Chapter 26 Anson
TWENTY-SIX
ANSON
Dead. Fucking. Ends.
Nothing.
I’d killed probably just as many of Ivanov’s men as Enzo had, and still not a fucking thing. Not a single scrap of information, except the claim of not knowing anything.
Fucking typical.
“Are you done for the night, boss?” Max called out to me.
“Yes,” I muttered, wiping blood off my face. “Get this shit cleaned up.”
The men I’d brought with me set to work.
“I hate you,” Drake said, falling in step with me as I walked to my car.
He’d barely said two words to me the entire time we’d been out tonight. Matteo made me bring him. I didn’t want to since Drake was still pissed I was marrying Bianca. She still wouldn’t speak to him either.
“I figured.” I got behind the wheel, and he wasted no time getting into the front seat.
“You going to fuck my girl tonight?” he asked sourly.
“My girl. And maybe,” I muttered, not meaning it.
I hadn’t touched Bianca. I’d kissed her to make shit look real, but that was it.
We’d formed a bond. She was a good listener, and she said I was too.
We spent most of the time alone in my room.
To anyone paying attention, they had to think I was fucking her every chance I got.
Safe date and all. I even got some smirks from Matteo’s men on the matter.
But nothing had happened between us past some deep fucking conversation.
She was a smart girl. Beautiful. Cunning. Fuck, was she cunning. I honestly wouldn’t put it past her to ensnare me like a spider, then end my life right along with my father’s.
I’d been trying to warm her up to Matteo, but she wasn’t having it. It was a work in progress.
“I swear to everything I am, Anson, if you fuck her, I’ll slit your throat in your sleep and watch you bleed out. Don’t fucking touch my girl,” Drake snarled at me.
I scoffed and didn’t say anything to him.
I didn’t give a fuck about anything past finding Fox and E and making sure Rosalie was OK.
I knew she needed me right now, but I was working my ass off from afar day and night to try to find the guys.
I couldn’t be with her because there was no buffer there now.
It was all Cole and Enzo. They’d kill me.
It was bad enough that Cole had me thrown out of the hospital.
I had to learn about her status through a phone call Ryder placed under the guise of being her brother.
I was beyond pissed.
She wasn’t answering my texts or calls either.
So I worked.
“I could go fuck your girl and see how you fucking like it—”
I slammed on the brakes, jerking him forward in his seat. His seatbelt caught, making him let out a gasp.
Without a word, I planted my fist in his face three times. His blood spurted out all over his shirt and hands as he tried to stop the flow.
“What the fuck?” he shouted at me.
I fisted his hair and slapped him across the face.
“Listen to me, motherfucker. You put one fucking toe too close to my woman, and I’ll break your cock off and fuck you with it. You feeling me?”
“You’re fucking nuts,” he shoved at me, but I slapped his face again.
“I’m saving Bianca’s life. The least you could fucking do is thank me, not be a pissed off cocksucker over it.” I released him and dragged my fingers through my hair, so fucking frustrated I wanted to hit something some more.
“Are you fucking Bianca?” Drake asked softly, wiping at the trickle of blood coming out of his nose.
“No.” I sighed and drove again. “I’m not.”
“Are you really going to marry her?”
“Yes, I am.”
“What about Rosalie?”
“I don’t know,” I muttered. “Shit’s really fucked right now. My main concern is finding Fox and E. After that, I have no idea. So stop being a dick vein about this shit. I’m stressed out enough without having to deal with your snake ass.”
“My snake ass?” He gave me a sour laugh. “Fuck you, Alessandro. You’re the one trying to work every angle. You’re out here being Matteo’s heir, taking Dom’s kingdom, our girl, and you’re calling me the fucking snake?”
“And what have you been doing? You’re lying next to me in the same fucking bed, prick.”
He didn’t say anything as he looked out the window. When he finally did, his voice was soft.
“I was trying to save the ones I loved, too, when I did what I did. I’d die for any of them.”
“Keep your shit up and you might,” I muttered. “Dom and the kings want you dead.”
“They want you dead, too.”
I sighed. “I’m aware. Dominic hasn’t ordered a hit yet that I’m aware of, so silver linings and all that.” I paused before deciding to be honest with him. “I’m meeting Dom tonight.”
“What? Are you fucking kidding me? Does Matteo know?”
“No,” I said. “What I do in my spare time isn’t his business, so if you make it his business, I’m going to punch you in your pretty fucking face again.”
He ignored my threat. “Why are you meeting Dom?”
“Because we need to talk.”
We were both quiet as I drove. I made a right onto 5th and continued.
