Chapter Five

I spent my last night before returning to New York in a tent on the side of the road, staring up at the night sky, my head whirring with too many thoughts. Saying goodbye to Gray today had made me wistful. It felt like a real goodbye instead of a see ya. Even if he and I kept up our contact, meetings would be few and far between. Working with Vitiello and being a pariah in parts of the biker world would make regular family reunions difficult. I’d miss him and parts of the life I’d led before but none of those things called louder to me than my desire to hold Marcella in my arms again.

Instead of heading to the Sphere to have a word with Vitiello first the next morning, or to the Vitiello mansion to see Marcella—if they even let me see her without a fucking appointment—I headed to the animal shelter, hoping to run across Growl. I wasn’t sure why I felt a connection to the not very talkative man, but I did, maybe because he, too, had been Vitiello’s enemy and somehow managed to become part of the team.

When I pulled up the familiar driveway, I noticed the newly installed surveillance cameras attached to tall poles immediately. I’d have bet my balls that there were motion detectors as well, and I knew why these were suddenly there. Because of me. And possibly the rest of Earl’s fan club. But definitely me.

I smiled wryly as I pulled up in front of the house and waved, knowing someone would see me.

Pulling my helmet off, I got off my bike and immediately my eyes caught on long black hair. My heartbeat picked up with excitement. Fuck. I’d missed her.

Marcella squatted in front of the fenced-in area where Growl kept some of the Rottweilers. I hadn’t expected to see her here, and it was impossible to describe the flood of emotions that rushed through my body. Marcella turned toward the sound of the engine and like the first time I saw her, I was in awe of her. I doubted that would ever change. Not just by her beauty, but by the way she moved, the way she held herself and the fire in her eyes. Damn it.

Growl who had been close by, pulled Marcella behind him as if I posed a danger, so I definitely hadn’t been declared trustworthy yet. I couldn’t tell if Growl was surprised to see me. Had he been in on spreading the information about Earl’s murder?

Marcella, however, wouldn’t have it. She tore away from Growl’s hold and rushed toward me. I grinned at her enthusiasm until I realized that she didn’t look happy to see me. She looked royally pissed. Her black hair blew in the wind, and she was dressed in dark blue jeans, a simple white T, and white sneakers, but even in those ordinary clothes, she knocked the breath out of me.

The flicker of doubt I’d felt last night over everything I’d given up and would still be giving up for Marcella evaporated at once. She was worth it.

She came to an abrupt halt right in front of me, her eyes flashing with fury. “Four days without a single word from you!”

I reached for her, wanting a kiss, a touch, anything, but she swatted my hand away like a bothersome fly, her rage becoming even more potent.

“You ran off. I thought you’d left for good. I thought you’d played with me.”

“Fuck, Snow White,” I muttered. “I fucking killed Earl for you. I betrayed my club for you. And you think I played with you? If that were the case, I’d be the worst player ever because you won in every regard that matters.”

She searched my eyes, trying to gather my honesty obviously. She still had some work to do for absolute trust, but I guess we both had. “Then why did you run off?”

“I had to make sure Gray was all right. Last time I saw him he fled from your father and his soldiers shortly before I was knocked out.”

“Why couldn’t you tell me that you were going to see your brother? I don’t get why you had to run off without a word. You have to admit that looks suspicious.”

“I couldn’t tell you where I went because someone had released information about me killing my uncle and until I knew who that person was, I couldn’t risk news about me looking for my brother making the rounds. It would have made things more dangerous for him and me.”

She scoffed. “You could have told me. You can trust me. I wasn’t the person who leaked the information in case that’s what you’re worried about.”

The distance between us was driving me insane. I just wanted to pull her close and bury my nose in her throat.

“I know it wasn’t you, and I trust you.”

“Not enough obviously.” She looked away, back toward the kennels, her plump lips pressed together and dark brows pulled tight.

I gritted my teeth. She had a point. But she didn’t really trust me yet either. “We haven’t known each other for long yet, and most of the time we were enemies.”

It was strange how much I’d risked for this woman that I hardly knew, and yet I knew deep down that I’d do it again.

Marcella’s gaze could have frozen hell. She was seriously pissed. Though, I wasn’t sure if she was only pissed at me. “Who was it? Who leaked the information about you?”

I sighed. This was a conversation I hadn’t been looking forward to. Marcella was absolutely loyal to her family and attacking her brother wouldn’t win me any bonus points but I wouldn’t lie to her. “Your brother.”

Her spine stiffened and she shook her head immediately. “Amo wouldn’t go against Dad’s orders and Dad forbid the information to be leaked. Your information must be wrong. Amo couldn’t have done it.”

I raised my eyebrows. It was the reaction I had expected. Her trust in her father was simply too great. “You sure? I’m certain he has plenty of reason to do it. And it’s not like he has to fear repercussions. Your father would never kill your brother for a transgression like he would his soldiers.”

“But why would he…” Marcella’s brows puckered in thought. I bet she found a hundred reasons why her brother and the rest of her family wanted my old biker buddies to know I killed Earl. They might as well have put a target on my forehead. We’d been enemies for years, were still enemies, and right now I feared we’d stay enemies for a while to come—no matter what Marcella wanted.

