Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

Bosley

"Romeo, huh?" Corey asked, stroking his fingers through my hair.

Huffing, I leaned back so I could see his precious face, angry all over again, witnessing where he'd taken a knock to the head and the blood around that area. "You just watched me murder a man, and that's all you have to say."

"He was going to kill me."

His eyes glistened with tears, and I lifted trembling hands and cupped his cheeks. "I know, baby boy. But we got here in time. Try not to think about it."

He glanced to the side of me, and I turned my head, too. Dante sidestepped, blocking the majority of the devastation I'd inflicted on Huey from Corey's gaze. He couldn't block it all, though.

Cory brought his water-filled eyes back to meet mine. "Thank you."

I'd been so worried about this beautiful man finding out what I did for a living, and now he'd seen the worst of it in the worst possible way. I never lost my shit like that. I never freaked out. But I'd also never had a boy worm his way into my heart like Cory had. "Do you hate me now?"

"For saving me?" Corey shook his head. "But I might get a little pissy if you don't get this rope off me." He lifted his wrists up for me to see the bindings holding them together.

I went for my pocket to grab my sweet girl, then realized I dropped her on the ground. What the hell was Cory doing to me? I never treated her with such disrespect. Leaning down, I picked up my knife and quickly sliced through his restraints.

He caught the hand holding the karambit in his and studied it, turning it in different angles. "You're pretty good with this thing, aren't you?"

"She's been my best friend since I was thirteen years old."

Corey's eyes widened. "Oh, Bosley." It was uncomfortable, knowing that he recognized that my life hadn't been an easy one. Then he broke the mood, glaring at me. "Seriously, what's with Romeo?"

I shrugged one shoulder. "It's my name?" I said it more like a question than an answer.

He shook his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

"The question is," Dante said from behind me. "What are we doing with this body?"

I sighed. Leaving Cory to rub at the imprints on his wrist, I stood up and turned to Dante. "You're going to clean it up."

He huffed. "I was afraid you were going to say that. How the hell am I supposed to get it out of the hotel?"

"I might be able to help you there," a new voice said as Everest stepped into the room.

"I thought I told you to go back to work," I said.

He chuckled, a raspy sound, broken with age. "Son, I know you didn't think we wouldn't follow you."

Dante's head whipped in his direction. "What do you mean by we?"

From the mouth of the door, Harlow called, "It's me…Harlow. Everest told me not to look, but I'm not sure what's going on. Can I come in?"

Dante, Cory, and I all barked, "No," at the same time.

"Well, I'm not going until I know Corey's okay," Harlow said belligerently.

Dante chuckled softly. "So the kitty does have some bite," he said more to himself than anyone else. Jesus. Did I have to worry about that now, too?

Cory clucked his tongue and pushed up on the arms of his chair to stand. He wobbled right as I got my arms around him to hold him up. "I'm okay, Harlow. It's just?—"

"There's a dead body in here, Harlow. It's messy enough without you losing your stomach," Everest said.

Dante and I gaped at the older man as Cory began cackling.

When he doubled over with laughter, I grew concerned. "Everest, is there a way up to the belfry through the tunnels?"

He tipped back on his heels. "Indeed, there is. That's how we got up there for my first kiss, through these here tunnels." He pointed at Dante. "I can show you a way out to the back of the building, as well. No one will see a thing."

With tears streaking down his cheeks, Cory fought to calm himself. I wasn't sure if they were from laughter or shock. "Is there anything else I need to learn today? Huey being a madman would've been enough. Bosley's name is really Romeo, which, let's face it. That's a good thing. And let's not forget the tunnels running around and under and over my hotel. No, really, if there's anything else I should know, lay it on me."

Dante lifted his hand. "I'm a soldier for the Buccelli Family."

From out in the hallway, Harlow gasped. Cory, on the other hand, waved Dante off. "Old news. That I knew."

"I wondered which Family you were from," Everest said like he found out people were from the mafia every day.

"I think I need to get you upstairs, my quirky boy. I think you might be going into shock," I said, returning my full focus to Cory.

He looked up at me adoringly. "You freaked out."

