Chapter Nine

Rogue

The dark gray sedan first caught my attention as we were leaving the restaurant after the meeting with Nik, and I was aware that it stayed a consistent three car lengths back as we drove to the church. It did not take long for me to be certain that we were being followed, but whoever it was, they were not professional. The person driving was an amateur, making them very easy to spot. I was confident it wasn’t anyone connected to whoever was behind the Armenian threat or any other crime family I was aware of; they were too sloppy, too easily noticed. I had texted Blaze to let him know about the situation and he had immediately said he would take care of it, but I called him off. I needed him to return to the penthouse and be there to escort Bri and protect her until I could deal with other business matters. I would handle this myself.

After the ceremony, I walked Bri to the car after already giving my driver instructions to take her back to the penthouse. No stops along the way.

Once the car began moving away from the curb, I walked toward the gray sedan parked along the street. From the short distance, I could see the two men inside reaching under their coats. I knew exactly what they were going for, strangely enough though, neither one of them made a move, at least not one quick enough.

I swiftly moved to the driver’s side window, pulled the pistol I had under my coat, and slammed the butt of it into the middle of the window shattering the glass.

“Fuck!”

Before the man could utter another word, I pulled him through the shards of glass by his neck, halfway hanging out the window, and began pounding his head against the car door. The man in the passenger seat, jumped out, his hand on the pistol he should have already used. But it was too late now. I still held the pistol in my hand and was able to fire before he could even raise his toward me. The bullet penetrated the man’s shoulder, causing the pistol in his hand to drop and clatter on the sidewalk. His hands moved to cover the hole the bullet had made as blood began to spurt out of the wound.

I pulled the driver the rest of the way out of the window. “You have about five seconds before I bash in your head and spill your brains all over the sidewalk to tell me why you are following me. And who the hell sent you?”

When no answer was forthcoming, I gripped his hair and slammed his head down on the pavement.

I could vaguely hear Michael’s voice as he attended to the man bleeding from the gunshot wound.

“Tell me who sent you now! If you don’t, I will kill you and let you bleed out all over the street.” I pressed my hand around his throat. His eyes bulged in fear.

“Rogue! Rogue!”

I looked up to see Michael, his bloody hands holding a cell phone he had taken from the other man. “Here, look at the last text.”

He tossed me the phone, and I looked down at the screen to read what had been sent, hoping it would lead me to the person responsible for sending these two idiots after me.

“He is just coming out of the church and the girl is still with him. What do you want us to do about her?”

Michael came to stand behind me. “You need to get these men off the street. There have already been some people peeking from their windows.”

“There will be a crew here in two minutes. I had already notified Blaze of my intentions. They will make certain nobody talks to the cops or connects you to this incident.”

“What about them? Are you going to let them live?”

I took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from my hands. “For the time being, but not without sending a message to whoever sent them.”

We both turned as an SUV carrying five of my men pulled up. They knew exactly what to do. Both men were loaded up without fanfare. Two of the men who worked for me came over to get instructions on how I wanted everything handled.

“Where do you want us to take them, boss?”

“Take them to the warehouse. I will be there shortly. Have two of the men stay here in case anyone who saw what happened tries to make trouble. I don’t want Michael to be linked to any of this.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Delaney. But the people in this neighborhood aren’t going to say anything. They trust you more than the cops, but we will hang around just to make certain.”

I watched as they walked away, ready to do whatever was necessary.

I turned to Michael who was frowning and looking at me with that judgmental face that made me want to punch him.

“My men will see to the rest of this mess and have it cleaned up before any of your parishioners see it.”

“Thanks for that, but while I never wanted to be pulled back into this world, I have to know, is someone trying to kill you?”

I put a hand on his shoulder. “There is always someone trying to kill me, Michael.”

“Don’t! Don’t try to play this off as just an ordinary day. Something is going on and you need to tell me. You show up here with a girl I have never seen you with before and ask me to perform a marriage ceremony. It was obvious she was not expecting it nor was she thrilled about it. Now, you have beaten the shit out of a man and almost killed another right in front of the church. This is not ordinary, Rogue. What the hell is going on?”

“The less you know the better.”

“Bullshit!” He immediately raised his eyes to the heavens and said a quick prayer for forgiveness and most likely patience. “God forgive me. I swore an oath to you the day that you saved me when we were kids. I haven’t forgotten it. If you need my help, I am always here.”

