“Yes, ma’am. Nelson said I could eat whatever I found.”
“And you found that?” she asked, her voice changing to that motherly one that always got her son’s attention.
“Just this once please?” he asked, pleading with her. Cami grinned and nodded.
“Just this one time.”
“Is that Jake’s box of Captain Crunch?” Duke asked, kissing Cami’s neck. Laughing, she swatted him away
“I’m sorry,” the kid replied. “It was either this or that fiber cereal, which is gross.”
“Ethan’s got a point, Duke.” Levi grinned, ruffling the kid’s hair, and turned to his brother. “That shit you eat is really gross. It tastes like dirt and hay.”
“I hear ya. I don’t know how he eats it,” Nelson agreed.
“The both of you leave Duke alone. There is nothing wrong with eating healthy.” Cami said, defending him.
* * * *
“I eat healthy,” Jake grumbled, letting his presence be known. His eyes never swayed, focused on the woman in Duke’s arms. She gasped, her eyes widening, and an instant smile had his heart pounding furiously, and when she ran into his arms, everything fell into its rightful place and his world finally righted. Lifting her up, she wrapped her legs around him, hugging his neck hard. Jake tightened his hold, never wanting to let her go. For so long, he dreamed of this one woman, and now that she was finally here, he couldn’t ever let her go.
“I missed you, dollface,” he murmured, burying his face in her hair.
“I missed you, too, Jake.” She hiccupped a little sob.
“Don’t cry, baby. I’ve got ya.”
She raised her head and looked at him. Nodding, she bestowed another brilliant smile upon him and whispered, “Yes you do.”
“So, what’s for breakfast?” Jake asked, looking at his brothers, as Cami leaned against the kitchen counter, watching his brothers bicker about who was going to do the cooking. When Cami smiled and laughed with them, trying unsuccessfully to contain her glee, Jake felt as if were old times, and for once, he finally felt as if he were whole.
Jake smiled as his brothers joked and laughed with the kid. He had to admit, Ethan was a good-looking young man, and tall for his age. He would definitely be a heartbreaker as he matured, but there was just something about the young boy that looked familiar. Jake couldn’t put his finger on it, but something was definitely nagging him. His mind still reeled from Cami’s confession last night, and he wondered why her father would treat his son as a bastard, unless Ethan wasn’t biologically his. If that was the case, then who was Ethan’s father?
After leaving Cami last night to get her vehicle, he and Duke discussed what they needed to do to make sure Cami was protected and safe. They had decided to call in Sheriff Connelly in the hopes that alerting the local law enforcement would help spread the word that they needed help. He had seen it time after time living in Treasure Cove, how the town banded together to protect their own, and he just hoped that they considered them part of that family.
With winter settling in, it wasn’t as if they had many options in securing her in a safe location until everything blew over. For the time being, she would always have one of the brothers with her, and so would Ethan until this mess was figured out.
Knowing there was nothing he could do about it now, he asked, “So, what would everyone like? I can make some mean scrambled eggs, but if you want something fancy, you’ll want Nelson to cook for ya. He can cook anything.”
“Jake, I can cook. You don’t have to do anything,” Cami piped up quickly.
“No, dollface, I have something special planned for you. You just sit down and finish your coffee.” Jake grinned wickedly. He had gotten up early to prepare what he wanted especially for her. All he needed right now was to make sure Ethan and his brothers stayed busy for at least the next couple of hours. They all had had their time with her, and now it was his turn.
“I like scrambled eggs. Can you make them with cheese?” the kid asked, smiling.
Jake laughed and replied, “Is there any other way to eat them?”
The kid joined him near the stove and watched as he cracked four eggs and beat them to death. Reaching for the skillet hanging from the rack above the bar, Jake sprayed it down with some Pam, and then poured the eggs in. Rummaging around for a wooden spoon, he turned and stared at the kid’s neck.
A birthmark?
