Chapter 14
14
DALLAS
It took every ounce of my self-control to get out of the car earlier. Even sitting here, listening to Lorenzo and Sofia talk about how we’re going to deal with the monsters who took my girl—and yeah, Juniper is mine—my blood boils with fury.
Willow doesn’t realize it yet, but as soon as this is over, I’m marrying her. I don’t give two fucks that it’s only been a few months—less since we finally acknowledged the heat between us—but I know I want her.
When he said we would be staying with them, I didn’t for a second let myself think what that meant. Lorenzo Bianchi’s house is secluded on a massive piece of property. Property that’s surrounded by a fence that nearly reaches the sky. And house is putting it mildly. It’s more like a compound. The main house, where we are all holed up at the moment, is something straight out of the movies. It has more rooms than one person could need—but when you’re the head of the Mafia, I imagine money is no object.
I watch as Lorenzo drops the bag creating all this trouble onto the massive kitchen table. “You think Lark knew it was in there?”
“No. If she had, I think she would have given the damn thing back or tried to pawn the diamonds—I don’t know, honestly. One thing my sister and I disagreed on was the need for more money. I had plenty with my business, but she hated relying on me.” Willow shakes her head in disgust. “Her drive to take care of everything alone got her killed. I can’t believe her daughter is caught in the crosshairs. Why couldn’t these idiots just tell me what they wanted? I would have shipped the fucking stuffed nuisance back, never knowing what was inside.”
“It doesn’t work that way.” Sofia shrugs. “Men like this don’t want any loose ends. And I suspect they think Lark knew what was inside the bear—making you a potential risk. But don’t you worry. We know exactly how to deal with men like this.” She pulls out a chair and sits in front of Willow. Tugging her hand into her own, Sofia holds Willow's gaze as she speaks. “I need you to text them and set up a meet.”
“No,” I growl. “Willow will not meet with them. As soon as she shows up, they’ll kill her.”
Willow tugs her hand free and presses it to my arm. “I need to do this, Dallas. I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t and they hurt Juniper.”
“We will have her protected, my friend,” Lorenzo says from his place against the wall. “She will not be harmed—you have my word. The only ones who won’t be walking away will be the bastards who took your niece.”
“Daughter.” I bark. “Juniper is going to be my daughter.”
Willow chokes, her wide eyes meeting mine. “What?”
Kneeling beside her, I cup her chin in my hand. “Willow. When I said you were mine, I meant it. You and Juniper will be mine in every way that counts. As soon as this is over, I’m putting a ring on your finger and making her mine, too.”
“Well. Isn’t this cozy?”
A new voice fills the room, interrupting the moment. Turning my head, I let my gaze take in the man standing in the doorway.
“Brian.” Willow pushes to her feet and moves toward him. “You’re here.”
He wraps her in an embrace, and I don’t stop the warning growl that erupts from my throat.
“Willow.” I stand quickly and wrap my fingers around her arm. In one quick move, I have her out of his arms and in my own. “Keep your hands off her.”
“Dallas,” Willow gasps, embarrassment coating her face. “Brian, this is Dallas. Dallas, Brian— er, Detective Huges.”
“Detective.” I don’t move my arms. “Your presence here is a necessity, but don’t think that means you can manhandle Willow because cop or not, I will lay you out.”
“Gentlemen,” Sofia purrs. “While your display of testosterone is a turn-on, now is not the time.” She turns to the newcomer. “Detective, you being here is a courtesy. Piss off Mr. Nash again, and I’ll personally make you wish you hadn’t shown up.”
“Lady… you realize I’m a cop, right?”
I watch as Sofia steps into his space. Her hand shoots out and grabs him right between the legs.
“Fuck,” he grunts.
“Maybe that’s what you need. You’re so uptight, friend. But hear this… I don’t give a fuck if you’re a pig or a fucking choir boy. All I care about is obedience.” She loosens her hold on his dick. “Can you give me that, Detective ? Because if you do…” She leans in and whispers something in his ear, making the man turn several shades of red. He grunts in response, making her release her hold and pat him on the cheek. “Good boy. Now… let’s send that text, shall we?” She turns and holds out her palm. “Phone, Willow.”
Willow shakes off her shock and hurries to retrieve her phone from her bag. Sofia takes the device and wanders off into the living room.
“We should eat, then you should probably get some rest. I imagine we will have a location soon.” Lorenzo points toward the stairs. “You two can take the first room on the left. It has an attached bathroom with everything you need to freshen up. I’ll have my staff fix us something to eat. Go,” he waves us off. “Dinner will be ready within the hour.”
“Willow,” Brian calls out, and I grit my teeth. “Can we talk?” He glances between the two of us. “Alone?”
The minute she turns toward me, I know I have to let her do this.
“Go. I’ll be upstairs waiting.” I press a kiss to her lip then turn to face Brian. “If you touch her… you won’t have to worry about Sofia because I’ll kill you myself.”
Bumping his shoulder as I leave the woman I’ve fallen in love with alone with him, I take the steps two at a time. I don’t notice my brothers following me until we get upstairs. They shove in behind me, and Drake slams the door.
