Ryker

Chapter Five

I can’t get that moan out of my head, and the thought of her pussy clenching around my fingers kept me uncomfortably hard for most of the night.

Hawkins, Lincoln, and I made our way to one of my clubs after leaving Sophie glaring at me, a mixture of lust and hatred burning holes in the back of my head. I knew the moment I sat her back down on the floor that she regretted her actions. Whether that was her riding my hand shamelessly or moaning my name, I’m not sure.

Women don’t usually regret sleeping with me. I know what I’m doing when it comes to pleasing a woman, and most come back for seconds if I let them. With Sophie, I wouldn’t mind burying my cock to the hilt and hearing her scream from the pain and pleasure my cock would give her.

The woman I picked up from the bar last night after leaving Sophie, starts to stir. I lightly push her off me as I slip out of bed and head to the bathroom for a quick shower, hoping she’ll wake up and leave before I get out.

Of course, when I exit the bathroom with nothing but a towel on, she is sitting against the headboard, eye fucking me and biting her bottom lip. She opens her mouth to speak, but I raise my hand, cutting her off.

“I think it’s time for you to go.”

She closes her mouth and furrows her brow, letting the covers pool at her hips. I follow the movement. She leans forward and starts to crawl across the bed, reaching out a hand, she grabs my towel, but I stop her by grabbing her hand in mine, tightening my grip.

“I think it’s time for you to go,” I repeat, this time allowing my voice to sound more threatening. I tighten my hold and drop her when she whimpers.

“I-I…” She begins, but I just walk into my closet and start getting dressed. I can hear the rustling of sheets, then her bare feet practically running to the door.

I let out a contempt sigh as I slip on my jeans.

By the time I get downstairs, Lincoln is sitting at the kitchen island with an eyebrow raised.

“Do you have to make them cry?” He chuckles. I roll my eyes as I make myself a cup of coffee. “Have you spoken with Ace yet?”

He nods. “I have. He’s been tracking her the best he can, but she’s good at hiding. Getting a hold of her will be hard, especially if we can’t even figure out who she is.”

“Have you figured out if she was hired, or if this is an isolated case?” He shakes his head, and I groan. I can tell this woman is going to cause more problems than I need right now. I run my hand down my face and take another sip of my coffee. “Before we can decide on what we need to do about getting that briefcase, we need to have a chat with Manzo.”

“She could be one of his whores. Marcello is convinced of that.” “I don’t believe a word that comes out of that man’s mouth. He is hiding something, and I’m going to find out what. ”

A few hours later, I find myself sitting at Manzo’s gate. I brought my Capo Lincoln, Hudson Hawkins, and two-foot soldiers from both of our territories. We might not be at war right now, but it’s clear to everyone that we all have our sides and allies.

“He won’t let you all through.” The boy at the gate says with shaky hands. It’s clear he hasn’t been a part of this lifestyle for very long. Most people become numb and develop a false sense of safety after a while. An on-edge kid guarding his house speaks volumes about his ruling style.

“Tell him he asked to see me, so I’m here.” I gesture around us, and the boy slowly nods before relaying the message. Due to the earpiece he is wearing, I can’t hear what Manzo’s response is. Based on how the boy’s face pales, it’s clear we aren’t welcome.

I groan as I move my head from side to side. “If he wants our help to locate this girl, he will let me in now, or I’m leaving, and he can deal with it himself.” I finally say after a few heartbeats. The kid repeats my words again, and his hand quickly flies to the button to open the gate.

The gates slowly open, revealing a long driveway with woods on either side of a paved road. They look thick, and it would be easy to get lost in them. The hiking trails that tourists typically use in this part of the state don't come out this far. I’m sure that he built his mansion out here so nobody could get to it .

Even if they did stumble onto the property, the large electric fence that stands about ten feet tall and circles the entire property would stop anyone from trespassing. Even by some miracle, if they got through the fence undetected, they would be shot on the spot by the guards making their rounds.

“I count six cameras so far,” Lincoln says as he scans the forest. I look up to see cameras evenly spread out along the road, perched in the trees, all facing the driveway.

After about two minutes of nothing but woods and winding roads, we finally enter a clearing to reveal a perfectly manicured lawn. Acres of well-groomed grass surround the large white mansion. I follow the road to a large open space in front and park the car in an empty spot labeled ‘guest only’.

