Chapter Twenty
ENZO
Sometimes, I wonder about this split personality...three way personality...I have of me, Enzo the boss, and Alex in our sex games. But really, it's just a way to enjoy the role play and toy with denial with her.
And pretty Lola seems to love it.
The night so far has been kinky as hell.
I'm not into fucking in public. It isn't a kink I harbor. But with Lola? Fuck, yes. It plays right into it.
And it also has the added bonus of aspects of denial.
When I get off the phone that night, she is waiting.
After taking my time feasting on her body, ignoring only her pussy until she is writhing, I go to town eating her out. And...oh, man, does she taste good. I can still taste me, too. But the taste of her is perfection.
A few days after one of the best nights of my life, I watch her as she gets ready to go out with Ruby.
Honestly, I'm still not sure about letting her go without me or a guard by her side.
The vicinity, yes, right by her, no.
She won't tell me where she's going because this is her night, not mine. But we both know, even if I don't follow her, I'll know. She will be driven there and back by a Syndicate driver.
Still...I've promised I'm not going to follow.
Lola narrows her eyes as she pulls on a pretty green floral dress.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing." And she throws shade with her suspicious look.
"Not nothing. I can leave the room."
"You told me you wanted to watch me dress. Like a reverse strip tease." She twirls for me.
"I'm sure I didn't say that," I say, knowing full well I fucking said it.
She puts her hands on her hips. "That's a lie. So, how do I know you're not lying about you following me?"
"Because you'll be driven there and back, and one guard will keep an eye on you, just in case."
She frowns. "But—"
"Take it as offered or not at all." I go to her, take her face gently in my hands, and drop a kiss on her soft, warm lips.
"I get you're frustrated, and it's only made worse by nothing happening in terms of Dom Rebecci making any moves.
But that's the problem with keeping someone safe.
Nothing happens until it does. And the 'until' is usually when people drop their guards. "
She searches my face. "Then why are you letting me go?"
I shrug. "Because I'm actually reasonable."
But the truth is, a million reasons abound.
I want her to trust me. I want her to miss me. To want me, to think only about getting back to me and doing my bidding.
I want to show her I can be mature and reasonable.
Which I can.
I'm lying in a way.
Hah! Outright lying, that's what I'm doing.
Sure, she's still under protection with the guards. But I'll be there, even if I'm not seen.
There are a lot of reasons I could give, like the illusion of freedom is as good as freedom itself. But the thing is, I know this world and the dangers. I know that every dangerous asshole out there, including Dom, knows that lock and key and being hidden away can't last forever.
I'll protect her with my last breath. My sister, too.
Lola needs small tastes of freedom, of fresh air, she needs to feel that the life she once had is still connected to her.
After all, she carved one out for herself. I paved the way for her, opened the right doors, and closed the wrong ones, but she's the one who walked to those doors and opened them. She created a life.
I know she feels I stole her wins, but I didn't. I just nudged her there. There are reasons, good reasons.
But I can't be the one that makes Lola wither and die. I want her to bloom.
This is a careful way to do that.
Since Dom is so fucking hard to locate, I need to let her step outside, taste that fresh air.
I'll get him, though. It's a matter of time, and then I can relax.
As much as I can.
And hopefully, when that happens, she'll want me for more than just kinky sex game fun. She'll want me like I want her.
Baby steps...
"You? Reasonable?" She laughs.
That fucking makes me smile despite myself. "I can be reasonable."
The suspicion is still there, but she turns her face up to me and kisses my palm. A move that zings down to my cock.
"And reasonable is sending me alone in a car with one guard watching from a distance?"
"You won't notice him. And I won't follow."
"Enzo..."
I kiss her forehead and step back. "Lola, just focus on having a good night with Ruby. Don't worry about what I'm up to, okay?"
She shakes her head. "Don't worry, you say? How can I not? You're always up to something when it comes to me."
"Fuck, woman. Ego much?"
Lola clamps her lips together, and I laugh.
She pouts. "Not funny."
"It is, and I'm not up to anything tonight when it comes to you. Relax and have fun."
If I just so happen to take one of the tinted-window sedans in the Syndicate's pool, it's not a big deal. Neither is it a big deal if I decide to park in Manhattan across the road from a bar that just might, by coincidence, hold Lola and Ruby.
Of course, I wait until she's in there. And then I drive across the bridge after her driver calls me.
The park appears by luck, and it's fucking prime.
I have my computer and phone to do more work on because there's a site I want to hack.
My phone buzzes.
My heart leaps as I see Lola is texting me.
Fuck. Has she spotted me?
I know the car is unassuming, but have we used it with her before?
She can't see in, can she?
Or is it that weird sixth sense I get when she's near?
