by Riley, Megyn
I see a lone survivor scurry across the terrace in flames, then fall to his death over the edge. His flaming body plummets to the ground.
The head of the most ruthless criminal organization in the world has just been cut off. The families will be in chaos. There will be a power vacuum. And Dominic will step into power, controlling all of the five families. He will become the most powerful gangster in history.
Unless I do something about it.
If I know Dominic, he’ll be close by. He would want a front row seat to a spectacle of this size. I set down the RPG launcher and pick up the Winchester Magnum. Through the scope, I scan the roof tops again. And just as I suspect, I see Dominic smiling and laughing with one of the snipers. He’s not going to be laughing for long.
I put the crosshairs on his head. I take a deep breath and hold it. Just as I’m about to squeeze the trigger, I hear the hammer cock back on Louis’s pistol.
“Dominic says goodbye.”
It seems Dominic has given this behemoth orders to kill me after the job has been completed.
The next few moments happen in slow motion.
Louis’s fat finger squeezes the trigger. The hammer strikes the firing pin, and the bullet blasts out of the barrel. But I twist just in time and push the barrel from against my head. The bullet rockets past my ear. Smoke and gunpowder fill my nostrils. With lightning speed, I strip the pistol from Louis’s hand. But it’s not a clean move, and the weapon tumbles away over the ledge of the terrace. It plummets to the ground below, and I hear it discharge once again.
I rise up and kick the big behemoth in the balls. He must not have any, because that doesn’t seem to hurt him. With his massive bowling ball of a fist, he backhands me. My body flies across the terrace and smacks into the ground.
I’m dazed for a second from the massive blow. My lip is split and swollen. I can taste the metallic flavor of blood in my mouth. My chest feels like someone stabbed a knife in it. The stitches from my wound are definitely torn. I don’t think I’ve ever been hit that hard in my entire life. And I have a sneaking suspicion that Louis can hit even harder.
I only have a few minutes to take out Dominic. He won’t stay on that rooftop forever. And if I don’t kill him now, Lord knows what will happen to Scarlett.
Louis stomps toward me like an elephant. I feel the ground shake beneath his feet. I grab for my Glock 17, but it’s not there. It’s lying on the tile several feet away. It must have fallen from my holster during my involuntary flight across the balcony. I scurry across the ground for it.
But the elephant is on top of me. He winds his leg back, then kicks his full weight into my ribs. His boot finds my wound. I hear my ribs snap. Air rushes from my lungs. The pain is a 20 on a 10 scale. My body flops across the tile.
I push the sensation of pain into a dark corner of my mind and ignore it. This is what I’m built for. To fight through pain. To show no fear. To kill.
I gasp for breath and spring to my feet. My legs feel like jello. I feel my warm blood trickling down my abdomen. My chest is on fire. It’s almost impossible to inhale.
The walking mountain of a man scoops my Glock from the tile. He swings the barrel around toward me. He may be bigger than I am, but I’m faster. He’s a towering, lumbering giant. I sprint toward him and grab the barrel of my gun, pushing it up to the sky. The muzzle flashes, and a bullet rips into the night air. I slam my palm against his forearm and grab the gun, bending his wrist backward. The force snaps his finger, and I strip the gun clean.
But he swings around his meaty hand crushing my jaw. Blood spews from my mouth as my head whips to the side. A jolt of electricity shoots down my spine. My body is flung to the edge of the terrace. I clutch onto the railing, my momentum almost carrying me over. It’s a long way down—67 stories. People look like tiny ants. Matchbox cars drive through the streets.
Before I can push away from the ledge, the big elephant grabs my legs and flips me over the railing. My life flashes before my eyes. Like a cartwheel, I flop over the ledge. But I manage to hang on by my fingertips. One hand gripping the ledge, the other still clutching my Glock. My feet dangle in the air. Ending up as a stain on the sidewalk is not something I’m looking forward to.
The big mammoth appears towering over me. He lifts a potted plant from the terrace over his head. He’s ready to smash it against my fingertips. I swing the Glock up and take aim at his neanderthal head.
BAM!
Like a mellon, his head vaporizes in a haze of blood. The heavy potted plant plummets. I swerve aside as it passes. Several seconds later it shatters into bits on the sidewalk. The big elephant tumbles over me, toppling end over end. He smashes into a parked car at the curb below. Metal crumples, and glass shatters. The car’s alarm sounds. Its headlights flash.
I toss the Glock onto the terrace, then swing my hand up and grip the rail. Then I pull myself up and over. I’ve gone beyond pain now. My body is numb. I rush to the .300 Win Mag. My eyes peer through the scope. I pray that Dominic is still there.
But he’s gone.
I quickly scan the rooftop. Dominic emerges from behind an HVAC unit. He’s walking toward the roof access door. I line his skull up in the crosshairs. I take another deep breath and hold it. I’ve got to be rock solid perfect. I can’t tremble, shake, or twitch. The shot is almost 1000 yards, at a moving target. I’ve made a kill shot at this distance before, but never when so much was on the line. I’m exhausted from fighting Louis. My heart is racing. My hand is trembling.