“I’ll talk to him,” she said resolutely.

I really wanted to settle things with Amo myself but I might end up putting a bullet in his head, so it was probably for the best if Marcella handled him. I didn’t want Amo fucking Vitiello to be the end of my relationship with Marcella. Growl had come closer during our conversation and his alert gaze told me he was ready to interfere if necessary. I gave him a wry smile, which he didn’t return of course. Smiling didn’t belong to his standard repertoire.

“Everyone thought you’d run off because you wanted your freedom,” Marcella said in a much softer voice.

“You too?”

Marcella didn’t react, only watched me closely. “Did that ever cross your mind?”

I stepped closer. Fuck. I really needed to touch her or I’d go crazy. “Even if it did, I’m here now, right? You’re in my head and heart, and I can’t be without you.”

Marcella shook her head. “If you think being with me means losing your freedom, it’s probably better that we don’t bother.”

Was she fucking serious? I grabbed her neck and jerked her against me, kissing her fiercely. For a moment she pressed herself against me, her lips softening against mine, parting, inviting me in, but then she shoved me away, glaring. “Do you want a goodbye fuck?”

“Bullshit, Marcella. I want you in my life, every day. I don’t need anything else. You really think a fuck would be worth getting that look?” I nodded toward Growl who watched me like a possible threat, making me feel really welcome in the Famiglia.

She still didn’t seem happy. If possible, she looked even angrier. “If we want a chance, you need to realize that being with me doesn’t mean you aren’t free. I don’t want to be your shackle. And you have to tell me everything. I won’t be lied to, not even by omission.”

“I didn’t fucking lie!” I growled.

Growl tensed. I gave him another wry smile at his twitchiness. As if I’d ever hurt Marcella. The only blood I’d spill would be his if he didn’t stop grating on my nerves.

She jabbed a finger against my chest. “You left without telling me anything.”

“I did. And I’m sorry for that, but it allowed me to settle things for good.”

Growl was talking on his phone. I didn’t need to be psychic to know it was Luca on the other end.

“With your brother?”

I nodded. “With him and a few of my biker brothers.”

Marcella tilted her head curiously. “Don’t they see you as their enemy?”

“They are wary of me, that’s for sure, but these are Nomads. They left the club life exactly because they didn’t like the way Earl handled things, so they didn’t shed too many tears over his death.”

Growl moved even closer. “I want a word with you.”

He motioned toward my truck. Marcella stepped back and I followed Growl.

“You shouldn’t have come here again. You have to report to Luca first, especially before seeing Marcella.”

I chuckled. “I’m not one of Luca’s men. I can do whatever the fuck I want.” My eyes kept returning to Marcella. She squatted in front of the fence and talked to a Rottweiler that sat right before her. I wasn’t sure which made it harder to look away, the way her jeans accentuated her round ass or the soft expression on her face whenever she talked to the dog.

“Women like her don’t take bullshit from anyone and they deserve the best,” Growl rasped, following my gaze.

“You don’t have to tell me that she deserves better. Everyone in the Famiglia thinks that.”

“My wife deserved better when we first met, but I worked until I was worthy of her.”

“That’s my plan,” I said. “I’ll help her and the Famiglia.”

Growl regarded me with stoic calm. “You must report to Luca before coming here. If you want to be accepted, you have to follow the rules.”

“Funny you say that, considering that some people within the Famiglia don’t seem to follow the rules either since information about Earl is making the rounds.”

Growl’s expression didn’t change. If he was surprised by the news, he hid it well. Or maybe he just didn’t give a shit. He seemed like a man who only cared for his dogs and his wife that he kept mentioning.

“I’ll go back to Marcella now. Report to Luca if you want.” He didn’t stop me but his gaze followed me as I went over to Marcella. Growl’s watchful eyes made me want to scratch my skin. Marcella briefly looked up and seeing her on her knees in front of me gave me a flood of images I definitely didn’t need right now.

I got down on my haunches beside her. “Is that Satan?”

The dog had familiar scars and watched me with intense brown eyes.

“She has a new name,” Marcella mused. “I hated calling her Satan.”

“Dogs get used to their names.”

Marcella shrugged. “She likes her new name. I chose Santana for her because it sounds similar to her old name but makes sure everyone knows she’s a girl.”

I chuckled. Of course. I doubted the dog cared if her name was for a boy or girl. Still, I was amazed by Marcella’s care for the beast. She met my gaze. “Why are you watching me like that?”

I could tell she was slowly warming up to me again, but she was still pissed and maybe confused because of her brother.

“Because I missed you, your beautiful face and even the pissed look in your eyes, but most of all, your lips on mine.”

I gave her a teasing grin but she cocked an eyebrow, blowing me off without blinking an eye. Damn it. This girl could be an ice queen.

“I’m thinking about adopting her. But Dad would never allow me to bring a dog home. That’s out of the question.”