“What’s that on your neck? Did you burn yourself or something?” Jake asked, slowly stirring the eggs. The kid reached up and rubbed the dark red mark and shrugged his shoulders.
“Naw, I was born with this. Mom calls it an angel’s kiss,” the kid offered.
“An angel’s kiss,” Jake huffed, trying to ignore the churning in his gut. “Looks more like a strawberry to me.”
“That’s what I told Mom, but she said it’s an angel’s kiss. I figured she knew more about it than I did, so I let it go.”
“Smart move, kid. You never want to fight with the moms. It’s a lose-lose situation, which always ends badly for you,” Jake said. Removing the skillet from the burner, he reached up and grabbed a plate. Scooping the eggs onto it, he rinsed off the kid’s spoon and handed him his food. “Eat up. I’ll be right back.”
Jake left the kid in the kitchen, heading straight for his bedroom. Shutting and locking the door behind him, he quickly pulled off his shirt and stood before his mirror. Lifting his right arm, he looked at the strawberry mark near his rib cage. Touching it softly, he tried to ignore the thoughts running through his head, because if he were to think about them, he would blow a fucking damn fuse.
Putting his shirt back on, he tried to think of anything but that damn birthmark. He had just opened his door and looked across the hall and watched as his brother Duke removed his shirt. There on his back, on his left shoulder blade, was the same fucking mark.
Fuck! So much for not thinking about it.
Once everyone was finished eating breakfast, Jake clearly asked, “Why don’t you guys go show Ethan around the ranch? I’m sure the kid would like to go for a ride.”
He didn’t have to look at his brothers to know they understood what he was asking. They just did as he requested, quietly got up, and left the room. Jake sat at the table, staring at her, never letting his focus sway. He had known Cami for as long as he could remember, and he knew out of all of them only two brothers who could get her to start talking, and since the other was gone, the pleasure was left up to him. He didn’t like the apprehension he witnessed in her eyes, but if they were ever going to get to the bottom of this, it was left up to him. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe everything she said last night, he did, but his gut was telling him that she still knew more than she was letting on. Either way, he needed to find out.
When his brothers and Ethan walked back into the living room, nobody said a word. Jake waited until he heard the front door shut before he made the first move. Getting up from the table, he stopped and stood before her, her caramel eyes pleading with him as he took her hand in his. “We need to talk,” he stated, and her eyes widened.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk.”
“Too bad,” he replied and pulled her up out of her seat, not saying another word.
“Where are we going?” she asked. Jake knew if he tried to explain, she wouldn’t understand. He just had to show her. All the brothers had their own kink. The twins liked to share, Duke preferred the seductive allure of sexy lingerie, and Richard, well, he and Richard were a lot alike. They catered to the more aggressive side of sex. They needed control, and though he wasn’t as proficient as Richard was, he could hold his own.
Leading her around the kitchen table, he opened the basement door, reaching in and flipping on the lights. Carefully helping her down the stairs, he led her past the weight room that Duke and Nelson had created to a solid oak door near the far wall. He reached into his pants, he withdrew his keys. After locating the lone black key, he unlocked the door. Stepping asid
e, he looked directly into her eyes and asked, “Do you trust me?”
* * * *
Cami blinked. What in the hell did he mean by that? The look on his face was something she had never seen before. He was hard, rigid, and downright scary, yet there was something in his tone that warned her, cautioned her to proceed with care. She didn’t know what to think, let alone say. Did she trust him? She had her entire life. Going with her gut, she slowly nodded and gulped when his eyes darkened.
“Say the word, Cami. I have to hear it,” he ordered firmly.
“Y–yes, I trust you,” she replied, unsure.
“Remember that. I will stop anytime you want. You just have to tell me,” he said, pushing the door open.
Taking a deep breath, she entered the room. The room was bathed in total darkness. She couldn’t even see her hand in front of her face. Taking two steps, she halted until she felt Jake behind her. Then as if awakening from a dream, the lights flickered on.
