Chapter 31
ELSIE
I felt every bit his wife last night. In every sense of the word. In the way he held me after we made love. Or fucked. I don’t know what to call it. Can it be both at the same time? He took me in every sense of the word, yet he also made me feel wanted and cared for.
“Are you sure you have to go?” I pull him in by the lapels of his suit, dragging his mouth to mine and kissing him hungrily before I shove him away with a pout, knowing he has to leave.
“I’m sorry, baby.”
A slow-growing smirk makes its way to his sinful mouth as he fixes his striped burgundy tie.
“If this wasn’t an urgent meeting…” he says, his voice deep and smooth. “…I’d be home with my girls. But I have to be there.”
“I understand.” I drag him to me again by the sleeve of his steel-gray suit, kissing him one last time.
My palm clasps around that scar I love, like I’m trying to keep it safe. He burrows into my touch, his eyes slowly closing, a smile stretching over the entirety of his face.
“I wish I didn’t have to go,” he murmurs. “I’d spend all night getting to know your body again, then holding you close as you fall asleep.”
And instantly that pulsing at my apex comes barraging and my heart skips a beat.
“Hurry home, then.” I tug my lower lip between my teeth.
He grips a handful of my ass, pulling me flush against him. “Believe me, I’m already thinking about coming home to you.”
“Bye, Daddy.” Sophia walks into the den, and we instantly separate like there’s a fire burning between us.
She’s all ready for bed, her pink pajama gown on, but one can’t miss that giant frown on her face.
I don’t know what kind of meeting one goes to at eight at night, but in his line of work, anything is possible. I didn’t ask where or with whom. If he wanted me to know, he would’ve told me.
“I’m sorry I have to go, princess.” He kneels, wrapping his arms around her. “I won’t be too long, though. I’ll give you a kiss when I get back.”
“Promise?” Her voice drops with melancholy.
“I swear.”
I can never tire from seeing how devoted he is to her. Even when he talks to her, you can practically feel his love for his daughter. He kisses her forehead.
“Okay.” That gets her grinning.
“Alright, ladies, Daddy has to go.” He rises, straightening his jacket, walking back over to me.
Those eyes, the way they gaze at me…my stomach churns.
“I’ll miss you,” he whispers, low and husky, planting a kiss on the corner of my mouth before he sets to go.
Hours later, and he’s still not back. It’s close to midnight. Where could he be? I’m sure he’s fine. Maybe the meeting ran late. I tighten the cell he gave me in my fist, my foot bouncing on the bed.
“Screw it.” I shoot him off a message.
Elsie
Hey, just making sure you’re okay. Call me. About to go to bed.
I wait and wait, but another hour passes, and still nothing.
What if something happened to him?
My heart pounds. I can’t lose him.
There’s suddenly a small knock on my door, and I sit up straighter as it starts to part.
“Elsie…” Sophia tiptoes in, rubbing her eye with a fist. “I had a bad dream. Can I…”
Her chin wobbles, honey-colored eyes lodged with tears.
I throw the cover up.
“Come on in,” I tell her, scooting over, and she smiles wide, wiping under her eye, a light brown teddy in her grasp as she climbs in with me.
She sighs, lying on her side while I tuck her in, kissing her on the back of her head before I lie down too.
“Where’s Daddy?” She yawns.
“He’ll be home soon. Don’t worry,” I promise her, pulling my arm tighter around her.
Yet all the while, I lie there and worry if he’ll make it home alive.
MICHAEL
I didn’t expect this to take so long. I wasn’t lying to Elsie when I told her I had a meeting. It just wasn’t your traditional kind.
Gio called me twenty minutes before I left, telling me there was a man at one of our casinos blabbing about the Bianchi club. So he called me, knowing I’m looking for Kayla. I expected the son of a bitch to talk by now, but it’s been two hours, and he hasn’t said one useful thing.
This is taking too long. I have to get back home. Retrieving my cell, I check for missed calls from Elsie, but the reception in the casino is never great.