“You need to get yourself under control.” He arches a brow.
I start to speak, but Roland laughs, making everyone look at him.
“What?” He holds his hands up. “You, of all people, know when it comes to the women we love, being in control is not possible.” He shakes his head. “Fuck, I want to punch that twit downstairs, and Willow isn’t mine like that. I can only imagine how Dallas is feeling right now, Drake. How about you cut him some slack?”
“Thanks, Roland, but Drake’s right.” I pace the room. “I want Willow to trust me, and punching her friend is not something I imagine will help. I have to trust her that there is nothing between them now.”
“It's not her I worry about.” Griffyn goes to the window and peers out. “It’s him.”
“Oh, shit.” Ryker stops beside him, his eyes wide with what looks like concern. “Um, Dallas. I think you might actually need to go back downstairs.” I start toward the window, but he holds up his hand. “Never mind. I think between your woman and Sofia… her friend has a clear understanding of where the boundaries are.”
I get to the window in time to see Willow storming back inside and Brian being led off by Sofia. It’s not hard to see something happened because the fuckers nose is pouring blood as she practically drags him off the back deck. I turn to storm off after her, but Drake stops me.
“Whoa. Calm down before you go down there. If something happened, you need to be clear-headed for her. ” I take a deep breath. “Plus, we need to talk about what you want us to do when you take her to the meetup. You are going with her, right?”
“The only thing that would stop me is a body bag,” I grumble.
He releases his hold on me. “Let’s not go that far. But I doubt Lorenzo will let us tag along, so where does that leave us?”
“Waiting here, I guess.” I turn to face the others. “I can’t thank you enough for being here… but right now, I need to find my woman.” I’m about to open the door when a soft knock halts me. Tugging it open, I find Willow on the other side.
“Um. Can I come in?”
I step to the side and wave her through. She stops short when she sees the others inside.
“Oh. Am I interrupting y’all?”
“Nope,” Drake speaks up first. “We were just heading out.” My brothers quickly move to the door, pausing to hug Willow before leaving. When the last one leaves, I shut the door.
“You okay?” I wait, not moving until she gives me a sign that’s what she needs.
“Yes… no… I don’t know.” She steps into me, making me breathe a sigh of relief. “I punched Brian.”
“Do what now?” I wasn’t expecting her to say she was the one who made him bleed.
“He tried to kiss me, saying I was being manipulated by you. I just snapped. How could he say that shit, Dallas? He doesn’t know me—at all. And with everything else going on, I just lost it. He is supposed to be worried about my niece… not who I’m fucking.”
I tense in her hold. “Do I need to have words with him?”
“No.” She giggles. “After I hit him, Sofia appeared like an Angel or Devil… either way, she snatched his ear and dragged him off. I imagine whatever she’s doing to him is far worse than what you would do.”
“I need to be honest. My brothers saw you hit him. I was about to storm down there when you knocked.”
She leans back. “They did? Oh God.” She buries her face in my chest again. “How am I going to look at them at dinner?”
“With your head held high, that’s how. You’re a fucking warrior, Willow. Don’t forget that.”
“I feel like a failure. I didn’t protect my niece… that’s no warrior.”
I grip her arms and lean her back to look her in the eyes.
“No one could have stopped those men, Willow. And frankly, I’m glad you weren’t home when they showed up.”
She jerks out of my hold. “If I’d been there, I could have fought for her.”
“If you’d been there, you’d be dead. Make no mistake, Willow. They would have killed you or, worse, taken you both and tortured you to get what they wanted. If that had happened…” I take a breath. “I would have set the world on fire to get you back. The destruction they left would have been nothing compared to the havoc I would wreak to find you. Nothing, no one, would keep me from you.” I step into her space and shove my fingers into her hair.
“I love you, Willow,” I whisper before slamming my mouth over hers.
Willow whimpers in my hold, and the slight movement gives me access to slip my tongue inside. Walking our bodies backward, I press her against the closed door. Her hands find their way to my head, her nails scoring my scalp as I take what I want.
Moving my hands to her ass, I lift her, causing her legs to wrap around my waist. She grinds her core against my hardened cock. We get lost in our heavy make-out session, and I’m nearly ready to set her down and take off her pants when there is a knock at the door. Willow freezes in my arms, and I groan.
“Fuck,” I whisper against her neck.
“Dallas, sorry to interrupt whatever is happening on the other side of this door, but dinner is ready.” Rykers amused voice floats through the wood separating him from us.
“Thanks.” I step back and set Willow on her feet.
She buries her head in my shirt and giggles. “How embarrassing.”
“Don’t worry, he won’t say anything.” I brush her hair out of her face and step back. Lacing her hand in mine, I smile. “Let’s go eat. I suspect we need to try to sleep, anyway. We can do this when we’re back home.”
“Okay… Dallas?” She jerks me to a halt. “Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?”
“You love me?”
I cup her cheek in my palm. “With every fiber of my being, Willow.”