Chapter Six
Magnolia
It feels good to be back in New York, although this is an entirely different experience for me. Everything is grander, the best of the city at my feet.
Unfortunately, it rained all night and the temperature dropped down to fifteen degrees, so now it’s icy this morning and a bit slippery in patches. Then again, I’m not in my neighborhood, so it’s like they rolled out the street heaters to thaw the ice. Can’t have the rich ladies falling in their heels.
When I came to town two years ago, I’d essentially been a country bumpkin, a midwestern girl without a clue. Then I’d been stuck, drowning in debt, needing a lifeline that my roommate conveniently tossed my way—one she couldn’t take herself. It paid off, but in a way, it didn’t. I never expected to be married. It’s more than I bargained for. A weekend fling, a chance to start fresh, not a lifetime commitment to a child, but hey—I suppose that’s how babies are made sometimes, off a weekend fling, right?
“Since we’ll be flying out in two days, we’ll be staying at the condo. On our return, we’ll travel to our estate out of the city,” he says. His light eyes linger, but he doesn’t say more. As we exit the SUV, several more men in expensive long black coats surround us and hold the doors open for our entry. I understood Killian was wealthy so he needed security, but this seems excessive.
Thinking back to the auction and the offshore accounts, it was obvious that the people at these things were there for a reason and it wasn’t a televised event. “Come along, Magnolia.” He takes my hand, lacing our fingers as they press the elevator button for him.
“Mr. King, your lawyer would like to meet.”
“Tell him that I will meet tomorrow morning. My wife and I need our rest.”
“Yes, Bos—Mr. King.” He leaves us, and we take the elevator up to the penthouse. It opens into a lavish hallway, and then he unlocks a grand double door. He pushes it open and takes me inside.
He turns his gaze on me as I stare at the insane beauty that I’ve only seen in movies or online. “Welcome home. Let me take your coat.” He slips behind me as I slide it off my shoulders. His nose brushes my neck, and then he kisses my shoulder before taking it away.
“Wow, this place is crazy beautiful,” I say, stepping into the living area and staring toward the large wall of windows that overlook the city.
“It’s nothing compared to my wife,” he answers from just steps behind me.
I twist slightly with a twitch in my grin. “I think you’re just trying to sleep with me.”
He closes the distance between us. Slicing his fingers through my hair, pushing it out of the way and cupping the back of my head, Killian spins me around. “The truth is what it is, but that doesn’t change that I want you in our bed or on any surface that ends with my cock deep inside your pussy.” Staring into his sexy blue eyes, I’m captivated by the honesty.
The rush of fluid spreads between my legs so quickly that I slam them shut. “Killian.”
“Yes, my wife?”
“Welcome me home properly. Fuck me.”
He growls, scooping me up and carrying me straight into his bedroom where we stay for the rest of the evening, screwing and sleeping all night.
****
“Hey, Mike, can you take me to my apartment? I need to get some things, and I want to check in with my roommate.”
“Sure, Mrs. King.” He drives us to the Bronx and grumbles all the way there. I’m sure he’s going to tell his boss that he married a street rat.
“This isn’t a safe neighborhood for you, Mrs. King.” He steadies me as we take the stairs.
“I know. Luckily, you’re here with me now.”
“That’s most certainly a great thing.” We climb the stairs together, and he watches my back the entire way like someone is going to jump out of the woodwork and get us. I roll my eyes several times as I make my way to the third floor. Once we’re upstairs, I unlock my apartment door and see my place cleaned out. It doesn’t even look like anyone lives here.
“What the hell? Where are my belongings? Did he do something with my things? Where is my roommate?” I run through every room, and there’s nothing. It’s almost a completely new apartment except for the wear and tear of people having lived there for two years.
I turn back to Mike and ask again, “Did Killian do this?” but he’s on the phone.
“He wants to talk to you.” He hands me the phone.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“I’m not hurt, obviously, but everything is gone. All of my belongings are gone. I have nothing. Even my roommate is missing.”
“Who is your roommate? What’s her name?”
“Sandra Mendez.”
“Who the fuck did you say?” he chokes out.
My immediate thought goes to her being his ex-lover and that’s why the bitch stole my belongings. “Sandra Mendez.” An unknown fit of jealousy surges through me like a tidal wave.
“Give the phone to Mike now.” I quickly toss the phone to Mike while I look around my bare bedroom. I can’t hear what he’s saying, but I can tell he’s shouting on the other end.
