Man of the House: A Dark Bad Boy Romance

by B. B. Hamel

  And maybe I could do both. Maybe if I kept my father happy for long enough, I could figure out a way to escape. All I needed to do was tell him plausible lies. I just needed a few days to think.

  “Noon,” I lied. “They change guards at noon. I think there are less around then.”

  He looked at me and nodded. “Good. That’s good. How many men are on the compound normally?”

  “A lot,” I said. “I don’t know. Hundreds I think.”

  He frowned. “Can’t be hundreds.”

  “I never counted,” I said.

  “Don’t lie to me, girl.” He took a step toward me. “Lying will be worse.”

  “I really don’t know,” I said. “Please, let me see Alexei.”

  He looked at me in silence for a moment and then shook his head. “No. Maybe next time. Think of something good to give me. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

  “No!” I screamed, but he was already walking away.

  “Open up,” he called out.

  “No!” I screamed again, getting up. My whole body hurt, but I hurled myself at him anyway. “Let me see my son!”

  He whirled and punched me in the jaw, knocking me to the ground. I sprawled out, my head buzzing with stars.

  “Think of something good, Kaley,” he said, and then he was gone.

  The door shut and locked behind him.

  I curled into a ball, dizzy and aching, my whole body in pain. I tried not to cry, couldn’t let them get to me, but I couldn’t help it. I cried as quietly as I could, but I was crying for Alexei.

  My own father. He was beating me, interrogating me, using his grandson against me. It was disgusting, shocking, vile. I couldn’t believe I was there, that this was happening. I couldn’t believe Sophie would let this happen to me.

  I wanted to die. I wanted to give up and kill myself, but I couldn’t do that to Alexei. I had to stay strong for him, for my son.

  I had to find a way out of this hellhole and save my son.

  36

  Vince

  We waited until just after midnight.

  Rafa and I sat down in the garage, sitting in the black truck we would be driving out into the city, sharing a cigar.

  Earlier, Louisa had texted me an address and said that was Kaley’s house. I couldn’t be sure that they were holding her there, but I could at least grab her father and force him to tell us where she was.

  Lucas had come through nicely on the gear: upgraded vests, decent rifles, and even some grenades. Not the explosive kind, but flashbangs, the type that make a loud noise and a bright light that stuns people temporarily.

  Rafa and I sat there, puffing away on the cigar, seriously deadly gear strapped to our chests. I grinned at him.

  “You ever think we’d end up like this?”

  He laughed. “What, strapped up with weapons and ready to kill some Russians? Yeah, I did.”

  I grinned. “No. I mean going against the wishes of our people.”

  He shrugged. “Frankly, boss, I never know with you.”

  I laughed, taking a nice puff. “After this, if we both fucking survive, consider yourself promoted.”

  “I’m not sure you can do that, boss.”

  “I’ll make it happen.”

  He shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

  I laughed again and handed him the cigar. I started the engine. “You ready?”

  “Always.”

  I drove us out into the night, heading toward violence and death.

  And I felt damn good about it.

  That incredible, calm excitement overtook my body as I drove into the city, Rafa sitting next to me, placidly puffing on the cigar.

  I had no clue what we were walking into. Normally we’d watch a place for weeks before attacking it like this, but we didn’t have weeks. The Russians wanted to get rid of my son.

  Worse, I had no clue if Kaley really needed saving. Maybe they were keeping her safe and letting her take care of Alexei like normal. But I couldn’t take that chance. If she was okay, I’d walk out of there. Maybe I’d have to shoot my way out, but I’d leave her alone if that was what she wanted.

  But I had to find out. I wasn’t the type of man to sit around and wait for answers.

  I went out and I took what I fucking wanted. That was how I lived my life, fast and loose and deadly. I wanted Kaley; I cared about her. I cared about the kid, too. I wanted to help raise my son, although if Kaley wanted me to disappear, I would. But I had to hear it from her, not from some fucking note she left on the pillow because she couldn’t face me.