I shook my head, not wanting Michael to be more involved than he was already. “You swore a greater oath after that, Michael, and I will not ask you to break it for me. Besides, these people were not here for me. Chances are they had no idea who they were dealing with. They were too inexperienced, too green. They were both armed but hesitated at my approach. No, these two dumbasses are small time.”

A look of confusion crossed Michael’s face. “If they weren’t here for you, then who were they after?”

I took out my phone and dialed Blaze. “Has she arrived yet?”

“No, but I am waiting out front.”

“Good. Get her up to the penthouse and stay with her. I’ll call you back when I know more.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed. “They were after her, weren’t they? That’s the reason for the hasty marriage. You really are doing this for her, to protect her.”

I shook my head in denial. “Don’t make me out to be noble. You know me better than that. I always have selfish reasons for doing things. But in answer to your question, yes, I think they were here to take Bri, but I will know more when I extract some answers from our semi-conscious friend.”

Michael’s face twisted in disgust.

“Torture is one of the things I am glad not to witness again.”

“Go back inside, Michael, and if things are not cleaned up to your standards, let me know. If anyone in the neighborhood says anything…”

“They won’t. In this neighborhood, it will all be forgotten.”

“Good.”

Another car pulled up and I opened the door. “If you see anything that makes you uneasy, give me a call. I can have men stationed here to protect you.”

He reached up and clasped the crucifix he was wearing around his neck tightly in his hand. “I am already protected.”

I knew there was no use arguing with him; he was well-rooted in his faith. I sat in the backseat, clutching the bloody cell phone tightly in my hand. Could this incident be related to the phone call Bri made this morning? Could this be the man who had stalked her and beaten her back in Colorado? I would soon find out, and if that was the case, he had just signed his death warrant.

Bri

When the car came to a stop outside of the office building where Rogue’s penthouse was located, I saw Blaze waiting for me just as Rogue had said. He stepped forward, opened the car door for me, and unceremoniously pulled me from the back seat, tugging me behind him as we moved inside the building.

“For heaven’s sake, could you slow down a little? These heels are not meant for running.”

I heard a deep grumble, but he did slow his pace a bit, allowing me to catch up. He pulled out a key card and the elevator took us back up to the penthouse. When we stepped inside, I expected him to excuse himself, but instead, he walked straight to the bar and poured himself a drink.

“You look like you could use one too, little one.”

I shook my head. “No, thank you.” I walked toward the sofa and took a seat. “You don’t have to stay with me. I’m sure there are other things you would prefer to do than to babysit me.”

He drank the whiskey in his glass in one gulp before refilling it. “There are a hundred things I would rather be doing, but Rogue told me to stay with you. So, I guess you will have to endure my company.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

He sat the glass down on the bar and stepped closer, his eyes narrowed as he looked me over. “You can ask, but you may not get the answer you want if I even answer it at all.”

I pushed my hair back and studied him. “I’ll take my chances. Have there been other women that Rogue has taken and kept like me? And while my mind is cautioning me against asking this next question, what happens to me when he grows tired of all this?”

He didn’t answer right away, the palm of his hand rubbed over the rough stubble on his face and his eyes seemed to stare right through me.

“I’ve never seen Rogue with a woman for more than a night or two. He grows bored with them rather fast or at least he has in the past. He surprised me today when he had Father Michael marry the two of you. That decision leads me to believe that you will be around for a bit longer. How long that will be is uncertain.”

An odd twinge of disappointment moved through me. “Hmm, that doesn’t leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling.”

His lips turned up so slightly that it was hardly noticeable. “Do I look like the kind of man that is capable of giving you warm fuzzies?”

I sighed before kicking off my shoes and pulling my knees underneath me as I got comfortable on the sofa. “No, you don’t. I was just hoping you could impart some wisdom, say something that would make me feel better.”

He stood up and walked back to the bar and poured a drink before bringing it back over to me. “Drinking will make you feel better. Take a few sips.”

I reluctantly took the glass from his hand and took a sip before coughing violently.

“This is repulsive.”

He chuckled. “You will get used to it. Take another sip, the first one always burns the most.”

I did as he suggested and while the liquor seemed to sear a path of fire down my throat, I didn’t cough this time.

“Do you believe as Rogue does that I am truly in danger? Or was that just the reason he gave to scare me enough that I wouldn’t fight the marriage he forced on me?”

