Chapter 8

8

TOBIAS

T eagan is finishing her breakfast, chasing it with enough coffee to give anyone the shakes, but I guess I can't blame her.

It's late afternoon, and I kept her in bed for hours this morning. Now she's mine for good. My touch, my ownership, is written all over her body. My name is the only one she'll ever cry, and my bed is the one she'll sleep in for the rest of her life.

My Teagan. My girl.

I have to step outside, though, to get away from her for a minute to take care of some business. I pull out my phone, thinking about what kept me from joining her late last night. The call that pulled me away and made me have to pick up some old habits that I'd hoped to be done with forever. I sink down into one of the lounge chairs and sigh, recalling everything that happened just the night before.

Some of my old contacts had come through much faster than I thought, and when I left Teagan alone last night, it was because the person calling me was someone I had to settle things with. I don't regret for a minute scaring the shit out of her manager, but the fact that he's distantly related to the Delvecchio family put me in hot water.

Normally, I wouldn't let it faze me. I run a security firm for fuck's sake, so I'm pretty well protected myself. But I don't want anything or anyone to even think of messing with Teagan. So I put out some feelers after my chat with Ian and let it be known that I'm willing to talk if the head of the family—Paulie—is open to it too.

It took him less than a day to call, but Paulie Delvecchio wasn't happy to talk to me—I know that for a fact. But it's his family I had to make things right with if I was going to have any hope of a peaceful future with Teagan.

"My cousin doesn't have many good things to say about you," Paulie had said in greeting. "He called you a hothead and said you attacked him in his own store, which, in reality, is my store. All over some waitress. Is that right?"

I wanted to tell him to fuck off and never even think about speaking of Teagan like that again, but I wasn't looking for a fight. Pacing the terrace in the dark, I bit my tongue and kept my tone even. "It was a misunderstanding. I want to make things right so we can all go on with our lives."

Paulie hesitated, and then laughed, low and sarcastic. "Ah, is that how it is? Well, I don't know how you can help me. You're retired from being a hitman, right? So even if there was a job I needed you to take to make things even, you couldn't do it."

Fuck, I didn't want to get blood on my hands again. But then I had thought of Teagan, waiting in my bedroom, and knew that I'd do whatever it took. "I'm sure we can work something out. I don't think I'm that rusty."

I could almost hear the grin in Paulie's voice. "Okay, sure. There's a weasel in my midst, one of our low-level drug runners that I just happened to discover is a police informant. If you take care of that little problem, then I will make sure cousin Walt forgives and forgets about your little restaurant altercation. Does that work for you, Mr. Terrazas?"

"Works for me."

"Excellent. So here's what I'm going to need from you…"

He had told me about the mark and how the man was close by, so the job could be done in a night. I had left Teagan without even telling her I was leaving, assigning extra security to the house, driving through the night with a gun on my hip and a garrote wire in my pocket.

I killed the man in his bed, one bullet in the head with my silenced pistol. Now it was done, the mark dead, and any imaginary debt I owed to Paulie Delvecchio wiped away.

Back in the present, I pick up my phone again and send a quick text to Ian, letting my old friend know that everything is taken care of and to let me know if shit goes belly up with Ricky. My son can come back whenever the hell he wants at this point, though.

Teagan is mine, and we're connected so strongly that whatever sad excuse for dating the two of them did is meaningless. I think about my grandmother's diamond wedding ring in the safety deposit box down at the bank and smile.

Soon enough.

When I walk back into the house, I find Teagan standing on the balcony of my bedroom—our bedroom now—staring at the view of Lake Michigan. She's dressed and has a cup of coffee in her hand, but her hair is messy and there are marks all over her neck. My marks. It makes something feral inside me howl like a beast, loving the visual reminder of my claim on her.

She smiles at me, and I pull her into my arms. "Come on, doll. Let's get out of the house. I'm taking you somewhere."

She groans. "I really wouldn't mind if you wanted to stay in. I'm pretty beat."

"Hell no." Leaning back, I pinch her chin lightly between my thumb and forefinger and smirk at her. "After a performance like that, my girl deserves some pampering. Maybe a new wardrobe or a diamond necklace."

Teagan's eyes go round. "Oh Tobias, I?—"

My finger goes from her chin to her lips, shushing her. "Shut your pretty little mouth, doll. I'm going to spoil you, and you're going to like it."

Her eyes go dreamy, and her voice is soft as she says, "Okay. That sounds wonderful."

"I know it does." I give her round ass a quick squeeze before taking her hand in mine, pulling her forward. "Now let's go."