I get out of the car and briskly walk to the large black doors. I stand at about six-five, and they surpass me by at least ten feet. I bang my fist against the wood twice and hear heels practically running to the door.

A small, frail pale woman opens the door. Standing next to the nearly twenty-foot-high door, she looks even smaller than she is. She’s blonde, but she keeps her eyes trained on the floor as she opens the door wider and takes a step back. She has bright red lipstick that has smeared on her cheek, with heavy winged liner and thick false lashes. Her dress is skin-tight, like it might be a size too small.

I know she feels me staring because she stiffens and slowly looks up. She opens her mouth to speak but quickly shuts it as a voice booms from down the hall.

“Hurry up!” Manzo yells, and the woman quickly shuts the door before running past us.

I follow her out of the foyer and into a large open space with two staircases on either side of the room. In the center is a large chandelier. She leads us through another large door frame and stops before bowing her head and stepping aside, allowing us in.

Everything is white. The carpet, the furniture, and even the painting on the wall. The only color in the whole place is the black doors throughout the house.

As I scan the room, I notice a woman on her knees sitting beside Manzo. He pets her head like a dog as she rests her head on his lap. I can’t see her face from here, but she is wearing the same dress and shoes as the woman who answered the door. I can only assume she is wearing the same caked face paint.

“So,” I say as I cross my arms over my chest. “You wanted to see me, and here I am.”

He gestures to the white leather couch in front of me. “Sit down, make yourself at home.”

I don’t move, and he nods slowly as he stands, forcing the girl to fall back slightly. She catches herself with her hand and scoots back so she is out of his way. Manzo walks over to the other side of the room, pulls out three glasses, and hands one to me and Hawkins. We both look down at the drinks, but neither of us is stupid enough to accept anything from him.

“I was hoping you would want to help me. Seeing as this woman killed your father.” He speaks to Hawkins, and he stiffens beside me.

Hawkins slowly nods. “She does need to pay for killing a boss, but as I understand it, she is one of yours?”

Manzo’s smile widens as he looks down at the woman at his feet. “All of my girls are special, but this one…” He clicks his tongue and tilts his head as he watches the woman. “She is special.” He gestures to the two women. “They can be replaced. She cannot. ”

“What’s so special about her? Pussy just so good you can’t live without it?” Hawkins asks.

Manzo’s smile widens even further. “Exactly!” He exclaims and claps his hands together, making both women jump. “Trust me, if you knew her, you wouldn’t let her slip through your fingers either.”

“So, what exactly do you need from us?” I ask.

“Your help. I’m sure we can work out some sort of deal for your cooperation.”

The woman at his feet slowly looks up at us, getting my attention. She looks younger than some of the women he’s had here in the past. From what we know, these women come here of their own free will or work off debts. They get paid well and many of them never want to leave, but the look of helplessness that crosses the woman’s face makes me pause. She starts to shake her head, and her eyes widen as we continue to stare at each other.

She doesn’t want us to find her… Interesting. “And what would you have in mind for compensation”? I ask, breaking the trance.

Manzo turns his attention to Hawkins. “Your father and I had a truce. There is no reason why that needs to end. You help me locate her, and I’ll make sure you remain in control of your territory.” He takes a sip of his drink and faces me as he sits back down. He lifts his empty hand, and the woman scoots back over to him, placing her head back on his lap. Instead of looking away like she had been before, she faces me and catches my eye again. “It seems you like my girl,” Manzo says, and I tilt my head at her.

“Not sure. Normally whores aren’t my type.” She winces so softly I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been looking at her.

Manzo chuckles, and I smirk as I finally look at him. “A girl for a girl?” He gestures to the woman .

“You said this girl is valuable, and she,” I wave my hand at the woman before recrossing my arms. “She isn’t worth much if you can part with her so easily.”

His smile widens, “On the contrary. She might not be Bianca, but she is one of my favorites. She and Bianca happen to be close, and both have that fiery spirit.” He pets her again, and she clenches her jaw. “Her and Bianca have caused me a lot of trouble over the past few years, and while Bianca has been able to get away from her punishment, Maggie is currently paying for it.”

“How old are you?” I ask, and the woman’s eyes narrow. The seething anger radiates off of her in waves.

Manzo pushes her head off his lap, and she sits on her heels as she peers up at me with a clenched jaw.

“Twenty-two.” She grits out. “What did you do to end up here?”

