Chapter 10
10
TATUM
I walk around the garden with Angel, Teddy, and Casey, feeling slightly smug. I mean, why wouldn’t I? Anthony let me suck his dick. In his office.
With some old dude sitting on the couch, pretending not to notice, but still.
He wanted me enough to call for me.
I hold my head high as I strut through the flowers, watching as Angel picks a bushel, sniffing each one like a bumblebee.
“Look at this one. It’s gorgeous,” he says as he lifts it up to Teddy’s face.
Pollen gets stuck to the tip of his nose, but Teddy doesn’t rub it away, just lets it sit there while he continues to watch over us. He looks ridiculous, and I can’t help but reach up and smear it around a little, just to irritate him.
Not that he gives me the satisfaction of showing his annoyance. He just stands there, gloomy and serious behind his sunglasses.
“Teddy, does Anthony usually have people come into his meetings and you know…?”
I eye Teddy, who is scanning the horizon. Not that anything is there. Just trees and electric fencing.
“I mean, you know, like—” I lean forward, “—does he have someone come in and suck his dick during meetings?”
Teddy’s gaze moves toward me and his lips twitch.
“I mean, he doesn’t, right? So that’s like a big thing?” I ask, bouncing on my toes.
He doesn’t tell me one way or the other, but I know it, deep down. I know that he did this with me and only me.
I grin and sock him in the arm, only hurting myself in the process.
I shake my hand out and sigh. “You have huge arms. You really need to cut back on the exercising.”
He doesn’t respond, not that I expect him to, but my attention is drawn to the house.
Anthony comes into view, walking toward us, a beautiful woman on his arm.
My jovial spirits plummet, and I find myself scowling. Well, who the fuck is that?
“Who is that?” I ask Teddy, not that I expect an answer. He never talks. I have no idea what his voice sounds like. Oh my god, what if he sounds like Kermit the Frog? I will die if that’s the case.
“Honestly, why is she so pretty?” I grumble and then smooth my hand through my hair. It’s not nearly as nice as model lady, who is walking arm in arm with Anthony. Maybe he likes how full hers is, how long.
I could grow my hair out , I think as they start to approach.
I shift on my feet and fold my arms across my chest, glowering at them, shooting signals toward Anthony. The I don’t share ones that hopefully he understands. Or at least acknowledges. Not that he’s even looking my way.
No, he’s looking intently at that woman. Like she hangs the sun and moon. Not that either of those things are hung.
Anthony is though. He’s hung real nice.
Like a porn star.
I wonder if sexy lady knows this or not.
Fuck. He told me he wasn’t gay and yet there I went, sucking his dick like an eager puppy.
I narrow my eyes as they make their way toward me, so much so that they’re almost closed when they come to a stop before us.
Anthony’s lips twitch, and I pop my eyes open to make sure he sees how unhappy I am with this little turn of events.
“You out enjoying the sun?” he asks, and I roll my eyes dramatically.
“It’s always sunny here, Anthony. It’s Southern California.” I turn my gaze to the beauty next to him and force a wide smile onto my face.
“Hello there. I’m Tatum Barlowe, and you are?”
She peers over at Anthony, a knowing look in her eyes before extending her perfectly smooth hand toward mine. She even has her nails done and they look expensive.
“Sabrina Nightingale. Nice to meet you, Tatum.”
Nightingale. Are you fucking kidding me? Even her last name towers over mine. And she has nice boobs, which I sadly lack.
“Nice to meet you as well.”
I’m lying and they can tell.
“Are you a friend of Angelo’s?” she asks, and I peer over my shoulder at my friend, who is bending over and inspecting some kind of pink flower.
“Yes. And a friend of Anthony’s as well.”
“Ah, I see.”
Anthony shifts next to her and runs a hand across his jaw. I glower at him, and I swear his eyes twinkle.
Asshole.
“So you’re the reason we’re in all this trouble?” Sabrina asks, and I huff in annoyance.
“Yes, I’m the reason. Although, I don’t think that I asked for it, do you?”
“No, of course not,” she says with a wave of her hand. “Just that I can see why Anthony helped.” She turns toward him and grins. “He’s adorable.”
I roll my eyes, even though I preen inside. I am quite adorable.
Just as I think that, Angel calls his dad over to look at something germinating. Anthony stalks over, and Sabrina and I both watch him go. As soon as he’s out of earshot, she leans toward me, smelling strongly of perfume.