I glanced between Marcella and the Rottweiler. I’d grown up with these dogs, but I didn’t really have much experience handling them. “You really want a dog like that?”

“Growl knows how to socialize them. I can’t explain it but I feel a strange connection to her. She was locked in that cage too, and at first we both really didn’t like the other.”

“Sounds like our love story.”

Marcella tossed me an indignant look, but at least she didn’t deny the love story part. For a long time, we only looked at each other. “It’s going to be strange, being out in the world together…”

I nodded, because it was exactly what I’d been thinking. I motioned at Santana. “If you really want to adopt her, I could take her in once I have a place to live. You could come visit us or even move in.”

I startled at my own words. I couldn’t believe I’d suggested for us to live together.

Marcella stifled a smile but then she became thoughtful. “That sounds great, about you taking her in. I think we should wait with the moving in part and all, give my family time to get used to you and us, and us time to get used to us as well.” She paused. “We still have a long way to go. What happened… I worry it might affect a relationship. We don’t trust each other fully yet, and there are still so many obstacles to overcome.” She released a small breath, looking almost scared.

I cupped her face, leaning in. “I want to be with you, Marcella. I want nothing more. Fuck, I think about you every fucking second of the day. If you want to take things slow, then we’ll do that. No matter what lies ahead of us, we’ll handle it. Even your brother wanting to have me killed.”

Marcella took a deep breath. “I hope you’re wrong about him. Maybe your biker buddies lied to you to drive a wedge between us.”

“They don’t play around. If they had a problem with me, they would have handled it directly, probably with a bullet to the head. The people who have reason to get me killed through others are in your family, because they promised you to keep me alive.”

Marcella narrowed her eyes. “Now it’s not just Amo but my whole family wanting you dead?”

Growl appeared by our side. “Luca wants to talk to you in his office in the Sphere.”

I wasn’t surprised Growl had talked to Luca yet again and not about Luca wanting to see me either. I really didn’t want to talk to Luca yet, especially not before I knew if he was involved with the information leak as well. “Do you have a place for this dog yet?” I asked, pointing at Santana.

Growl shook his head. “Too many dogs with too many issues. They never lived outside a kennel. They aren’t broken in and aren’t used to a family life.”

“But she’s still young, only two, she can learn, right?”

“With patience and time, she’ll learn.”

“Then I want to adopt her once I have a place to live…”

Marcella patted the dog through the fence with a small smile. Her hair had shifted to the side and the horrible tattoo Earl had given her peeked through the material of her white shirt. Last night after talking to Gray, I’d very briefly felt an ounce of guilt over having killed my uncle, but now the feeling vanished into thin air and was replaced by the same disappointment and anger I’d felt before his death.

My eyes darted to her ear that had been covered by her hair until now. It was covered by a Band-Aid. Marcella caught my gaze and her expression tightened before she focused on the dog once more.

Growl interrupted the tense silence. “There’s a great furnished apartment in the building I lived before.”

“Famiglia owned, I suppose?”

“One of Luca’s.”

“I’ll see if I can find a place of my own.”

Marcella rose to her feet. “I’m coming with you to the meeting with my father.”

“Luca asked me to bring you home,” Growl said.

“I’m going to the office,” Marcella said firmly.

It was obvious that Growl didn’t like it. “I’ll come with you.”

“All right,” Marcella said graciously. “But I’m driving with Maddox.”

“I can’t allow that. Your father’s orders were very clear. You’re not to be alone with him right now.”

Marcella’s eyes flashed with anger, and it was obvious she swallowed back a reply. She nodded once. I leaned in. “Soon we’ll have enough time to be alone. I’ll show your father that he can trust me with you. Maybe you can use the time for a chat with your brother? Find out more about the information leak.”

I had a feeling confronting Luca first wouldn’t lead to good results. Amo was still more boisterous and might let information slip more easily.

She smiled gratefully but I could tell that she was still pissed over her father’s orders. “If you live in one of our apartment buildings, I’ll probably have it easier to visit you later. My father won’t allow me to go to a place he can’t protect properly, especially after the kidnapping.”

She was probably right. I really didn’t want to live under Vitiello’s watchful eyes but for now, I’d just swallow my pride until he realized I didn’t mean his daughter any harm.

“Come on,” Growl said. “We should hurry. Luca won’t appreciate waiting.”

“We don’t want to make him angry,” I said sarcastically then winked at Marcella. She took my hand and stood on her tiptoes to whisper in my ear. “He’ll try to make this as difficult for you as possible. He hoped that you’d run off, but now that you’re back, he and the other men from my family are going to try to test you until you decide it’s not worth it.”

“They can put me through hell all they want. It’s a place I’m very familiar with and I’ll get burned gladly for you. But they should know I can give them hell as well.”

“I don’t doubt it,” she said then pressed a fleeting kiss on my cheek before she followed Growl to his car. Vitiello had no intention of handing his daughter over without a fight. He was doing this to appease her after everything she went through, probably hoping she’d grow tired of me once she was back in her old life. Part of me worried the same, but I’d fight tooth and nail to keep Snow White, against her father and everyone else who intended to get in the way.