by Stone, Piper
“Oh. Oh. Oh.” My cries were muffled and I fisted my hands, wiggling underneath him.
His hard smack against my ass cheek was more sensual than jarring. He leaned over, nuzzling against my neck, his whisper entirely too delicious.
“Remember bad girls get fucked in the ass.”
There was no further hesitation, his needs too great. As he plunged in and out, he took his time at first. Then his actions became more brutal, taking everything he wanted. Beads of perspiration trickled onto my back as he ravaged me, skin slapping against skin, several additional hard smacks given.
I heard his breathing shift again. The man was losing control. A smile crossing my lips, I did exactly what I knew he expected of me. I squeezed my muscles.
The beautiful sound of his savage growl swept through my heart.
But the words he whispered when he pulled me into his arms, easing his leg over mine would always be the most important.
“Mine. Forever mine. My baby. My heart.”
Chapter 17
Michael
The light breeze was invigorating, the sound of the ocean waves being tossed against the shore a gentle reminder of normalcy. If there was such a thing. I’d awakened with Daniella still in my arms. Being cradled next to her warm body was by far the most comforting feeling I’d experienced in a long time. I tugged the sheets around us, staring out at nothing and everything.
She’d been taken from me, almost killed.
I remained rattled, the fury continuing. A scarred man. The freaking Ghost continued to haunt me. It would be a pleasure to end the asshole’s life.
When I heard my phone, I glanced at the clock before slipping my arm from underneath her. It was after three in the morning. I rolled out of bed, grabbing the phone then walking outside on the balcony before answering. “Manuel.”
“I did what you asked,” he said nervously.
“And?”
“The jerk took the bait and left me with another bag of cash.”
I bristled but was glad that the plan hadn’t been killed. “Same guy?”
“Same asshole. He was angry this time, destroying a portion of my bar. I mean your bar,” Manuel hissed. “I thought he was going to kill me. He kept asking how I knew the shipment drop and date had been moved.”
“And you told him exactly what?”
“That you’d been in the club and I overheard you.”
I thought about his answer. It was plausible enough. “Get out of town, Manuel. The assistant manager is going to take over for a while. I’ll give you a call in a couple weeks or so.”
“Mr. King. Is it all right to tell you that I’d really like my job back? And my life?”
There was so much trepidation in his tone, but I understood the feelings all too well. “Not at all, Manuel. You’ve paid your debt. This time. There won’t be a next time.”
“Understood, sir. Thank you.”
I ended the call and knew she’d overheard a portion of it. When I turned, the sight of her wrapped in sheets did the same thing as always. The vision pushed my cock to the aching point. “You should be in bed. You need your rest.”
“I’m not fragile. It’s after three in the morning. Business at this hour?”
“I mentioned I had some things to do.”
She lowered her gaze, keeping her arms folded around her breasts. “How did you find me in that warehouse?”
“How?” I walked closer, noticing the prickles covering her arms.
“Yes. The odds were against me. Against both of us.”
“Let’s just say I have certain connections. I also encouraged the leader of the Santiago Cartel to tell me or face the consequences.”
“You killed him. Didn’t you?” There was no accusatory tone in her voice, just a resignation of the kind of man I was.
“No. I did not. I didn’t have to.” I eased a strand of hair from her eyes, noticing they were shimmering with moisture. “You’ve taught me many things, Daniella, including the fact I need to become a better man. At times, violence isn’t needed. Fortunately, Mr. Santiago was obliged to tell me the truth.”
Her mouth remained pinched for a few seconds. “What if he hadn’t?”
I cocked my head, uncertain of how to answer. “Then things would have been different. Why don’t we get some additional rest? Then I’m going to take you on a tour of Miami.”
She didn’t react at first then backed away, allowing the sheet to fall. “What if I’m not sleepy?”
I allowed her to hear a husky growl before stalking into the room. “Then the big bad wolf is going to eat you.”
* * *
The darkness was more oppressive than normal even though the full moon accented the dim lighting in the shipyard. I stood in the shadows in a strategic position, the decoy boat captain made aware of the situation. The crude Russian of the freighter ship owed me a favor, although the highly opinionated man was hot about my demand, cursing up a blue streak. While the ship wasn’t carrying party favors for anyone, their cargo was still considered precious, artifacts for some reclusive millionaire.
I’d been forced to offer a substantial payment in addition to using my single favor. I ordinarily would have shown my disapproval to the hulking mass of a man, but his help was necessary in order to continue the game.
There were a solid fifteen soldiers positioned in various locations as well as six left at the hotel. I didn’t think the Ghost had the balls to try to attack her there, but from now on, no chances would be taken.
I’d asked Dante to protect Daniella with his life, which he’d reluctantly agreed to. I needed someone I could trust by her side at all times. At least he knew how I felt.
“Looks deserted, boss,” Sloan said as he flanked my side.
“We wait it out,” I instructed. “If and when an ambush occurs, do what’s necessary. I want to know where the bastards are from.”
