CHAPTER TEN

RITCHIE

THE CHAT

I never imagined our first time together would be the way it was. We were both injured, and we had no right to act as if the end of the world was near. I knew I’d hurt her and loathed myself for it afterwards. Tori seemed to enjoy or need it, but that didn’t mean I should have given into her and been so rough.

Part of me thought she was attempting to suppress what happened to her when she was younger, and with Rosco. No matter what, I didn’t want our initial time together based on pain. The next time I held my woman in my arms, I’d make love to her - not saying we wouldn’t fuck again. I’d bring us up to that point gently.

Brock rolled to the SUV to a stop outside the building.

“Boss, do you think I should come inside?” He extended his beefy arm over the steering wheel.

“No, keep an eye out,” I ordered. “Just listen in. We have men in the area. If you hear something, go wrong, then come inside.”

He nodded.

I stepped out of the SUV and felt the warmth of the sun on my face. Now that it was September, the blistering heat had subsided. I buttoned my suit jacket as I walked toward the side of the building to the door. The hum of the city traffic blended with the quiet sound of my leather boots on the gravel as I closed in on the heavy steel burgundy door. With a quick movement, I knocked three times using near-exact timing: tap-tap-tap.

I heard the door unlock before it was pushed open. Keeping my poker face in tack, I stalked toward the man as the door closed behind me. A smile curled my lips. “It’s good to see you, Kagan.” I pulled him into a hug as I scanned the medium-sized space.

“Man, you’ve got to be careful out there.” He patted my back. I heard the emotion in his voice as he stepped back.

“I know.” My voice was low and full of sadness.

“But I’d do it all again to save her life,” I admitted.

The stifled cries of rage and anguish echoed loudly against my skull like a hammer pounding relentlessly against an anvil.

He slapped my shoulder. “I know you would. That’s why all the bodyguards across three families are pulling for you.”

My brow’s rose. “I’m only aware of our families, the Pituccos, and the Espositos.”

Kagan grinned. “Yeah, well, I talked to Dom. He said I could use Magarelli bodyguards if needed.”

He shrugged. “Dom said he’s a neutral party.”

I shook my head. “Of course, Dom is. He loves trouble.”

“Two Magarelli bodyguards will be here in...” Kagan glanced at his Rolex. “...two hours.”

“Good. Sounds like we’ll need all the help we can get.” I rubbed my hands together as I walked deeper into the room.

Kagan rubbed his square jaw. “Yeah, there might be a little blow back for what we caught,” he snickered.

Kagan was resourceful to be so young.

I removed a pair of leather gloves from my pocket, then slipped my long fingers inside.

TWO HULKING MEN, EACH at least six-feet tall and wide as refrigerators, stood on either side of two people seated in wooden chairs with their faces covered by dark brown burlap sacks. With their hands bound tight in zip ties, they squirmed against their restraints.

The bodyguards were low level solders for the Espositos. Marco wouldn’t notice they were gone.

“You guys aren’t going anywhere. Kagan made sure those restraints are tight. We plan to have a lot of fun with you two. After we’re done with that asshole Rosco back at the warehouse we’ll move you in. You’ll love the space. It has a certain aroma that lingers in the room.” I snapped my fingers pretending to recall the odor.

“Smells like pee and shit.”

Kagan and the guards burst into laughter.

The guys squirmed furiously after my words.

“You see I’m not in the best of spirits after knocking on deaths door due to multiple gunshot wounds. I owe my new lease on life to Tori, my woman. I never knew what I was missing until I met that fierce woman. And to think she wasn’t free to have a real relationship until me.” I raised a finger like they could see through the burlap.

I snarled as my boot thrust forward into the chest of one of them. The man flew back, skidding to a halt on the cement floor beneath him with a loud thud. His head slammed against the unforgiving ground with a crack.“Guess you could say I stole her and made her my woman,” I snarled as my boot thrust forward into the chest of one of them. The man flew back, skidding to a halt on the cement floor beneath him with a loud thud. His head slammed against the unforgiving ground with a crack.

A pained groan escaped his lips and filled the room as I yanked the rag-like sack from his head. He squinted in effort to adjust his eyes to the sudden light, while a mosaic of black and red bruises covered his face. A wave of rage rolled through me and I clenched my hands into fists, temptation begging me to take action right then and there. But I had to wait.

Anger coursed through my veins. “I’d love to end you now, but I don’t want to bust another stitch. If I do my woman will be angry,” I growled, standing over him meeting his gaze.

As his eyes grew wide and dark with rage, the corners of his mouth curved into a menacing sneer. His body was tense, and he took agitated breaths through flared nostrils.

“Lift him up,” I ordered Kagan’s men. They pulled his chair in an upright position.

Running a hand down my tailored navy suit jacket a wide grin lifted my bearded cheeks. “Let’s see if he brings the fight to me or if I have to continue to chase him down.”