He leaned back in the chair and seemed more relaxed than I had ever seen him before. “Forced? You don’t look like a woman that was forced to do something.”

I took another sip of the whiskey in the glass; it seemed to give me a bit of liquid courage. “Just because I’m not covered in bruises doesn’t mean that I wasn’t coerced. He told me that if I left, people who wanted to hurt him could take me and use me against him.”

“They could try, but you are under Rogue’s protection now. It would be a fool hearty move to lay a hand on Rogue Delaney’s woman.”

I took a larger sip from my glass; the whiskey was beginning to make me feel warm all over. “His protection or his control?”

He took the glass from my hand. “I’ll order some food. If you keep drinking on an empty stomach, you’re going to get drunk, and I don’t want to listen to Rogue bitch because I got his new bride wasted on her wedding day.”

A sudden pain squeezed my heart. “You know it doesn’t feel like a wedding day. I didn’t get a fancy dress, or the gifts from people I barely know. I didn’t get to smash cake into my groom’s face. There was no music, no speeches, no first dance.”

He chuckled sardonically. “That sounds very dramatic, but I wouldn’t mind seeing the cake smashing thing.”

I blew out an exaggerated breath. “What will I tell my friend, Allison? She is never going to believe this.”

“I would suggest a well-crafted lie.”

I laughed a little. “Who goes to a job interview, ends up being held captive by the boss, and then married the next day? Hell, I can’t believe it myself. It’s like a weird dream that I can’t wake up from.”

“Chinese?”

I draped an arm over my eyes as I leaned back against the leather sofa. “What?”

“Chinese, do you eat Chinese food?”

“Oh, yeah. It doesn’t matter.” I groaned as I heard the whininess in my voice.

His frown deepened. “Stop. You are beginning to sound pathetic, and it is not appealing or attractive. It’s fucking annoying.”

I got up from the sofa a little quicker than intended and almost lost my balance. “I feel pathetic.”

“Far from it, little one. You are now married to one of the richest men in the country. The whole world will be at your fingertips. Instead of whining and complaining about it, why don’t you embrace it? Do you know how many women would love to be in your shoes?”

“Perhaps I can trade places with one of them.”

“It doesn’t work like that, sweetheart, not in this world. You were chosen. Go change into something comfortable while we wait for the food to be delivered. Then you can take a much-needed nap before it is time to get ready for the gala tonight.”

I huffed out a shallow breath. “Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Will you be going?”

“Unfortunately, yes, at least until I leave for the club.”

I didn’t ask what he meant by that. I walked into the bedroom Rogue had first given me before he insisted that I share his bed. The closet was filled with all the things he had purchased for me. I rummaged through the closet, easily finding evening attire, dresses for every occasion, and some casual outfits, but nothing suitable for lounging on the couch and binging Netflix. I just wanted my favorite old t-shirt and comfortable leggings, the ones with a hole in the right knee from my apartment. But I settled for a pair of jeans and a soft white cotton T-shirt.

By the time I finally made it back into the living room, Blaze was already setting out a variety of Chinese food to eat.

“That was quick. I hope you didn’t order all of this for me.”

He was reading something on his phone, his expression darker than it had been earlier.

A sudden chill swept over me. “Is everything alright? What’s happened?”

He looked up from his phone. “Nothing that can’t be handled.”

I walked closer and peeked inside the takeout boxes and felt my stomach rumble at the smell of the chicken fried rice. I sat down and grabbed some chopsticks. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“No, I’m going downstairs to make a call. You will be safe here; no one can access the elevators that come up to the penthouse without a special key card. Rogue and I are the only two people with one, and I will be watching. Eat, watch television, take a nap, do whatever you wish. Just be ready to leave for the gala by eight. There is a dress waiting for you in the bedroom. Rogue had it delivered while you were out.”

I rolled my eyes as I took another bite. “Will I ever be able to make my own decisions? Does he not trust me to do something as simple as picking out a dress?”

“It’s not my place to say, little one. But it’s good to see that you are still set on complaining.”

I looked around for something to throw at him, but before I could find something, he was gone. I took another bite or two of the Chinese food. While it was delicious, I just wasn’t hungry anymore. I walked back into the bedroom that I had shared with Rogue and found a garment bag lying on the bed. A part of me wanted not to care what was inside, but my curiosity got the best of me, and I unzipped it.

