She woke. “Let go of me!” she yelled through her clamped teeth.
I kneeled level with her eyes. “What. The. Fuck. Are. You. Doing. Here?”
Her makeup-smeared face bent into darkness. The corners of her dark eyes lifted just as her smeared lips rose with sadistic satisfaction. “To hurt you.”
My fingers pressed against the warm flesh of her neck feeling her carotid artery pulse against the pad of my thumb. “How did you think this was gonna go?” The whites of her eyes reddened as my fingers tightened one by one. “You thought I’d let you hurt me?” A strangled gurgle came from her throat as she shook her head. “You think I’d let anyone touch what belongs to me?” Her eyes filled with the color of blood.
“Jax, can’t get anything if she’s dead.” I closed my eyes, held my breath, and slowly released my fingers.
She coughed and choked as a tear slid down her cheek. “It was never up to you or me. This world is a twisted bitch, Jax, and in the end we all die, even your precious Bella,” she spat.
My eyes locked on hers. “My Bella? What are you talking about?” My jaw tightened with rage.
Her eyes narrowed with just as much anger. “No, Jax, not your Bella, not anymore.” She coughed.
I stood there, focusing on the thump of her heart, rise and fall of her chest as the breath gushed from her lungs, the back and forth her eyes gave as she wondered what I would do to her.
“Not my Bella? Not anymore? Why the fuck are you speaking in cryptic bullshit?”
Her lungs filled with a harsh breath. “If you’re asking me this question, you’ve already lost her.”
“What do you know?”
Another smirk swept her mouth. “I know if you have to get information from me to save your sweet Bella, you’re as pathetic as I remember.”
I wanted to snap her neck, and as badly as my hands wanted to curl around her throat, I couldn’t do it. I turned my attention toward Victor. “Stay with her.” I nodded. “I’ll call you.” I pulled the door open to leave.
The plane would be ready to take off by the time I got there, but I needed to call Sal. He was the one I went to about Bella’s protection. Ultimately, if Dominic and Tony fucked up, Sal fucked up.
I pulled out my burner phone to call Sal, and the phone rung four times before finally answering. “Do not make me wait four fucking rings again.”
“Sorry, boss.”
“Where’s Bella?”
“Taking a bath.”
“Got some serious shit goin’ on right now. I want all hands on deck.”
“Yes, sir.”
“The plane’s leaving as soon as I get to the airport, and I’ll be in Chicago”—I dropped my eyes to my watch—“in a few hours.”
“Anything you need me to do?”
“Yeah, protect my wife with your life. That’s all I need you to do.” I jogged up the stairs. “Dominic and Tony stay with her every second, and make sure there isn’t a threat comin’ at her.”
“Got it.”
Why the fuck did I have to go over his job description? I sighed. “They’re probably already close, and I have no fucking clue what they want.”
“Boss?”
“The Russians.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll make you suffer if anything happens to her.”
“Boss, with all due respect, I’ve known Bella since we were kids, and I love her too.”
I closed my eyes tight. “I’m betting on that.” I disconnected the call and slipped the phone into my jacket.
When I reached the kitchen, Wyatt sat at the table. “We gotta go.”
He followed me to the office as I scrambled to get packed up, nothing incriminating just some things I needed. One thing of which was a picture of Bella I took everywhere. She didn’t travel with me much, and I liked keeping her close. “Boss, what’s going on?”
“That fucking bitch implied Bella’s in trouble.”
I knew why, and I needed to do everything in my power to stop it.
—Bella—
“You didn’t get to stay long,” Emily whined into the phone.
“Hey, we’ll catch up soon… okay?”
“Yes, baby shower!” she said cheerfully into the phone then made a choking sound.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, iced mocha down the wrong tube.” She coughed.
“Coffee? Since when do you drink coffee?”
“I haven’t been sleeping very well, and this new job is kicking my freakin’ ass. I’m thinkin’ ‘bout putting a hit on my jackass boss.”
“Emily! Don’t say that!” I scolded her. She’d always been so reckless with her choice of wording.