And it’s a nice scent too, expensive.
She’s everything I’m not.
“We’re business partners, Anthony and I.”
I side-eye her. “What kind of business?”
“I run a few brothels, discreet gentlemen’s clubs, that kind of thing.”
“Sounds fun.”
“It is. It really is,” she says with a knowing smile. “But you know, despite investing in my clubs, Anthony’s never been a customer.”
I step closer, not wanting to miss a word.
“He’ll stop by occasionally, check to see how things are going, but never indulges. He never lets himself go, you see.”
I don’t see. He let himself go earlier, my face between his shaking thighs.
Anthony glances over at us and frowns when he sees how close we are standing, how Sabrina is leaning toward me and telling me shit. But he can’t leave his son’s side, not yet. Angel’s still telling him about the plant he found.
“A couple months ago, when I overheard him telling his bodyguards to keep tabs on you, I couldn’t believe it, you know? Anthony Costello, mob boss, having a little boy trailed.”
I turn my gaze toward her fully now, my mouth agape.
“Tabs on me? Trailed? What the hell?”
She blinks in surprise and then lets out a tinkling little laugh. “Yes, didn’t you know?”
“Of course I didn’t know,” I hiss and then feel my dick twitch between my legs. Good fuck, why does that turn me on so much? He was following me? Watching me? Oh my god. Is he just as obsessed as I am?
Do not get your hopes up.
They’re already up. Big time.
“Well, that makes sense. Anthony always keeps things close to the vest. But how do you think he made it to you so quickly that night?”
“What?”
I hadn’t thought of that. I called him, and he didn’t even ask where I was, he just knew. Oh my god. He was having me followed.
“I never thought Anthony would be interested in another man, but then again, I hadn’t met you, now had I? I can see the appeal.”
I shake my head just as a loud explosion rocks the ground we’re standing on.
Sabrina shoves me to the ground and whips around.
“Get down!”
I cover my head, my heartbeat ringing in my ears. Oh my god! Oh my fucking god! What was that?
“Fuckers,” Sabrina says as she hikes up her dress and pulls a gun from her thigh.
Oh shit, she’s not only beautiful, but a badass too.
“Stay on the ground, Tatum!” Anthony commands, his voice clipped and strained. “Teddy, Casey, take Angelo to the basement.”
“What about me?” I scream as they start to move, their bodies crouched around Angelo.
“You’re not going anywhere near Bane,” Anthony scowls.
“So you’d rather I get blown up?” I shout as Sabrina moves away from me, far too nimble in her high heels.
Bitch.
“Behind the fountain. Now! Now!” Anthony says, pulling a gun from the back of his pants and firing off shots in rapid succession.
I do as he says, jumping into a crouch and scrambling behind the large stone structure, cowering behind it.
I peer up at him, and fuck, he looks sexy in this moment. Smoke billowing around him, his arms tight as the gun pumps in his hand, his gaze laser-focused. When his clip is gone, he crouches down and reloads with a flick of his wrist.
“Do you just carry ammo around with you?” I ask, and his eye twitches.
“Yes. Stay there,” he tells me and when it’s quiet for a second, he ducks down and moves toward me. His body settles next to mine, and I feel reassured that he’s right next to me.
“I’m not going to move unless you tell me to. Because apparently you’d rather I die than hang out with Bane again.”
He scowls at me and then falls atop of my body when another gunshot rings out. I’m on my back, his body fully against mine now, and I swear to god, I’m hard as a rock. That twitch earlier turned into a full-blown boner.
He glances down at me, arching an eyebrow in question as I purse my lips. “It’s the adrenaline. I can’t help it.”
He huffs a small laugh and then grinds his hips against mine, making me gasp.
“Now is not the time,” I hiss and then curl my legs around the back of his thighs, keeping him in place.
“Now is not the time,” he agrees and yet makes no effort to move off me.
Five more gunshots ring out, men shouting, and another explosion goes off. It’s like a war zone. I’m not liking this at all. I scrunch my eyes closed, pulling Anthony closer to me, feeling the warm puffs of his breath against my skin. He doesn’t seem at all anxious in this situation. I can feel the steady beat of his heart against my own.
“Are we gonna die?” I ask, and Anthony huffs a laugh.
“No, but those fuckers will, I guarantee you. This will be over in a minute. And anyone left alive, I’ll hand over to Bane.”