Inside was a stunning one-shoulder silver beaded gown. I ran my hand over the silk. I might be angry at having my decisions taken from me, at being forced to marry a man I barely knew, but I was still a woman. A woman who had never had the opportunity to own clothes this extravagant. Living in a small town in Colorado didn’t exactly put me in the midst of high-class social circles. Never having the money for fine things growing up, I couldn’t help but be a little excited at having the opportunity to wear a dress that looked like something I would have drooled over in a magazine or seen an actress wearing on the red carpet. I zipped the garment bag back up and climbed into bed. Exhaustion seemed to sweep over me. Stress tended to do that. And I couldn’t remember a time when I had been more stressed than I am now. My eyes grew heavier as I nuzzled into the thick down comforter and incredibly fluffy pillows. The sheets were the softest I had ever felt. Knowing this was his bed made a part of me want to rebel against the contented feeling it gave me. I inhaled deeply, the scent of sandalwood with hints of oak lingered. I knew I should probably rest before tonight, and I was so tired, but the fear of knowing that Tony was in Chicago looking for me might trigger the nightmares to return.

For several months after the attack, I had terrible dreams almost every night forcing me to relive that terror. It was almost as if I could feel his fists hitting me until I was too weak to fight back any longer. I could feel my clothing being ripped and torn, his hands rough and hard against my skin. I fought harder when he tried to force my legs apart. I knew what he was after and even barely conscious I knew I had to keep fighting. That’s when I would wake up. Covered in sweat, tears streaming from my eyes, and shaking almost uncontrollably. Allison had suggested that I see a therapist, but that was just another luxury I couldn’t afford.

Gradually the nightmares became less frequent and shorter until they disappeared completely. But now with being faced with the possibility of Tony finding me, I felt like I was right back in that night. Sure, Rogue Delaney had married me to protect me, but once the danger he was facing passed, I was sure he would tire of me. Even his friend Blaze said he had never seen him with a woman for more than a night or two. And once he was through with me, I would be on my own again. Only this time if Tony found me, I knew he would kill me.

Rogue

I looked at the two men tied to chairs in front of me. The one with the gunshot wound in his shoulder was beyond asking questions, while the one unfortunate enough to still be conscious was crying so much that I was tempted to slit his throat just for some peace and quiet.

I walked around his chair slowly as I held his phone in my hand. From what I had discovered and from what he had willingly spilled on his own without me having to use any means of force confirmed exactly what I suspected. These two were members of a small-time inconsequential gang here in Chicago. Nothing that I would have ever deemed a threat or given two thoughts about. They were more concerned with selling drugs on the streets and petty theft. Nothing that involved me or any of my business dealings. But from the texts I had read they weren’t there for me, they were after Bri. A mistake that would cost them dearly.

I moved in front of the man and stared down as he continued to weep and beg for mercy. It was truly nauseating to see someone with so little courage.

“I want to know why you and your piece of shit friend were following me.”

“We weren’t, Mr. Delaney, I swear.”

I stood back as one of my men stepped forward to emphasize that I expected an answer to my question.

“Now, I will ask again. If I don’t get the answers I want, I will have my associate start taking you apart piece by piece.”

“We were told to follow your car, but just to see if the girl was still with you. We were just told to find her. Some guy came to our boss and wanted his help in finding her. The guy we work for owed him a favor.”

I didn’t have the time for this nonsense.

“Who was the man that wanted you to find her?”

The man’s lips trembled pathetically. “I don’t know. We were just told to find the girl. Once we found her, we were told to report back with her location. That’s it. We weren’t supposed to take her or hurt her, just find her.”

I looked back to my men standing around the warehouse. They would kill both of these idiots if I commanded it, but they weren’t the ones I wanted. I wanted the man who had hurt Bri, the man who had tried to take what was meant for me.

“I want his name and any other information your boss has on him. Tell your boss he has until tomorrow night to appear at my club with the information I want. If he doesn’t show or chooses not to share what he knows, I will shut down his entire operation. It won’t even be difficult.”

The man was sweating profusely, but he nodded in understanding. “Yes, sir.”

“Take them back to the church. Drop them there.” I walked away and Jason, one of my men, followed me. “After you drop them off, follow them. I want to know where they go.”

“You don’t trust their boss to show up at the club?”

“Trusting people is not how I got where I am. Follow him and report back to me, and if you find the one that paid them to find my wife….”

“Kill him?”

“No, I want him brought to me. Killing him quickly would be too easy.”