“Eric. Said Jess found him and Allie fucking the night it happened.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get that. Could you please repeat the name of that company?”
“Eric raped her. He fucked Allie. He tried to caress her hair, she jerked away from him. Saw it with my own eyes.”
“Are you positive? There hasn’t been some sort of miscommunication.”
“Not one-hundred but pretty damn sure. You’re going to have to ask to get that.”
“I see. Well, I’ll be sure to inquire with the workers.”
“If he did this, the fucker is mine.”
“Not this time. This job is my responsibility.”
“I at least get to help, Nick.”
“Of course. Subcontractors are always welcome. I find them to be quite irreplaceable. You know, as large as this job is going to be maybe we should bring in a few more.”
“Gotcha. I’ll make a few calls. We’ll meet at the club later.”
“How does 10:00am tomorrow sound?”
“No problems from this end.”
“Thanks for calling. I really appreciate this information. Definitely looking forward to meeting with everyone tomorrow.”
Jess gave him an odd look as he got off the phone.
“I’m looking for another company to redo my landscaping.”
Eric looked visibly relieved. Nick took note.
“Eric. Why don’t you go get something to eat? I can sit with Jess until you get back. I remember you saying something about having band practice. I know you haven’t eaten.”
“You’ll sit with her?”
“Remember the talk we had in Miami. About being friends.”
Eric laid his hand on her shoulder, gripping hard. “I do.”
“This is me being your friend. Now go.”
Eric leaned to kiss Jess on the cheek, instead whispering in her ear.
“Talk, and I will kill your sister. Then I’ll kill you.” Terrified and angry at the same time, tears once again flowed from her eyes.
None of which escaped Nick.
5
As soon as he was out the door, Nick shifted his attention to Joe.
“You know you did a good thing. You’re a good friend to her. Far better than I’ve been.”
“She’s my princess, Nick. I told her this shit with the two of you wouldn’t end well.”
“Your friendship will never be forgotten.”
“I don’t want a fucking thing from you. In my opinion you’re part of the reason her ass is lying there, broken.” He wiped the tears from his cheeks. “Well, I don’t want anything other than for you to murder that motherfucker.”
“I promise that will happen.”
“What are you two talking about?”
“Did Eric do this to you? I need the truth.”
“That’s ridiculous. I know he has a temper but I don’t know who-”
“Princess. You are safe. I swear it on my life. Girl, tell this man the truth for the love of God and everything holy.”
“Did he do this to you? I need to have all the facts before I react, Jacinta.”
“He said it was because I was fucking you.” She became unnerved. “He said he would kill my sister if I told.”
“I clearly see the true meaning of our conversation escaped his pea sized brain.”
“Don’t do anything to him, promise me Nick. All I need is for you to make it so he can’t come near me or my sister again. I um…also need a place to stay until I get this all figured out.”
“Why are you protecting that piece of no good shit? Please, kid. Explain it to me. And you know the apartment is yours as long as you need it.”
“Enough people have been hurt, including me. He said he’d hurt my sister. Isn’t it enough that I said I was leaving him? Please leave it alone, Nick. Promise me. On your life.” She became panic-stricken at the thought of him hurting her loved ones. Or her again.
“I’m not doing that.”
“I’ve been through enough. Jesus, Nick. Promise me.”
“I promise you I will not harm him in anyway what-so-ever. Until you ask me to.”
She smiled through her tears knowing the hidden meaning behind his statement. Raised her brow at the rest, choosing not to comment.
“Don’t think you’re smarter than me, Mr. Roman. Promise me none of your men, acquaintances, family members, friends or enemies will harm him either.”
“Stop calling me that, dammit. And I’m really not liking this knowing me shit, kid. Why don’t you throw in my priest while you’re at it?”
“Him too for good measure.”
“You know I love you, Jess. I’d do anything for you.”
“I know that Nick. That’s what scares me.”
He kissed her softly on the forehead.
Regardless of his promise, Eric was about to meet Nick Roman, the enemy.
He wasn’t going to like him much.
6
Angel hastily got out of his car to meet his acquaintance outside Eric’s studio. He looked around to make sure there were no local cops or feds trying to conceal themselves. Truth be told, he could give a fuck less if there were.
This was worth the jail time. He’d serve it with a fucking smile on his face.
“Dex.”
“Angel.”
He gestured his head toward the studio. “How long do I have once inside?”
“I gave you exactly thirty minutes. Make sure you’re out a few minutes before.”
“Just enough time, man.” Angel handed the guy an envelope loaded with twenties. “Now get the fuck out of here. I’ll call you next week. Nick’s got another job for you.”
“Always a pleasure doing business with you guys.”
“As with you, man.”
He ran across the street to the door of the studio. He looked around, once again scanning for cops. Not seeing any, he went through the door, calling out loudly for Eric.
“Angel?” Eric came from the sound room looking puzzled. “What are you doing here? Is Jess ok?”
“I’m here for her shit.”
“Excuse me? You’re what?”
“We know, cocksucker.” His voice was filled with rage and brokered no argument.
“You know what, exactly?” Eric swallowed, looking nervous.
