Dangerous Indulgence

by Roxy Sinclaire

  Tilly gazed up at me. “Your sister knows Collins?”

  I nodded my head. “I’m afraid she does. She just barely made it out. I don’t know if she is ever going to be the same because of it. I’m trying to make that son of a bitch pay for what he has done.”

  Tilly sucked in a breath, puffing out her chest and looking less like the frail creature I’d met just moments before. “If it will bring him down, then I will tell you everything I know.”

  It’s A Trap

  Peyton

  “I was supposed to go to Michael Antanov as a birthday gift from the wife. Those rich Irish mob bosses are all the same. If you keep the wives happy, they play the part,” said Tilly as she slumped down to the step of the porch. “I was a virgin—a real delicacy, and the missus wanted to make sure I stayed that way until the boss’s birthday, so she stuck me in a house with a couple of his guards.” Tilly spat off the porch before continuing. “She knew they wouldn’t touch me, not with her husband being who he was.”

  “Well, a few days go by, and I see Collins pulling up with a pretty little redhead. I knew from looking at her that she wasn’t like me. She was there for the pleasure, not the payment.”

  “So Collins is a whore. We already knew this,” I interjected. “I don’t mean to be rude, but can we hurry this up?”

  At my scolding, the girl turned again into a meek creature. Her posture straightened and she stopped chewing the gum in her mouth like a horse. She might have been a virgin at one point, but now it was easy to see the call-girl inside her when she let her guard down. I didn’t like to be harsh with her or anyone else when it wasn’t called for, but I was running out of time. Every second that I was away from Rosa, the danger grew.

  “I thought she was just another girl, too, until his men started coming in with others like her. Some of them weren’t as willing.”

  That made me stiffen. “He was taking more girls forcefully?”

  “Well, now, that’s what I thought at first, but that night, I went snooping. The men who were supposed to be watching me got caught up in some drugs Collins had brought. They didn’t give two shits about their boss’s birthday gift. There were six of them in all. Collins, three of his men, and my two guards. The girls—there were three—weren’t panicked and scared. They were just as high as the men were. I saw them dancing and grinding on each other for a while before a new fella came in.”

  “The party seemed to die down when he showed up. I had to slip behind the door just to keep from being seen then. Collins sat down across from him and started talking about money and trading favors. I was starting to get bored. I don’t care about none of that stuff. Like Miss Sherwood says, ‘they pay us well to shut up and lie there.’ So, I was about to flitter on out of there when I heard one of my guards whispering to the other. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that conversation. Hearing something like that gets you shot dead in a heartbeat.”

  “Well?” I asked, waiting on the edge of my seat.

  “Collins had gotten high while he was out on a date with Skorvol’s daughter. He brought her back to the house because he knew her father would have men watching his place, and when she didn’t comply, he threatened her, but I guess she wouldn’t back down. Told him she would go to her father if he didn’t let her go. All that did was fire him up more. He had his goons gather up her best friends too—just so happens that’s Antanov’s and McLaughen’s girls.”

  I shook my head. “That stupid son of a bitch.”

  “Pretty much. Fool didn’t even know who they were until one of his men said something. By then, he was so far gone that it didn’t matter. He dragged them back to the bedroom one by one, and when he was done, he paid off each of the men. They worked for the different bosses.” She shuddered at the memory. “Every one of them traded the girls they were supposed to take care of for a payoff and some drugs. It was horrible. I never want to see something like that again.”

  I couldn’t speak or move as I leaned back against the chair. If what she was telling me was true, this was what I needed to bring Collins down. If his abusive ways went toward their own daughters, he was a dead man walking. I couldn’t let myself go in the excitement. It was still one hooker’s word against that of Collins’s, who was next in line to take over the southern territory.

  “So, what happened to you?” I asked. “It must have been shit to watch, but a girl like yourself doesn’t start shaking just because she’s seen something.”

  “No, you are right,” she said with a shudder. “Once the men got bored with the money and drugs, they wanted a little something that wasn’t forbidden fruit like the other girls. They came looking for me.”

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “To go through that must have been terrible.”

  Tilly shrugged. “I’m no saint. It wasn’t Collins who did the most damage. No, that came from the boss’s wife when she found out I was spoiled.”

  I didn’t want to push the subject any further. Whatever had happened to her had caused enough damage. The last thing she needed was my asking questions. I needed to keep a steady head on my shoulders. “This is a great story, but that’s all it is—just a story—and while I appreciate the lead, I need to get going.”

  She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “The bosses—you know, the ones you call the elders? They treat us ladies good. We don’t cross them and they know that. So what do they care if we have our phones and contact with the outside world? It’s a good arrangement we have.”

  “What are you saying?”

  Tilly grinned. “I’ve got more than just my word. I’ve got pictures to back it up.”

  I swallowed hard, trying to shake loose the fear that was stemming from my gut. This wasn’t who I was. I didn’t like being the center of attention. There was a reason I was the outside man. Politics and temperamental old men never did suit me. Yet there I stood in front of the three bosses of the Irish mafia. They ran everything that happened in the United States. They only answered to one man, and he was still back in the homeland.