"I did," I admitted. There was no sense denying it. The evidence was all over the floor.

"You like me," he said smugly.

I resisted rolling my eyes—barely. "It appears that I do."

From the hallway, Harlow said, "Awe."

Dante huffed, planting his hands on his hips. "This place is so weird." He focused on Everest. "Can you please direct the lovebirds up to the belfry, take Harlow back up front, and then come back with my guys?"

Everest grinned. "I'd be happy to. It's nice feeling useful."

"This is like a bad joke," Cory mumbled to himself.

As we crossed the threshold back out into the tunnel, he suddenly had his arms full of a trembling Harlow. "I was so worried. Are you okay?" He leaned back then saw Corey's head. "What the hell did he do to you?"

Cory patted his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, but I need you to handle things for me the rest of the day and tonight. Can you do that?"

Harlow stood up straighter. "You can count on me."

Cory sagged against me, tired but steady, and smiled at Harlow with pride. "I know I can. We'll talk about your responsibilities and schedule in a couple of days. I'd like to rely on you a little more if that's okay with you."

"Yes, sir."

"Then I'm going to need you to do one more thing for me. Actually, two."

"Anything," Harlow said so sincerely it kind of melted my hardened heart.

"Don't tell anyone about what's going on down on here."

Harlow shook his head briskly from side to side. "Of course not."

"Also, there's a girl in Gangster's Paradise. Her name's Charity. Can you go up and check on her for us? Make sure she has dinner and anything else she may need."

Harlow looked a little confused, but he agreed readily. Cory started nodding, then winced in pain. "Thank you. I have to go lay down now. Make sure Charity doesn't leave, Harlow, okay? It's important she stays."

"You can count on me, Cory. I'm glad you're okay." Then the damnedest thing happened, and the kid slammed into my side and squeezed me hard. "Thank you so much for taking care of him."

Awkwardly, I patted him on the back. "Okay. Okay," I said again when he kept hugging me. "You go get to work."

Everest stood there with his own smug grin. "You boys all follow me, and I'll make sure everyone gets where they need to go."

When had I lost control of everything in my life?

After I'd gotten Cory up to his place, I washed and bandaged his head, given him some aspirin, stripped him down to his boxers, and he'd laid down on his bed to rest with me curled up behind him. Since I didn't know if he had a concussion, and he wasn't interested in going to the hospital, I was driving him up the wall, nudging him every few minutes. "Hey, sweet boy."

"Applesauce. Daddy, you have to calm down," he said, squeezing the arm I'd draped over his chest.

"I'm sorry. I can't help it. You came so close, too close to dying."

He hummed. "You're right. Maybe you should do something to remind me I'm alive." He scooted his butt back into my crotch.

"What are you doing? Behave," I scolded. "You might have a concussion."

"It's not my head that wants attention." He tugged on my hand, pulling it down to cup his hard-on.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. Now come on. Sex me up, Daddy. I've had an awful day, and I need you to make me feel good."

As much as I loved hearing Daddy fall from his lips, I wasn't so sure how I felt about him manipulating me. "Why don't we talk instead. You must have questions for me."

"No. Not really." He pushed his boxers down and rubbed the soft skin of his stiff cock against the palm of my hand. He groaned. "Mm. Later I will, but I need to come first. Please. You called me your boy down in the tunnels. Don't you want to be a good Daddy?"

Oh fuck. How was I supposed to resist that? There was nothing I wanted more than to treat this boy right. "Hold on." I slipped out of the bed, grabbed a condom out of my pocket, then shed my clothes. Reaching into his bedside table, I pulled out the lube and lay back down behind him.

"You let me do all the work. I don't want you hurting your head."

"Ohh, you want me to be your pillow princess?"

Laughing softly, I kissed his shoulder. "Exactly."

I swiftly pulled his boxers down, moving to pull them off of his feet and throw them on the floor. Was this a good idea? Probably not, but I had to agree with him. He needed to feel alive, and I need to feel him. That didn't mean this needed to be long and drawn out, though. I knew he was tired, and we really should have some kind of a talk before I let him sleep for a bit.