“Are you still thinking Morales is coming in?”
I thought about the limited intel I’d received. A ship had arrived from South America the day before. “It’s possible they’re already here. If anything goes down, check for any form of identification, including tattoos. Morales’ men have a particular mark on their necks.”
“Yeah, I know it.”
“I also want you to pay close attention for the Ghost. If you find him, bring him to me and I want him alive. Have Justine take a close look at the assholes. I need to know if they’re Santiago’s men.” I’d enlisted her service, promoting her after her excellent performance.
“You got it, boss.” He disappeared into the shadows, just as instructed to do.
Then all was quiet.
When speaking with Cristiano about the bait and switch, he’d been both amused as well as concerned. However, he’d agreed there’d been no other choice. This had to end.
The lights from the approaching ship were dimmed on purpose, allowing for a private arrival. Everything appeared as our usual method of operation, exactly as I wanted. Now it was time to wait to see if the bait had been taken.
As the ship pulled into port, I eased the Glock into both hands, remaining in position as I attached the silencer. The last thing we needed was to alert the port authorities or the guards in charge of security along the docks.
Five minutes later, another wave of rage slammed into my system. Either Manuel had fucked up or we’d been played a second time.
I stepped away from the stack of containers, scanning the dock. Then I heard a single click. That was all I needed. I dropped to the ground, rolling just as a bullet bore into one of the pallets. I managed to pop off two rounds, hitting my mark. Within seconds, other assholes appeared.
Our empire was fortunate to have well-trained soldiers, several of which had been former military. While an attempt was made to board the ship, the three assholes who dared to try were taken out easily by two of my men.
Within five minutes, the situation had been brought under control.
“You can safely disemb
ark now, Petrov.” I stood watching the ship as I made the call to the captain.
“They got too close, King. You’re losing your touch,” he answered.
“Obviously, not close enough.” I heard the jovial tone in his voice. “I appreciate your assistance.”
“Sure thing, my friend.”
After ending the call, I took a deep breath before inspecting some of our work. As I bent down, I searched for identification, finding none. I also didn’t find Morales’ required and very crude tattoo on the first two men. Or the next three. In fact, I found nothing useful on any of them.
I smashed my hand against the side of one of the containers, pacing the dock as Sloan walked in my direction. “Please tell me you found something.”
“The Ghost isn’t here.” Sloan shook his head, motioning for Justine.
“Fuck!” I hissed, raking my hand through my hair.
“Two of the guys are Santiago’s boys. I especially enjoyed taking out the one who called me a pet,” Justine said, smirking.
“You’re sure?” I didn’t like this shit at all. Something was off.
“Positive,” she answered.
“What do you want me to do with them?” Sloan asked.
This was turning into a nightmare. “Take their weapons and dispose of all but two, the ones Justine knows. Leave them to be found as a message.”
“I’ll let you know if we find anything,” Sloan offered. “We’ll hunt him down. Do you want me to put out a call to scour the city for the bastard? You know he’s here.”
“Not yet.” Exhaling, I had another idea in mind. While it was risky to some degree, expensive as shit, I refused to play any additional games. As I walked toward my vehicle, I dialed Cristiano’s number.
“I thought you’d be calling,” he said. “How’s the schoolteacher?”
“Her name is Daniella and she’s fine. For now. There will be another attempt made on her life.”
“And you will be there to save her.”
I could hear a hint of questioning in his voice. While it pissed me off, this was no time to fall into a family squabble. “The bait was taken and we were hit, but no Ghost.”
“Any sign of Morales?”
I got into the rental car, slamming the door. “None. Santiago insisted he’s not working with Carlos.”
“I can tell you that Carlos remains in Brazil. He was seen at his favorite bar soaking up alcohol as usual.”
“That doesn’t mean he didn’t send a ship full of soldiers.”
“That wouldn’t be like him, Michael. He enjoys putting his mark on every new territory he claims.”
I thought about his comments. Everything about this smelled wrong. “I’ve made a decision. I’m canceling tomorrow’s shipment. They’re playing games and it stops right now. We’ll reschedule when this shit is over.” Whoever the hell they were.
He took a deep breath, chuckling before answering. “You have balls the size of cantaloupes, my brother. However, I don’t disagree. We should consider some alternative options.”
“This is my choice, my territory, Chris. The Ghost will return and I’m going to be ready. I’ll handle this myself. And afterwards, some changes are going to be made. You should be happy. I made the decision you asked.”
“What decision?”
“To place business over the woman I love.”
“Ah, Christ, Michael. You can have both. Let me make some phone calls. We need to work together on this. Don’t do anything crazy.”
“This isn’t about crazy. This is about sending a message. There’s one way of doing that. The Ghost will show up at the docks tomorrow as originally planned. And I plan on being there. I’ll let you know how it goes.”
I ended the call before he attempted to change my mind. I was finished with playing the nice guy. By this time tomorrow, there wouldn’t be a player who didn’t understand that going against the King family was a death sentence.