  The man in the middle looked like he stopped shopping in the sixties. His large gut hung out of a brightly colored shirt. He was the one I needed to talk to, McLaughen. The other two, the brothers, didn’t hold half the power that he had. I bowed my head in a sign of respect.

  “All right, Peyton, tell us what is so important that you would pull us away from Sunday dinner.”

  “I’m sorry to have disturbed you, McLaughen. The information that I have couldn’t wait. For the past three years, I have spent countless dollars and man-hours tracking down an old vendetta of Collins’s.”

  “Yes, we’ve heard of his obsession, but what is one obsession when he brings in such revenue?”

  “One obsession?” I asked. “And what if I were to tell you it went far deeper than that? He has been bribing your men and doing unthinkable things to your own daughters.”

  All three of them stopped fidgeting and gave me their full attention for the first time. An Irishman’s daughter was his pride and joy, even though theirs had seen more than their fair share of men. It was an unspoken law among our kind—you never mess with the boss’s daughter. Collins hadn’t just broken that rule. He’d done so and been caught.

  “An accusation like that will cost you your head, Peyton,” hissed McLaughen.

  “Only if it weren’t true. In which case, I would ask for my freedom and that of those wronged by Collins. Too many have suffered because of his malicious ways.”

  McLaughen leaned forward, the gun in his belt gleaming in the light. I knew that I was taking a gamble with my own life, but I’d run out of time. I had given Rosa my word that I would be back in a day, but it was going on three. She was no doubt furious with me since I hadn’t called, but Kane assured me every hour that she was fine. Restless, but fine. I reached into my coat pocket, and every hand in the room reached for a gun. Carefully, I pulled out the envelope with the pictures.

  “I told you when I first came in, that I’m not he
re to cause trouble,” I said carefully.

  I slid the pictures out and let them slide across the table to the three elders. There were no more words needed. I watched their faces shift from shock to rage, just as mine had when I discovered what a monster Collins really was. When I’d looked into the eyes of my own dear Shannon and seen the injustice.

  McLaughen looked up after several minutes. “You have your freedom and that of the others. I suggest you use it wisely. You can leave this little problem to us to handle. I suggest you go back to your woman and sister. Give our best to Kane. It’s a shame to see him go.”

  I grinned. Of course they were keeping tabs on me. I nodded toward him once again. “Thank you, sir. It’s been a pleasure working for the family.”

  No Choice

  Rosa

  “So, you haven’t heard from him?” I asked Kane for what felt like the tenth time.

  “No,” he said softly. “I sent him updates every hour or so, but that’s it. I know that he was trying to track down a lead on Collins but not much more.”

  “Then how the hell do you even know that he is alive, Kane?” I shot at him. “What is wrong with all of you? You have men tailing me every second of the day but you can’t find the freaking ringleader of this damn circus?”

  “Rosa!” he said in shock.

  I was tired of being kept in the dark, and every day, my worry grew stronger. My emotions seemed to bounce all over the place at the drop of a pin. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I needed to keep my voice down. Things around here were already shaky. I didn’t want to rock the boat anymore. The last thing I needed was for Peyton’s men to come bursting in because they heard me yelling.

  “Just hang in there, Rosa.”

  I huffed. “You know, you might blindly follow him, but I sure as hell don’t. This is my life, not yours or Peyton’s.”

  “Don’t be like that. I’ve heard him talk about you. He’s head over heels for you.”

  “I don’t care,” I hissed back before hanging up the phone.

  I couldn’t deal with him anymore. I was supposed to be out in front. Once again, Mary was stepping in to pick up the slack. I hated feeling like a failure, but Peyton had my emotions on edge. I shoved my hair back out of my face and took a deep breath. The butterflies in my stomach hadn’t stopped all day and it was making me feel queasy. I steadied myself as I pushed through the door and smiled at Mary.

  “You are looking a little green around the edges. Are you okay?” she whispered.

  I nodded, but I wasn’t sure. “I don’t know. I just feel dizzy all of a sudden.”

  “Here,” she said. “You need to sit down.”

  I took her advice, thankful that the lunch rush was coming to an end. Mary went back to the register. My mind started to race as I thought back a few weeks. Had it really been that long? I started to panic as I grabbed my purse and got Mary’s attention.

  “I need to get out of here,” I whispered to her.

  “Okay. Is everything okay?”

  I nodded but said nothing as I slipped out the door. Just as I passed into the alley, my stomach churned and I doubled over with nausea. I managed to find my way to my car and sat in silence for a few seconds before driving to the nearest drug store. When I made it back to my house, I didn’t even pause to watch whether my tails were still there. Running into the house, I headed straight for the bathroom. The next few minutes could determine the rest of my life.

  I waited impatiently for three minutes before looking down at the pregnancy test in my shaking hand. My heart was racing, and suddenly, it all made sense as I looked down at the two lines.

  “Oh, shit,” I muttered. “I’m pregnant.”

  “Hey, don’t worry about it. We have time to figure this out,” Mary whispered.