Her eyes flare, and she shifts her gaze to the other men behind me before they focus on someone. I turn my head slightly and see Lincoln standing ridged with his hands balled into fists. He looks like he’s seconds from exploding. She looks to the right, where Hawkins is standing, and every muscle in her body tightens when she meets his gaze. Her breathing starts to pick up, and she shifts uncomfortably before her eyes train back on me.

She lifts her chin and squares her shoulders. Hawkins steps forward, and a single tear falls onto her cheek. She doesn’t move to wipe it away. Instead, she cowers back and lets her shoulder slump.

“I think it’s best we stay focused,” Hawkins says as he leans on the back of the couch. “These women are of no interest to us. We have our own women working off their debts in our clubs. We don’t need your rejected ones.”

“You underestimate my women.” Manzo stands behind Maggie, pulling her to her feet. He kisses her neck, and she doesn’t even bother to hide her disgust. He inhales deeply before tossing her like a ragdoll into Lincoln. He catches her, and she begins to tremble.

“P-Please.” She whispers to him, and his grip tightens on her arms. She whimpers, but he doesn’t let go. Instead, his eyes fly up to Manzo before finding mine.

I’ve never seen this look in Lincoln before. I’ve seen him kill countless men. I’ve watched as he tortured people to the point that you wouldn’t be able to identify the body, but the look he gives me sends chills up my spine. I nod slightly, and his jaw tightens.

“We will help you. Not only will we get her,” I gesture to Maggie, “but I also want whatever is in that briefcase.”

Manzo shrugs. “That’s fine with me.” He holds out his hand to Maggie, and Lincoln’s grip tightens even further.

This time, she lets out a screech as she tries to fight him off. She begins to punch his chest, and as if he was snapped out of a trance, he lets go. She takes a step back and peers up at him. The murderous look in his eyes makes her falter, and her hip bumps into the side table. She winces again, and Lincoln takes a step forward, but the look in her eyes makes him pause. Lincoln finally notices the two hand prints on her arms and takes a step back.

Manzo grips her hips and pulls her into him. Lincoln growls to himself, and Hawkins and I step in front of him. “She is ours. You can keep her here as insurance and nothing else. You lay a hand on her again, and the deal is null and void.” I threaten, making sure not to look at Lincoln. I can tell his protective instincts are at a ten, making this situation very easy to escalate.

Manzo’s jaw clenches, and he inhales one more time before letting go of her and taking a step back. “Go to your room.” He groans and shamelessly adjusts his cock. She runs out of the room, not bothering to look back.

◆◆ ◆

I pull into my office’s parking garage and get out of the car, adjusting the cuffs of my suit as I walk to the elevator. Tonight, all the families are meeting up. Well, all but Manzo’s. He said he was searching his territory while we divided the rest of the city between the three of us.

By the time I reach my office, Marcello and his crew are already seated while Hawkins and Lincoln converse around the head of the table. The air is thick, and everyone is on edge. We know there are about a thousand things we don’t know about this situation, making me uneasy. A million things could go wrong in a situation like this, and mistakes can happen when working with other families. We might all be under a treaty, but that doesn’t mean this building isn’t full of backstabbing assholes.

“You can’t be fucking serious.” A bald man leaning against the wall says. I don’t recognize him and assume he is part of Marcello’s crew, but Hawkins glares at him.

“Manzo wants this…Bianca girl or he will start destroying my territory, our territory. If this stops a war, you’re going to fucking deal with it. As of now, we answer to Domincio.” Hawkins hisses. “Or I can send you back to my father. I’m sure he would love some company in hell.” He snaps, and the man closes his mouth .

I take my seat at the head of the table as another man walks in, taking the empty seat next to Marcello. Howie is Marcello’s Capo and has been since Marcello took over when he was around my age. He is one of the more fit older men in the room. He has a beer gut, but his bulging arms make up for it. He has a full head of black hair with a beard that touches the top of his chest. He glares at Marcello before he looks at me.

Hawkins settles into the seat to my left, Lincoln to my right. I read each of the men as I scan the room. None of the men are happy about the alliance between Hawkins and us but are even more pissed at the alliance between us and Manzo. Marcello has always been faithful to Manzo, so it’s no shock that he is here.