“You’ve forgiven him?” I ask, and Anthony grumbles under his breath.
“That’s a strong word. I’ve allowed him to continue on in my employ.”
“How benevolent.”
He lets out a low chuckle, the sound reverberating through me. I bite back a groan at the sensation, wanting more but realizing that this really isn’t ideal. My back is digging into the gravel and there are still shouts and gunshots all around us.
Although we could die, so I should make the most of my last minutes.
But before I can convince myself to lean up and kiss him, everything goes silent.
“We good?” he asks loudly, and I hear a shout that it’s all clear.
Anthony lifts off me, brushing his pants off before offering me a hand. His eyes slide down my body, landing on the bulge in my jeans.
“Shut up,” I murmur as he pulls me up on my shaking legs. “We almost died. My body malfunctioned.”
His eyes twinkle. “We were fine. My men were on it.”
But they dim as he takes in the destruction in the distance.
“Fuck,” he says and runs a hand through his hair. I feel my knees start to buckle and he reaches out and pulls me into him.
I lean into his strength, inhaling the scent of him.
“You’ll be okay. It’s just the adrenaline.”
I nod and swallow roughly as I curl my fingers into his shirt.
Sabrina makes her way toward us, her hair slightly mussed. Even still, she looks amazing.
“Seems your security is as good as ever,” she says with a grin. “Never doubted you.”
“Always,” Anthony replies, his hand snaking around my hip. I nuzzle my face into his chest and let him hold me tighter.
“We should get into the house,” Anthony says, and we make our way toward the back porch. As we move, Viktor comes jogging up, a frown on his face, dirt on his cheeks.
“Shit, you’re okay. Goddamn,” he says and then runs a hand through his tangled hair.
“What happened?” Anthony asks, all business, his steps sure and steady.
“Four men tried to get in with grenades and semi-auto rifles. Mike’s injured, leg wound, but we got them subdued pretty quick. Fuck, we may need to hire more guards. How the hell did this happen? Wait, what about Teddy and Bane? Oh my god, Casey.”
Anthony’s jaw ticks. “They’re fine. They’re with Angelo.”
I stare at Viktor, who looks more upset right now than Anthony. The other guards are probably his friends.
Luca makes his way down the steps of the house, and Viktor stiffens.
“Everyone okay? Where’s Angel?” Luca asks.
“In the basement with Teddy and Casey. They should be inside by now.”
“Where were you?” Viktor asks Luca accusingly.
Luca’s jaw tightens, and he throws a thumb over his shoulder. “I was taking care of business inside.”
Viktor scoffs, but Anthony cuts off any bickering.
“I want you all in my office to discuss this. I want to know everything.”
He lets me go, and I slouch against the porch railing, rubbing at my chest. I suddenly feel lightheaded, and now that Anthony is moving away from me, I feel like crying. The full impact of what just happened is hitting me. My eyes sting, and I sniffle.
Anthony hesitates a moment, his gaze landing on mine.
“Come here,” he says, and I shuffle toward him, my knees weak. He pulls me into him and leads me inside and into his office. Viktor, Sabrina, and Luca follow behind us, the door clicking shut and locking.
“Pour us a glass,” Anthony says as he settles on the couch and pulls me onto his lap. “And once we’re ready, you tell me everything.”
I tuck myself into him and let his silent strength ground me. Suddenly, I don’t feel so alone. I feel like everything’s going to be okay. And as they talk, discussing the events from earlier, I just let my eyelids close, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
“How many are still alive?” Anthony asks, his thighs spread slightly beneath me as I curl into him.
“Two. Bane has them now.”
“Good, have him keep them alive until we can get more information out of them. Keep their tongues too. I want them to be able to talk. Do we know who they’re with? Aces?”
“Not sure yet, but Bane will get it out of them,” Luca says.
“It has to be them. If not them, then a gang affiliated with them. Someone stupid enough to come after us here,” Luca says.
“Do you think this will affect me and my girls?” Sabrina asks, sounding slightly worried. A stark contrast to the badass she was earlier.
“Yes, there’s a possibility. They hit Raphael.”
“Why is this the first I’m hearing about it?” Sabrina replies angrily. “You should put out a notification to all your subsidiaries to be on the lookout. This is dangerous.”
“I will,” Anthony bites out. “We’ve caught and killed everyone they’ve sent out. I didn’t realize they’d be this stupid.”
