30. Roman
S itting back in my father’s—my—office chair, I scrub my hands over my face until I’m seeing spots. A low-grade headache is knocking at my temples, and I wonder how Dad doesn’t have more gray hair. I’ve only been running the Family for a few days, and yet I feel as if I’ve aged ten years.
There’s a knock at the office door, and it opens shortly after. Removing my hands from my face, I expect to see Tennant, or maybe even Carter, with some type of update, but am surprised to see Jude instead.
“Hey.” I smile at him. “What are you doing here?”
He takes a seat across from me, barely concealing his wince. Before replying, he removes his hearing aids and tosses them onto the desk, then says, “I was with Jayden. I swear I’m more sore now than I was before I saw him.”
I snort, but understand exactly what he means. I also don’t blame him for taking his hearing aids out as soon as he could. Jayden is…a lot. The sadistic bastard isn’t bratty like Doc, but his bedside manner is just as bad, if not worse sometimes.
“What’d he say?”
Jude shrugs. “Same thing. He did say he thinks my range of motion has improved though, but he wants to put me through some more exercises to be sure. Only reason he didn’t today was because Tennant told him he needed me.” Jude snorts and his hands flutter for a moment, as if he’s thinking about how to continue.
“What is Tennant doing?” I ask. “I thought he was taking you and Benjamin to interrogate the cops that Joel tracked down?”
He huffs. “He said he was going to test Benjamin’s hand-to-hand abilities while I was at my appointment.”
“Okay…” I voice the word, drawing it out because I’m confused as to why Jude looks smug as hell over that.
“I assume,” he replies, his hands moving slower than usual as he does. “By now, Ten has either killed him or fucked him.”
My mouth drops open and my hands fall to my lap in shock. I…did not expect this turn of events. I mean, I know Benjamin is like fucking catnip to Ten, but I didn’t expect the new Second to just go for it. To be honest, I always thought Benjamin was an uptight snob.
I’m not sure how he and Lio are best friends, but well, it looks like he has hidden depths—more than he’s already shown.
“Are you really that shocked, Tesoro Mio?” Jude asks, tilting his head.
“Yeah…” I nod my fist and then hesitantly sign, “I knew they were into one another, and that Ten would go for it if given the opportunity. I just never expected Benjamin to give him one, is all. He seems like a one man type of person to me.”
Jude snorts. “Even I know better than that, Roman. I think you’re letting the fact he doesn’t like you cloud your judgment.”
I sigh and nod. “Probably right. Maybe this will make him not hate me? I mean, he can fuck my lover, then I can be friends with Lio without him breathing over my shoulder, right?”
Jude rolls his eyes. “From what I’ve been told, and what I’ve seen, he’s loyal to his Family, and very protective. You are…a lot. I’m not surprised he wants to protect Emilio from you. Especially since the two of you are so much alike. It’s hard being the outsider in this, Roman. He just wants to keep what he’s built.”
Biting my lip, I look at our past interactions in a new light. I…guess I can see that. Lio and I get along great, and have a lot of fun together. We share similar interests when it comes to killing those who deserve it, and I suppose that can be intimidating to Benjamin, who keeps his homicidal urges buried deep, deep down.
Though, from the sounds of it, Tennant is working on breaking those walls down. If anyone can, it’s our resident sociopathic psychopath. He always knows the right buttons to push, and even if you think you’ve gotten one over on him, you’ve actually just played right into his hands.
I just hope Benjamin knows this isn’t a one and done, not for us.
Jude raps his knuckles on the desk, getting my attention. “Stop thinking about it. Yes, while it might be surprising that Benjamin is the one who somehow gets under Tennant’s skin, it’s not important right now. Hollis cleared it, which is enough for now. If there needs to be more of a conversation about it, we’ll have one.”
I look at him curiously. “Yesterday, I thought you were going to throw up a jealous, possessive protest. What changed?”
He shrugs. “I don’t do jealousy. If I did, I wouldn’t be with the three of you. No…I was simply concerned because I don’t know the Martellis as well as you do. Hollis and I talked, and he reminded me that I’m his…yours.”
“If I could,” I sign slowly. “I’d kill your family all over again for giving you so many doubts about your place in the world. The four of us…we’re everything. Benjamin and Tennant might be…whatever they are, but that has no bearings on what the four of us do together. Especially since I don’t know if Hollis could let that much control go, in order for them to be a separate entity. I highly doubt Lio would appreciate it if he knew his best friend was claimed, not only by Ten, but Hol, too.”