Angel stalked toward him, a lion with prey in sight. This was going to be fun.
“We know you chose to hurt her after you were warned to keep your fucking hands to yourself.”
“She’s a lying bitch.”
“You were the one who just told us. She never opened her mouth, motherfucker. I should fucking kill you where you stand.”
Angel rushed him, pushing him against the wall by his throat. Anger like he’d never felt rose from the pits of his soul, thinking about everything he did to her. He pushed harder, cutting off Eric’s airway. Watching as Eric struggled, his face turning blue and purplish.
“Is this how she gasped for air fucker when you choked her?”
He let go, observing Eric coughing and gasping.
“Nick’s not killing you is a gift from her. You should be very, very grateful for her.”
Smiling sardonically, he punched him in the gut, forcing the rest of the air out of his lungs. Eric fell to his knees in front of him, gasping louder. Harder. Angel kicked him in the ribs and stomach. Once for every kick he gave to her.
“Not so fucking cool when you’re on the receiving end, you piece of shit. What’s the matter? Can’t you breathe?”
“No. Please…please stop, Angel. Please.”
“You’re asking me to stop? He leaned in close getting into his face. “I’m gonna show you the same amount of mercy you showed her, motherfucker.”
Pulling a knife, he pushed it against Eric’s neck.
“You thrust a broken bottle into her fucking throat and you raped her. Over and over, until she wanted to die. Pleaded for help to deaf ears. You just left her there.” He pushed the blade fur
ther in until Eric cried out in fear.
“She would have died. You left her there. Didn’t you, fucker?”
He let the blade glide over his throat, cutting him deep enough to bleed. Kicking him once more, he allowed the knife to dig deeper into his skin.
“Didn’t quite get that answer.” He kicked him in the ribs again, blood now flowing down his shirt. “Didn’t you, fucker?”
“Yes, dammit.” He cried out.
Angel removed the blade. “Get the fuck up and give me her things. Now.”
Eric went around the studio quickly collecting her belongings. Just when he regained his breath, Angel punched him in the gut, taking it from him.
It took everything he had not to kill him. Nick would understand why he did it, but Jess? Jess would never forgive him. He’d given her his word. Something he never broke with her. He wasn’t about to start doing so now.
It was that moment he realized how much he was in love with her. A very, very dangerous place to be. She was his boss’ girl. She could never be his to love. And while he couldn’t openly love her, he could protect her like she was his. It would have to be enough.
“So. What’s the story with you and Allison?” He leaned casually against the sound board, folding his arms over his chest. Holding the knife covered with Eric’s blood in clear view.
“We’re fucking.” Eric responded, embarrassed.
The look on his face must have scared Eric because he didn’t try to lie. Too bad. He was looking forward to kicking his ass further to get it out of him.
“Still or just that one time?”
“Yes.” Eric hesitated. “Still.”
“Huh. Interesting.”
He reminded himself he made that promise not only to her, but to Nick. He wouldn’t go against the boss’s orders. No matter how much he wanted to. Glancing at his watch, he noted the time. Bending, he picked up a box of her things.
“Pick up those bags and come with me.”
They silently carried her belongings to his car, placing them into the trunk and backseat. Closing the trunk, he turned to Eric. “Being that I’m a man of my word, I should probably warn you not to go back inside.”
“Why the fuck not?”
There was an extremely loud explosion. Shattering vibrations shook the street and the building at its foundation. Eric turned, panicking as waves of yellow and orange flames overtook the studio. The walls howled against the heat of the fire.
He spun back to look at Angel screaming, “What the hell…my fucking studio!”
“That’s the first of many…many gifts coming from Nick Roman. Oh, and from me, fucker.”
He pulled Eric to him by his shirt, seeing a crowd now forming. He could hear the sounds of sirens in the background. His warning to get the fuck up out of there.
“Hear me loud and hear me clear, motherfucker. You are never, never to see her again. Ever. If you come near her, I will break my promise and I will kill you. Do not set one fucking foot in that hospital again. Fucking stay away from her and her family or next time there won’t be a warning.”
Angel shoved Eric away. “Dumb motherfucker. Didn’t even know you had platinum. You just kicked her to the corner. Trying to make her lose her shine.” He shook his head, getting into his car.
“Oh, and you don’t know who or what caused this to happen. If you talk I’ll make sure you’ll be inside next time.” Starting the car, he shut the door, rolling down the window. “Please talk. Please. Please do it. I’m begging you. Give me a reason. You are nothing but a waste of space.”
He laughed while Eric trembled in obvious fear, driving off.
Now that…brought him joy in his happy place.
He grabbed his cell, dialing Nick. Looking into the rearview mirror, seeing Eric still standing there in shock, watching his entire world burn in one big ball of karma. He put the phone on speaker, tossing it into the seat next to him.
“Yeah.”
“Boss.”
“Yeah, man.”
“I got supplies for our camping trip including fire supplies. Anything else?”
“Perfecto, my friend. Just take them to the apartment. I’ll meet you there later. Now it’s my turn to take care of her.”