“I’m kidding, chill!” She yawned. “Anyway, when are you coming back to see me?”
I wasn’t going to, and I knew it. So I gave a fake reassuring lie, “Soon, I promise,” to make her feel better.
“Good! Now that’s all settled, tell me what that sexy beast is up to?”
“Who?” I laughed.
“Tony… what’s he up to?”
I shrugged. “Eating everything in the apartment. Geez, poor Alessandra had to shop every day last week to keep him fed.”
“Awe, how is she? I really like her, she’s so nice.”
“I know. She’s good, I think she’d probably go stir crazy if she couldn’t stay busy.”
“Yeah, I wish I could be there with you guys. The girls are always too busy to hang out. Mom and Dad have firmly stuck themselves into every facet of my life.”
I laughed. “Oh, it can’t be that bad.”
“Seriously? I was shaving my legs two nights ago, and my freakin’ dad let himself into my apartment. It’s bad, Bella.”
I stifled a laugh. “That is kinda bad.”
“He said there was a mugging two streets over so, of course, he thought the mugger went straight for my house to kill me. Can you believe that?”
I laughed again. “Oh, God.”
“Seriously, babe, you have no idea how overprotective he is; he’s borderline stalker.”
“I kinda do know what that feels like.”
“Oh yeah, sorry, forgot you were married to him.”
“Yeah,” I laughed again. “Can’t you come for a visit?”
“Wish I could, but the new boss insists I give him a month notice to take off of work.”
“Come this weekend. I’ll send the plane for you or maybe you can catch a ride with Jax.”
“He’s not there?”
“Nope, he’s in Detroit.”
I held the phone from my ear while Emily yelled at another driver. “Bastard! Who taught this twat how to drive?” She drew a breath. “Sorry, someone cut me off.”
“Yeah, got that.” I stood from the chair near the window when someone knocked on the bedroom door.
Tony and Sal were on the other side of the door wearing panicked expressions. “Hang up.”
“Uhh… I gotta go.”
“Okay, I love you.”
“Love you.” I disconnected the call as they pushed past me. “Excuse me, what’s going on?”
“The boss called, said we needed to keep a close eye on you,” Sal announced as he stomped toward the bedroom window peeking through the curtain.
“Is it serious?”
“Yeah,” Sal answered0 still watching out the window. “Stay away from the windows, don’t answer the door… the usual.” He let the curtain fall as he stepped away.
“Okay, where’s Jax?”
“On his way.”
“Must be something really big, if he’s coming home.” I rolled my eyes as I entered the closet. “Nothing I haven’t seen a million times.” I stepped out wearing my yoga pants and comfy sweatshirt. The two looked so stressed. “Relax, I’m sure everything’s fine.”
“Could be serious.”
“I grew up in this life; seriously I’m over it. Every day there’s another threat. Every day someone wants to hurt our family.” I rolled my eyes. I was over it
. “Let me know if anything happens,”
“Tony stays with you.”
I pinned a stare to Sal. “Do me a favor, Sal, stop acting like I work for you.”
“What’s your problem?”
I rolled my yoga mat onto the floor. “My problem is you always talk to me like I’m a child. I don’t like it.” I stepped onto the mat.
“Stop acting like a child, and I’ll stop treating you like one.”
“Seriously? When my father was alive you got away with that. But you know nothing about how I feel or what I go through. You’re all high and mighty, think you always know best, but you don’t.”
“This is what I’m talking about, Bella. You’re goin’ off on me for no reason.”
I rolled my eyes as I bent down into a stretch. “And Dominic gets to do what?”
“He’s outside your bedroom door.” Sal lifted his brow. “Listen, don’t try any brave bullshit, but if something happens, I want you to have this.” He reached into his brown leather holster and pulled out a black gun. He pulled the slide back and checked all facets of it before handing it over to me. “Don’t shoot anyone unless you have to.” He narrowed his eyes.
“In other words, don’t shoot us.” Tony laughed.