Jude chuckles. “Yeah… Let’s not test that theory.” He sobers, his face going eerily blank. Looks like he’s been taking more than “how to be a Second” lessons from Ten. “What’s happening on the streets?”
“Shit,” I sign, sighing and running a hand through my hair, tugging hard at the strands. “I did manage to get the weapons delivery pushed back a few more days, so we can get some protections in place. It’s going to cost us a pretty steep pay cut, but safety is more important than money right now.” My hands tremble slightly as the weight of reality and all I’ve learned today rushes to the surface, trying to take over.
“The re-supply went out without a hitch. Everyone got what they needed, and dispersed it to their dealers. Except…some of the street dealers were caught selling.”
“Fuck,” he curses aloud.
“Pretty much,” I agree. “They won’t turn on us; they know better. But it’s still a problem. If I were the LEOs, I’d go after the little fish, offer them a deal…and let them lead the authorities straight to who they actually want.”
Jude nods in agreement. “Make sure our people stay vigilant. Anyone who got picked up and then is let go needs to be carefully monitored. I’d advise against moving on them. Any aggression on our part will be proof enough for them to dig their claws deeper into our business. So, put people on them, and have them report anything that seems suspicious. Then we can do something about it.”
I grin at him. “I knew you were a good Second for a reason. Sinclair suggested the same thing. He’s been watching the situation, along with the Martelli lawyer, though he’s not touching any of them.”
“Smart. The cops know who our lawyer is. And while people like Ricci, who hold large territories and are at the top of the food chain, can justify having a fancy lawyer, the street dealers can’t.”
“Exactly. Other than that, I’ve been going over what Carter, Enzo, and Marcus have been doing. Though I’m not needed much there, the three of them have a handle on the men, and know where to focus our attention. Lio’s stand-in Second, Antonio, had some good ideas on how to direct their operations, and I gave Enzo the go-ahead to implement similar measures. Tennant or Joel will have to approve it, but I have faith in them all.”
“And we have faith in you, Tesoro Mio,” he says.
Emotion clogs my throat, but thankfully, I don’t need to speak out loud. “I just want to make Dad proud.”
“You are,” he assures me. “When we get him back, and he sees how well you’ve held everything together, he’ll tell you just how proud you’ve made him. You were born for this, Roman. It shows, too. From the way you speak, how you hold yourself, and even the way you dress.” I scoff but he ignores me. “Yes, it may be unconventional for someone in your position, but you own your style and sense of self, and that confidence is what helps people not question it. I know you don’t feel ready, but you are . You’ve been ready since the day you spared my life.”
Tears fill my eyes and I don’t bother blinking them away, knowing I’m safe here with him. “Thank you.” My hand trembles as it tips off my chin, but I don’t care anymore. Pushing down my emotions is something I’ve struggled to do my whole life, knowing a Boss isn’t supposed to show just how vulnerable he is.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned since Dad was taken, it’s that emotions are part of the job, even if those not at the top don’t think they should be. It’s learning how to express them, and when, that’s important. Locked here in Dad’s office, with Jude sitting in front of me, I know I’m as safe as can be.
My phone vibrates on the desk and I wipe my eyes before picking it up. Glancing at the screen, a pit of dread fills me.
HOLLIS
Our bedroom. Now.
Looking up, I find Jude slipping his own phone in his pocket. “I’m assuming Tennant is finished,” he muses. He grabs his hearing aids and slips them back in before standing. “Shall we?”
Taking a deep breath, I push away from the desk, slipping my phone into my jacket. I straighten my skirt, making sure the pleats lay just so, before following Jude out of the office.
The presence of extra guards in the halls sets me on edge—more than I already was since Hollis’s text.
In any other circumstance, I’d be worried he was pissed, but he gave his blessing for whatever occurred between Tennant and Benjamin, so whatever this is, it must be big enough for a private conversation.
We use the elevator, because after a session with Jayden, Jude isn’t up for taking the stairs. He grabs my hand once we’re in the car and doesn’t let go, even as we walk down the hall to our room.
The suite door is open and Tennant is already there, sitting on the couch, one leg crossed over the other.
We leave the door open and I take a seat next to Ten as Jude sits in a chair. “You look well fucked.” I can’t help but comment.
Tennant snorts. “I am.”
I eye his shoulders and arms, noting how blood seeps through his white shirt. “I see he’s not a docile little mouse,” I muse.