Grabbing the lube, I squeezed some onto my fingertips. "Lift your leg for me, boy."

Obediently, he adjust his lower half, leaving his pretty hole on display. Rubbing gentle circles around his rim, I began opening him up while nibbling and sucking on his neck and shoulder blades. Cory moaned and groaned as I increasingly sucked his skin harder and penetrated his hole with one, two, then three fingers. "Daddy. Fuck. Please. I want you. I need you," he whined.

"Don't worry, baby boy. I'm going to make you feel so good."

Pulling my fingers out, I quickly wrapped the condom around my dick, then scooted up flush to his body and put my dick to his hole. His little pants fueled my fire, but catching sight of the gash on his head spurred me on even more. That asshole hadn't taken this man away from me. He was still here. And he was mine. Whether I'd known it or not. Whether I'd wanted to admit it or not. Cory was mine, and I'd kill anyone whoever touched him or hurt him, just as surely as I'd taken Huey out.

Pushing in slowly, but insistently, I whispered, "You're mine, boy. Do you know that?"

"Yes, please. Your, Daddy." He lay his hand over mine where I clasped his hip.

Leaning in, I sucked long and hard on his neck, still rocking into him. Huey had damaged my boy. Left a mark. The only marks that belonged on him we're mine, and I'd cover him until all he felt were the little throbs of my possession. When I came up for air, I asked, "Do you understand what I'm saying, boy? You're mine. And I don't share. I don't keep what belongs to me."

"I want that. I want to belong to you. I want you to be my Daddy forever."

Rewarding him for his answer, I pulled back and slammed into his tight heat. "Fuck yeah. Such a good boy."

"I'll be so good, Daddy," he promised as I slammed into him again and again.

His hole tightened as his orgasm raced toward him, so I went harder, faster, enjoying the feel of him, so grateful he was still here with me. Grabbing his cock, I said, "Come."

Immediately, cum shot out of the head of his cock, and I latched onto his neck again, sucking a bruise into his skin while chasing my own release. I grunted as I came, filling the condom. "Daddy," he sighed, falling instantly asleep and snoring softly.

By the time I woke him up to check on him again, he was a lot less groggy and more awake. "Did you clean me up?"

"Does in a good daddy always clean up his boy?"

He peaked up at me shyly. "So you mean? That wasn't just sex? You're staying?"

Smirking at him, I reached over and poked at one of the hippies I'd left on his neck. "Boy, you're mine."

He shuffled onto his back and stared into my eyes. "How long are you staying?"

"How long do you plan on owning the hotel?"

He bit his lip, fighting to keep the grin off his face. "Forever."

I shrugged a shoulder. "Then I guess that's how long I'll be here."

His beautiful eyes clouded with worry. "I don't know a lot about the families, only what Frederic shared, but can you stay?"

Since he'd fallen asleep, that was all I'd been pondering. Could I stay? I could, but it was a dangerous business for an assassin to stay in one place with no protection. Eventually, someone would come for me, but even more unacceptable, they'd come for Cory.

"It will be risky if I don't…" I trailed off.

"If you don't what?" he asked, worried.

I licked my lips. "I'm going to have to make another deal."

"With the Buccelli's?"

I nodded. "But the good thing is, they'll help me find your nephew."

"You think they'll help you look for Emilio?" he asked doubtfully.

"Hm. I do since his father is part of the Pasini Family. It's a complicated and dangerous game I'm suggesting we play, but sometimes the only way to get what you want is to make a deal with the devil."

"And will we win?"

There was no question I was falling in love with this man. I might not be there yet, but I was well on my way. And I didn't intend to ever leave him to navigate this world alone again. So if I had to play the game that I'd kept myself out of all these years, then that was what I'd have to do.

"Oh, will win all right. Don't forget, working with me, they're playing with the devil, too."

Well, this is it! We're off into the darker side of Takoda. The second book of the Devil's Deal Duology will have so much more of the Buccelli's as Bosely (Romeo) and Cory continue their journey to love, and the search for Emilio begins. You can pre-order here. If you can't wait and want chapter one of Redeeming Bosley , make sure and join my ko-fi. Thanks for reading!