Burning Desire

by Ami Snow

  Clay had accepted her friend request, and sent her a message in return.

  “Hey glad you got in touch. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

  Daisy blushed scarlet. Then she sent him a smiley face and typed, “That’s really good to hear.”

  “I’ve been thinking about coming up to Boston to try to find you,” Clay’s next message read. “If you want to see me?”

  “I do,” she wrote back. For half a moment, Daisy thought about telling Clay about the baby, but she decided to hold back. That conversation didn’t need to happen this exact minute. Spending some time with Clay would help her figure out exactly what she needed to do, both now and in the long term. “Come anytime.”

  “On my way.” Clay said. “I can be there this time tomorrow.”

  Daisy wrinkled her forehead. That didn’t sound right. She wasn’t rock solid on her geography, but Oklahoma was a good distance away. Google maps told her it was a 25 hour drive. She texted back, “You’re going to need to take a break – not safe to drive that far all at once!” Then she laughed. The man rode bulls for a living, one of the most dangerous things anyone, anywhere, could ever do, and here she was, telling him to be careful.

  His reply shocked her. “I’m already in Ohio,” Clay wrote. There was a pause of perhaps five seconds, and then he sent another message. “I started out on finding you yesterday.”

  “Really?!!” Daisy wrote back. “Why?”

  “Because you don’t give a damn about the rodeo,” came his reply. “And I can’t get you out of my mind.”

  Daisy sent him her address. “Come on then,” she said. “I’ll be waiting.”

  THE END

  Returning the Favour

  Mafia Romance

  By: Amanda Bolton

  Returning in the Favour

  Chapter One: The Boss

  Charlie Green watched the door, as he often did, as young Bobby Reed walked toward the establishment. Charlie smirked knowing he’d never seen a greener addition to their gang than that of Bobby Reed. He often wondered if the kid could even piss straight. Today was no different. Bobby always put Charlie in mind of a field mouse that didn’t know whether he’d be successful or get eaten himself if he stepped out of his small whole to hunt. It was a sad spectacle to watch and only gave Charlie something to laugh at, because it was so pathetic.

  Today though, something else caught Charlie’s eye and he had no intention of looking away. The fact that a gorgeously stunning woman was crossing the street wasn’t such a surprise. The fact that she was holding onto Bobby Reed’s hand though, was as shocking as a heart attack. There was no way a guy like Bobby Reed could handle a woman like her, no way. He watched them cross the street and enter the establishment.

  “You can’t bring a lady in here Reed,” Charlie said, his voice booming above the din. “You know the rules, only us and the floozies.”

  “We call them whores now. And my sister definitely isn’t one,” Bobby smiled. “She wanted to see where I hang out at all the time so I wanted to show her. We’ll leave in just a minute, I promise”

  “See that you do.”

  ***

  Megan didn’t miss the way the big bouncer eyed her or her brother. The one look was open and honest and brutal male appreciation that heated her skin and the other was contemptuous and hateful. She knew then and there that if she ever needed to help Bobby out of his own mess, she’d be soliciting the help from Charlie and paying him would take more than money.

  “It’s nice to meet you Mr.” Megan drawled, thickening her natural southern accent.

  “The pleasure’s all mine ma’am,” Charlie smiled. Megan smiled back and added a saucily blown kiss and a wink for good measure. Then she turned and urged Bobby to show her around. Moving away she added a twist of her hips just to be sure good ‘ole Charlie didn’t forget her name or face. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she’d need his help in the future and wanted to keep herself in his good graces.

  Megan followed Bobby around and tried to memorize important parts of the building. She noted exits and places of interest where she and Bobby could effectively hide should the need arise. “This is the exit that leads to a separate building. It’s attached so there’s no real outlet here, but it does lead out from this building so the code says it’s an exit.”

  “And where does the other building lead to?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never actually left that building except to come back in here.”

  “What do you do over there?” Megan asked, noting that the room they were in was like a man’s wet dream. There was a stripper every ten feet, all in various stages of undress.