“I want to go with you,” Drake finally said.
I did a double-take. “Maybe I punched you too hard.”
“Seriously. I need to set shit straight. They need to know I wasn’t trying to fuck shit up.”
“Look, I might have to fight my way out. I don’t need to save your ass, too.”
He scoffed at me. “I don’t need you to fucking save me. I’m not your goddamn princess. I’m going with you.”
I knew arguing with him was pointless, so I didn’t bother.
“Fine. It’s your funeral,” I said, stomping on the gas.
Dom had agreed to meet me at a diner outside of the city. I figured public would be best. He’d likely, probably, hopefully, not want to commit a crime in broad daylight in front of people.
Of course, he was a De Santis and likely didn’t give a fuck. I know I’d draw and shoot someone in the face if I had to. Didn’t matter where I was.
I parked and stared at the diner.
“You sure you’re coming in? It’s highly unlikely Dominic came alone,” I said.
“I’m fine, man. I fucked his girl before, and he didn’t kill me. I’d like to think he might not kill me now.”
I scoffed. “You underestimate Dominic De Santis.”
“I really fucking hope not.”
I sighed, knowing Drake could lose his life in less than five minutes, but hell, so could I. This needed to be done, though, so I opened my door and got out, Drake following. He’d changed into one of my shirts I had in the trunk since his had been so damn bloody from me punching him in the face.
We walked into the diner, and I spotted Dominic in the back.
I was right. He wasn’t alone. Levin sat across from him. Fucking great. Of course, he brought the muscle.
Drake grunted next to me, clearly thinking the same thing.
Dominic noticed me and immediately got to his feet. His hands clenched into fists. I didn’t know if it was because he saw me or because of Drake. Likely, a combination of both.
Levin stood too when he noticed us.
The saving grace was that there seemed to be a few people in the diner. Mostly good old boys having some dinner, but it was better than nothing.
“Dominic,” I greeted him.
“Anson,” he answered tightly, his green eyes sliding to Drake. “You piece of fucking shit.”
I knew he wasn’t speaking to me. I glanced at Drake.
“You’re a brave motherfucker,” Levin added, glowering at Drake.
“I came to explain. To talk.” Drake kept his voice even.
“Fuck you,” Levin snarled, his blue eyes flashing. “You’re a dead man the moment you step outside these doors. I fucking promise you that.”
“Easy,” I murmured. “Let’s just talk, OK? If you still want to kill him after, I’ll step aside.”
A muscle thrummed along Dom’s jaw, but he gave us a curt nod and moved to slide in next to Levin, who continued to glare at Drake.
I knew Levin Seeley. He was tough like his old man.
The good news was that while Klaus wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger, Levin seemed to at least think things through.
I let Drake slide into the booth first, then sat down.
“How are you?” I asked, genuinely giving a shit as I stared at Dom.
“Fuck you,” he said, his eyes narrowed at me. “You fucking know how I am. You’re marrying my girl.”
“To save her,” I said immediately.
Dom’s hands unclenched in front of him. I noted the scars peeking out from beneath his long sleeves from when he’d tried to kill himself to get to Bianca on the other side.
A pang went through my chest at the thought.
Deep down, I knew I’d struggle if I were him and I’d lost Rosalie.
In fact, I thought I had the night of the engagement party, and the plan to join her if she left this world had eased over me.
“Matteo said Carmine is coming for a visit soon.” I launched into telling him everything I knew.
With each word, he tensed more and more until I thought he was going to explode.
Levin sat silently beside him, not saying a word.
Instead, his gaze was fixed on Drake. I knew if Levin decided he was going to kill Drake, there wouldn’t be fuck-all I could do to stop him.
“So I asked Matteo if I could have Bianca,” I finished. “Matteo said Carmine is a monster. That the babies would be in danger. I don’t want that, so I asked if I could have her. And now, she’s mine.”
“She’s not fucking yours,” Dom seethed at me. “She’s mine. She belongs to the kings.”
“I know,” I replied. “I understand that. I’m trying to help. I’m trying to save her and the babies.”
Dom visibly swallowed. “Have you touched her?”
“I kissed her when she said yes,” I answered honestly. “To make it look authentic. Past that, I’ve not done anything more than be her friend.”
Dom breathed out, visibly relaxing. “Is-Is she OK?”
“She’s good, man. I spend as much time with her as I can. The babies are good. Matteo ensures her prenatal care. She’s not been harmed. She has her own room. She’s fed. She wants for nothing.”
Dom settled back in his seat, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Promise?”