Chapter 17
Ryan
I was well and truly fucked.
I got back to my apartment after the disastrous night at Cherries, shaking with adrenaline
Why was Siena so fucking desirable? Every greedy fucker was watching her, wanting to take her home with them. I should have known the stupid fuckers wouldn't be able to keep their hands to themselves.
I needed to fucking hit something. No, scratch that; what I needed was to fuck Siena Clark...again. That would calm my nerves. I needed to ram my dick so hard into her sweet fucking pussy, that I would leave a fucking permanent imprint on her soul. But that was never going to happen. I couldn't put our lives in danger just for the sake of my dick! Fuck !
Siena told me she didn't need my goddamn help, but she fucking did. Deep down, she knew it, too. Every fucker in that club wanted a piece of her tonight. I had to control my breathing just thinking about that fucker who had groped her and stuck his tongue down her throat. I should have killed him. What gave him the right to think he could even touch her?!
Fucking fuckity fuck ! She'd been driving me insane for the last two weeks, and whether she realized it or not, she was making my job difficult. I needed to focus, but all I kept seeing was her.
What was Siena doing to me? I couldn't even think straight. Visions of the way she moved up and down the pole clouded my every thought. The way her breasts bounced as she danced, the sway of her hips as she worked the stage, her fucking wild hair. Fuck, I wanted it all. I wanted to devour her. I wanted Siena Clark to be mine, and it was killing me that it could never happen.
I was a better man than Tony in every single way, so why did he get to have the one woman I wanted?
Argh! I wanted to fucking scream or drown myself in whiskey. I chose the latter for tonight. Whiskey was a great way to forget what a shithole mess I had got myself into.
"You look like fucking shit, boss," Bennett muttered, holding the door open to Jumping Jacks.
"One more word and I'll break your fucking jaw," I snarled, pushing past him. The boys could sense that I wasn't in the mood for teasing today and shut up instantly.
Frankie hadn't paid, even after three weeks of demands. Tony could play Mr. Nice Guy all he wanted, but it was time for action now. Frankie would know this the moment he saw me. I only came on collection jobs when it was serious.
Maria, Frankie's daughter, was behind the bar as we walked in. Fear crossed her face as she quickly darted her eyes to her father's office.
"Is Frankie in, Maria?" I asked, taking my glock from my jacket pocket and placing it threateningly on the bar.
"I...um...he..." Maria's voice was trembling as I glared at her.
"I don't have time for this shit, Maria!" I inhaled, undoing the buttons to my well-tailored gray suit. "Why don't you do yourself a favor and go get your father for me?" She scurried off, sobbing a little as she went. Jamie frowned at me. I knew what he was thinking. Maria was only a girl, I shouldn't be frightening her. But every girl needed to realize what the big bad world was really like. I was doing her a favor in the long run. She should make sure her father pays his damn debts on time in the future!
"Ryan," Frankie called nervously. "I was just..."
"Cut the fucking bullshit, Frankie. Where is Carlo's money? We've tried collecting four times already, and I'm not leaving without it." I took my glock from the bar. "I don't want to have to make an example of you, but I have had a really bad fucking week and can't be held responsible for my actions if you tell me you don’t have it."
"I have half," Frankie stressed. "Please, Ryan! I can get the rest tomorrow after the fight at City Limits."
"Who are you betting on?" I asked, placing my glock back in my jacket for the time being. I hadn't decided if I would shoot his kneecaps yet or not.
"Michael Decoma." Frankie gulped, watching his daughter who was quivering behind the bar. Frankie had picked a good fighter. I'd watched Bennett do a few sparring rounds with him a couple of months back. I'd even put some money down on Michael for tomorrow’s fight myself.
"Okay, is the money in the back?
"Yes!" Frankie breathed in relief, wiping the sweat off his forehead.
"Jamie will go with you to get it." I nodded at Jamie, who followed Frankie into the back. Maria went to follow her father.
"I need you to stay here, Maria." I ordered, taking a seat on one of the bar stools. "I would like a whiskey."
"Certainly," Maria quaked, rushing to the bar. She was all fingers and thumbs, shaking and breaking a few glasses before finally pouring my drink.
"If your father has the money, he will be fine," I promised her.
"Please don't hurt him," Maria pleaded as she handed me a glass of whiskey. Her eyes were like pure chocolate, and instantly made me think of Siena. Fuck! I couldn’t allow myself to be distracted while I was working.
"I'm just following orders, Maria. Your father shouldn't borrow money if he can't afford to pay it back. We've already given him several chances."
"I know what it means when you come to collect, Ryan. Please, I'll give you anything, even myself if that would mean something to you." It was clear Maria was a virgin. She couldn't have been a day over eighteen, if that.
