Greco gripped her hips and then ran his palms up and down her outer thighs.
“You always dress this way for work?” he asked.
He was so intimidating and rough. His tone made her shiver, and he definitely picked up on it. She glanced at Romano, who was just so thick and filled with muscles, and she swallowed hard.
“You don’t like it?” she asked him, and her voice cracked. He ran his palms from her thighs to her ass and squeezed.
“I don’t like other men looking at what’s ours.” She wasn’t expecting that or the feelings that came to mind. She blurted out her thoughts as she cupped his cheeks and pressed closer against him.
“And I don’t want other women looking at you, at Hook, Romano, Rossi, or Ricci and thinking they have a chance or that they can flirt. So I guess our only choice is to trust one another,” she whispered and pressed her lips to his forehead then his nose and then his lips.
When she released his lips, he gave her a very knowing expression. “You’ll realize quickly that we can’t be manipulated, baby. Now get yourself ready before Romano and I decide to bring you back to bed and make it so that no one gets to see you in this outfit but us.”
He gave her ass a tap, and her cheeks warmed, and she quickly stepped from between his legs and went about getting ready. It was a whole other experience when she went out to her car and they eyed her over getting into her sports car. She gave a wave and told them she would text them later.
* * * *
“Goddamn, we are screwed,” Greco said to Romano running his fingers through his hair as they headed to their truck.
“She’s incredible, absolutely incredible, and it’s going to take some serious time and making love to her to get this worry about other men snagging her out of my head. I mean I’ve never been the jealous type, Greco, but holy fuck, the thought of another man even looking at her gets my blood pressure boiling.”
“I feel the same way, Romano. This is going to take some getting used to. Maybe I won’t be the only one to say something to piss her off or have her pulling back.” He shook his head.
Romano chuckled. “I think we all did okay with letting her go this morning.”
“Making love to her made the difference. Now we need to secure her safety by looking up info on that asshole her mother is dating,” Greco said.
“Got that covered. Tat and Basile are expecting us.”
* * * *
Merica was finishing up at work when she got a text from Kerry. She was upset and wanted to meet before she headed home.
She texted back that she could meet her later on her way home from work at the farmer’s market. She had to stop in at a boutique in town anyway to grab a dress she’d ordered for upcoming business. As she texted the guys letting them know where she would be headed, she got Hook’s response.
We were supposed to do some training on the mats.
I was thinking maybe on the rug in my living room tonight, she replied and then nibbled her bottom lip hiding her giggle.
I’m in, and she’ll be naked, Greco responded.
First she gets an ass spanking for changing the plan, for evading my lesson, and for turning me on at work when I have another class to teach, Hook replied.
Five separate ass spankings. Got a feeling no training in self-defense will happen, but training in the bedroom will.
She felt her body heat up, and holy crap, her panties were wet. She needed for them to stop texting, as she had one more session to do for the evaluation on a product before leaving for the afternoon.
Stop that right now. I have a meeting to attend, and there are a lot of men in there. You don’t want me to look aroused, do you? I will see you at my place by five. HUGS!
She put her phone down and tried to refocus, but then the phone was buzzing and buzzing, and being curious got her in a whole other state. They were each texting her, telling her she was in for it when she got to her house, and oh boy, she definitely would be speeding home after visiting with Kerry this afternoon.
* * * *
“You throw the fight. You lose or people close to you will suffer,” Logan said to Burrow. He cornered him down the block from the gym after he finished training.
“Screw you. I don’t need to throw anything. I have Castle backing me up. It’s over. You can tell Torch that. I don’t owe him shit.” He went to walk away, but Logan grabbed his arm and pulled him back. They shoved at one another, and then Logan yelled at him.
“You do what he says, or even before that fight happens tomorrow, you’ll suffer. His reach is long.”
“Screw you,” he yelled and then headed down to the parking lot, got into his car, and drove away. Burrow could see Logan talking on his phone. Castle had things covered. He said he did. Burrow needed to win this fight tomorrow night, and everything would work out fine. There would no longer be a debt, and he could take care of Kerry and be a real man instead of a fucking loser.
* * * *
“So he didn’t say who he’s fighting for and how he’s resolving the debt?” Merica asked Kerry.
Kerry sniffled and wiped her nose with the tissue again. “No. He’s so cold and abrupt. I swear this morning I thought he was going to actually hit me he was so angry.”
“He didn’t though. He apologized, too. It sounded like he’s under a lot of stress and worried about this fight. Do you know where it is?”
“No. I don’t know anything. I think the other guy he fought for is threatening him, but I’m not sure. Brick is depressed and angry and complaining about not being able to fight, to work, or do anything to support me. I tell them I don’t care, that they should stop fighting and just look for something else, but then they rant about being losers. It’s killing them, and it’s destroying our relationship. We don’t even sleep in the same bed.”
“Seriously?”
“No making love, nothing. Burrow is obsessed with training and so self-absorbed in it and in winning that nothing else matters. Brick has no interest as he’s trying to heal, and even when I kiss his cheek or forehead and need his arms around me, he pushes me away. It’s terrible. I don’t think they love me anymore.”
