CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

RITCHIE

THE LOYAL MAFIA BODYGUARD

H ands cupped in front of me, I stood off to the side inside the warehouse. The howling screams of my boss’s enemies surround me and the other bodyguards. The second I walked into the warehouse; I wasted no time changing out of my suit and slipping on a pair of black cargo pants. I tied a black leather butcher apron behind my back, tugged on a bouffant cap and latex gloves.

Now that I’m married, I feel my boss’s pain on a deeper level. And I would make his enemies pay anyway he wanted me to.

If I lost Tor-. No, I couldn’t think about that.

Gloria’s true colors showed when I went to pick up my cat. I thought she was sweet, generous, and kind. She went out of her way to wash my clothes and take care of Mr. Chaos. The night I was beside myself after Lexis ran on my watch, I wasn’t in my right mind. I got drunk and planned to pass out in my bed. Alone. Gloria rushed over to see if I needed anything, so I thought. It turned out she was trying to start something more between us. She had no idea I wouldn’t ever want a relationship with her. Tori, on the other hand. She stood at my hotel room door with all the snark in the world. Even if I tried to stay away, I didn’t think I could stay away from her.

Back to Gloria. She was a real bitch to my wife. I didn’t fucking play when it came to Tori. She called Tori a toddler. Why? Because she looked youthful.

The way she glared at Tori like she was beneath her. Gloria was out of line. It took everything in me not to wrap my fucking hands around her neck and choke the fucking life out of her.

I had to remember I didn’t hit or kill women. But my wife did. I gave Tori and the girls the green light to do as they pleased with Gloria.

Tori had mentioned she would be leaving later tonight, and she looked forward to being thoroughly fucked before she left town. However, I received a text from Ezra informing me that he had already boarded the jet bound for Chicago with the girls. I figured this was Tori’s way of getting back at me for not giving her the orgasm the other day.

I’d let it go for now. She had no idea I’d show up in Chicago this weekend to see her. And to check on Lexis.

Lexis had been gone for almost five months and Luca was still in a very dark place. He lost the only woman he ever loved. They’d been best friends since they were kids. They became a couple in high school. Luca smiled so much when he was in her presence. Now he doesn’t smile at all.

Fuck, I hated seeing him like this.

Milo stood across from me to Luca’s left. There was worry on his face and a hint of remorse. He probably felt bad for the poor fuckers sitting in front of Luca. They had no idea what happened to Lexis. Only I knew she left and started a new life.

It didn’t seem like Lexis wanted to leave. Actually, she had gotten into some kind of confrontation with someone between New Jersey and Chicago. Did she get into a fight with a woman over Luca? Did a woman blackmail her into leaving him?

When I watched her working at the restaurant in Chicago, she didn’t appear sad all the time. She smiled and laughed. Maybe she was going through the motions because she was in a public setting. Luca wasn’t acting for anyone. Not just because he was a mafia boss, but because he didn’t have to work with the public. He didn’t have to pretend he was happy, when in actuality he was miserable.

“Ritchie?” Luca glanced at me.

His golden-brown eyes were bloodshot red. Maybe he should rest and let Marco handle the mafia business. Damn, it was hard to watch a man you respected unravel before your eyes.

“Yes, Luca?” I replied.

“Make their brains bleed,” he ordered.

“No problem, boss.”

I watched as my boss left the torture chamber. This was part of the reason being away from Tori was a struggle.

I’d be in Chicago no later than tomorrow night. I had to see her.