"I'm flattered, Maria," I choked into my glass, "but you shouldn't go around offering that to just anyone."
"I wasn't. I..."
"Your father has until tomorrow after the fight to pay up, don't worry," I interrupted, downing my whiskey as Jamie and Frankie appeared again. Jamie gave me the nod, telling me we'd gotten half of the money.
"I'll see you at the club tomorrow, Frankie," I replied, dusting off my suit. "I trust there will be no further problems after tomorrow night."
"Should I find you?"
"Oh, no," I replied, giving him a deadly smirk. "We will come and find you. I don't want you spending all your winnings repaying your debt, do I?" Frankie shook his head nervously as the boys and I left.
"You do realize that you just missed a chance to fuck a virgin, don't you, Ryan? Maria was practically offering herself on a platter to you." I shot Bennett a look. "Aren't you into virgins?"
"No, I'm fucking not!" What the fuck did Bennett take me for?
"I'd have fucked her.
"That's where you differ from Ryan, Bennett," Jamie snorted. "Ryan likes the more experienced women." Too fucking right I did. Siena was a class all of her own. I still couldn't believe we had almost kissed the other night.
She wanted me. I sensed it in her body. The way her breathing changed just before our lips had almost touched. Fuck, I wanted to taste those lips again.
"Ryan!" Jamie hit my chest. Shit, had I been daydreaming again? "What's next?"
"That's it for you boys today. I'm going to go for a run now, and I have a meeting with Carlo later. I’m hoping he’ll tell me why he sent Tony away for a few days."
Bennett and Jamie nodded before taking their leave.
I changed into some shorts and a T-shirt when I got home, then plugged my earphones in before I began to run. I found a lot of tranquility in running, and as the sounds of Otis Reading's Love Man filled my ears, I let my feet carry me. This man's music relaxed me more than anything. I ran, pushing myself faster and faster, trying to clear the images of Siena from my head. It didn't matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get her off my mind. She was consuming my every thought. This was all so new to me, and I had to admit, it was scaring the shit out of me. I couldn't shake her off like I'd done before I had fucked her. It was easier back when I didn't know exactly what I was missing.
I carried on, pushing myself faster and faster, hoping at some point during my run my mind would change. It didn't, though. What the fuck was happening to me?
––––––––
"W e want you to take over the east side of Chicago, Ryan." Carlo explained as I sat across from him and his two brothers, Vincent and Enzo.
"But that's Tony's district," I frowned. "If you want this animosity to settle between the two of us, do you really think it's wise?"
"Ryan, Tony is losing control and money. We have to act before someone takes over. That is, if someone isn't already trying to take over." Carlo commented. "Have you had any luck finding a lead on this...Paul Jenkins?" I shook my head. Whoever this Paul guy was working for, they were good at covering their tracks.
"My brother is right. Tony may be blood, but it's you we trust to get things done. Tony has let the east side run wild. It's no wonder other gangs are breaking through," Vincent commented, taking a deep puff on his cigar.
"You trust this...this street rat?!" Enzo seethed, glaring at me. I'd never been Enzo' favorite person. I wasn't bonded by blood, so that apparently meant I had no true loyalty. "I still think you should give your boy one last chance, Carlo. Perhaps Tony would perform better if you believed in him."
"I've given Tony enough chances!" Carlo bellowed before smiling warmly at me. "Ryan, will you accept?"
"If that is what you truly want, Carlo, then I accept," I replied proudly. All the high dealings were on the east side of Chicago. I felt honored that he trusted me that much, but I also knew this would be a final straw for Tony.
"It is," Carlo grinned, clapping his hands. "So, that's settled. You can take over on Monday. I must warn you, though, there is much to be done." I nodded but couldn't ignore the daggers Enzo was shooting at me with his eyes.
I had to go over to the club before I headed downtown to fight night. I would be taking over Tony's runners in the East District, and had asked Jamie to meet me at Cherries so he could start spreading the word tonight.
"East District?" Jamie gasped. "Does Tony know about this?"
"No, but at least we know why Carlo sent him away," I murmured, opening my safe and taking out my Glock G19. I needed a slightly more compact gun for the fight club, something that would go unnoticed. This gun only took 9x19mm bullets, but handled just as well as my normal glock. "I need you to contact all of Tony's runners."
"So I'm not going to fight night then?" Jamie looked disappointed.
"Maybe next month," I grinned, tossing him some spare bullets from my safe. "Take Mike or Phil with you. They're at the bar." Drooling over Siena I suspect, I thought as my hand twitched on my gun. Fuck it; I needed to get a grip! Siena was a dancer; men were supposed to look at her.
"Sure thing, boss." Jamie left without another word.
Bennett was already at City Limits, checking for trouble. He was a lot like me and enjoyed a good fight. I had actually hired him because he almost won a street fight with me years ago when I had been known as Brawler .