Tennant smirks and shakes his head. “Far from it. He plays the act well, but he’s a Martelli for a reason.”
“You’re right, Roman,” Jude drawls. “Fucking catnip.”
“Will you two fucking stop with that,” Tennant snaps, frustration bleeding into his tone. It’s not an easy feat to make him lose control, which means he cares far more for Benjamin than he’ll ever admit.
I wait for jealousy to spark, since Benjamin isn’t ours to keep, but it doesn’t. I’m not surprised, as I’ve never been jealous of any of the individual relationships that happen outside the main one between the four of us, but I never thought about how it’d feel if an outsider was thrown into the equation. Except now, we have to think about it.
Hollis finally comes into the room and shuts the door behind him. The click of the lock is loud in my ears, even as my heart beats quicker at seeing him. He’s wearing a black dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, which is surprising as he’s very conscious to not show his scars. His dark hair is its usual messy disarray, but it’s his dark brown eyes, framed by his glasses, that are captivating.
The air in the room feels electric as Hollis leans against the closed suite door and studies the three of us. “I want you and Jude to watch this,” he says, holding out his tablet. “And then I’ll tell you what I’ve decided.”
Fear creeps into my throat as I look at Ten, who is watching our hacker, the trepidation in his ice blue eyes is the only indication of what he might be thinking.
Getting up, I take the tablet from Hollis and perch on the arm of Jude’s chair, holding the device between us. “There’s sound,” Hollis says from his spot still by the door. “So make sure the captions are turned on.”
Doing as ordered, I finally press play, furrowing my brows when I see it’s a recording of the training room we have here at the house. It’s only ever used when we’re on lockdown, as we are now, or if we’re bored enough, as Tennant prefers more space than the room can offer. Plus, there are only limited skills he can test here.
The training session starts out as expected. Tennant taunts Benjamin, using his experience with that psychotic bastard, Jax, as a way to bring out the bloodlust hiding in the other man.
I have to bite my tongue to not comment on how sloppy Benjamin’s technique is, especially when he allows himself to be backed into the wall. The sight of Tennant leaning in to kiss him has my breath catching.
Jude taps the screen, splitting the feed as he brings up the view from the other camera, just in time to watch as Tennant takes Benjamin’s trauma, and uses it to build him up.
The next time they go at it, I can see Benjamin is actually trying. There’s a determination on his face that is admirable, especially as he manages to get Ten on the ground, though he gets too arrogant for how undertrained he is.
When Tennant has him on the ground, his foot holding him to the mat, my cock thickens. It becomes hard to focus as I watch Tennant own Benjamin on the screen. By the time they’re both naked, and Tennant is ready to shove into Benjamin without lube or prep, my cock is rock-hard, and my body is almost overheated with desire.
When Tennant knocks Benjamin out, my heart is racing and I ache all over from the need to be fucked.
“Where’s Benjamin now?” I ask, concerned about Tennant knocking him unconscious then just leaving him. I know he wouldn’t do that, but still… I also know how it feels to go up against Ten, and that’s after years and years of training. I’m sure Benjamin is feeling every hit, since the fucker never pulls his punches.
“In his room. I asked Soren to sit in with him, so he wouldn’t wake up disoriented and alone.”
I nod, the worry easing a bit.
Jude takes the tablet from me and leans forward to set it on the coffee table. “What was the point of that?” he asks, his voice thick and laced with desire.
Hollis finally pushes away from the door and comes to sit in the chair opposite the one Jude and I are sharing. “The point,” he says slowly, “was to show you what Tennant got up to today.”
“Are you going to punish me for taking what you freely gave, Tesoro?” Tennant asks in a mild tone, though there’s something lying underneath the carefully modulated words that has my desire receding, and fear taking center stage.
In all my time of knowing Hollis, he and Ten have always been on the same page. Even when they disagree, they somehow manage to make it seem like they’re one unit. Right now, there’s a tension in the air, one that fills my lungs with fear and makes my heart beat fast.
Jude slips his hand into mine and I hold it tightly, grateful to have a lifeline in the maelstrom.
“No,” Hollis finally says. “I am not cruel like that. What I want to know is…do you plan on giving him back?”
“No,” Tennant replies. “The thought didn’t cross my mind.”
“Isn’t he engaged to one of them?” Jude asks. “That pretty much means you have to.”
Tennant sneers. “Ignacio doesn’t deserve him. He’s half-trained because Ignacio failed him. Il Padrone and Lio have a Family to run, they can’t be everywhere at once. Benjamin is Ignacio’s, which means he’s his responsibility. That he didn’t take care of him shows he must not really love him as he says.”
