Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CIDNEY
Closing my eyes, I suck in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. I don’t know what to do. I cleaned all day yesterday and talked with Justin. I don’t know if it was productive or not, but I think it was.
We ended with a hug, and he promised me that I could choose the person I want to date—to be with, and he wouldn’t stand in my way. Though he made it very clear that he would prefer I find someone professional, someone who wasn’t in the club. I assume he meant someone like George.
Thinking about George, I can’t help but smile.
He was so very kind, but at the same time, we would have never fallen in love.
We would have been comfortable and probably happy enough.
He carries his own sadness, his own history.
He would understand that I could never love him, because he could never love me. It was going to be a wonderful match.
But then… life happened.
The knock on the door takes me out of my thoughts. It doesn’t sound like Justin’s from yesterday. It’s a bit softer, a touch hesitant, but I recognize it just the same. I walk over to the door and check the peephole. It’s exactly who I thought it was.
Unlocking the door, I wrap my fingers around the knob, twisting it and tugging it open to see the man standing in front of me. My body aches for him. My lips beg to kiss his. But I don’t do anything. I stand still, watching him.
He doesn’t stay standing in silence in the hallway for long. He moves past me and into the apartment. Turning around, I close the door behind me and move closer toward him, but I stay far enough away. I’m not sure if I can be closer to him. I don’t know what I’ll feel.
I’m scared.
“I haven’t wanted to bother you. I know you’re going through a lot. I wanted to give you your space.”
The last thing I would ever want from Goose is space. But I understand why he is giving it to me. It’s been weeks. He walked away from me, then came back when I was attacked, and he’s stayed. I can only hope that he’s here for good, forever.
“I appreciate that,” I say instead of saying anything else. “You have no idea.”
“I’m working on the situation,” he murmurs.
“Situation?” I ask.
He lifts his gaze, and his eyes connect with mine. He watches me for a moment, neither of us speaking. My fingers itch to touch him, so I ball my hands into fists, digging my nails into my palms. The bite of pain is exactly what I need to remind me that I am not supposed to throw myself at him.
“Goffredo and the fact that he’s still breathing.”
My lips twitch into a smirk. I hate that asshole so much. The fact that Goose is working on whatever it is he’s working on, I want that to happen. I want Goffredo to stop breathing. That is the goal here. After what he did, he deserves nothing less.
“So you have a plan?” I ask.
“A good one,” he says, dipping his chin. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m working on it.”
“Are you going to tell me what it is?”
He shakes his head slowly. His gaze is still on mine, and he holds his breath for a moment, then lets it out slowly. “No, I’m not. I will after it’s all done.”
“And then what?” I ask.
I’m trying not to probe too much or demand too much. But I want to know if he’s going to stay here with me. If he’s going to pack up his bike and leave again. I want to know if I should tell him that Justin and I have a truce, that I can be with the person I choose.
“Then we move forward.”
I open my mouth to ask him if we do that together or apart. But I don’t get the words out. He moves toward me, closing the distance between us. Finally, after what feels like a lifetime, I feel his touch.
His fingerprints slide across my cheek. I close my eyes at the sensation. I love the way his fingers feel. Warm and strong. I want them to touch me everywhere. And at the same time, I’m terrified of that.
I feel his fingers curl around the back of my neck. They’re strong but not too tight. They’re perfect, just like him. He lowers his head, resting his forehead against mine, then I feel his breath wash over my face.
“We move forward, Cidney, together.”
Together.
God, I don’t think there is a better word on this entire planet.
Together.
He lifts his head and holds my focus with his own, then his lips curve up into a smile. “I don’t expect anything today or tomorrow, but I am going to watch over you. Always. I’m going to protect you, and I am going to be here when you’re ready.”
Always.
He leaves me after a soft kiss on my lips. I lift my hand, touching my fingers to my mouth as I flip the dead bolt of the door. Pressing my back against the solid wood, I close my eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
Oh my God.
GOOSE
The last thing I want to do is walk away from her, but I have some shit to handle.
Goffredo’s shit to handle. We have a few more days until the sting operation.
Piggy has talked with the police department in Raleigh, and they are on board.
However, it took a bit of convincing, especially since we promised the strip club owner that they would not get into trouble for any of this.
The police are excited to take out the son of the Front Mob Family and, in turn, possibly get him to snitch on their operations. I know as well as Bullet that this is risky and could bite us in the ass.
Goffredo knows that his father would pull both legal and financial support from him, which is not something he’s willing to risk. Also, he’ll be dead before he can say too much. Just need to get his ass convicted.