  It took us twenty minutes before we found her block. It was a normal residential street, pretty quiet, the sort of place you saw all over Chicago.

  I parked the truck at the end of the block. “They’re number eleven thirty,” I told Rafa.

  “Shit,” he said. “These row homes are rough.”

  “We’ll go in the back,” I said.

  “Got it.”

  We slipped out of the truck and made a right at the cross street. A small alley ran down between the houses, which made it easy for people to come in and out through their backyards. We moved silently down the alley, keeping at a crouch, all dressed in black.

  It was totally silent. It was past one in the morning on a weekday, and so I figured most people would be sleeping. Most of the normal, working people at least. Who knew what was happening at Kaley’s house.

  We stopped when we made it to her place. I double-checked, doubling back and counting the yards again, just to make sure we had the right place. Rafa nodded at me.

  “Quiet,” he whispered. “Nobody around.”

  “Come on.” I hopped the fence and he followed. There was a short expanse of grass, some lawn chairs, a grill, and nothing else. The back door looked like every other one on the block.

  “Pick it,” I whispered. Rafa nodded and got out his lock pick set, quickly going to work. I watched the window but couldn’t see in past the curtains.

  No movement inside, though I thought I saw the glow of a TV flickering in another room.

  I heard the door click open and turn softly. I quickly aimed my rifled ahead as Rafa flung the door open.

  Nothing.

  Just a normal kitchen. We moved inside, me in the front, stepping lightly. The kitchen looked normal, just a regular suburban kitchen. Rafa pointed at something on the refrigerator.

  It was a school picture of Kaley. She was a lot younger, but I recognized her.

  I nodded. We had the right place at least.

  Ahead, I saw I was right about the television. It was on softly in the front room, the volume turned low. I moved forward, motioning for Rafa to follow. We slipped into a dining room that was attached to the living room.

  I peered cautiously into the living room. Inside sat three men and a single girl, probably around Kaley’s age. They were staring at something on the TV.

  I unhooked a flashbang from my belt and motioned to Rafa. He backed off, ready to watch the kitchen.

  I uncapped the flashbang and tossed it into the room.

  “What the fuck?” one guy said.

  And then it exploded.

  The flashbang went off with this blindingly bright light and an incredibly loud boom. The girl instantly started screaming, and the guys began shouting, scrambling around.

  I uncovered my eyes and stepped around the corner. Two of the men had guns out, and I killed them instantly, putting bullets into their chests. The third man reached for something, but I killed him too.

  Rafa followed close behind me. “Stairs,” I whispered.

  He nodded, covering the stairs. I walked over to the screaming girl.

  “Quiet,” I said, holding the gun to her skull. “Where is Kaley?”

  She started to cry.

  “Where is Kaley?” I repeated.

  “Upstairs,” she said.

  I looked at Rafa. “Cuff her.”

  He took out some handcuffs from his belt and tossed one on the girl’s wrist. He dragged h
er across the room and slapped the other cuff onto the radiator, quickly making sure no weapons were within her reach.

  I nodded at him. “On me.”

  We moved toward the stairs.

  Bullets rained down on us.

  We quickly fell back.

  “Who the fuck are you?” someone yelled from upstairs.

  “Wait,” I called up. “We just want to talk.”

  As soon as I said it, Rafa jumped around the corner and opened fire. He fell back when someone began to shoot back.

  “Fuck you,” he yelled. “That won’t work.”

  I grinned to myself. “Let us come up,” I yelled. “I’m here for Kaley.”

  “You’re that fucking Italian shithead she ran off for, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, I am. And who I am speaking to?”

  “Her father.”

  I laughed. “Anatoli.”

  “Vince Mori. You should leave. My men are already on the way.”

  I nodded at Rafa. He pulled a grenade, a real one this time, and tossed it upstairs.

  “That flash trick won’t—”

  The grenade went off with a deafening boom.

  I stumbled back, my ears ringing.