Merica hugged Kerry tight and held her against her chest.
“No, Kerry. They still love you. They’re just frustrated. I wish there was more we could do.”
“So do I. I would do anything for them, Merica. Anything.”
Merica stayed with her a little longer until it was time for her to head back to her men at home. Merica walked Kerry to her car and then they hugged again and talked about getting together for lunch next week. As Merica walked down the block, she heard tires squealing, and then a van stopped by Kerry’s car. The side door slid open, and two men wearing black masks grabbed Kerry and pulled her into the van screaming. Merica ran toward the van, screaming for them to stop. Other people were on the street, too, and as the van came by, it swerved at Merica, and she jumped to the right, slamming her hip against the door of a car.
People were stunned and running over. “Are you okay?” two men asked as a third spoke into his cell phone giving a description of the van and talking to police. One of the men gripped her arm.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. It was just my side. Oh God, that was my friend,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Sirens blared, and only minutes later, police arrived.
* * * *
Romano, Greco, Ricci, Rossi, and Hook arrived on the scene worried about Merica. Romano had just gotten off the phone with Tat finding out that her mother’s boyfriend was gambling on underground illegal fights and that Merica’s friend, Kerry’s men were fighting in those underground fights.
The sight of several men around his woman made Romano see red, and apparently his team, as well, as Greco pushed between the men and pulled Merica into his arms. When she gasped and tightened, the other men cursed, as if knowing something Romano and his team didn’t.
“She’s hurt, man. Got hit when the van that
took her friend nearly ran her over,” the one guy said.
“Well, we got it from here. She’s our woman,” Ricci said and stepped next to Merica.
“Where are you hurt? What the hell happened?” Rossi asked.
Hook was already talking to Cesar and his men. Romano walked over as Rossi and Ricci and Greco cared for Merica.
“What do you got?” Hook asked Cesar, and Cesar shook his head.
“No sign of the van. It was a fast snag. Got Kerry as she was getting in her car. Merica ran toward the van as they pulled Kerry in and nearly got run over. She wouldn’t let anyone check her side, so you may want to follow up with that. So far, looks like a professional job. Now we need to figure out what it has to do with Kerry, who works at a medical facility,” Cesar said to him.
“We may have a lead on the situation,” Romano said, and Cesar narrowed his eyes at him.
“We were concerned for Merica’s well-being so we looked into her mom’s boyfriend.”
“And?” Cesar asked.
“Into illegal shit like gambling on illegal underground fighting,” Romano told him, and Cesar looked at Hook.
“I don’t know anything yet, but finding Burrow and Brick, Kerry’s boyfriends, and asking them some questions could lead to more clues. We think they’re involved with fighting,” Hook told him.
“That’s serious dangerous territory,” Cesar said.
“Sure as shit is, and if that’s the case, then anyone could have taken her for whatever reason,” Romano stated.
Just then Burrow and Brook showed up, both looking battered. Brick was limping.
“Where is she? What happened?” Burrow asked.
“Someone took her,” Cesar explained what had happened. At this point, Merica came over with Greco, Rossi, and Ricci.
Burrow looked at her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, and she nodded. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She cringed, and Romano then watched Brick hug her.
“They wore masks. It was fast. Two men in the back and one driver wearing a mask, too. There wasn’t anything we could do,” she said, voice shaking. Rossi pulled her into his arms and held her against his side.
“Any idea who might want to go after your girlfriend?” Romano asked.
“No,” Burrow stated, straight-faced.
“Burrow, these are dangerous men who pull shit like this. If you’re in some kind of trouble, I suggest you come out now and tell us so we can help you,” Cesar said to him.
“I don’t know anything.” He looked away. His cell phone rang, and as Burrow glanced at it, his eyes changed, and Romano knew that it was something important.
Just then a call came in. Cesar took it.
“They found her. Paramedics are tending to her wounds and bringing her to the hospital. She’s in bad shape,” Cesar said and then walked away with the phone to his ear.
“Let’s go,” Brick said to Burrow, but then Burrow looked at Merica, and Merica stared at him straight-faced, and Romano had a feeling that Merica might know more than she let on. Now he was pissed.
* * * *
“I want to go inside and see her,” Merica said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Romano gripped her hips. “First things first. They aren’t letting anyone in. Not even Brick and Burrow,” Romano told her.
She stared up at him. She was shaking still and so upset about what had happened. Plus she wasn’t stupid. This had something to do with the underground fighting and what Burrow and Brick were up to.
Hook placed his hands on her shoulders, and Rossi was on one side, Ricci on the other, and Romano and Greco in front of her.
“What do you know about this situation that you didn’t let on before?” Romano asked her, and she gulped.
She hesitated, and Hook gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Tell us. No secrets, baby, those men could have taken you, too. This is serious shit. Underground illegal fighting is dangerous,” Hook whispered to her. She opened her mouth to speak, but Greco and Romano gave her such fierce expressions she knew she couldn’t lie to them.