Holy shit!
Chapter Nine
That morning…Atlantic City, New Jersey
Richard walked along the Atlantic City boardwalk, watching as the waves crashed against the seashore. The wind was bitterly cold as he huddled deeper into his fleece-lined coat. Hell, he thought Montana was cold during the winter. New Jersey was worse with its wet, crisp air chilling him to the bones. Wishing he were anywhere else but here, he tried to concentrate on the job. It had been twelve hours since he talked to his brothers, and it was pissing him off. He wanted to call and see how they were doing, but who was he kidding? He wanted to see how she was. Yet, he couldn’t make himself dial the number. Instead, he kept his mind on the job. Too bad that was pissing him off, too.
Their client had been spoon-feeding him the information he needed to properly do his job, and unless he could get all the information from the bastard, he felt as if he were looking for a needle in a haystack. After a little digging on his own, he found the name of the bookie that handled all the horseracing bets in New Jersey and made an appointment to see the man. Now all he needed to do was find the fucking place, and so far, no one was willing to help.
The Atlantic City boardwalk was a virtual ghost town. Most of the buildings were boarded up for the winter, and nothing seemed open, except for the occasional pub or diner. Seeking some warmth, he headed into a little restaurant called Papa Luigi’s and prayed someone in there knew where to find a man called Big Gino.
The restaurant was a little place, reminiscent of old Italy. The strong aromas of garlic, basil, and oregano filled his nostrils as he walked in and removed his hat. Manners were bred into him from birth, and he knew his momma would smile knowing he kept up his old southern hospitality. Looking around, he noticed there were a few older men sitting at the back table, playing a game of cards, smoking cigars, and drinking wine with three large bruisers. A little waitress bustled around with a rag in her hand, cleaning every surface she passed. The soft melodies of a guitar play through the sound system, soft and welcoming. When he stepped further into the restaurant, an old woman walked over to him, smiled, and asked, “Table for one?”
“Thank you, ma’am. That would be nice.”
“Follow me,” she ordered, turning quickly and speaking in Italian to the waitress, who scurried off into the kitchen. The older gentlemen stopped what they were doing and turned around, each looking at him with flinty eyes. Something about the way they looked at him had the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. After the old woman showed him a table, she rattled off the menu, and not wanting to keep the busy woman longer, Richard agreed to the day’s special. She, too, quickly disappeared toward the kitchen.
Sitting there, Richard tired not to stare at the older gentlemen, but when a large, burly man stood up from within the shadows, Richard realized that just maybe, he should have stayed outside freezing his nuts off. Prepared for anything, he held the large man’s gaze as he approached. When the man was with a respectable distance, Richard stood and held out his hand in greeting. Relying on his manners, he prayed his momma was right, and that good manners soothed even the grumpiest of men. So when the large man cocked his head, then grinned, Richard finally took a breath. “Welcome to Papa Luigi’s. What brings you to my humble establishment, cowboy?”
“I smelled the delicious aroma from outside and thought I would come in for a taste. It’s mighty cold outside. I thought Montana got cold, but New Jersey is just…it’s just cold.” Richard smiled and prayed it looked friendly. Before he stood, he had flicked the safety off his gun at his side, and he hoped he wouldn’t have to use it. Therefore, when the man finally gave him a genuine smile, and shook his hand, Richard relaxed.
“Montana…land of snow and cows,” the man said, releasing his hand.
Richard chuckled and replied, “Something like that. Please sit, join me.”
“Thank you, I think I will. The names Giovanni Rossi,” he said, taking a seat in front of him. “My grandfather started this restaurant after he emigrated from Sicily in the thirties. We are one of the last remaining old family establishments in the area. You came on a good day. My Nona has made her famous pasta e fagioli soup. It will warm you up.”
