Chapter 44
Forty-Four
ROME
“Goddammit,” I grumble, watching security footage of one of my warehouses east of the city. Someone raided it last night, took my product, and set the whole thing on fire, killing six of my men and getting away with about five million dollars of my weapons.
I’ve watched it at least a dozen times, trying to see if I can make out the men who did it, their vehicles, anything, but they avoided the cameras as if they had inside information on where every camera is in the area.
And that pisses me off most of all.
“You look way too moody. And still, super hot.”
I glance up at the sound of that sexy voice and find Eloise standing in the doorway of my office in the penthouse.
She’s leaning on the doorjamb, her arms crossed, in a pair of jeans that hug her delicious curves and a red tank top that gives me a view of her cleavage that makes me want to get her naked and sink inside her.
I haven’t fucked her since the morning she started her period a few days ago. She was miserable, but she seems to be feeling better now.
“Come sit on my cock and cheer me up, firefly.”
She smirks and pushes off the door, walking to me. “I wish I had time, but I’m headed down to Scarlett’s. We’re going out to lunch, but don’t freak out, we’re not leaving the property. We’re just headed over to that cute diner on Carson’s side of the resort. I hear they have good food.”
“You’re still taking guards with you.” I take her hand and tug her into my lap, bury my face in her neck, and breathe her in. “You smell fucking amazing. How was training with Mateo?”
Eloise chuckles and kisses me on the temple. She pushes her fingers into my hair and snuggles me close.
“Fucking hard,” she says. “He’s trying to kill me.”
“I think that’s the point. You said you wanted to learn self-defense. Mateo is the best.” He’s a Krav Maga master, and he’s agreed to teach Eloise and Scarlett how to fight for their lives if needed.
“He’s the best, yes, and he’s trying to kill us. But it’s kind of fun, too. Scarlett and I went our separate ways to shower off all the sweat, and now we’re heading out to eat. We’re starving.”
“Be careful,” I say against her neck as I slide my hands under her shirt and let them drift over her soft-as-fuck skin. “If anything happens to you, no one in this world will survive my wrath.”
“Careful is my middle name.” She kisses me again, and it’s like a balm to my soul. “It’s just lunch, Rome. Then I’m coming back here to bake some cookies before Carson takes us to target practice.”
“Chocolate chip.”
She leans back so she can look me in the eyes and brushes her fingers down my cheek. “Is that a request?”
“Yes.” I lightly push a dark strand of hair back from her face and hook it behind her ear. “How is Scarlett feeling?”
“Much better. It’s been almost two weeks, and she seems to be healing well. Physically, anyway. I don’t know if she’ll want to go back to work in the playroom. I know that’s none of my business, but—”
“It’s your business,” I assure her and kiss her softly. “I’ll talk with her later, now that she’s feeling stronger. I’ll have Luke send two guards with you to lunch.”
“You’re so paranoid.”
You have no idea, firefly.
“One of my warehouses was hit last night,” I tell her, and her eyes darken in concern. “I don’t know who’s behind it. So until further notice, yeah, I’m paranoid as fuck, and you’ll do what I say.”
“Yes, Rome.” She kisses my lips, and my cock twitches.
“I’ll be putting your tracking device in later today, too.”
Her eyes narrow on mine. “Who’s doing yours? I can’t do it. I hate needles.”
“Already done.” I take her hand, kiss her fingers, and place them on the back of my neck. “Feel right there.”
She gently moves her fingertips over my skin, and when she discovers it, she bites her lower lip. “It’s tiny.”
“Give me your phone.”
She shifts to pull the device out of her pocket and passes it to me. It only takes a moment to download the app and sync it with the tiny capsule, the size of a grain of rice, in my neck.
“Here it is.” I turn the screen to her and show her how to check it. “That blue dot is me. When yours is active, it’ll be yellow.”
“Why yellow?” she murmurs, watching the screen.
“Because fireflies are yellow.”
She smiles softly, then wraps her arms around my neck and hugs me hard. “Thank you. We’ll do it before I make the cookies.”