  “Holy shit,” Rafa said, though I couldn’t hear him.

  “Come on.”

  I charged at the steps, or at least what was left of them. I scrambled up and had to jump the last few feet, landing on badly blasted wood. There were flames raging everywhere, but no sign of Anatoli.

  Rafa was right behind me. “Watch that room,” I said, pointing to the right. “I’m finding her.”

  Rafa nodded as I went down the hall, kicking in each door. I got to the last and took a deep breath. It was padlocked shut.

  I shot off the hinges and kicked it in.

  Laying on a mattress, her eyes wide with fear, was Kaley.

  She stood slowly. “Vince?”

  I stared at her. Bruises were blooming across her face.

  “Did he hit you?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she said, her voice small.

  Rage flowed through me, hotter than I could have guessed. That mother fucker, that piece of shit. He beat his own fucking daughter.

  “Come on,” I said. “We’re going.”

  She ran to me, threw her arms around me, and began to sob.

  “Okay,” I said. “I have you. You’re safe.”

  I was going to kill her father.

  “I never thought you’d come,” she said. “I’m so sorry I left. I’m so sorry.”

  “I got you,” I said. “You’re with me now. You’ll never have to leave again.”

  “Alexei?” she asked.

  “Is he here?”

  She nodded. “I don’t know where.”

  “Shit.”

  Gunshots rang off down the hall. “Vince!” Rafa called out.

  “Stay here,” I said to Kaley, and I went down the hall.

  Rafa was shooting into the other room.

  “Old man lived,” he said.

  “Shit,” I said. “Seriously?”

  “For real.” Gunshots again, and we fell back, holding close to the wall.

  “Leave him,” I said. “We’re going.”

  I grabbed Kaley and fired a few shots toward Anatoli. The smoke was getting thick and it was hard to see. I threw her over my shoulder and jumped down the stairs, landing hard and skidding down toward the bottom. Rafa was just behind us, laughing like mad.

  We hit the bottom and rolled across the living room, finally coming to a stop. Smoke was billowing down the steps and the fire was beginning for real.

  “Alexei,” Kaley said. “We have to get him.”

  I looked around the room and spotted her.

  “You,” I yelled. “Where’s the baby?”

  Kaley saw who I was talking to and took a step toward the girl. “Sophie?”

  “Fuck,” I said.

  Sophie was sobbing, still handcuffed to the radiator. “I’m sorry, Kaley,” she said. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Where is my son?” Kaley asked.

  I walked over to Sophie and pressed the gun to her skull. “Talk,” I said.

  “Basement,” she said. “With Kaley’s mom.”

  I looked at Kaley. “You decide if she lives.”

  Kaley bit her lip, staring at Sophie. “You’re dead to me,” she said.

  Sophie cringed and began to sob thick, terrified sobs.

  “But you’ll live, even though you don’t deserve it.”

  I pulled the gun back.

  “Come on,” I said. Kaley took us down the hall and opened a door in the kitchen. The stairs went down. “Rafa, stay,” I said. “We’ll be a second.”

  He nodded. “Hurry. This place is burning.”

  I went down the steps two at a time, Kaley at my back. The basement was finished and pretty nice. Sitting on the couch cowering in fear was an older woman, an older version of Kaley.

  “Mom,” Kaley said. “Please. My baby.”

  The woman stood, tears running down her face. “I never wanted this,” she said. “I begged him to let you keep Alexei. I begged him. The only reason Alexei is here, now, is because of me.”

  “I know,” Kaley said softly. “Your only mistake was marrying a monster.”

  Kaley’s mom put the baby into Kaley’s arms. I nodded at her. “Thanks.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “Are you my grandson’s father?”

  “Yeah,” I grunted. “Vince.”

  “Vince. Nice to meet you. I’m Vera.”

  “Come on, Kaley,” I said, pulling her along behind me.

  We quickly went back up the stairs. Rafa was waiting there and nodded.

  “Let’s roll,” he said.