“Getting this woman to Manzo is our top priority. He’s a loose cannon right now, and if we keep him loaded, it’s only a matter of time before he tries to take one of us down. He has offered us a deal. We help him find the woman who killed Leo Hawkins, and he will stay in a truce with the Hawkins family for the foreseeable future.” I start, and a man in the back scoffs. I ignore it and continue, “This woman is dangerous and worth more than your lives. If you find her, do not approach. Watch from a distance and report back to us. All of you are Leads in your own territories, but we have all agreed that if you don’t follow this order to a tee, we will demote you and send you back to basic where you can re-earn your title.”

A few of the men look at each other. Earning the title of Lead is one of the highest honors. Other than Capo and Boss, being the Lead of your crew gains you respect and power. Plus, the pay is more than generous. Those who have that power do everything they can to keep it.

“Lincoln’s crew. You will start in Manhattan and work your way North. Conner, you will start there as well and make your way south.” I gesture to Hawkins for his turn .

“Liam, you will search the border and make your way in, while Finn, you will search the main streets of the Bronx and work your way out.”

Marcello lets out a heavy breath as he looks at his men. “You know what to do,” he says.

“I’m guessing this isn’t the first time you’ve looked for her?” Lincoln asks, narrowing his eyes.

He shakes his head. “We’ve been looking for her for over six years. This isn’t new to us.”

I slowly nod and wave my hand, not taking my eyes off Marcello. The men leave to go to their locations. I narrow my eyes on him, but he refuses to meet my gaze.

“So, let’s say we do find her. Then what?” Hawkins shifts uncomfortably.

“We call Manzo,” Marcello mutters in a horsed breath. Howie shifts beside him, and Marcello shoots him a glare.

“Do you know why Manzo is so obsessed with her?” I ask, and they both look at me. Howie looks sorrowful, while Marcello’s expression remains neutral.

“He owns her.” That’s all Marcello says before he stands and buttons his suit. “If we hear anything, we will let you boys know. Until then,” he nods and leaves the room quickly.

Howie lets out a heavy breath as he stands. He stands behind his chair and glances at us.

“She’s…” He pauses and swallows before shaking his head and sighing. “If you find her, consider everything before you turn her over. She might have killed your father.” He looks at Hawkins with pleading eyes. “But she deserves so much more than what will happen to her if you return her to him. ”

“So, killing a boss should go unpunished?” Hawkins asks as he leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest.

“I didn’t say that. All I’m saying is be objective. You don’t know why she killed him. Maybe she had a good reason.” Without another word, Howie follows his boss out the door.

We stay at the office the rest of the day, looking through pictures as they come in. I’m not sure when I doze off, but I wake up around three with three new messages, and of course, none of them are her.

“Nothing?” Lincoln asks, and I grind my teeth. I grab a few bottled waters my assistant had left for us before she went home. I toss him one and down half of mine before retaking my seat. “Marcello is hiding something,” he says as he sets his bottle back on the table.

I nod in agreement. “I thought so too.”

“Do you think he knows more about her than he’s letting on?”

“You saw the way he looked at the picture when we showed it to him,” Hawkins says as he rubs his eyes and yawns.

“If she is one of Manzo’s whores it wouldn’t be far-fetched he saw her at his house from time to time.” Lincoln yawns in response.

“The way he looked at it…” I shake my head. “Something is off.” “Could it be a setup?” Hawkins offers. “Could he be luring our

men on a goose chase so that he can swoop in and attack us?”

“He knows we wouldn’t be so stupid as to use all of our men to look for one woman.” Lincoln leans back in his chair and props up his feet on the table as his phone dings. He groans and shakes his head before throwing the phone on the table, grabbing the remote off the table, and turning on the TV .

Hawkins’s phone starts buzzing on the table about thirty minutes later. His eyes grow wide, and a slow smirk spreads across his face. “Oh, you are in some deep shit.” He laughs and slides the phone over to me.

My whole body stiffens as I look down at the screen. Sophie exits a hotel room wearing a baseball cap with the Yankees logo on it and her blonde hair tied into a high ponytail. She has a pair of running shorts on, paired with a T-shirt that is about three sizes too big. Her duffle bag is draped over her shoulder. She is adjusting her cap, tucking a strand of loose hair under it as she looks around the parking lot.

“You don’t think…” Lincoln starts as he glances the photo over.

“She was covered in bruises, she had a fucking arsenal strapped to her body. Of course, it’s her. I can’t believe I was so pussy blind.” I mutter. “What happened at the club stays between us,” I warn as I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest.