  “We do stuff,” Bobby said. “Things you don’t want to know about sis, trust me.”

  “See, and that’s why I don’t like this Bobby,” Megan said. “Every time you come here I get this uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don’t care if I’m at work or lounging at home, I know when you’re here because you get the same damn feeling.”

  “I do not,” Bobby said defensively. “I’m a little apprehensive yet, mainly because I’m still a grunt. When Big John moves me up from all this useless running, I’ll know I’ve earned my place and that he trusts me. Until then I have to pay the piper so to speak.”

  “You should tell Big John to suck it and find a real job.”

  “Yes, because a real job is going to keep our heads above water.”

  “I’d rather earn my way honestly than by working for the mafia,” Megan retorted. Sighing she acquiesced. “I get why this place draws you in, I just wish you’d consider doing some other line of work that doesn’t involve highly dangerous and illegal activities.”

  “I know it’s not your supreme set up,” Bobby rolled his eyes. “But we really have no choice. If we don’t make rent and pay our way, we’ll be out on our asses and who’s going to help us then?”

  “Okay, okay,” Megan relented. “Just be careful and do things as honestly as possible alright?”

  “You got it sis. Now can we go eat lunch?”

  “Come on little brother,” Megan teased. “Let’s go eat.”

  “See you later Charlie,” Bobby called. He got a bold and menacing look in return.

  “See you around Charlie,” Megan smiled. When Charlie waved and smiled back, she knew he was all she’d need to ensure Bobby’s safety.

  The uneasy feeling didn’t dissipate until they were finally at home enjoying a huge sub and chips. Bobby downed a soda as if he hadn’t had a drink in ages. Megan opted for ice cold water and sipped it delicately as she contemplated her next move. Bobby had always been brash and impulsive. He did have a very solid point though. Without the money he brought home they couldn’t afford a place to live and without that they’d be as good as street rats to anyone who might even consider hiring one or both of them.

  She couldn’t afford to lose her job at the hospital even if the pay was peanuts. Still, she couldn’t let Bobby work for the mafia a moment longer than it took her to find him a decent, well-paying job. If she could show him that they could make it on a little less money, maybe he’d consider quitting his life of crime to ensure they lived an honest one. She knew the odds were stacked against her the longer he stayed though and that just wasn’t an option to indulge in.

  ***

  Bobby dropped Megan off at work the next morning and headed back to their shared apartment. His work wouldn’t start until after he picked her up and he needed the shut eye and quiet of their place to think. He knew Megan was right. He couldn’t work for Big John forever, but he couldn’t really afford to say no right now either. Not to mention Big John wasn’t really the type of man you said no to anyway. It’d be like signing your own death certificate. When Big John wanted something done, you said yes sir, thank you for the opportunity sir.

  At the rate he was working Bobby figured another six months and he’d have enough saved up to finally turn his back on the criminal world and keep himself and Megan from
falling into poverty so far that they couldn’t get out again. He just hoped that in that time he didn’t become so indispensable to Big John Carter that he couldn’t get out again.

  By five that evening Bobby was showered, dressed and ready to pick Megan up. He had an hour to get her home, eat dinner and be back at Bixby’s Dry Cleaner’s before work started. Bixby’s was the money laundering front of the mafia. They also had a bakery and a café that they ran dirty money through as well. He’d taken Megan to Bixby’s the previous afternoon and had hopefully shown her that it wasn’t as dangerous as it seemed. Despite not believing that himself, he didn’t want her to worry. He tried hard to quell the anxiety he always felt stepping into the place as the sun sank lower in the western sky. If he felt it, he knew Megan did too and the last thing he wanted was to drag his sister into the mess he was in already. The next six months couldn’t go fast enough.

  “There you are Bobby boy,” Big John said with a sinister chuckle. He stuck a massive Cuban cigar between his teeth and took a large drag. Blowing out smoke he continued. “Charlie tells me you’ve got quite a looker for a sister.”