I steady myself and focus.
Dominic is almost to the door. I may never get another opportunity like this.
I settle and smoothly pull the trigger.
With the suppressor on the end of the barrel, the rifle makes little more than a click when I pull the trigger. The bullet rips through the air with a crack, breaking the sound barrier.
An instant later, Dominic’s head explodes like a pumpkin bashed with a sledgehammer. His lifeless body flops to the ground. I exhale and smile. It’s been a long time since I took out someone at this distance. It’s good to know I’ve still got it. It’s even better to know he can’t harm Scarlett.
Soon, the sound of sirens echo off the buildings. The night sky fills with the patter of helicopters. Police and news crews gather around the Hampson.
I gather up the spent shell casings. Then I stuff the Winchester Magnum, and the rocket launcher, back into the garment bag, and I leave the penthouse suite at the Thackston behind.
25
Ryker
Word travels fast that the Commission is no longer in existence and that Dominic is dead. Everyone knows I am responsible. I approach the American Terrace building with a hint of trepidation. I am either going to be shot on site, or given a hero’s welcome.
I approach the main doors, and the two guards swing them open wide.
“Evening, boss,” one of them says.
I nod back at him, a little surprised. In the lobby, Tony the Ant is waiting for me, along with all the capos in the Falco family. Tony can barely contain his excitement. “Good to see you, boss. We all heard the good news.”
“Boss?”
“You took out Dominic. That makes you boss. You took out the other bosses. The other families are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Talk on the street is they want to come into the fold under your leadership.”
I pondered this for a moment.
“I can’t tell you how excited we all are. Finally, some new blood. Somebody with guts. Somebody who can get things done. The Commission was stale. Unethical. They refused to change and keep up with the times.” Tony looks at me wide-eyed. “Tell me you’ll take the position?”
“Is everyone here in agreement?” I ask.
All the capos nod.
“See, you got our full support,” Tony says.
“What about those loyal to Dominic?”
“Shit, nobody was loyal to Dominic. And if they were, they ain’t around now.” Tony grins.
It seemed that anyone who remained loyal to Dominic was killed while I was gone.
“I’ll think about it,” I say, then hand him the garment bag of weapons. I slip off my coat jacket and the tactical vest, revealing my bloody shirt.
Tony’s eyes bulge. “You okay, boss?”
“Just a scratch. Get the Doc over here for a little touch up.”
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m due for a honeymoon with my wife.” I push through the lobby to the elevators.
“I see, gotta clear it with the Mrs.,” Tony says.
The crowd of capos chuckle.
I make my way back to Sal’s apartment. The two guards are still standing outside the door—Cadillac Jack and Freddy Four Cents.
“Welcome back, boss,” Cadillac Jack says. “She’s safe and sound, just like you left her.”
“Will you be needing us anymore this evening, sir,” Freddy asks.
“No, that will be all,” I say.
The two men take off down the hall.
I knock on the door. “It’s me, baby. Let me in.”
Scarlett pulls open the door, and her eyes light up when she sees me. She flings her arms around me. I wince with pain as she squeezes tight. But I ignore the discomfort—she feels so good. Her touch overwhelms any agony. I feel her warm body against mine, and it’s heaven.
She sees the blood on my shirt, and her eyes grow wide. “Oh my God, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Her worried eyes gaze at me, skeptically. “What about Dominic?”
“Dead.”
I see a subtle glimmer of relief in her eye. “And the Commission?”
“There is no Commission.”
“No Commission?” Her eyes go wide. “Who’s going to take over?”
“I want to talk to you about that.”
“Don’t tell me they want you to take over the family?”
I nod.
“Are you?”
“How do you think that would work out—a mob boss married to an FBI agent?”
“Badly,” She says. “But I won’t try to change you if you don’t try to change me.”
“I have no intention of changing you. I think you’re perfect.” Her eyes sparkle and I feel emotion swirl inside of me. I pull her close and press my lips against hers. We melt into one another.
God I love this woman.
I kiss my wife deeply. A spark of passion ignites within me. My cock surges with a need only she can fulfill. We devour each other, and she moans with scorching desire. I pick her up and carry her into the bedroom—pain be damned.
I throw her down onto the bed. I peel my bloody shirt off and toss it aside. She sits up on the edge of the bed and grabs my waistband. She pulls me close, undoing my belt and unzipping my pants. My slacks fall down my thighs, pooling at my ankles. My wife looks up at me with hungry eyes. Then her full lips trace the outline of my cock over my cotton boxer briefs. Her hot breath on my skin sends tingles through my body.
She slips her delicate fingers into the elastic waistband. She pulls my underwear down over my hips. My cock springs free, almost smacking her in the face. She grabs my hips and pulls me close. Her satiny tongue circles the head of my cock, licking up a drop of my nectar. Then her plush lips encircle my shaft and she takes all of me deep into her throat. She strokes me with both hands as her lips work magic. Her tongue swirls around me. I can think of no better way to put a shitty day behind me.