“That’s unfair,” I snap. “People show love in different ways. You know exactly what that’s like. Just because Ignacio was taking his time with Benjamin, doesn’t mean he didn’t care.”
“It’s exactly what it means, Little Prince,” Ten argues. “The second Hollis became mine, I started working with him. He’ll never be as proficient at fighting as the rest of us, but he’s shown he’s more than willing to kill and die for the Family. His position means he doesn’t need such a heavy hand as you or Jude.
“Benjamin is Emilio’s Second. He should have started training the moment he was appointed. Not only that…it’s not just sex.”
I squeeze Jude’s hand harder in mine. I saw and heard that on the video. The Martellis use sex as a way to connect to one another, and to keep each other in their places. While I’m sure they all care for one another in some way, because love isn’t stagnant, I know their individual relationships are what matter—much like our relationship can’t be impacted by what Hollis did to and with Lio.
What I saw on the video, however… Tennant and Benjamin have a connection that goes far deeper than one-time sex, or a simple release, or Benjamin being Tennant’s type. It…was like watching Hollis and Tennant having sex, if I’m being honest. The…trust and care between them matched what I’ve seen between my lovers.
Sex is just sex… That was more.
“That’s why I’m going to let you keep him, Love.” Hollis’s voice jars me back to the topic at hand.
“What do you mean?” I ask. “I mean, I’m happy that Tennant seems to have found someone else who’s perfect for him, but Benjamin hates me, remember?”
“Good thing you’re not part of my decision then, Amore,” Hollis says. “Benjamin is his problem, not ours. I’ll let you keep him, Ten. He’s yours. I’ll protect him because you are mine, and I’ll always protect what’s important to you, but I also don’t want Emilio breathing down my neck because he’s terrified for his best friend’s life.
“Roman is right that Benjamin isn’t a fan of his, but maybe him being around more will help with that. It’ll give him a chance to get to know Jude, too.” Hollis shrugs. “I didn’t plan for this when I gave you permission to fuck him, but…you’ve never asked me for anything.”
“I’m yours, Hol,” Tennant says in a voice I’ve never heard from him before. Sounding almost vulnerable.
“You are,” Hollis agrees. “And nothing will ever change that, but… I want you to have this— him —too.”
Tennant goes to his knees in front of Hollis and says something so quietly that not even I can hear it. Hollis grabs a handful of Ten’s white blond hair and pulls his head back.
“You’ll make it up to me,” Hollis tells him. “When this shitstorm is over, I’ll take you away for a while, maybe a few weeks, and show you just how mine you are. For now…” Hollis leans over Tennant and kisses him hard.
When the kiss ends, Tennant says, “I’ll be yours forever, Tesoro. Sei il mio universo.”
Hollis gives him an indulgent smile. “Sei la persona a cui tengo di più. Which is why I’m giving you this. Because I know nothing will ever stand in the way of you being mine.”
Jude tugs on my hand and I look at him, realizing that, even with his hearing aids, they’re speaking too low for him to understand. Extracting my hand from his, I quickly translate what they’re saying.
I feel no guilt for intruding on their private moment. If they didn’t want us to know, they would have gone to the other room.
“We can’t take him away from the Martellis forever,” Hollis says loud enough for us all to hear, as he releases Tennant’s hair. “Emilio is his best friend, and I’d rather not step on any toes, plus, there’s Ignacio.” Tennant makes a noise of disdain, but Hollis ignores him. “We also have to ask Benjamin how he feels, what he wants. I know what I saw on the video…but we can’t just kidnap him.”
“I have a feeling he’d like Ten’s brand of kidnapping. Plus, he kidnapped Lio, so…” I helpfully point out.
I also get ignored as Hollis continues. “This will be a very delicate balance for us all, especially since he’ll only be Tennant’s to play with, unless they decide to share. But…if he wants the same things you do, Love, then we’ll figure it out.”
Tennant reaches for Hollis and pulls him down for a kiss. “Thank you, Hol.”
Hollis smirks. “Don’t thank me for giving you what you need, Love. Especially not when that thing is a Martelli.”
Worry, fear, and excitement all run through me at the idea of Benjamin and Tennant being more than a convenient fuck for one another.
This is not how any of it was supposed to go when we joined forces with the Martellis to rescue the Bosses, but…I can’t say I hate it. I just hope it doesn’t blow up in our faces.