  Gunshots rang out again, and Rafa stumbled back, small bursts coming from his chest.

  “Fuck!” I yelled, shoving Rafa down. I rolled out and came up firing.

  Anatoli Kozlov collapsed to the floor, riddled with bullets. I felt a sharp pain in my right leg, but that didn’t matter.

  I dove on Rafa and tore off his vest.

  No blood.

  He coughed. “Undressing me already, boss?” he asked weakly.

  “Shit,” I said. “You’re okay.”

  “Bulletproof vest.” He grinned. “Hurt like fucking hell though.”

  I laughed, relief washing over me. “Come on,” I said, helping him up.

  “Vince, your leg,” Kaley said.

  I felt it before I saw it. In the mayhem, Anatoli must have gotten a bullet in me.

  “I’ll live,” I said. “Come on.”

  I helped Rafa up and we moved out the back door and back out into the night. Kaley followed closely, holding Alexei, holding our son.

  “Getting shot fucking sucks.”

  I had my legs propped up on the couch, and despite the painkillers, my wound still throbbed.

  After getting back to the mansion, I went right up to Arturo’s rooms. He was pissed, but my bleeding bullet wound convinced him that I meant business. After a short discussion, he agreed to let Kaley stay under my protection.

  Next stop was the fucking doctor, who gave me a nice long lecture on taking care of my body better while he tore a bullet from my calf and stitched me up.

  Kaley laughed. “Aw. My poor, big man.”

  “It hurts,” I grumbled.

  She rocked Alexei in her arms. “Want me to make it feel better?”

  “Is he asleep?”

  “Not yet,” she said, smiling.

  “Tell me what you’d do to me first then,” I said.

  She smiled devilishly and put Alexei down in his little chair. She came over to me and crouched down next to me.

  “I’d take that nice, thick cock of yours between my lips and suck you nice and hard,” she said softly.

  “Go on,” I grunted.

  “I’d suck you hard and sloppy, just the way you like it. I’d moan of course, because it makes me dripping wet sucking your cock. I’d let you lift me up
and turn me around, and you could just rip my leggings open.”

  “What next?” I asked.

  She reached down and grabbed my hard cock. “Next you’d slide this thick cock between my legs and fill my tight little pussy up,” she said, and she slowly stroked me.

  “Fuck,” I said. “You drive me fucking wild.”

  “I’d moan and say your name over and over, because your cock fills me just perfectly,” she said. “I’d work my hips while you fucked me rough, pulling my hair, slapping my ass. You like that, don’t you?”

  “Fuck yes I do,” I groaned.

  And then Alexei decided he wanted to be a part of the fun. His cries made Kaley laugh and stand up.

  “Guess we’ll have to wait,” she said, picking him up.

  “Being a father is hard,” I said.

  “You’re always hard,” she said back, smiling. “You’ll be okay.

  “Hey,” I said. “Come back here.”

  She crouched back down, looking at me.

  “I love you,” I said, and I meant it.

  “I love you too,” she whispered.

  I kissed her, pulling her and Alexei against me. She was laughing and smiling and I thought she might be crying, but I couldn’t be sure, because all I could see was my beautiful baby’s mother, the only light in my fucking life.

  I pulled back and kissed Alexei’s head. “I love you too, little man,” I said.

  She laughed, smiling.

  And I felt okay.

  Despite the fucking wound on my leg, I felt good. I felt right. I could be a father. I could be more than that with Kaley.

  Maybe it took me a while to figure it out. Maybe I had some work to fucking do to get there.

  But I was in love with her, and I wanted to raise my son the right way. He didn’t deserve to grow up without a daddy, and I was going to be that man for him.

  I had never expected this.

  But now that it was here, I could never imagine anything else.

  37

  Kaley

  Five Months Later

  “What are you doing?” he said. “Get down from there.”

  I laughed at him. “I can change a light bulb.”

  “What if you fell, in your state?”

  I laughed again, shaking my head. “I’m not feeble, you know.”