I slipped my Glock into my waistband under my suit jacket and left my office.
Fucking God damn fate! As soon as I walked into the hallway, Siena was there, sipping a bottle of water. She must have just come off stage; her body was glistening in sweat. I gulped as I watched the beads of perspiration trickle down her perfect tits, which were hoisted up in a black halter top. I licked my lips, imagining how it would taste if I buried my tongue in her cleavage while I ripped that fucking top off her body. It wouldn't have taken much to get those fuck-hot leather pants off her, either. I'd leave the black high heels on, though. I loved the feeling of her heels digging into my ass while I fucked the shit out of her sweet pussy. That wall behind her was sturdy: that would do.
"What the fuck, Ryan!" Siena smacked my chest, breaking me from my daydream. Fuck, she was standing right in front of me now. How the hell did she get there? "Are you trying to get us both killed?"
"What?" I glared.
"You were just eye fucking me again!" Oh shit! What the fuck was wrong with me? "I meant what I said. I don't need you to look out for me, and I sure as hell don't need all this fucking attention!"
I saw red, opening my office door again and dragging her inside.
"You'd rather I let any fucker in this club grope you?" I seethed, pushing her roughly against my door as I closed it, but not hard enough to hurt her. I could never hurt her.
"I have security for that!" she yelled, pushing my chest back. I was pressed right up against her. "Get the fuck off me, Ryan!" she complained.
"Yeah, some good they are! They didn’t even notice some drunk fucking asshole shove his tongue down your throat while practically ripping your tit off!"
"You hired them!"
"No, I didn't..."
"Ugh! You need to forget our weekend, Ryan. We fucked, that's it! Get the fuck over it already! Jesus!" she snarled, interrupting me while running her hands through her hair. Fuck, I loved her hair. It was wild and untamed, just like her.
"Then why'd we almost kiss the other night?" I challenged her, trying to take a step closer. She was fighting her desire for me. It was written all over her face.
"Didn't you listen to a single word I said last night? I'm not your girl, Ryan!" Fuck me, if she wasn't the sexiest thing I had ever seen. My dick was throbbing to be inside her. "You need to stop all this shit!"
"You don't want me to be all heroic?" I gave her my panty-dropping smile, hoping it might work this time.
"No, I don't. Leave me the fuck alone!" Turning on her sexy heels, she headed for my door, but I pulled her back. Fuck me, my dick was trying to break through my pants. She must have known how incredibly gorgeous she looked.
"Please, Siena," I begged. What the fuck was wrong me?
The expression on her beautiful face began to change until all I saw was loathing. "Don't you ever call me that name again, asshole! You have no fucking right! I gave you a few days to call me Siena while we were together, but that’s it. You don't get any other chances!" she roared with a fury that almost knocked me off my feet. I had thoroughly pissed her off without intending to do it, so I didn't try to stop her when she stormed out of my office.
Fuck!
"Boss, where have you been?" Bennett asked when I finally arrived at City Limits.
"Don't ask!" I growled, getting a waitress' attention. I was Ryan fucking Lawson; it didn't take long until a leggy blonde came my way.
The club was packed. Everyone was gathered around the ring below. High society clientele like me, however, had access to the upstairs balcony area.
I recognized almost everyone, but there were a few new faces that bothered me. Three tanned, burly men sat in the corner of the balcony deep in conversation as they gazed over at me.
"Do we know anything about those three fuckers in the corner?" I muttered to Bennett as I downed my whiskey.
"Just that they are from out of town. Miami, I think." Bennett was always one for stating the obvious. "I'm already watching them, boss."
The first few fights were pretty slow. They danced around the ring, hardly battling. In my opinion, it wasn't a good fight unless blood was flowing from one or both of the fighters. Vincent joined us a few fights in with some of his men. I had a few of my own runners circling down near the ring, and a few upstairs with Bennett and me. I wasn't taking any chances. There were some suspicious as fuck characters here tonight.
"Does this bring back memories, Ryan?" Vincent asked, patting me on the back. "I still remember sitting with Carlo all those years ago, watching you fight for the first time."
"It feels strangely like home," I admitted, noticing my fighter, Michael, was up next. Finally, some action.
Michael Decoma was a good fighter. He had pace and wasn't afraid to take a punch if it meant he could aim for a weakness on his opponent. Plus, there was blood, and a lot of it. It went through to six rounds until he finally got a knockout. Bennett's lead had clearly been right. I'd just doubled my money. More importantly, Frankie would be able to settle his debt.
"Can you get Mickey? He needs to get Frankie to pay up. He'll spend it if we don't act quickly," I ordered Bennett.