“Obviously.” Hawkins rolls his eyes. “I bet her pussy was worth it, though, if Manzo is going through all this trouble for her.” Hawkins takes his phone back and begins to text his men back. “I told them to follow her.”

I pull out my phone and check the time. Five minutes till six. I scrub my hand over my face and dial Manzo.

“Yeah,” He answers in a cold voice that would make a lesser man tremble.

“We found her.”

It takes about thirty minutes in morning traffic to drive to the Bronx. When we pull up to the ratty motel, Lincoln’s number two, Ace, tells me she has gone to work at a gym about three blocks away .

“Seems she set up a life here. Can’t help but feel a little bad,” Hawkins says as he leans back in his seat. I shoot him a glare from the rear-view mirror, then turn my attention to Marcello. He had met us here with Howie.

Marcello looks like he’s about to vomit. His skin is pale and sweaty, while Howie has his fists clenched and refuses to look at anyone, his gaze focused on the room.

“Marcello, do you need to get something off your chest?” I eye him, but he doesn’t answer. My clenched jaw is my only response, but I force my attention back to the Motel. Whatever it is he’s hiding, we will find out soon enough.

Another hour passes before Manzo pulls up to the Motel and then gets into the back seat, making Hawkins climb into the third row.

“Have you seen her?” He asks as he closes the door behind him.

“Not yet. She’s at work.” Lincoln answered and pulled out his phone. “We should get someone inside to keep her there for a while. We don’t want her to come back while we bug the place.”

“Who did you have in mind?” Manzo asks.

“Vivian,” he says as he dials her number. “From what I heard, she doesn’t hurt women; she will be fine.”

“If she’s not, I’ll kill you,” I growl as Vivian’s voice echoes through the car.

“Hey, Everything okay?” She asks sleepily.

“I need you to go to this gym…” He texts her the location. “There is a woman there I need you to keep distracted for a few hours.”

“Who is she? ”

“You met her on the elevator.”

“Yeah… I’m not doing that.”

“Viv, you need to. I wouldn’t send you in there if I thought she was going to hurt you. Just trust me.”

There is a pause before she lets out an annoyed sigh. “Fine, I’ll be there in thirty.” She hangs up the phone without waiting for a response.

“What room is it?” Manzo asks as he starts bouncing his leg.

He’s anxious and on edge, a dangerous combination. “Room four. Bottom floor.” Hawkins answers.

“We are here to plant surveillance. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Lincoln, Hawkins, Manzo, and Howie get out of the car and head into her room while Marcello stays in the car. He claims it’s because he needs to keep watch. I know that’s a lie, but I don’t call him out on it.

Howie picks the lock easily, and we all head inside.

The room is musty. There are wrappers of fast food littering the floor. When I turn on the light, I see a cockroach scurry under the bed, and I cringe.

“Jesus,” Howie whispers to himself. My attention snaps to the open door to my right. I open it to find another room that looked identical. Other than the men’s clothing covering the floor, it’s much neater than her side.

“Let’s get this over with,” Lincoln says as he places his bag on the bed and begins giving devices to all of us. Howie places a camera in the smoke detector directly over the bed while I place bugs in the other room .

When I’m done, Manzo is coming out of the bathroom scowling. He’s holding a bright pink vibrator. The thought of her using that and hearing her sweet moan again makes my dick stir. He tosses it on the counter and walks out.

We all make it back to the car and sit silently while waiting.

Manzo wanted to see her in person to confirm it was her.

“Who. The. Fuck. Is. That?” Manzo growls, getting everyone’s attention. I warn Hawkins and Lincoln when I recognize the bartender who tried to stake his claim on Sophie…Bianca.

I look at the time and see it’s three in the afternoon already. I groan as I lean back and close my eyes. “I asked you boys a question.” Manzo hisses again.

“Manzo,” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I’m going to let that slide this time. But I swear on my mother’s grave, the next time you talk to me like that, I will slit your throat and hang you upside down, watching as the blood drains from your lifeless body.”

The car falls silent. It’s not an empty threat and he knows it, but when he doesn’t respond with his own, I glance over my shoulder and see him staring daggers at the door. The man walks out of her room and sprints across the street to the diner.

About thirty minutes pass before the man shows up again, this time with bags of food and flowers. Manzo growls and gets out of the car, sprinting towards the door before we can stop him.