“It sounds great, and I could use some warming. I’ve been walking the boardwalk looking for someone, but everyone I asked doesn’t seem to know the person,” Richard said. He knew it was probably a long shot, but hell, this guy was the first person who didn’t throw his ass back out into the cold weather. He had gone into enough neighborhoods to know that looking for a person of interest wasn’t always welcomed, especially when it was one of their own he sought.
Still, he had to keep trying. He wasn’t being paid without results, and so far, the only luck he had was when the client called and gave up some more information. It was pretty bad when he started checking his phone to see if he missed any text messages or calls from the bastard.
“Who are you looking for?” Giovanni asked, taking a sip of his red wine.
“A gentleman called Big Gino. I need to talk to him about a client of mine. I called him earlier and made an appointment to see him, but I never could find the place, not for a lack of trying though. The people around the boardwalk are…cautious.” Richard grinned.
“Yes we are. We do not like strangers who ask too many questions.”
“The town where I come from is like that, too, but I really need to find this guy.”
“Why?”
“My client is looking for a woman. Does the name Mr. Linkman mean anything to you?
“No, I’ve never heard of the man. What does he have to do with the woman you seek?”
“Mr. Linkman informed me that her father bet on the horses and his bookie was Big Gino. According to my client, the woman’s father was murdered for not paying his debt about a year ago. I found some local clippings of the incident. The father was brutally murdered. His hands and feet were removed, his eyes cut out, and his head decapitated. The body was dropped not far from the shore. They never have found the other missing pieces. According to the NJPD, it was an example killing, but from what I could see of the crime scene, they were wrong. There was no blood at the scene, which means he was killed somewhere else, and it doesn’t take a genius to see that he was tortured before he was killed.”
“You seem to know enough. What do you need Gino for?”
“I wanted to ask Big Gino what he knew of the man, and his daughter,” Richard said as the older woman approached, placing a hot bowl of soup before him with fresh bread. It smelled delicious, and his stomach growled, eager to taste the concoction. Smiling, he thanked the woman, who nodded and scurried away.
“You are talking about Anthony Marino, and he paid his debts in full to me. I never had problems with Mr. Marino. He was one of my best clients, and a good friend. We were all happy when Anthony moved back home. He was a devoted father and a good man. My Nona still grieves for him,” Giovanni offered.
“So he was from New Jersey originally?” Richard asked before taking a bite
of the soup. It was delicious.
“Yes. Anthony grew up here on the boardwalk. His family owned and operated one of the best restaurants around. He had planned to take over the business so his parents could retire, but instead he met a young woman and fell in love. She wasn’t from around her and came from old money. She was a beautiful woman with a kind heart, and Anthony fell head over heels. Her family was vacationing here for the summer, and when they had to leave, they offered Anthony an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. We later heard that Anthony married the young woman and was living happily, making a good name for himself. When his wife died, he moved back home. He was a changed man when he returned, but still kind and good. He didn’t talk about his daughter, and I have no information about her. But, Anthony, well, I know much about him.”
“What can you tell me about his wife’s family? What did they offer Mr. Marino?”
“A job, Mr. Masterson, they offered him a job. The Darling family was very wealthy and had come from South Carolina. I do not know exactly what their business entailed, but when Mr. Darling offered Anthony a position within his company, Anthony took it. Soon after, he married their daughter Julianne. After that, I don’t know what happened. Almost twenty years passed before we all saw Anthony again. He was a changed man, older before his time. Life had not been good to him.”
“And you never saw his daughter?”
“Only once in a picture,” he admitted.
“What can you tell me about his daughter?”
“She was hauntingly beautiful like her mother was. She has a quiet reserve about her. If you were to ask me, she looked scared, lost almost.”
“Why would you say that?”
“In the picture, she kept her head down, yet her eyes had this far-off look about them, almost as if she were waiting for someone to come find her. There was something mysterious about her eyes, which made me want to find her and protect her. She had the most amazing eyes, like liquid honey. I’ve never seen any other before.”
The Chains That Bind [The Men of Treasure Cove 10] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 10