  “She’s pretty enough I suppose,” Bobby replied, trying to shrug her off as no big deal.

  “She interested in work that’ll pay her more for less time than the hospital?”

  “I’m not sure sir.”

  “Then ask her boy,” Big John admonished. “You can tell me tomorrow night. As for right now, we’ve got some errands for you to run. There’s a tenant who hadn’t paid this month’s rent. You need to show him that double crossing Big John is a bad idea.”

  “Yes sir,” Bobby said, swallowing hard past the lump in his throat.

  “And Bobby, don’t disappoint me son. When I say teach this asshole a lesson, I mean make sure he never forgets that Big John owns him into the far future.”

  “Will do sir,” Bobby said.

  ***

  Megan woke in a cold sweat, her heart pounding. Her head felt like it weighed a thousand pounds and almost immediately she knew that Bobby had gone to see Big John. She showered and dressed before heading down to the cleaners. Squeaking to a stop she climbed out.

  “You can’t be here Miss Reed,” Charlie said, filling the doorway like a giant.

  “I came to see my brother. Can you tell me where he is?”

  “He’s running an errand for Big John,” Charlie said. In the bright moonlight, Megan could see the appreciation in his eyes, the way they roamed over her. Smiling she stepped closer to him.

  “Do you know where the errand is Charlie?” Megan all but purred.

  “All I know is that he’s out. I’m not sure when he’ll be back.”

  “Now Charlie,” Megan continued, running her hands up his huge, thickly muscled chest. “You’re a very bright man. A man with connections and inside information.”

  “Not really ma’am.” Charlie didn’t move a muscle when she leaned into him, pressing her breasts against him.

  “Sure you are. Big John trusts you enough to know when people come and go. Surely you’d be able to find out where my less than intelligent brother went.”

  This made Charlie smirk. “Well at least the stupidity didn’t spread. Yesterday I thought you were with Bobby. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that you’re his sister.”

  “Mm,” Megan said. “You’re not the only one who was pleasantly surprised.”

  Going all in Megan pressed her lips to Charlie’s, pulling him down so she could work her magic. His massive hands slid around her waist until she thought he might crush her and toss her aside. Then his tongue slid between her lips and he yanked her off her feet. The kiss smoldered between them as Megan sought to weaken his defenses. With her own mind beginning to spin she pulled back and smiled.

  “You could certainly make a woman’s day,” she purred.

  “You taste a little like I imagine Heaven feels.”

  “Well there’s a compliment if I’ve ever heard one.”

  “A man should never have a problem complimenting a woman as gorgeous as you.”

  “You’re racking up the brownie points Charlie. Can a girl come by once-in-a-while to see you?”

  “Darling, you can come by anytime to see me.” Megan smiled.

  “I’ll do that handsome. You keep an eye on that sneaky brother of mine okay?”

  “I’ll look out for him, so long as he does what he’s told Big John won’t have a problem with him.”

  That was exactly what worried Megan. Still, she smiled and blew Charlie a saucy kiss. She turned with a shake of her hips and headed for her car. A gangster or not the man could kiss. Her toes were still tingling from their briefly flammable lip lock. She knew now though that if she ever needed to get Bobby out of trouble, Charlie was the man to see. Apparently he was the man to screw too Megan thought as she traveled back home.

  By the time she returned home the moon, full, bright and beautiful was hanging high in the sky. She was exhausted and no longer wondered why her brother slept all day. She changed quickly into her comfortable pajama bottoms, tossed on a baggy t-shirt, crawled under her sheets with a satisfied sigh. No longer plagued by the anxiety she’d felt earlier, Megan drifted off to sleep in minutes and dreamlessly passed the next seven hours.