“Seems they are. But it’ll be their downfall. I guarantee that,” Viktor says.
“It will.”
They continue discussing semantics, but my mind filters in and out of the conversation, only hearing bits and pieces of it. At one point, they get a senator on the phone. Something about sending some agents down to the Fallen Aces to put heat on them. I try like hell to pay attention, but I honestly don’t care what they’re discussing. I just want Anthony to continue holding me like he is.
Eventually the conversation ends and everyone finishes their drinks and stands.
“Send me updates on Mike’s condition,” Anthony adds before Luca and Viktor leave.
“Will do, Boss,” Viktor replies.
Sabrina leans down and presses a kiss to my cheek before the sound of her heels clack out of the room. The door shuts with a click, and I sigh in the silence, snuggling deeper into him.
Anthony doesn’t move, just holds me to him tightly.
“How are you feeling?” he asks me softly.
“Still terrible. May need you to hold me like this forever.”
He lets out a small chuckle and finishes off his drink. It settles onto the end table with a clink and he leans back with a sigh, his shoulders loosening.
“Fuck, I’m sorry you had to experience that. They should know better than to mess with my family.”
I peer up at him and his gaze meets mine. Something flashes in his eyes, and he wets his lips.
“This is all my fault.”
“No. You did nothing wrong.”
“I did,” I say, my nose stinging and my eyes welling with unshed tears. “I shouldn’t have gone to that bar. Now everyone knows I’m a friend of the family. And that I’m worth the risk. And now everyone’s trying to hurt you.”
“People are always trying to hurt me. This isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last.”
I sigh, my hand unbuttoning his shirt, just one button before slipping my hand through it, letting my palm settle against his warm skin.
“Usually my enemies are more strategic. Those idiots didn’t have a chance coming here with so few men. Like I said, whoever did this was sloppy. Which is why I’m betting it’s attached to the Aces.”
“Yeah,” I murmur as I run my thumb over his nipple. It puckers under my touch, and I tug at it.
Anthony doesn’t move away from me, just continues to hold me close. My hand travels across his chest, feeling his chest hair beneath my palm as I explore.
“And Sabrina?” I have to ask.
“What about her?”
Our gazes collide and I shrug, feigning disinterest. “You know…have you two been…she’s beautiful.”
“She is.”
His fingers tighten against me, and I roll my eyes. “Come on. Have you two fucked? You two have totally fucked.”
“No. It’s always been business between us.”
I snort and then turn into him further, my free hand snaking around the back of his neck.
“She said you’ve been following me for some time.”
Anthony’s gaze darkens.
“Did she?”
“Yeah. Is it true?”
He doesn’t answer, but the tick of his jaw tells me he was.
“I didn’t realize you were doing that? Is it weird that I like it?”
Anthony doesn’t answer, just continues to hold me while I explore his chest with my hand. I want him naked. I want to drag my fingers across every inch of his bare skin. Why is everything about him so hot to me? I can’t quite get him out of my system.
A knock on the door has my exploration coming to a halt as Angel walks in. He jogs toward me and pulls me into a tight hug. My hand slips from Anthony’s shirt as Angel cradles me against him and runs his hand through my hair.
“Oh god, I was so worried. Why didn’t you come with us?”
I shake my head and swallow, feeling Anthony stiffen behind me.
“He was with me,” he finally says.
Angel glances at his dad and frowns. “He would have been safer below.”
I can feel Anthony’s heart speed up, but he doesn’t reply.
“And Bane was asking about you. He said he left something on your bedside table.”
My eyebrows rise, and I feel my cheeks flush. “Really? That’s so sweet.”
“It’s not sweet,” Anthony bites out. “I guarantee you that.”
Angel cocks his head, staring at his dad intently.
“Okay, well, I’m going to take Tatum with me. Agatha said she had some hot chocolate for him and a pastry. That might help you feel better.”
The idea of food makes my stomach rumble, and I realize how hungry I really am.
Anthony’s hand loosens its grip on me, and Angel helps me stand. I glance back at that powerful mafia boss, who is watching us carefully. His legs spread, his hands fisted on either side of him. Fuck, he’s a dream.
“Come on, let’s go eat and then let’s see what Bane left you,” Angel says, tugging me toward the door.
“Yeah, okay,” I say as he leads me out of his dad’s office. I don’t look back. Even though I want to. And even though I can feel his gaze piercing my skin.