by K. J. Dahlen
Bella gasped.
I simply stared at the man. Fucking Bruno. I shoulda known.
“WHAT?” Bella stood up and pushed my arms away. “Married?”
He nodded as he raised his finger up. “The two things remember?”
She huffed and angrily crossed her arms over her chest.
“Hey, Marco!” he shouted.
Marco came through the open door. And in Marco style as usual, he held his briefcase in hand. He opened the case and pulled out a large paper. He handed it to Bruno.
Bruno glanced at it. “This is your certificate and it is dated a month back.” He looked over at me. “Welcome to the family Thunder.” His grin slowly spread out on his lips.
CHAPTER THREE
Chloe
He just left me here!
Someone had whispered something through the crack as he’d opened the door. Then before I could even protest, he turned and went out, locking the door with a key.
I couldn’t yell or scream as I remembered what Jax had said. I SO did not want Spider in here seeing me like this— tied up and nude! It was bad enough the man gave me the creeps. But to be helpless with him in the same room? I never trusted him and that feeling of distrust had only grown as time went by.
I shivered a bit as I let out a huge sigh. Jaxson is sooo going to get it! What if I’d had to go to the bathroom? I should just pee all over his bed and cry about it, so he would feel bad. I narrowed my eyes. But no, I would not humiliate myself like that, though he certainly deserved it!
I intended to lay here and figure out my revenge. Sure, I loved it when he got all dominant and—Fuck yeah, that was the hottest sex we have ever had…BUT.
He cannot rule me! Tell me what I can and can’t do. No. He needs to realize I am not that little girl he took under his wing all those years ago. That… I am a woman grown. I had stood up to men who were 4 times my size and— I took them down too!
The only man that had gotten the best of me had been Roy. Then again, I had kneed him in the balls so I could get away. So I even took him down. I just didn’t kill him. I knew one thing for sure, if he came at me now? I would kill him.
I paused. This was so unlike me. I’d been nonviolent and the violence of the MC life had always frightened or disgusted me. Now… I was a part of it. I had killed three men.
I was a new Chloe. It was too late to turn back. I couldn’t if I tried. Too much had happened.
I huffed and tried to blow a strand of hair out of my face. Anger bubbled in my chest. He is gonna be sorry for this. How dare he tie me up and fuck me…then LEAVE? I am laying here in our cum!
The door rattled.
I sucked in a breath… Oh, god. Oh, god!
Jaxson came in quickly and he was grinning.
GRINNING?
Oh, my fucking lord! I am going to kill him!
He locked the door and his gaze swung over to me. His grin fell away as he stared at my face. His brows furrowed together.
Yes, fucker. I am so pissed.
“Baby, I am so sorry!” He looked panicked as he rushed over and leaned over me. He reached to the ties and then caught the look on my face. He then straightened up. “You’re that mad?”
I bit at my lip. I refused to give him any satisfaction. NONE!
He shook his head. “Thunder woke up…”
My eyes widened. Oh, wonderful! I bet Bella is so happy. Then I remembered Jax leaving me like a hooker he’d tied to his bed and forgot about. If steam could come out of my ears, I am sure it would have.
He sighed. “I didn’t mean to just leave you here like this. I just got so excited that Dino finally came to. I just had to be there when he woke up. I am so sorry.”
I refused to speak. I wanted to scoff and tell him he’d better learn how to fuck himself ‘cause that was all the fucking he was going to get from now on. Instead of telling him what I really thought of him, I clenched my jaw.
He turned away and went into the bathroom.
WHAT? I sucked in a breath He is just going to…
He came out of the bathroom with a washcloth. “I am so sorry I left you like this.” He began to gently clean me up. Caressing my labia and clit with the warm washcloth. Then he wiped the insides of my thighs.
I glared at him. Well, you cannot wash away my feelings of being forgotten like trash that you kicked to the curb!
“Sweetness. I can see that you’re angry. Please talk to me?”