"Hey, Ryan," a female voice whispered into my ear seductively. I turned to see Vincent's daughter, Heidi. I'd fucked the woman at least six times in the last two years, and she still wouldn't get off my dick.
"Good evening, Heidi," I smiled and kissed her hand; I had to make Vincent think I was a gentleman, even when really I wasn't. Fucking his daughter over his desk last year had ruined any chance of that. Not my finest hour, but Heidi had begged me. "You're looking as lovely as ever."
"When are you two going to admit your feelings for each other? Ryan, you know I want you as my son-in-law," Vincent laughed. Fuck, I think I'd rather be shot. Heidi was Miss Fake from her nails to her tits. I liked my women, real, wild and with beautiful, chocolate brown eyes. Siena Clark to be precise!
I chuckled, trying to brush Vincent's comment off as a joke when really, I knew he was being serious. "If you'll excuse me," I replied, noticing Bennett make his way toward me. Something was wrong.
"What is it?" I asked as Bennett reached me. He was shaking with tension.
"The fucking Rivera brothers were shouting their mouths off. They say Frankie's money is theirs. He owes them, too, apparently."
"Do they know I'm here?" I questioned. The Rivera brothers weren't a threat; they were little boys compared to me. Bennett grinned, shaking his head. I knew he was thinking the same as me. Perhaps it was time to show the Rivera brothers who owned these streets.
The brothers were currently outside the club shouting their mouths off at Frankie. Too bad for them, Bennett had already collected from him. They were wasting their breath.
"Is there a problem, Frankie?" I called, undoing my jacket. Bennett and I had brought a few of our runners with us in case there was any trouble after we sorted the Rivera brothers out.
Both brothers froze as they spotted me. "No, thank you, Ryan," Frankie gulped, looking away.
"You haven't been borrowing money again have you, Frankie? What would Maria say?" I shook my head in disappointment.
"Frankie borrowed from us first. That money you collected is ours!" one of the brothers yelled, trying to make a lunge for me. I side-stepped his advance before slamming my knee into his stomach. These boys never learned.
"You fucker!" the other Rivera snarled, watching his brother roll around on the cement in agony. He reached for his gun, but I threw my fist into his face first. This motherfucker wasn't playing fair. We would be settling this with our fists. I took my jacket off, rolling up my selves while he did the same. He was a little tougher than his brother, and it took a lot of wrestling around and quite a few punches to knock him down. By the time I did, there was quite a gathering around us. Ryan Lawson didn't fight with his fists anymore, but I was so worked up by my current situation with Siena, that I needed to let off some steam. Unfortunately, the Riveras were the unlucky recipients of my rage. The first brother was still rolling around on the floor while I waited for the stocky one to get back up.
The bulkier one got up one more time, spitting blood and asking if that was all I had. He got a few shots in, but it didn't hurt. I landed my final blow, smashing him hard across the face. It was a classic knock out as he fell face first onto the ground.
"Don't make me fucking kill you!" I roared, panting as the adrenaline surged through me. "Stay the fuck down!" The brother nodded, clutching his face and stomach.
I turned around to the crowd watching me. Heidi was gazing at me like a bitch in heat. I don't think so, sweetheart. You're not humping any part of me tonight. "Shows over, everyone!" I yelled, watching the crowd quickly disburse. "And Frankie, you owe me," I smirked, wiping my bloodied lip. He nodded before rushing off.
Vincent stood with his daughter and Bennett.
"Good one, brawler," Bennett grinned, handing me my jacket.
"Fuck, that felt amazing," I exhaled. “Just what I fucking needed tonight.”
"That fight was better than the ones inside this club," Vincent chuckled. "It's nice to see you haven't lost your touch, Ryan."
"You can never show weakness, Vincent," I smirked. "You and Carlo taught me that."
"You have a strength inside you that belongs to a leader, Ryan," Vincent commented. "I've always thought that, and Carlo is starting to see it, too."
"I don't want to lead."
"There might come a time when you won't have any choice!" he hollered over his shoulder while helping Heidi back into the club. I wasn't going to get into this again. I wasn't a fucking leader!
I got back to my apartment later that night and put my hand in ice. I knew my knuckles would swell in the morning, but fuck, it felt so good letting some of the aggression out. It didn't stop me from jerking off to thoughts of Siena, though.
I imagined pressing my lips against hers as desire pulsed through both of us. I ripped her fucking halter top clean off her body in one swift movement and suckled on those perfect tits of hers while I worked her out of her pants. I pictured Siena before me in nothing but her fuck hot heels, and then I slammed my fucking cock in her hot fucking pussy over and over as I held her against my office door. It was a fucking beautiful daydream.
I came harder than I had in weeks at those visions.
I needed to find a different pastime. It was clear I was fucking obsessed with Siena Clark and needed to get a motherfucking grip!