What's Your Price?

by Sam Crescent

  Gabe pressed her up against the nearest tree. He grabbed her arms and held them above her head. His cock thrust against her stomach. “I do want to fuck you, Laura, but I want so much more.”

  “Then why are you being so difficult?” she asked.

  “You don’t want to hear everything straight away, Laura. Some things have to be earned.”

  He let go of her hands and pressed a kiss to her nose.

  She stepped away from the tree at the same time as him.

  “Are you trying to—”

  “Get down!”

  Gunshots rang out a second before Laura was thrown to the ground. Screaming erupted and Gabe covered her body. She pressed her hands to her ears. She glanced left and right. Gabe got up, and she saw he held a gun in his hand and he was firing at someone.

  Her entire body shook.

  It seemed to go on forever.

  Even as her ears rang, the gunshots ceased and then Gabe was by her side. He grabbed her arm. “We’ve got to go.”

  She didn’t fight him as he pulled her across the park.

  “What about the others?” she asked.

  “They can be dealt with later.”

  “Gabe, what’s going on?”

  He marched her back to where their car was parked. He pushed her into the backseat and then the guy she’d come to realize was Felipe sat in the driver’s seat.

  “Take her back to my place.”

  “Wait, Gabe. I don’t like this.” She tried to roll the window down. Felipe pulled away and she looked back behind her toward Gabe. The sound of sirens filled the air. Her heart raced. “What is going on?”

  Felipe said nothing.

  Her questions fell on deaf ears. She kept on looking back, trying to make sense of what had just happened, but nothing.

  They’d been shot at in the park.

  She held her hands out in front of her and saw how much they shook. Fear ran down her spine and she struggled to focus.

  “Will he be okay?” She slapped the chair. “Answer me. Will Gabe be okay?”

  “He will be more than fine. He has men who will do anything to protect him.”

  “Really? Like take a bullet?”

  Felipe didn’t say anything else.

  Clenching her hands into fists, she tried to remain calm, but it wasn’t going to happen. They were shot at while walking in a park. The way Gabe reacted suggested he was used to it.

  She ran her hands over her face, trying to clear the fog from her brain, but it wasn’t working. If Gabe was in danger, she wanted to be there to help him.

  Felipe arrived at Gabe’s apartment building.

  “I want to go home.”

  “Miss, if I take you home, it’ll be my head. Mr. Moore gave me an instruction. Please, don’t be difficult.”

  She could leave or run, but she had a feeling Felipe wouldn’t let her.

  After climbing out of the car, she followed him to the waiting elevator.

  He stood in front of her, keeping her close. His hand was perched inside his jacket, letting her know that at a moment’s notice, he could shoot anyone he believed to be a threat.

  ****

  Screams filled the warehouse.

  Deathly silence followed as Gabe stared at the man he’d just tortured. The mafia didn’t like how he controlled his own turf. Today, they’d tried to make a show of force, and well, he was one man down, while they were six men down. This one he’d just taken, a capo. One of the soldiers had given away his location.

  He tapped the dead man’s head.

  “I want the head cut off, put in a box, and mailed to the Boss with the message that if any mafia scum enter my territory again, this is what will happen. I don’t care.” He stepped back and wiped the blood from his fingers.

  He didn’t have a change of clothes.

  “Felipe called,” Andrew said. “She’s at the penthouse, but she’s not happy.”

  Gabe nodded. Going out with her, being seen with her, had always been a risk. In his world, no woman had ever lasted more than a couple of fucks. Laura was already different, and his enemies were sniffing around her.

  He had a leak somewhere, and he’d find it.

  With how accurate the mafia men were today, he had a feeling it was one of his closest men. It wouldn’t take him long to find the mole. Once he did, he’d make an example of him. Men could be easily turned. Money, position, power, they were all relevant.

  As he looked at his men, his suspicions rose. The only man he trusted was Felipe. The man had sworn his loyalty to him. They were more than employer-employee. They were brothers. They’d found each other on the street. Felipe had been kicked to the gutter as well.

  The only person he’d trust with his woman beside himself was Felipe.

  Pulling on his jacket, he left the warehouse. Whatever happened now, he was ready. The only problem he now had was Laura. She was known to belong to him. His enemies would try to take her, to use her. He had to protect her the best way he knew how, by keeping her close.

  Rather than be repulsed or angered by the thought, he was happy.

  He climbed into the back of his car and watched the city move on by as he made the journey back to his penthouse. Felipe stood outside. He stared at the door but had his gun raised as he approached. “You’re safe?”

  “Yes.”

  He quickly filled his man with the details of what went down.

  “I need you to get some sleep.”

  “No. Not while we can’t trust those bastards,” Felipe said.

  “I can take care of myself from here, but I need you to be ready. They’re going to attack again. It’s only a matter of time. I won’t have anything happen to you.” He shook Felipe’s hand.

  Besides Laura, Felipe was the only other person he cared about.

  Felipe nodded at him and turned to leave.