I can’t believe that she is mine. That I can have her every day for the rest of my life.
I grab a fistful of her hair and tug her away from my throbbing cock. She looks up at me with doe-eyes and swollen wet lips, dripping with saliva. “I want inside of you.”
“I like the way you think,” she grins.
I push her back onto the bed. She’s wearing a white dress shirt, taken from Sal’s closet. I pull it apart, ripping the buttons. They scatter and roll across the hardwood floor. She’s still wearing the bikini underneath. I pull the string, and the fabric of her bottoms goes slack. I toss the dainty thing aside, and dive in between her thighs. Her skin is so smooth and fragrant. I tease her with my tongue until she can’t take it anymore. Then I plunge myself into her core. I suck and flick until she is at the brink of ecstasy—then I take her over the edge. She writhes and convulses in multiple waves. Her sweet juices flow. Her hands clutch the sheets tight, and she screams with joy. I feel her thighs tighten and contract. Then her delicate body quivers.
But I’m not done yet.
I slide up her body and kiss her plump lips. My thickness finds her wet center, and I part her velvety lips. She gasps as my shaft strokes deep into her eager pussy. It tightens, molding perfectly to my form. She was custom made to fit me.
She is mine, and I am hers. She is the sun, the moon, and the stars.
My hands find her supple breasts as I stroke in and out, fervently. I untie her bikini top and brush it aside. Her legs wrap around my waist, taking in all of me. Her body arches, and my mouth finds her breasts. My tongue circles her perky nipples. We move together in perfect harmony. Sweat coats our bodies. Our skin glides against each other. Passion consumes us.
I slam my length inside of her until she comes again. Scarlett cries out in bliss, and I explode inside of her. Her tight pussy milks every ounce from my erupting cock. I plant my seed deep in her womb. We collapse in each other’s arms.
I have never felt so complete as I do with her. I never thought I’d be capable of such love.
26
Ryker
I thought about walking away from the mob. I could have done it. All of my enemies were dead. I could have finally gotten out of that life. But Scarlett and I agreed that the power vacuum was to great. No telling who would step up to take control. And that could have been disastrous.
I took the job as boss of the Falco family. I can keep Scarlett, and this city, safer that way. The other families came under my control. Now, I am the most powerful gangster in history.
Under my leadership, I’ve optimized the organization. It has become a well oiled machine. Revenue is up, and violent crime is down. I’ve banned objectionable activities, and I’ve used my authority to move the organization in more legitimate directions. And we’ve become more profitable because of it.
Don’t get me wrong, every now and then, somebody has to get whacked. But the violence stays within the mob. No civilians. Ever. As a result, crime is at an all time low, and everybody is happy about that. Even the FBI.
Technically, I’ve done more to lower crime than their task force. Because of that, they leave me alone. We have an unspoken agreement. Still, I get a twinge of nervousness every time I walk into the field office to see Scarlett. But that’s not about to keep me away from my wife. I’m here so often, that nobody gives me odd looks anymore. The agents wave and smile and say hello. It’s all rather surreal.
I carry a big bouquet of red roses through the office. Scarlett’s eyes light up when she sees me. She pushes away from her desk and holds her round belly as she stands. She’s seven months pregnant. And we’re both excited and terrified at the same time.
She embraces me with a tight hug and kisses my lips. She takes the vase of flowers from me and sets them on her desk. Today is her last day of work before maternity leave.
Over the last several months, she was able to tie Veronica to Vic Falco’s murder via a DNA match on the blonde strands of hair found at the crime scene. Veronica is now serving a life term in a maximum security prison.
“These are beautiful,” Scarlett says. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to.” Then I pull a box of chocolates from behind my back.
“You definitely didn’t have to do this.”
I shrug. “I’ll eat them if you don’t want them,” I tease.
“I didn’t say that.”
She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me passionately. I feel my heart swell, and desire bloom.
“Careful, or your co-workers
might get the wrong impression.”
“What, that I absolutely adore my husband?” Her smile beams.
“Or that your husband absolutely adores you.” I smile back and slide my hand down to her belly. I can’t believe we’re having a child together. I’m so excited, I can barely contain myself. Neither of us know yet if we are having a boy or girl. We want to be surprised. Though it is the subject of endless debate and speculation.
I think it’s a boy.
I’m filled with joy and my heart is about to burst. I never thought I could feel such emotion. I never thought I would know true love. I hold Scarlett in my arms and bask in the wonderful future we have together.
I am the luckiest man alive.
The End
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please consider rating and reviewing on Amazon—a simple “Loved it,” or, “Hated it,” would be appreciated.
—Megyn
Want FREE Books?
Join my newsletter and I’ll let you know about FREE and NEW RELEASES. No spam. Ever. Just cool stuff.
Connect With Me
I’m a romance author. Secret agent. Troublemaker. Join my newsletter to keep up with my shenanigans--I mean, book releases. http://eepurl.com/bSYykX
@megynrileybooks
www.megynriley.com
