick had to scramble.”
“I doubt that,” Connor says. “Did you have him the whole time, Trick?”
“More or less,” Trick says. “In the lot, everyone was on the move, including me. I had to move fast when you baited him.”
“He got a shot off, C. Could’ve grazed you or ricocheted up and got you,” Anvil says.
I look at Connor, who only shrugs.
“Dennis was sweating and twitchy. I thought the gun might go off anytime,” I say. “Is that what you thought, Connor?”
C says nothing.
“Yeah, that’s what I figured. Felt like you had to draw his fire? Who says chivalry is dead?” Trick whispers, then he chuckles softly. “Zoe, there’s something I need to say to you.”
“Yes?”
“You were grace under fucking pressure. Did you say anything? Like even one word that whole time?”
“One or two,” I say, still feeling stunned.
“You’re a great dancer. Phenomenal,” Trick says. “But when you retire from that, for second careers, I’m thinking air traffic controller, hostage negotiator, CIA agent.”
“Agreed,” Anvil says. “If not for her calm, that would’ve gone sideways on the street, eighty-five percent odds.”
“Ninety-five,” Trick says.
Connor squeezes my hand in his.
“Frank didn’t think you were in Boston. Why?”
“I might have created a social media smoke screen. Digital can look live even when it’s not.”
“I’m so glad you were all here,” I say.
Connor leans over and kisses me. “Are you all right?” he asks.
“I am. Because of you. Thank you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Connor
“I’m sorry about tonight,” I say, thinking back to the look on her face when she watched Sanders fall to the ground.
“You’re sorry?” she asks incredulously. “If you hadn’t been there,” she says, shaking her head. “They both wanted to hurt me. I felt it. I don’t know what would’ve happened to me if they’d taken me from that bar. It was so scary. And then, there was a moment on the street when I think Dennis really wanted Frank to order him to shoot me. I think Frank was tempted too. They’d have had their revenge against me, and they’d have hurt you in the process.”
“Yeah, Frank’s furious. He expects blind loyalty, blind obedience. And above all, no one’s allowed to leave the fold.”
She tilts her head. “What made you leave?”
“We shut down recruitment of young kids. Against my orders, Mangia forced a thirteen-year-old to do a run and the kid messed it up. Frank said the kid would have to make amends or die. It was a kid Trick knew. Trick said he’d cover the loss, which he did, so the kid would be off the hook. And I again said, no more little kids. But Frank went behind our backs and had Mangia beat the kid up. Broke his hand and hurt his leg.”
“What did you do?”
“Trick retaliated. He took back his money and more. He took money for the kid and his family. He took money for the kid’s hospital bills. He took some money just to cripple a pending deal of Frank’s.”
“Oh, my gosh.”
I shrug. “It was hunt Trick down and kill him for Frank, or leave with him.”
“Was it a hard decision?”
“No. None of us is interested in building a business on the backs of broken kids. Plus, by then, the three of us were already a crue within a crew. It wasn’t something we were willing to forfeit for any reason.” I look at her. “I think Frank had the money planted in your apartment and tipped us off to it. That’s before you and me. We hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Why would he do that?”
She shrugs. “Maybe he knows things that I’ve said to Rachel. I told her to call off her engagement and to move away. I’ve said we could go together.”
“Why doesn’t she?”
“Why else? He has leverage over her.”
I nod. I don’t ask more about that. It’s none of my business.
“Frank took a reckless chance with your life, Zoe. Instead of getting involved with you, I might’ve killed you.”
“Maybe that’s what he wanted. Rachel and I are really close. She loves me, and she doesn’t love him. I don’t think Frank can stand to feel rejected.”
“That’s true enough. He’s had chances to end this war, but he won’t,” I say, walking to the couch. “He doesn’t care that it’s bad for business. He wants us under his thumb or dead.” I rest my hands on the back of the couch. “You and I need to decide some things.”
She looks at me expectantly.
“It’s not safe for you to be on your own in Coynston. You can see that now. But I get why you don’t want to feel like you’re under house arrest, whether it’s for your own protection or not. So that just leaves us with one option. You’ll need to move. I’ll arrange for a bodyguard. I don’t think you’ll need one for more than a year, but we’ll have to assess that later.”
She sits down, clasping her hands on her lap. “Is that what you want me to do, C? Be watched by a hired bodyguard?”
“There has to be a bodyguard at the beginning, Zoe, even if you’re on the West Coast. If you’re performing you’ll be easy to find. And there’s no end in the sight for this war. I never want a repeat of what happened tonight.”
“Is my moving away the only option? Couldn’t I live here with a bodyguard?”
My body reacts instantly to that question. It has a strong opinion about where it wants her to live. “By here, do you mean in this town? Or in my house?”
“I—is that an option?”
“Which?”
“Either?”
I stare at her. “Yes, both of those are options. It would be more dangerous for you to live in this city, though, than to live somewhere else. You see that, right? Because you’d be around and it would be a taunt, of sorts. Out of Frank’s sight would mean less time on his mind.”
“I don’t want to live on the West Coast. I want to live here or New York.”
“New York’s an option, too.”
“If I lived in New York, would you consider a long distance relationship?”
I stare at her, realizing she still doesn’t completely get it. “Zoe, I’d consider a long distance relationship if you lived in Thailand.”
Her eyes widen. “An exclusive relationship?” she counters.
I laugh, sitting on the couch with her. “Do you think I’d let you fuck other guys?”
“That’s not what I meant, which I think you know. There have been a lot of rumors that you and Trick and Anvil have shared girls between you.”
My finger grazes the generous curve of her breast. “I’m not interested in one-night stands anymore. Haven�
��t been since the first night at the theater when I watched you dance. I’m not interested in anyone who isn’t you.”
She smiles and clutches my hand.
“Be mine, beautiful, and I’ll make sure you always feel how much I love you.”
* * *
Zoe
I kiss him, struggling to believe what he’s offering. Is this real? My heart thuds in my chest. How much do I want this... for the enigmatic Connor McCann to focus all his dark intensity and lust on me? Yes, I want that. So much. And for him to tell me he loves me? Yes, of course, that means everything to me.
“Will it be different than it’s been?” I ask curiously. “Or will you still want to do certain things?”
“You mean will I still want you to submit to me sexually?”
I nod.
“That’s what I want, but you can set limits.”
“Good. I want to have a choice.”
He slides a hand in my hair and pulls me forward for a slow kiss. “I want what I do to you to feel right to both of us. If it’s punishment, you have to feel like you deserve it or it would be abuse. And when it’s not punishment, whatever I do should excite us both.”
My breath is getting short. “I definitely find foreplay and sex with you exciting.”
“Lie over my thighs,” he whispers against my mouth. “Let me warm you up before I fuck you right.”
I don’t hesitate. His thick cock presses against my belly.
“This ass,” he muses. “You remember the time I pushed you against the wall at that pool party? Do you know how much I wanted to fuck you that day? To stick my tongue in all your holes and chase it with my cock?”
I moan softly.
His big palm lands hard on my upturned ass. I squirm. Several more hard spanks follow, until I’m gasping.
“You like that?”
“Yes,” I whimper.
He peppers my ass with more before he squeezes the globes with strong fingers. Then he bites me. I squeal. He laughs softly, rubbing the mark I’m sure he’s left.
The spanking resumes and gets more intense. The blows make my flesh spring up and then heat soaks in. At first, I raise my ass to meet his hand, but then I can’t. I’m on fire. His palm thuds down. I start to clench.