  Squaring his shoulders, he entered his apartment and put the necessary locks in place. Anyone who tried to get in would set off plenty of alarms. There was no easy way into his penthouse.

  “Felipe?” Laura asked, coming around the corner. “Gabe!” She rushed toward him and stopped when she caught sight of the blood he was covered in. “What the hell happened? Are you hurt? Is this your blood?”

  “No, it’s not my blood. I’m fine.” He took a step toward her, and she stayed perfectly still, not moving an inch.

  “I’ve been so worried.”

  He didn’t expect her to throw herself into his arms, closing the distance between them. He held on to her, pressing a kiss to her head.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Is that, like, normal for you?” she asked.

  Gabe cupped her face and tilted her head back to look at him. “I need to know if you’re in this with me.”

  “What?”

  “This is beyond fucking now, Laura. You’ve been seen with me. They know who you are and what you mean to me.”

  “But I don’t understand. I don’t mean anything to you.” She nibbled on her lip. I’m nothing. I’m no one, Gabe.”

  “You are.”

  She shook her head, and he pressed his lips against hers.

  “You are someone. You’re mine.”

  “You’re saying that right now because I’m with you, my life is in danger?”

  “Your life is in danger anyway.”

  “I don’t want to hear this,” she said.

  “But you have to. I don’t want anything to happen to you. They know who you are, and if they don’t right now, they will soon. I’m not willing to give you up. You like me. You enjoy spending time with me or you wouldn’t be trying to encourage me to eat shitty hot dogs.”

  She laughed.

  “I’m not promising you an easy life. I’m not going to force you to do something you don’t want to do, but if you decide to walk away from me, I’ll try to do everything in my power to keep you safe.”

  “So my choices are, stay with you or take a chance on my own and risk dying?”

  “Yes
.”

  She pulled away from him and wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t know what the hell to do.” She rubbed at her temple.

  “You need to do what feels right to you.”

  She shrugged. “I hated today. Driving away from you. I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

  “I’m not a good man, Laura. Anything that happens, I deserve.”

  “But you’ve been a good man to me.” She bit her lip. “Don’t you see that?”

  “And I’ve also put you in danger.”

  She held her hand up. “Wait. Just wait. Do you want me to stay?” she asked. “That’s all I need to know.”

  “Do you want to stay?”

  Laura stomped her foot. “You answer my question first. Do you want me to stay?”

  He stared at her.

  Neither of them spoke.

  She looked away and closed her eyes.

  “Yes,” he said. “I want you to stay. But I want to know if you want to stay.”

  She nodded her head. “Yes, I want to stay.”

  “Why was that so hard?”

  She chuckled. “I don’t know.” She covered her face with her hands. “This is all so confusing.” She looked down his body. “You really need to take a shower.”

  He nodded.

  “Is the man … dead?”

  “Yes. I’ve been having a few troubles with the mafia trying to encroach on my turf. I don’t like it. They know the rules.”

  “The mafia?”

  He raised his brow.

  “Okay, okay, so the mafia exists. I kind of should have known that one.” She nodded. “So, what do we do from here?”

  “You need to give up your apartment.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Will you be willing to allow me to have my books here?”

  “I’ll call my men and have your apartment empty within the hour.”

  “Wow. This is moving really fast.”

  “I’m trying to take care of you.”

  “It’s all new to me.” She took a deep breath. “Don’t you want to shower?”

  “You’ve got to come with me.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t want you running.”

  “Oh, come on. You think I’m going to run?”

  He folded his arms.

  “This is ridiculous.”

  “I don’t know if it is or not. I need you to come with me.”

  “This is turning into the strangest week of my life,” she said.

  “You should have taken the vacation.”

  She burst out laughing, already several steps ahead of him. He admired the curves of her ass.

  “Wait. Was there anyone else killed?” she asked.

  “No. There were no other casualties. I lost a guy, and the mafia, all of their men died.” He watched her, waiting for her to break. She didn’t.

  “And you didn’t get hurt?”

  “I’m safe and sound, babe. Did you think they could get me that easily?”

  “Gabe, there were guns and lots of shots.”

  “I only cared about getting you to safety.”

  “I’m safe.”

  “That’s all that matters.”

  She stepped into the bathroom and went to the shower, turning it on.

  He unbuttoned his shirt and stripped out of the rest of his clothes. Once naked, he stepped into the water, his gaze staying focused on her. The water in the shower basin turned red as it trickled down the drain.

  “Do you want to come in?” he asked once the water ran clear.

  She didn’t say anything but removed her clothes. He held his hand out and she took it, stepping beneath the spray.

  He pulled her close and slammed his lips down on hers. She wrapped her arms around him.

  “I hope you don’t regret this.”

  “I won’t. I don’t make decisions I regret.” He sank his fingers into her hair. “I can’t promise you sweetness and romance.”

  “I don’t care what you can offer. All I want is you.” She silenced anything else he was going to say with a kiss.

  He ran his hands down to her ass to hold her close. She’d sealed her fate with him. He wasn’t ever going to let her go.

  Chapter Eight

  “I worry about you,” Charlotte said.