7
Jess leaned her head against the wall. Studying him thoughtfully. She was waiting on a reply that seemed to be taking forever for him to give.
“It’s only been four months, Jess. You’re still healing, kid. Connie will be there.” Nick turned, placing his cobalt blue tie around his neck. “Plus, I’m not exactly sure how I feel about the two of you being in the same fucking place at the same time. Let alone on fucking purpose.”
“Please. I put up with you and the fucker that shall remain nameless in Miami. On purpose, remember? You can put up with me and her for a single night. Remember, she doesn’t know who I am, right?”
Liar, liar, pants on fire...Nick cleared his throat. “Um, yeah. Course not.”
She went to him, taking his tie, tying it before straightening and fixing his collar. Rubbing her hands across his shirt, she felt tension in his chest and shoulders. Searching his eyes for clues as to why, she of course found not a single one.
He was the king of poker face. She frowned.
Nick reached up, clasping her hands, intertwining his fingers with hers. He stared down, into her eyes, feeling the warmth radiating off of their bodies.
They again found themselves silent….daring the other to be the first to address everything that went down between them in Miami. Everything since.
Both knowing damn well when things were good, they were incredibly good. But boy, oh boy when things were bad. They were positively lethal.
It was an interesting four months. Awkward, even painful at times. So much to say. No one really knew where to start.
Some of the silence was good, though. Some days there was a companionable silence that was nice. They would sip wine, and just read, or listen to music. Sometimes they’d just looked at the sky, marveling at the stars. That was his favorite.
Nick had never known peace like this. In his world, it didn’t exist. He realized he was beginning to crave it more and more.
His cell ringer filled the room, breaking the spell. He reluctantly let go of her hands, removing the phone from his pants pocket. He answered, glancing at the caller ID, putting it on speaker.
“Gabe, my brotha. You’re on speaker.”
“Happy Birthday, big man. Many more, and all that shit.”
“Thank you, kindly. You know I live for your well wishes and salutations.”
Gabe snorted. “Yeah, Right. By the phone, with baited breath?”
Nick chuckled. “You know it, baby.” He looked over, seeing Jess smiling at the two of them. He liked seeing her smile. These days they were hard to come by.
“You coming to mama’s party on Saturday?”
“Of course. I was hoping you might bring Jess to take some heat off me.”
“I’m sure that would go over real fucking well with Connie, bastard.” Nick grinned apologetically at Jess.
“Bastard? Wow. You have a way of making me feel so loved, Nicky.”
“You know, I try, little bro. Hey, can I call you tomorrow? Meetings in forty and I haven’t even left the apartment yet.”
“Make sure you do. I have info on your case. Love you, bro.”
“Love you too, man.”
Nick shoved the phone back into his pants, turning his attention back to her. Knowing exactly what the next words would be coming out of her mouth.
“Your case?”
He knew her well.
“What case Nick?”
Damn dog with a fucking bone. She wasn’t letting this one go.
“Now, if I say yes, and that’s a big if…you need to know I have a meeting tonight with the family heads. Things might get intense. Miami intense, Jess.”
Ah, so there it was. Why he’s so stressed.
“I just want to be with you on your birthday
. I’ll be good. I’ll even bring Joe with me to hang out with. And, what fucking case?”
Nick exhaled, rolling his eyes heavenward. He wasn’t going to win this one. She was his one damn weakness. He wished she wasn’t, but she was.
The fact that he also felt horribly responsible for what happened to her didn’t help.
Knowing it was his anger and words that fueled Eric to go off. If he’d kept his ego in check and his big mouth shut, maybe just maybe he wouldn’t have...he refused to think about it.
He wasn’t sure if she knew what he told Eric. If she did, she never let on. It’s why he agreed not to kill him when she begged him. He owed her something for his part in all the fucked up shit that happened to her over the almost two years they’d been together.
And, for her loyalty to him still.
He grabbed her by her waist, pulling her into his arms. Kissing her softly on the forehead.
“Against my better judgment, I’m going to say yes.” She squealed, hugging him tightly. “And, my case is nothing for you to worry about. Gabe’s got it taken care of. Back to tonight. You need to be on your best behavior, kid.”
“Me?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Yes. You.” He kissed her forehead again, wanting desperately to kiss her full, soft pink lips. “You have an uncanny knack of always getting your ass in trouble. Tonight is prime for just that kind of shit.”
“I said I would be good, dammit. Oh and by the way, you had absolutely nothing to do with any of that trouble, correct?”
“Nope. Not one iota.” Nick winked at her arrogantly, giving a confident smile.
Hanging on the telephone wire…liar, liar…
Ok, enough. I fucking get it.
“Listen to me baby. The head boss will be there. Shit is already heated between me and him. I don’t need anything else fucking it up, especially shit between you and Connie.”
His semi-erect penis pressed against her thigh, causing her to take a step back away from him. He understood, and was silent.
She hadn’t allowed him to touch her sexually in months and was grateful he was being so understanding. She knew sex was a release for Nick. It was his way of letting off steam, and letting her know he loved her and no one else.
Fallen Angel Part 5 Page 3