I’m hoping to give her some good news when I return. Finding her friend is one of my priorities. I owe that to her.
“Please. I don’t know where the girls are, I swear,” Trevor wails, tied up and rattling in the chair, blood dripping out of his mouth, three of his teeth already missing.
He did tell us something: he’s one of the Bianchis’ capos. And either way, he’s going to die tonight.
“See, I think you’re lying.” I pick up another set of pliers, smaller this time, drawing closer to him. “This one will hurt worse. It’ll take longer to get that canine out.”
With every step I take, fear trembles in his eyes.
“B-B-Bianchis don’t tell us anything unless we have to know. They moved some of the girls. But I—ahh! I don’t know where. I swear, Michael… Please!”
Fuck! If I can’t save Kayla, if she dies, Elsie will blame me, and she’ll have every reason to. I didn’t help when I could. I didn’t stop the Bianchis from running that club.
“If you have nothing to offer me. I have no use for you,” I tell him.
I’m on him in a second, prying his mouth open with both hands, even as he tries to close it. His arms jitter behind his back, his legs secured too. He can’t move. He’s helpless.
Once the pliers hit his mouth, once I start to yank, those groans turn to full-blown screams. I don’t stop until every one of his teeth is gone, until he hurts like he’s made those women, those kids, hurt.
He confessed his sins to me. He told me what he’s done at the club and with whom.
He must pay for his vile transgressions.
My exhales come out razor sharp, blood coating both of my hands. I’m more animal than man right now, and it’s a good thing Elsie isn’t here to see it. The pliers fall out of my hand with a clank.
Trevor doesn’t see me reach for my nine. He doesn’t see the shot coming, not until the very last second when I pull the trigger.
The bullet rips right into his forehead. Clean.
“Take care of this,” I tell my men, jerking my chin at Trevor, while I head for the sink and scrub away the evidence of my own sins.
“Yes, sir.” They comply immediately, getting him off the chair and down on the plastic.
I remove my suit jacket, splattered with drops of crimson, and leave it behind. I examine the rest of myself and find my clothes spotless.
Gio follows me out the door and up the stairs.
“You going home?” he asks as we step out to the casino floor, loud rowdy conversations buzzing around us.
Everyone here knows what happens in the basement, and none of them want to be on the receiving end.
“Yeah. I’ve gotta go home.” My smile makes it all the way to my heart. “My girls are waiting for me.”
“Girls?” He arches a thick brow and fights a laugh.
“Yeah,” I tell him. “And shut up about it.”
When I arrive home, the house is quiet, the only sound coming from my footfalls as I climb up the stairs. Once I got to my car, I saw the text she sent me, and I immediately texted her back, hoping she was still awake. But there was no response.
She was worried. About me. I’ve never had a woman worry about me before. But to have a woman like her worry about me? My God. It’s as though Elsie has somehow always been here. But it’s all new to me, and I’m trying to be someone she can rely on.
As quietly as possible, I step into Sophia’s room, hoping to give her that kiss I promised. But I find the bed empty, part of her pink comforter hanging off the edge.
“What the hell?” I mutter, rushing for my bedroom, and as soon as I open it… “Fuck.”
The sight before me has me wanting to drop to the ground and thank the universe for what I have.
My daughter is scooted against Elsie’s chest, Elsie’s arm draped around her. An ache lodges in the back of my throat as I remove my shoes and start removing my clothes, changing into a t-shirt and sweats.
Flipping the covers over, I carefully slip into the bed beside my beautiful wife.
Elsie grumbles, molding her body into mine, and my cock stirs to life. But I don’t just want to fuck her. It’s more than that. It’s the connection we share, the passion we exist in when we’re together. She’s everything to me.
“Michael?” She yawns, her eyes fluttering as she looks behind her, sleep still etched to her features.
“It’s me, little dove,” I whisper, kissing her bare shoulder. “I’m home now. Go back to sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
With a sigh, her body stills, and I pull her closer to me, not wanting to ever let go, afraid I might lose her.