“Serious enough”—I held the gun in my hands staring at him—"that I need a gun?” I questioned.
“That serious, Bella.”
“Do I have to carry it everywhere?”
“Nah, just keep it close.”
I nodded nervously. “Okay.” It wasn’t the gun itself that made me nervous. I’d shot a gun, held one many times; even killed someone. But he handed it over freely; that likely meant this threat could get past my three guards, and that had my pulse jumping. I padded to my nightstand drawer and slipped the cold metal inside. “I’m just gonna...” I pointed to the mat ignoring them further as I bent down and lay on my stomach.
I closed my eyes as I leaned into a stretch. I breathed deeply, relaxing into my pose, as I began to tense thinking of all the ridiculous shit I’d had to deal with over the last year. I breathed once again needing to relax before I pulled something. I was literally a prisoner every single day. Hell, I couldn’t even volunteer. My friends weren’t my friends—Russians, guns, feds—hadn’t seen them for a while, but they were there watching and waiting till they had something that would stick—bastards. Yes, I was born into this life. Yes, I was used to it, but I didn’t ask for it. And I didn’t like it.
I climbed into downward dog, wondering if Jax would consider running away with me, starting a new life somewhere. Being boss couldn’t possibly be more important than Ennio and me. Maybe he’d see that it was a good idea, if I mentioned it. Maybe I would just mention it to him, feel him out.
I breathed harshly, blowing out the negative and sucking in the positive as I finished. I’d closed my eyes the entire workout just wanting to be somewhere else, but once I’d opened them and saw my guard, I was reminded my life was in danger.
I rolled my mat up and slid it under the bed. “So much for relaxing.”
“Huh?” Tony asked from the chair across the room.
“Nothing. I’m gonna take a shower.”
“I thought you just took a bath.”
I turned to Tony, feeling my face heat. “No, I was going to, but Emily called. I talked with her for an hour before I was interrupted.
He sighed. “Sorry,” he offered.
“It’s okay, just doing your job.” I watched the light beam through the window before I finally turned to the bathroom and slammed the door.
—Jax—
I stared down at the red flowers I’d gotten for Bella. I didn’t want to take the much-needed time to stop, but she deserved it. I knew she was safe at the penthouse. She didn’t deserve this life and all that shit with Rebecca; fuck—she didn’t need to see all of that. But she did, and now I’d have to make her see reason for whatever came next. Bella wasn’t your average wife; she came with strength I didn’t understand. She wanted to stand by my side no matter what, but this life wasn’t for a woman. She couldn’t handle everything it took to be the man I had to be. I made decisions every single day that were gonna send me to Hell no matter what I did to repent. I knew my fate in the end; I’d likely die and be thrown in the river or end up in a wood chipper and fed to someone’s dog. If I was lucky, she wouldn’t be anywhere near me when that happened, but the way she was always getting into my business would land her in the grave next to mine. I had to admit, there was nothin’ in the world that scared me more than losing her. And what scared me more than that… was that I saw it coming.
Wyatt drove into the garage and parked the car near the elevator. I grabbed my bag and flowers as I stepped out of the SUV. He watched the area, ready for whatever.
My phone rang as we stepped inside the small space, and after passing my bag to Wyatt I pulled it from my pocket seeing it was Chase.
“Yeah?”
“I’m at the house.”
“Okay, tell Adam to stay with Mom and Pops.”
“That bad?”
The elevator door opened. “I don’t wanna take any chances.”
He cleared his throat. “Got it.”
As the door began closing, an arm reached inside. Wyatt, of course, reached for his gun.
“Hi, Jax.” Mr. Dexter greeted. “You don’t mind sharing a ride do you?” He smiled, pulling his wife at his side.
“Of course not.” I smiled back at him. The older couple had lived in the towers for a while, just four floors below Bella and me.
“It’s terribly hot this summer,” Mr. Dexter said.
His wife patted his arm. “And dry, dear, don’t forget dry.”
I grinned. “How long have you two been married?”
“Fifty-two wonderful years,” Mr. Dexter answered.