“I think Burrow and Brick got involved in it a few weeks ago. Then the person they fought for double-crossed them. They’re working with someone else who got them out of their debt to the first guy, but now Burrow needs to win a fight tomorrow night. If he doesn’t, then he’s screwed even worse than before.”
“And you know this because of Kerry or because of your mother’s boyfriend?” Greco asked her.
“What?”
“We have our connections, and as your guardians, we protect you with all we have. Now you held back information. Why? Because you didn’t trust us?” Rossi asked.
“What information?” she asked.
“We looked into your mom’s boyfriend, and we know he gambles on these fights,” Romano told her.
“Why didn’t you tell us about Burrow and Brick and what they’re involved in?”
“Kerry swore me to secrecy. The only reason why she told me was because…well…”
“What?” Hook asked.
“It was part of why Rodge got that guy to come to the house. He owed him money or something, but Rodge also wanted me to place a bet on Burrow because someone wouldn’t let him bet or something. I don’t know. That’s all I knew at the time.”
“Wait, that day you were hurt and nearly assaulted by some guy, this happened? He wanted you there to place a bet and knew you were friends with Burrow?” Greco asked, raising his voice.
“Holy fuck, these guys could have gone after her. They could be connected to this,” Rossi stated.
“No, I don’t think so. The guy was at the gym right after, and he knows Lucky I think.”
“What?” Hook asked in a hard serious tone that made her immediately shake.
“Start explaining everything you know now.” Romano raised his voice, and Merica knew this was really bad.
She felt the tears fill her eyes, and she explained about seeing the guy at the gym, about him being friends with Lucky, and that when he saw her with Hook he hurried up and left the gym.
“He was right there. Right there when you were in my arms and you didn’t tell me?” Hook yelled as he turned her around to face him. He looked so scary, and she closed her eyes and squeezed them tight.
“I figured he knew who you were or knew what you were capable of or something and that it wouldn’t even matter. I didn’t want you to go after him and hurt him over the situation. It seemed resolved.”
He released her and took a few steps away. He ran his hand over his beard. They were so angry.
“You should have told us everything,” Romano said to her calmly.
“I didn’t know if I could trust you, and Kerry begged me not to say anything in order to protect her boyfriends.”
“Yeah, well, look where that put her. In the hospital with broken bones, a concussion, and beaten. She won’t be able to open her eyes. They’re swollen shut. That could have been you,” Greco raised his voice. Tears fell from her eyes, and she really started to cry.
Hook pulled her into his arms and hugged her to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cringed from the ache in her side and hugged him tight. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know anything about this or how serious it was. Kerry begged me to remain quiet, and I really thought it was no big deal. That Rodge just wanted to place a bet. I didn’t know it was worse. I’m sorry.”
She cried, and Hook caressed her back.
“We’ll figure things out. We’ll see what we can do, but Burrow and Brick need to tell the truth, or this won’t be over. It will just be the beginning of their pain,” Hook said, and she squeezed him tight and hoped that Kerry would be okay.
* * * *
“You aren’t going to believe this, but Hook is involved with Rodge’s girlfriend’s daughter, Merica, and so are four other men. His brother and their team of soldiers,” Logan told Torch.
“Hot damn, she really is something else. Must be really important to Hook and his team. C
ould be a way to help me figure this situation out, especially if Burrows loses the fight as you threatened him to. There’s a guy coming up from Louisiana. He’s supposed to be super strong and fast. Nearly left two guys for dead last month alone. He’s under Castle’s team, so I need someone who can destroy him.”
“You were thinking Burrow?” Logan asked.
“At first yeah, but he’s weak. He wouldn’t make it past the Irishman. I’m thinking we need some leverage and someone who can fight and knows that winning is the only way to be free.”
“I don’t get you,” Logan said.
“You don’t need to. Just keep your eyes and ears peeled. I’ll call you when I need another pickup. Hang tight and also keep a low profile. Who knows how much that bitch told her friend. It could ruin everything. Also if Burrow and Brick blab, then you know what to do.”
“You got it. Later, Torch.”
“Later.”
Torch ended the call and then smirked as he looked across the bar.
“Well?”
“Well, my friend, one door closes, another door opens. I think I just figured out how to destroy Castle once and for all and make the biggest earnings in underground fighting history. I’ll need some help.”
“Anything you need, Torch. Anything.”
* * * *
Kerry was a mess, and Burrow and Brick weren’t talking or giving any information to anyone. They stood by their story of not knowing a thing. One look at Hook and Rossi could tell that he was thinking about his stint in the underground fighting circuit and how close he’d come to dying and even killing an opponent. Those were long, hard months, and finally Greco and Romano, Rossi and Ricci got him out of it. He, however, had been smart enough to play the game better than those running it. Burrow and Brick weren’t too smart at all.
As Rossi and the others walked into Merica’s room, Hook stood behind her and began to unzip her dress. As the material fell from her body, leaving her standing there in only a black lace bra and thin red thong panties, they all noticed the bruising.
Sons of Justice 9: Fighting Chance (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 15