* * *
“Mr. King.” Steven sat up in his hospital bed, wincing as he tried to peer at me through a swollen eye, his other one bandaged. He looked worse than before, additional swelling occurring in his face.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I was hit by a bulldozer, but I’m alive. I guess I have you to thank for that.”
I took a deep breath as I gazed at the piece of equipment monitoring his heartrate and blood pressure. “Actually, you have your sister to thank for that. She refused to believe that you sold her to the Santiagos. I hope that’s the truth.”
He tried to swallow, struggling before reaching for his plastic cup of water. When he dropped it, I shook my head as I grabbed it from the floor, refilling a clean one then adding a straw. After securing the cup in his hand, I stepped away, moving toward the window.
“I would never do that. I don’t know how they found out about her. I swear to God, Mr. King. My sister means everything to me.”
While his words were muffled, there was strong conviction in them. “I’ll choose to believe you, Steven. I assure you that the monsters you hooked up with have connections in several organizations. Families are considered a weakness. It’s possible they used her against you given your… situation.”
“Is she all right?”
“She’s fine. I need to ask you a few questions.”
“I’ll help you in any way I can.”
“Are the Santiagos planning on working with the Morales Cartel?” When he didn’t answer right away, I shot him a look. He was nervous. “I’ve authorized twenty-four-hour protection, Steven. As of now, you work for me. Do you understand?”
He managed to lift his head and while it was difficult to tell given his bloodshot eye, I believed he was actually grateful. “It wasn’t old man Santiago’s idea. It was Diego’s.”
“Then why are they continuing with the plan? Is this under the Ghost’s direction?”
“You know about him.”
“I know everything with regard to my enemies, Steven.”
“I honestly don’t know. I was caught stealing money. I admitted that I was. They didn’t waste any time taking out their vengeance.”
Hissing, I kept my chastising comments to myself. “For drugs.”
“Yes, sir. I know I have a problem.”
“As of today, you will never touch a drug again. Do you understand?”
His entire body went rigid, fisting the sheets, the decision difficult for him. I waited, doing everything I could to keep my level of patience on an even keel.
“Yes, sir. Diego is a real asshole. Just brutal. And he doesn’t give a shit about his father. That much I can tell you.”
It was interesting that he wasn’t aware that Diego was dead. Then again, he’d fallen out of favor weeks before.
“It would appear the Ghost has decided that he will be the next leader. What can you tell me about him?”
“He’s a big guy, six foot five or so.”
“With a scar?”
“Yeah, he’s got a huge one from some fight he was in.”
This wasn’t getting me anywhere. “Okay, Steven. You need to rest. We are going to talk more.”
“Yes, sir.” As I walked to the door, a red flag raised. “Where is this scar on the Ghost, Steven?”
“On his arm and hand. He has limited usage of his fingers on his right hand. I thought you knew that.”
I took a deep breath, stars floating in front of my eyes.
“Steven, who was the man with you in the warehouse, the one who beat you?”
When he answered, something happened that I’d never experienced before.
A cold chill slid down my spine.
* * *
The storm rolling in was appropriate. As lightning bolts flashed across the sky, thunder booming in the distance, I moved carefully toward the assigned docks. Carlo had arrived in Miami earlier in the day, refusing to let me go without backup. While I’d resisted, I wasn’t a stupid man. Tonight would be the end of the charade one way or the other
.
I motioned for my Capo to move to the other end of the dock, my instinct telling me the asshole responsible was here.
My anger could no longer be measured.
Diego.
He’d played the game well, somehow managing to manipulate the coroner’s office, which wasn’t unheard of. Once declared dead, he’d obviously used it to his advantage, including usurping his father’s control, especially since Emmanuel was supposed to be on his deathbed.
If blood was supposed to be thicker than water, Diego had no honor or love for his family. As I’d often said, every man had a price.
I’d put out enough information on the streets to indicate a shipment was coming in. I knew damn good and well that Diego would take the bait, especially if it meant finally exterminating a member of the King family.
What little I knew about the younger Santiago indicated he enjoyed grandstanding. Whether or not he’d made connections with Morales was yet to be seen, but I’d bet on it.
I remained in the shadows, scanning the perimeter, my thoughts drifting to Daniella. She’d begged me not to go and the moment I’d walked toward the door, I’d seen the kind of sadness in her eyes that would haunt me for a long time. I’d felt her pulling away again, the reality crushing a portion of her love. While the last thing I wanted to do was lose her over this, I’d done exactly what my brother had asked. I’d made a choice between business and the love of my life, something I now regretted.
She was all that mattered to me. Not the money. Not the power.
“You sure you want to be alone?”
What the hell?
I jerked around to face Cristiano, huffing when I saw all four brothers. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“We thought you might need some support,” Lucian said without his usual nasty demeanor.
“I wanted to see some action,” Dante added. “Don’t worry. No one is going to get to Daniella.”
“We stick together, brother. Remember?” Vincenzo added.