The rest will be taken care of… quickly… or not so quickly, depending on Hogg’s mood.
Taking my phone out of my pocket, I find Piggy’s name and touch the screen. He answers almost immediately. I don’t think he’s ever answered so quickly before. I almost ask him if everything is okay, but then decide against it. He’d tell me if there were a problem.
“We still on for tomorrow?” I ask.
Tomorrow night is when this all goes down.
The police want it done sooner rather than later, and so does the strip club owner, and he has Goffredo’s schedule.
The asshole is very easy to follow. He has a routine and hardly deviates from it, especially when it comes to his dick getting wet at that club.
“We’re still on. Cops got a handle, officers inside, and hot mics in the private room to catch everything.”
“This is bigger than I thought it would be,” I admit.
All I really wanted was Goffredo to get put away for something. I didn’t really care what it was, but it needed to be a higher-class felony so he’d be sent where Hogg is sitting for murder. And in all that, I need to keep Cidney safe and able to heal.
“We’re nailing this fucker. He doesn’t get to do what he did and walk away. And we can’t punish him the way he deserves. You’re right in holding back on that. This is honest to fuck the best way for everyone. Lorenzo will know, and maybe he’ll cancel our contract, but nobody else will die over it.”
“And the family?” I ask.
I’m speaking of the Front Mob Family, because that could get ugly.
Even if Lorenzo doesn’t order it, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other people who are part of it who won’t retaliate.
They will gladly, just like we would do the same.
I’m ready to kill a motherfucker right now, and if this plan weren’t already in action, I don’t think I would care who was collateral damage on my way to Goffredo.
“They will be taken care of. Lorenzo says not to worry. He’s got a handle on them.”
I almost laugh, mainly because Bullet would probably have the same assurances. Even though he wouldn’t be able to control everything, there are too many people, too many factors involved to make those kinds of promises.
“I’m sure he does,” I murmur.
“Yeah, let’s stay alert anyway,” he says.
I agree, ending the call with a promise to see him tomorrow night. Lifting my chin, I look up at the apartment window. She’s up there, I know she is, even if I can’t see her. Being that close to her today, tasting her, it was enough to break any man.
When I saw the absolute horror in her eyes, the pain just below the surface, it caused my entire body to ache.
I can’t believe that she was hurt, that Goffredo did that to her.
An absolute fucking monster of a man to attack an innocent that way.
She did absolutely nothing to deserve that, and yet, he did it anyway.
I can only hope that Hogg is gathering a plan and an army to ensure that Goffredo gets every single thing he deserves.
Every single thing.
Pushing off the wall, I head toward my bike. I have some shit to take care of before tomorrow’s sting. One of those things is a meeting with Lorenzo. A little less formal today, and not an ambush, it’s been scheduled.
I’m going to meet him with Bullet, and we’re going to have to pretend to come to an agreement. A big one. A fake one. And then shit goes down. And I can’t wait for it to happen. I’m going to be standing by, watching with a smile.
Climbing onto my bike, I look back at the apartment one more time. One last look. Soon, Cidney is going to be able to be with me for good. We’ll have our own place, our own world. And nothing will ever be able to keep us apart.
Not even Ivy.
Pulling up to the café, I look around the parking lot. Lorenzo’s car is here, and so is Bullet’s bike. Then I frown when Ivy’s car pulls up beside me. He unfolds from the front seat at the same time I throw my leg off the bike.
“I didn’t know you would be here,” I call out.
He shifts his focus to the side, his gaze finding mine. He’s pissed. I can see the anger in his eyes. We stare at one another for a long moment in silence. I’m not going to break. He can fuck right off if he thinks I will first.
“Okay,” he grunts. “I give.”
“You give?”
He dips his chin in a single nod. “Cidney and I talked. She can date whoever she wants without an argument from me. Even if that’s you. But heed my fucking warning, Fairfax. You don’t give her the exact life she deserves, I’ll change my mind. Really fucking fast.”
What I don’t do is confirm or deny his threat. It’s nothing that involves him. Cidney and I have our own relationship. Cidney is a woman capable of making her own decisions. It’s not for me or Ivy to do for her. Maybe some of the club’s old rules need to change.
“Let’s get this shit over with so we can get that piece of shit locked, loaded, and in prison. I’m more interested in him getting all his just desserts, and then some,” I say.
Ivy jerks his chin. Thankfully, that’s the end of the conversation. Together, we face the café and walk toward the entrance. A few moments later, we’re sitting in front of Lorenzo, all of our acting skills on superb display.
We really should get an Oscar for this lunch performance.