I narrowed my eyes. Angry? Nah. I am raging, you asshole! When I get loose? OH! I do not know what I will do, but I am furious this I did know.
He came over to the head of the bed and smoothed my hair from my face. “I never meant it to be like…” His voice fell away as he stared into my eyes. “…Damn, you are really mad, aren’t you?”
I blinked at him like …No shit, dumbass! I turned my face away from him.
“Oh crap,” he muttered. “I fucked it all up, didn’t I?”
Fucked it up royal. I never felt such rage at Jax like this before. I refused to speak or look at him.
“Come on, Chloe,” he urged. “I am apologizing. Please forgive me?”
His voice sent tingles down along my skin just like whenever he used that soft deep tone. But I refused to be baited.
“Just talk to me? Tell me off…anything!”
I let out a huff.
He reached up and untied my right arm, then the left.
I lowered my arms and rubbed one, then the other.
He went to the foot of the bed and untied my ankles.
I said nothing as I sat up.
“Chloe?” he spoke softly.
I got up and went to the bathroom. I wanted to slam the door so hard that it would rattle the fucking hinges. But I didn’t… I clicked it quietly shut and turned the shower on. I climbed in and got under the spray. I shampooed my hair, then rinsed it. I soaped up my body and rinsed as I stood under the spray trying to get ahold of myself. I was shaking all over with this rage. I’d never had a foul temper. Not really. I mean it would come then leave quickly. I had a feeling this wasn’t going to leave so soon… I couldn’t even cry it away. I did not feel like crying. I felt like breaking something.
I turned the water off and looked out of the stall.
Jaxson stood there with a towel open, outstretched in his hands.
He was so mouthwatering, so sexy. I blinked and realized I was slipping into the Jaxon spell again. I gazed around at the bathroom. Dammit all, he had the only towel. I took a deep breath and stepped toward him. I ripped the towel out of his hands and wrapped it around myself. I hope he got a good look at my nude body because it was going to have to last him a good while. I turned my back on him.
“Dammit Chloe!” he yelled.
I continued to act like he wasn’t even there as I detangled my hair then got out the blow dryer. I needed to get dressed to go see Thunder and Bella. I bent over and hung my hair down drying it.
He stood leaning against the doorjamb silent for the blow drying.
I flipped it off and stood up.
“So this is the way you’re gonna play it,” he stated.
I ignored him. I ain’t playing no more… Mr. BDSM. I rolled my eyes, though he couldn’t see it.
“You know you loved it.”
I refuse to reply. Oh yes, I loved being left nude and helpless.
“Chloe, come on!”
I moved past him and went to the dresser. I pulled out a t-shirt and jeans. Then rifled through the second drawer. Dammit, I’m out of panties. I rolled my eyes. Well fuck it, I’ll go commando then. I grabbed a bra and dropped my towel. I heard a gasp behind me. Oh, well too bad, boy! I dropped the tee shirt then bent over bare assed and retrieved it.
Yes, I heard the low groan behind me. So what? He can look all he wants but nothing else. He won’t even get to cop a feel, cause if he dares touch me? Oooh. I will go off.
“Babe? Please?” he pleaded.
I huffed and tugged on my jeans. Zipping and snappin
g them, I grabbed the bra and pulled it on. Then finally my tee shirt. I looked around for my boots. Fuck, where were they?
“Looking for these?” Jax asked from behind me.
I turned around.
Looking hopeful, he held up my boots.
I glared at them. Not even meeting his eyes. Oh, no. He gets no eye contact either. I shrugged, went to the dresser, and fished out a clean pair of socks. Sat down in the chair and put them on.
Jaxon knelt down in front of me with the boots in his hands. “I will put them on you.”
I stood up.
He sighed and hung his head.
I stepped around him. Then opened the door and entered to the hall in my socks.
Jaxson was right behind me.
Yeah, like I gave a holy fuck.
Stalking down the hall, I turned into the next hall.
“Chloe come on, babe. What can I do to make this right?”