  Chapter Two: Systemic Abuses

  While Megan slept, Bobby finally walked back to his car. His fists were broken and blood, but he figured he’d gotten the message across. Thankfully the recipient had been the only one home at the time. Feeling the weight of his deeds, Bobby went straight home without checking back in with Big John. It hadn’t been a requirement of the job and Bobby wasn’t in the mood to chat or rehash how the message delivery had gone. He’d left a man, more than likely a good man, beaten and bloody. Thankfully, because it wasn’t personal for Bobby he hadn’t been hitting the man out of rage. He’d hit him several times in the face and when the man had finally passed out, Bobby had dropped him in his home and left him be.

  Bobby was quiet when he came in, stripping just as quietly and stepping into the shower. He drew the water as hot as he could stand it and let it soak into the knots that ran through his shoulders and arms. He knew that Megan would question the look of his hands in the morning, but that couldn’t really be helped in his opinion. She’d question him regardless as he knew how strong her attachment to him was. She’d more than likely been up some during the night when his adrenaline had pumped furiously.

  Finally Bobby was able to step out of the shower and slip into his baggy sweats. There wasn’t a chill in the air yet, but a night like tonight called for sweats and comfort food. He raided the refrigerator and found brownies that Megan must have made. He devoured three of them with a glass of milk before he finally sat down to relax. Two favorite shows later and he was out like a light.

  “Bobby!” Megan called loudly. Groaning, Bobby opened grit filled eyes to see his irate sister towering over him. “Get up!”

  “I was out late Megan,” Bobby complained. “You can look in my pack though. There should be enough in there for at least a month’s rent and then some.”

  When she grabbed his ear and pulled Bobby cursed. “Son-of-a-bitch Megan!”

  “Don’t you curse in front of me Bobby Reed. I’m not the one doing dirty deals and business with the mafia.”

  “Those dirty deals as you call them put money in your pocket to pay bills,” Bobby irritatingly pointed out. “Can you honestly tell me you’d make it, that we would, on the shit salary you earn?”

  “No, but I’d rather downsize and live out of my car, than take money that came from God knows where,” Megan countered. “Speaking of which, where the hell were you last night?”

  “I was out.”

  “You will respect me Bobby,” Megan said, her blue eyes firing. “I know damn well you were out. I want to know what you were doing.”

  ***

  Bobby ignored her and took his laptop out to see about recent news stories. His first click hit the most recent story and a vid
eo played of a reporter making his daily fifteen minutes of fame.

  “Authorities say they don’t have a motive for the assault on Mitch O’Donnell. He’s been transported to a local hospital where he’ll undergo treatment for his wounds. Despite having excellent security, Mr. O’Donnell, was attacked unawares. From what we’re hearing, the cameras didn’t catch anything that will help the police in identifying the assailant.”

  “Sweet Lord Bobby,” Megan whispered. “You beat that man didn’t you?”

  “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to sis,” Bobby said.

  “Oh Bobby,” Megan said patiently. “Is this what you think mom and dad wanted for us? For me to work my ass off for us so that you could dink around with people like Big John.”

  “Mom and dad aren’t here to ask Megan,” Bobby said, the fact that their parents were dead was still a sore spot that dredged up anger. “I hope that they’d be proud of what we’re doing to keep our heads above water. If there are people who can’t figure out that we’re doing the best we can, fuck ‘em.”

  “You’ve got to get out of that job Bobby. I don’t care how you do it, but I can’t take it anymore. Every time your heart rate picks up or you get cold sweats, whatever it is, I feel it too and I’m tired of waking up in a cold sweat, trying desperately to figure out what’s wrong.”

  “You don’t need to worry about me sis,” Bobby reiterated. “I’m fine, we’re fine. Give me six months and I’ll have enough put by so that we can finally make the life we’ve dreamed of.”

  “And you think they’ll let you go after that long? That you’ll just walk out of the mafia as if it was Costco?”

  “No, but with the limited information I get from Big John I think I can convince him that I’ve got my own life to live.”

  “And I think he’ll dig your grave and kick you into it while he laughs and buries you alive,” Megan said, tired of his excuses and fabricated bullshit.