  She’d closed the bakery and come right over when I sent the test results. Making customers happy was the last thing on my mind at that moment, and I needed a friendly ear.

  “What am I going to do?”

  “When was the last time you heard from him?”

  I shrugged. “A few days ago. It’s not about that. I know that he would help me if he found out. I just don’t know that I want that.”

  “Why not? He seems like a nice enough guy,” she muttered.

  “Can we just not talk about him right now? What am I going to do? I’m not ready to have a kid.”

  “What are you talking about?” she asked. “You are going to be an amazing mother. You take care of everyone who needs help.”

  “Great,” I whispered. “Listen, I need to make a few phone calls. Thank you for checking on me, but I think I just want to be alone for a while.”

  “Okay. Call me if you need anything,” she said as she leaned down and kissed me on the forehead.

  I closed the door behind her and went to the couch before I curled up. What was I going to do? I needed to talk to Peyton, but it had been days since I’d heard from him. I dialed his number but it went straight to voicemail. Kane was a little more willing to answer his phone. Even though I wanted Peyton, Kane was a familiar voice with good news, and it was great to hear something positive for a change.

  “How is Shannon today?” I asked optimistically.

  Kane chuckled. “She is coming out of her shell. It’s like she’s a new person compared to how she was forty-eight hours ago. Every minute that she is away from Collins, she remembers bits of her life before him.”

  “That’s so good to hear. Do you know when she will be able to go out?” I asked hopefully. I could really use someone from my past right about now. Shannon would be a wonderful aunt if we could get her out of the hold that Collins had on her.

  “We are actually going out for coffee here in a few minutes. She still doesn’t remember much before Collins, but she is trying. Every once in a while, she will slip back into the world that she was locked in for so long. Still, I’m hopeful that before long, she will make a full recovery. She’s been asking about you, Rosa. Brandi was one of the first people she started to recall. She was worried about you and remembers when you left. She really wants to see you. Do you want to meet us for coffee?”

  “No,” I whispered. “I just want to be alone right now. Have you still not heard from him?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m sure everything is okay. Sometimes, these things just take a while. It will be okay. Do you have everything you need? The boys said that you closed down the shop early.”

  “Yeah,” I stammered. “I guess I just needed to take a break, and I hate counting on other people to run it for me.”

  “Well, the offer is there if you want to join us. Shannon would love it.”

  “It sounds like you’ve got it covered. Thanks for everything, Kane,” I said again. “Shannon is dealing with a lot, and going out is just the first step. I will try and get over there at some point, but no promises. I have can’t wait to see her, but I want her to heal first.”

  “Well, I am here anytime you need me. Hang in there. Peyton will get ahold of you soon enough, I’m sure. If I hear from him, I’ll give you a call.”

  “It’s okay, don’t bother. I know that he is busy. I’m grateful for everything that he’s done, but I need to get on with my life.”

  “You don’t mean that,” he stammered.

  “I think I do. I love Peyton, but I need some peace in my life. I won’t get that if I always have to look over my shoulder. Just tell him to get ahold of me when he can. This isn’t really something we can talk about over the phone.”

  “All right, but you’re freaking me out. Are you sure there is nothing that I can do?”

  “I’m positive. I need to figure out my life on my own. Keep me posted on Shannon though.”

  “Okay,” he said softly. “I’ll talk to you soon, Rosa.”

  “Sure,” I murmured.

  I ended the call but my mind was still racing. I wasn’t going to talk to Kane or anyone else soon. Peyton wasn’t checking in and I couldn’t go to the feds. Whoever had
leaked my location to Collins and his men could still be working for them. They wouldn’t help to relocate me a second time, and even if they did, Collins would still be able to find me. In that moment, I made the decision that was best for me and for my unborn child. I didn’t want to live a life of fear and I was tired of waiting around for help.

  Nothing needed to change right now though. I had time to plan and think about what was going to happen. I knew that the only way I could move on was if I stopped worrying about everyone else and started taking care of myself and the baby. I straightened my shoulders and looked around the small house that I had made into a home. It had been good to me, but it was time to move on.

  Carrying His

  Rosa

  It had been two weeks since I’d last spoken to Kane. The night I found out I was pregnant was the same night I crushed the phone that Peyton had given me and bought a new one. I could still feel the guards watching and following me, but no other threat was there. Kane hadn’t reached out to me and Peyton was nothing more than a memory. With each passing day, I felt the baby inside me giving me courage to do what had to be done. I covered my stomach, still firm and trim, as I waited in line at the bank.

  “Hey, Patricia,” I said casually to the black-haired girl behind the counter. It was the pitfall of a small town. Everyone knew everyone else. Once, it had been a wonderful and charming quality, but now it was nothing but a pain in the ass.

  “Hey, Rosa, just the usual deposits?” she asked with a smile.

  I shook my head. “Not today. I need to make a large withdrawal.”

  “Oh?” She cocked her head, the unspoken question demanding an answer.

  “I’m thinking about taking the bakery on the road, but I want to find the perfect food truck first. I’m going to be looking around at a few over the next couple of days. I just don’t want to find that perfect little gem and have them not take a check.”