“Oh, John, Fifty-two long years.” She rolled her eyes.
I chuckled under my breath. “What advice can you offer a newbie like me?”
“Well…” she drew in a breath, “life isn’t perfect, but always remember to listen to each other,” she answered.
“What she’s trying to say is the woman is always right.” He shook his finger at me.
“Oh stop it, John.” She shook her head. “He’s such a romantic,” she continued with another eye roll.
I smiled as I watched them banter back and forth.
“Just love and respect one another, and you’ll build a lifetime of love and happiness.”
“That simple, huh?”
They laughed, shaking their heads. “Oh no, but you’ll find what works best for your relationship and you’ll go with it.” She smiled.
“Hmm.” I clung to the roses.
“And the roses are always nice too, but remember to embrace each other.” She shrugged into her husband. “Sometimes a lady likes to be held; after all, roses die.”
Mr. Dexter wrapped his arms around his wife as the elevator door opened, and the two stepped out. “Good luck.” They smiled and waved.
We continued four more floors and exited to the penthouse seeing that my guard was at the door.
“Mr. Moretti.” He nodded, offering his respect.
“Everything good?”
“Yes, sir, it’s been quiet around here.”
I nodded “Good,” and entered through the front door. The penthouse was, as he’d said, quiet. “Anyone here?” I asked as I peered through the entrance.
“Ah, you’re home!” Alessandra greeted, wearing an apron. “You need to go see your wife.” She eyed me. “Then the both of you come down for dinner.” She pushed me to the stairs. “She’s missed you something terrible.”
“Yeah?”
“Go!”
“Get with Sal if you need to leave.”
“Oh, I’ll take that.” I stepped off the first step and took my bag from Wyatt. When I reached the top, I saw that Dominic was waiting at the bedroom entrance.
“Boss.” He lifted his chin.
I nodded and
opened the door seeing Tony, but no Bella. “Where is she?”
He pointed toward the bathroom door. “She’s been in there awhile.”
“She okay?”
“She’s just…” He eyed me.
“Say it.”
He clasped his hands to his front. “She’s just tired of it. This isn’t for her.”
I watched him for a moment before opening the door and slipping inside. She lay in the Jacuzzi tub sleeping with her iPods in her ears. Bubbles thinned out across the top of the water leaving it easy to see her naked body: her breasts, toned legs, curvy hips. All I wanted to do was slip into the tub with her.
I hadn’t seen her for five days, and that was too long to be without her by my side. I bent to my knees and leaned in to kiss her sweet, full lips. She stirred in the water, but didn’t open her eyes. I lifted her hand and traced my tongue across the wet flesh. Her eyes opened then, and a smile curved onto her lips. “Hi.”
Her mouth lifted into a wide smile. “Hi.”
I reached for the flowers and lifted them to her. “Peace offering.”
Her smile faded for a moment. “They’re pretty.” Before her eyes reached me once again. “But you’re the only peace offering I need, Jax.” She reached for my face and pulled me to her lips. “I missed you so much.” Our tongues swept into the other’s mouth. “Tell Tony to get out.”
I stood and removed my jacket as I approached the door. Tony still sat near the window. “You’re dismissed; you and Dominic wait at the end of the hall. I’ll call if I need ya.”
He nodded and left the room.
I unbuttoned my shirt as I walked across the suite to lock the door, seeing the hole I’d left. I was quickly reminded of what had happened over the last week, something I wanted to forget. I drew in a deep breath while untucking my shirt.
Bella opened the door wearing only a towel around her drenched body. Her hair dripped around her shoulders. “Care to dry me off?”
I unclasped my cufflinks in the ten steps it took to reach her wet body. “Maybe I like you better wet.” I reached for her shoulders and grazed my knuckles across her flesh.
She shivered under my touch. “I swear to God, Jax.”
I blinked not recognizing the look on her face. I wasn’t clear if it was sadness, anger, or lust. “Baby?”
Bella: The Ending: A Sagatori Family Saga Page 4