“Deal.” I wrap my hand around her throat and pull her in for a deep kiss. She opens for me, letting me in to glide my tongue over hers, and all too quickly, she’s gone, climbing out of my arms. “Get back here.”
“I have to go,” she says with a smile. “Scarlett’s waiting. I’ll text you to let you know I’m okay if you want.”
She bites that lower lip, and her words hit me right in the chest.
My girl wants to make sure I’m okay.
“That would be appreciated,” I tell her with a small smile. “Thank you, firefly.”
“No problem.” She winks, and then she’s off. I watch that round ass sway as she walks away.
Christ. I’ll never stop wanting her.
I call Luke, and when he answers, I hear giggling in the background and pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Hey, boss.”
“Eloise is on her way to meet Scarlett. I want two men with them everywhere they go.”
“Already on it,” he says. “But I assigned four.”
“Good.”
I hang up, and less than five minutes later, my phone chimes, telling me there’s someone at the front door. I check the video feed and see it’s Julian, so I unlock the door from my desk. A few moments later, he walks through my office door.
“I’m the first one here,” he says with surprise as he takes a seat across from me, and I blow out a breath.
Fuck, I’m tired.
He eyes me. “What’s wrong? Aside from the warehouse hit last night?”
“We need to talk.” I lean on my desk and drag my hand down my face. “About Elliott.”
Julian’s eyes narrow slightly. “So talk.”
“Shit.” I shove back in my seat. I don’t want to have this conversation.
“Just tell me what he did now.”
“He’s six months behind in his membership fees with the club,” I reply. Julian doesn’t foot the bill for Elliott’s … hobbies.
“I’ll pay it,” he says, and I shake my head.
“I don’t need or want you to pay it,” I tell my best friend. I don’t ask for membership dues from any of my three brothers. “I told you before that I would waive the fee for him.”
“No. He has the means to pay himself. If he wants the privilege of the club, he’ll pay for it. Christ, he’s almost twenty-five years old.”
Julian married very young, at the age of just eighteen, and his wife had Elliott right away. Then she died in a hit-and-run car accident. Julian raised his son alone with the help of housekeepers, all while building his own business. He’s done a hell of a job, but Elliott is an entitled jerk.
We all know it.
And Julian cleans up after him often.
“I just wanted you to be aware because he’s still using the club. And typically, we wouldn’t be this … lenient.”
“I get it,” Julian replies just as my phone pings again, letting me know the others are here. I push the button, and within seconds, Carson comes walking through the door with Mateo right behind him.
Mateo smirks at me.
“Your girl almost poked my fucking eye out earlier.”
The grin spreads over my face. Good girl.
“You probably deserved it.”
He shrugs one shoulder and leans on the windowsill, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I get to take them to the range in the basement later,” Carson says. “It won’t be a hardship to show two beautiful women how to hold a weapon.”
“Don’t make me kill you.”
Carson laughs, and then I get right to the point.
“A few things,” I say as the men settle around me. “First, I was hit last night, as you know.”
“Inside job,” Carson says. “I’ve watched the feed a few times. They knew to avoid the cameras.”
“Mendoza’s been sniffing around,” Mateo offers. “He’s pissed as fuck at you.”
“He should be. It could be him. If he’s in Vegas, he doesn’t leave alive. He’s been warned.”
“What about Rizzo?” Julian asks. “He called me pissed off because we haven’t found his precious daughter.”
Mateo smirks. “Same here.”
Carson’s eyes meet mine.
“Did he call you as well?” I ask Carson.
“No. He doesn’t have my fucking number.”
“Well, he called me,” I reply. “And he’s pissed. He sounds desperate, and I don’t know why. He’s not worried about her.”
“He’s a fucking asshole,” Julian supplies. “And I hear your bartender slipped away the other day for a while. Was she meeting with his men?”
I glare at him, and for a moment, I seriously consider pulling my weapon on him. Which is something I never thought I’d ever say. This man is my brother in every way that counts.
But I’ve had just about enough of this bullshit.
“Say shit like that again, and you and I are done.”
“It’s a fair question,” Julian says.
“No.”
Julian opens his mouth, but I slap my fist on the desk.
“No.”