  “There’s nothing to worry about. I promise. You know me. I can take care of myself.” Laura smiled at the older woman. She’d been living with Gabe for three weeks. On several occasions, he’d tried to get her to quit both of her jobs, but she refused.

  “That is taking care of yourself?” she asked, pointing toward the guard, Derek, in the corner.

  “He’s no one.”

  “Honey, you’re delusional if you think I don’t know who that is,” she said. “You think I haven’t heard the name Gabe Moore spoken about around here? I have.”

  “He’s not that bad.”

  “He’s not bad to look at, but you and I both know if you’ve got guards, then it can only mean one thing. He’s bad news.”

  Laura rubbed at her temple. “Do you want me to quit? Are you uncomfortable with him being here?”

  “I don’t care. He’s eye candy, all right. My main concern is you. You’re far too trusting.”

  This made Laura burst out laughing. “You think I’m too trusting? It took you months to find out anything about me.”

  “So, you hold a lot of things back, but that doesn’t mean a part of you isn’t weak. I earned that trust. What has that man done?” she asked.

  “Gabe has … he’s done a lot.”

  “There’s more to life than just sex.”

  This time, she did roll her eyes. “Please, stop. I don’t think I can talk about sex with you.”

  “You think I haven’t had my share of sex? I’ve had plenty of men, believe me. It’s why I was able to spot a good man over a bad one.”

  Laura put down her towel and turned to her friend and boss. “Okay then, if you’re so good at spotting people and their personalities. Tell me, is Gabe a good man?”

  Charlotte sighed. “It’s not going to make a difference what I say.”

  “But it means a lot to me.” She walked up to Charlotte and wrapped her arms around her. “You know I consider you my only friend. I love you so much.”

  “Honey, you’re going to make me cry. It’s pitiful that your only friend is an old lady.”

  “Stop it. You’re not that old.” She kissed Charlotte on the cheek. “Please, tell me.”

  Charlotte turned toward her. “I think Gabe is a bad man. He does a lot of bad things. I’ve heard the rumors. Seen the news. I know what I’m talking about.”

  “You think I should break it off?” She refused to tell Charlotte about the warning Gabe had given her. It was intense to even think about.

  “That’s the thing, Laura. He’s all of these things, and yet he has men staying to protect you. That means something. If he cares about you, then I’m happy for you.”

  Laura paused. “That doesn’t actually answer my question.”

  “Some things are not about being good or bad. You can have bad men do good things, just as you can have good men do bad things. My opinion, when it comes to Gabe, how does he make you feel?”

  Laura stared down at her hands, thinking about her feelings for Gabe. “He … he makes me feel alive.”

  Charlotte smiled. “Then that, my sweetheart, is all you need.” She tapped her on the cheek. “And you can work here for as long as you’d like to. You know me. I love the company.”

  She hugged her friend tightly before helping her clean up for the night. Derek waited in the car to take her home.

  When she arrived at the penthouse suite, Felipe waited outside like always. She smiled at him. He returned a slight tilt to the lips, but that was all. The man wasn’t known for his social niceties.

  She entered the apartment to hearing Gabe laugh.

  “You think you can bargain with me? This is my city. You want to start a war, I�
��ll bring it right to your doorstep, but it will be your blood soaking the streets, not mine.”

  Laura removed her jacket and looked toward him as he ended the call. “Bad day at the office?”

  “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

  “It’s fine. It’s not every single day a girl hears her man threaten someone.”

  Gabe walked toward her. He cupped her face and pulled her in close. “Have I ever told you how hard you make me?” He took her hand, placing it on his erect cock.

  “This morning. Did you go and get groceries?” She let go of his cock and made her way into the kitchen.

  “Are you pissed at me or something?”

  “No, why would I be pissed?”

  “You’re not on your knees sucking my dick?”

  She giggled. “I’m hungry. It’s late and I’ll eat you later.” She pressed a hand to his chest. “Besides, you need to cool down. You look ready to hit something.”

  Gabe pulled away. “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

  “Hell no. What makes you think that?” She opened the fridge and pulled out the leftover lasagna she made the night before.

  She smiled as she caught sight of all the new vegetables and fresh salad ingredients that filled the fridge. When she’d asked him to get them, he’d been adamant he didn’t shop. She didn’t care how they got there, only that they did.

  Spinning around, she cupped his face and kissed him. “Thank you.”

  “So, that blowjob?”

  “Soon.” She kissed the tip of his nose and rubbed his cock. “Talk to me, Gabe.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “How was your day? Aside from the cursing and hatred, and declaring war and stuff like that.”

  Gabe took a seat at the counter as she pre-heated the oven. She often hated using a microwave. Everything tasted better in the oven, to her at least.

  “It was productive.” He reached into his jacket pocket. “I’ve picked out an evening gown for you as we’ve been invited to a charity gala.”

  She put the salad ingredients on the counter and took the invite, reading over it.

  “Why are you getting invited to events like this? No offense.”

  “I’m a businessman.”

  “You’re a crime lord? A gang man?” She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know what to call you.”