You can go blow yourself, then choke on your own wad and drop over!
I kept walking.
I heard yelling as we neared Thunder’s door.
I paused. What the fuck? I heard Bruno shouting and after a moment of listening, I determined that he was shouting at Bella, apparently. Well, fuck a duck. The man picked the wrong day to talk down to a woman!
The. Wrong. Day.
Especially, my friend Bella. I yanked the door open.
“Chloe don’t!” Jax warned from behind me.
For the first time, I spoke to him, in a low calm tone, “You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore.” I stepped into the room full of yelling and I was ready for bear.
Fucking Bruno.
I’d just about had it with this overpowering ego, fucking maniac anyway.
CHAPTER FOUR
Bella
“A person can’t be married without their consent!” I yelled at Bruno.
He shook his head at me. “You were sold to Mario Bellami without your consent. You will be tortured and murdered without your consent if you do not listen to me.”
I shook all over. “What’s the difference between what they did to me and what you just did?” I pointed at the supposed marriage certificate.
He stepped close to me and said very quietly, “This is to a man you want. A man of your choosing… apparently. One that won’t torture you.” He swung his glance over at Dino. “Unless you wanted him to.” He snickered.
His snickering and hellbent king like demeanor pissed me off to no end. “OH!” I took a step back. “My life has never been in my control! Now…Now I’m married? I never got to even say I do.”
“Or don’t?” Thunder spoke quietly.
I looked over at him.
His expression told me nothing, but his tone showed he felt hurt by my argument. “Thunder….” I sighed. “…It isn’t you. I mean I do—I want…” I stomped my foot. “But I refuse to allow any more men to direct my life!”
“Listen here Bella!” Bruno yelled. “If I hadn’t done this, you would have NO life!”
The door flew open and Chloe marched in, looking flushed and angry. She rushed over to me and grabbed my arm then stood beside me. “What are you doing, Bruno?” She faced him square on.
Bruno huffed and threw his huge steel like arms up in the air. “Great, now there are two of them! Shit!”
Marco stepped to the side to be out of the way probably, as he snickered.
Bruno swung his glare over at his cousin.
Marco bit at his lip to stop his smiling.
“That’s exactly what I want to know,” I seethed. “What the hell has he been doing?”
“What’s going on?” Jaxson asked as he came to stand beside Bruno.
“I will say this one final time.” Bruno glared at everyone in the room for a moment before he spoke again, “Bella Rose Bianchi…” He paused to look into my angry eyes “…De Luca! Is now Mrs. Damicio.”
“WHAT?” Chloe exclaimed as she looked over at Thunder.
Thunder shook his head.
Bruno rolled his eyes at Chloe’s shout.
Marco cleared his throat. “Bruno, may I?”
Bruno scoffed, as he looked more than disgusted. “Be my fucking guest!”
Marco stepped forward. “The Families held a council meeting. The Bianchis as you all know want Dino dead, and Bella delivered to Mario Bellami. Bruno has some influence with many head members as he had some things he discussed in private with those few members.” He shook his head. “Apparently, he has irrefutable evidence that Charlie had nothing to do with what happened to Bella. In fact, it was her uncle on the Bianchi side who sold her when she was just a baby.”
I gasped as I placed my hands up to my mouth. Could this be the truth? I knew the Bianchis were awful but to have sold me as a baby!
Marco continued, “Then Bruno stated that Both Bella and Dino are married and that makes them his family under his protection. Dino did what he did to protect his wife from the Enforcer. At Bruno’s behest and approval. A family honor, a rule in the mafia is you protect your own when another family sends their men after you. He told them it should have been brought to the council instead of the Bianchis sending out their hit men. They in fact owed Bruno and the De Luca family an apology for torturing his nephew, Dino…” Marco chuckled at this line, then went on, “…and for the fact they attacked his son and fiancé out on that highway on top of that! That if they had brought it to the council like they should have, Dino would not have had to protect his wife by killing their enforcer. Then as to Mario…. He showed them proof that Mario paid the sum of a million dollars for Bella without her consent nor her Legal Guardian’s consent, which is Bruno, her uncle.” He paused to look around at their faces. “Bruno also put himself and his organization on the line when he—”
“That’s enough.” Bruno glared at him.