“We’ve got to go,” Mike says. He’s already tucked his phone away.
“Okay,” I sob, thinking about all my familial photos and memories I’d brought with me from Nebraska. They were all here along with my laptop, textbooks, and everything I needed for school.
We get out the front door, and there’s a hail of gunfire. Just as Mike goes to brace me, I slip on the ice and we slide down the steps, missing the gunshots. I can’t hear any more shots over the sound of my screams or the squeal of the tires, but I feel my body move as Mike leads me over to our vehicle. We’re almost there when another SUV pulls up and Killian jumps out, pulling me into his arms. “Fuck, babe. Are you okay?” His hands run all over my body.
“I’m fine. I’m fine, I think,” I groan. My ass hurts from hitting the steps, but I really can’t complain. Still, something is seriously wrong. We were just shot at seconds ago. How did Killian get here so fast?
He leads me into his SUV and then Mike jumps into the back seat instead of getting into his SUV. As we start driving away, a large explosion happens behind us. “Holy shit,” I shout, turning my head and seeing the SUV on fire. They blew it up.
“You’re safe.”
“What’s going on?” I sob.
“I’m not quite sure just yet,” he says.
“You’re lying to me.”
“I’m not.” The conviction in his tone tells me not to argue again. I shut my mouth and sit back, fighting the urge to either cry or punch him in the face. I was almost gunned down. He’s keeping something from me, but every nerve ending in my body is on the fritz so it’s not like I can control myself.
He reaches out and takes my hand. The feeling is too much, too powerful, so I pull away. I see the hurt in his eyes that is quickly masked. He doesn’t say another word until we’re back at his condo in the city. The immaculate place feels colder with his tension radiating off him.
He paces and then turns to face me, taking my hands in his. “I apologize for being rude, but what I meant is I don’t know why they attacked you so brazenly and how they knew you’d be there.”
“Who are they?” Who was Killian? Who had I really married?
“My enemies who get my father’s property if you don’t give me a child,” he answered with clenched teeth.
“They’d kill me for it?” I gasped, unable to process all this. My life was in danger over someone else’s property.
“In my world, it would be a badge of honor to take the empire of the top crime family.”
“Oh my God.” I married a mobster.
“I’m sorry, Magnolia. I am sorry, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re my wife.”
“No, but you could have picked someone else.” Even as the words fall from my lips, I don’t like the taste of them. On the phone I’d been irrationally jealous that he’d had a relationship with my former roommate. I couldn’t picture him with another wife.
“No, I couldn’t have because you’re the only one I wanted, and I would have killed any other bastard that dared try to bid on you.” I should hate his confession, but I don’t. I should slap him and run away, but I want to climb all over his stupid, cruelly possessive body and let him show me how dominating he can be. Damn him.
He checks his phone and then says, “I have some business to attend to; I’ll be back later. Please behave, and don’t make me punish you.”
“Are you going to be safe?” I questioned.
“I’m always safe.” I doubt that’s the freaking case, but I’m sure that’s not up for debate. The man isn’t the kind you challenge, and frankly, I don’t want to know the details of his business. I sit on the sofa and try to relax, even though I’m a real mess right now. My roommate set me up, stole my things, and then someone tried to gun me down. Yeah, life in New York isn’t what I expected it to be.
****
It's the early morning hours when I feel Killian pulling me closer. “You’re home.”
“That I am, beautiful, and I was here all night. You’re a heavy sleeper,” he mutters. “Rest.”
“I need to pee.” He lets me get up, and I shuffle over to the bathroom. When I come out, I scoop up my phone and check social media. A news report claims that notorious arms dealer Carlos Mendez and his sister Sandra have been arrested for human trafficking. My mouth falls open, and I turn to Killian who is still sleeping.
I dig deeper, looking for more articles, but so far there is nothing for me to find. All reports just say the same thing. The news is so new that there are no further details available. I’m confused and scared.
“Magnolia, what’s wrong?”
“Um…my former roommate was arrested.”
“Yes. She and that bastard brother of hers.”
“Does any of it have to do with me?”
He yawns and then answers, “Yes and no.”
“What does that mean?”
Killian sits up against our headboard. “I could have killed all of them, but I knew it could come back to me, so I went for his businesses. I thought it would be guns when I got to the docks, but instead I found two freight containers with young Asian women in there, so I decided to tip off the news. Then the authorities couldn’t lie about what I found.”
“You did that for me?”
“Yes. They came after my wife to destroy my chance at my father’s holdings,” he answers.