“When he what?” Jaxson demanded.
I didn’t know what the hell was happening all I knew was they all controlled my future. I clenched my hands into fists. I needed to focus on what to do now.
Bruno looked over at his son. “It doesn’t matter. What does is…” He swung his glare back over at me. “This stays. You are married. You shall stay that way. If you don’t? Dino will be dead before the ink can dry on the divorce decree.” He looked over at Thunder. “You already claimed her and you already killed to protect her. So I imagine this would have happened in any case…You marrying her.” He paused and stepped toward the door.
“Bruno?” Thunder called out.
Stopping, he turned his huge body to face the room.
“You said two things? Was that both things?”
Bruno broke into a grin. “That’s what I always liked about you Thunder. Sharp as a fucking tack, you don’t miss a thing.”
“What is the second thing, Uncle?” I snapped.
He kept his grin. “You have to get pregnant and I mean fucking fast.”
My mouth popped open.
“What?” Chloe yelled.
Marco nodded. “It was the final thing that saved the both of them. That Bella is carrying Charlie De Luca’s grandchild. The council looked as if they were going to judge against Bruno… against you two, despite all the proof. Then he announced that…” Marco sighed.
I put my hands up over my mouth. Pregnant? Oh, holy fuck!
Marco nodded. “Many in the organization loved Charlie and some hated him too. However, it is another catch-all rule with the Families…honoring the fallen. If they allowed Bella to be taken and killed, they allow Charlie’s honor to be sullied, as his grandchild would perish. It swung the vote.” He looked troubled as he turned his gaze to me. “Bella, Mario was there…” He shook his head as he lost some of the color in his face. “You need to stay here in the compound. His hate for you is a living thing and he looks like a man with nothing to lose.”
I swallowed heavily. Oh, I knew this. It was why I’d planned to get the hell out of here after Thunder was out of his coma. But I couldn’t do that now, could I?
> “Yes, he may go after her, anyway,” Bruno interjected as he turned to meet Thunder’s gaze. “You need to make sure he cannot get to her.” He motioned to Marco and they both left the room.
I let out a huge breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Pregnant?” I asked aloud to no one in particular.
Jaxson shook his head. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Bella?” Thunder called to me.
I raised my head up and went to him without hesitation.
He grasped my arms with a gentle tug. “I know this is hard. I…” He sighed. “But I just want you with me. Nothing else matters.”
I felt my body tremble. The man really felt something for me. Even I could see this now. I felt a whole lot for him too, but we never even got started and now we were married? And we have to have a baby?
Chloe put her hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry Bell. I mean I’m not sorry about …” She shook her head. “You couldn’t get a better man than Thunder. Really.”
Thunder smirked. “Wow. Thanks Chloe.”
I grabbed her hand and patted it. Then let go. If this was already done and we were… married…I looked into Dino’s eyes. “How do you feel being shackled with a ball and chain?”
He locked his eyes onto mine. “I already knew I was done for.” He grinned at me.
I opened my mouth to say something but saw the serious look in his eyes. So, I shut the hell up.
“Well…” Jaxson spoke up, “I know you two women do not like Bruno.”
We two women turned to glare at him.
He raised his hands. “I know…I know! But he saved your asses in the only way he knew to do.”
“Yeah,” Thunder agreed. “Some fucking mastermind miracle that shit was. Making it about family.”
I swung my gaze over to him.
He nodded. “He is your family, Bella. No matter how you feel about it. I am too.”
Chloe patted my shoulder. “Well, we have only one thing left to do.”
Everyone looked over at her.
She smiled for the first time since she came into the room. “We will have a wedding reception. Biker style.”