Excuses flood my head.
Why work on that at home when I can be added protection? And it's the East Village, it's not that far from the Lower East Side and Cade's, so I could say... what? I parked here to meet my friend?
She's suspicious enough that it wouldn't work. Smart enough, too.
Shit.
I read the message.
Lola: Thanks, Enzo, for giving me space. I know it's hard for you, and it means everything to me to be able to trust you.
Oh, fucking hell. Trust?
I think this is worse than flung accusations.
The word "trust" leans heavily on me, threatening to crush me down flat. But I shove the guilt away.
This isn't for my pleasure.
I'm here for her safety.
No way am I going to preemptively give up my position if she doesn't know I'm here. And I'm not about to apologize for wanting to ensure Lola is safe.
Most women would be thrilled to have someone protecting them. A man, good-looking and hot and manly if all the pleased women before her count.
I shove aside the voice calling me a sexist asshole.
I don't need it.
And, anyway, women said that, not me. Women that no longer matter. They never did.
But...Lola's not like other women. For an unassuming woman, one who keeps her head down and works, who likes me to take control in sex games, she's got a lot of opinions. A lot of differing viewpoints from me.
I could lose her if I don't respect her wishes. Or, you know, get caught not respecting them.
I'll make a show I'm capable of pulling back on my tight grip, on the obsession to keep her safe, to keep her near, that runs through me like an electrical current.
The key word is "show."
Because I'm not sure I can in real life, and if she decides not to give us a go, then...shit. I don't know what to do. I can't force her to stay with me. Can I?
That last thought is something I know the answer to.
No. I can't.
But I can protect her. And I know I'll always have eyes on her so I can keep her safe from whatever dangers the world and her future might throw.
I'm back home about fifteen minutes before her, and I kick off my shoes, hang up my hoodie, pour a drink, and down it.
After pouring another, I set myself up on the sofa in my study, drink and bottle on the coffee table, laptop balanced on my thighs.
When she walks in, I'm aware. But I'm also neck-deep in research, chatting online with Cade and Silas.
Cade's only popping his head in a little in the chat, but Silas is who I need to talk to anyway.
"Enzo?"
I look up.
She stands at the door, shoes in her hand, a smile on her face, her green eyes shining.
Good fucking thing I was there, and I know she left alone.
Shit. What would have happened if some dude had taken her, gotten her drunk? Slipped her something to get her home?
Me. That's what would have happened. Me. Because if I saw her leave with a guy, I'd have killed him.
The thought pulsates a moment before dying as it should.
I smile. "You're back already?"
"It's a workday for Ruby. But she had a lot of questions."
"What did you say?"
"Just riffed on you, stating you'd hired me away from the office to do some top-secret work for one of your other businesses. And I told her I'd be back in the office soon."
I keep my face neutral.
When I sell the company back to Louie, no way is she staying there. I'll open something...put her to work running the front of an IT and consulting business for me, Cade, and Silas. If Silas wants to be so overt, that is.
I don't think he'd like that, though. He likes the shadows. Being what he needs to be in the moment is more his thing.
"It's your life."
And she comes over and kneels, kissing me. "You taste like whiskey."
"I've had nothing to do but drink it since you were out."
She studies me. "You stayed in?"
Fuck... Lyndall is here.
When I left, she was practicing the violin. But she might have noticed me gone.
"No. Not the whole time. I had to meet Cade for a little bit. We've got a job..." I shrug, like it's boring.
We do have a job, besides the rest of what we're doing regarding Lola, so there's some truth in it.
She nods. "Well, I'm tired."
And Lola looks it, so I kiss her again. "Go to bed. I've got to finish this."
She glances at the screen and winces. "Who's that?"
I hesitate. "Luke. Please don't...don't say anything to Lyndall. He's not at his best right now."
"I'll say." She bites her lip, eyes darkening. "He looks beaten."
It's worse. "He was. He'll be fine. Go to bed."
When she leaves, I focus back on the conversation with the guys.
Me
So, it went smoothly?
Silas
Smooth enough. I don't know your father.
Cade
You're breathing. Smooth is the word.
Me
And no suspicions?
Silas
Nope. As far as he was concerned, I repped Luke's family. He thinks Luke is off for more punishment or worse.
Me
Dad was there?
Silas
Problem?
Me
No.
Cade
Welcome to the family, Silas.
Dad was fucking there.
Satisfaction spreads, ugly and sharp, through me.
Ugly and sharp because it shouldn't be so good, getting one up on my own father. And the fact he was there...
Then again, Dad fucking loves money and power, so of course he was.
I realize I'm doing what Daddy dearest has wanted all along—I'm taking control.
But I'm doing it in a way my father's going to hate the moment he finds out.
It's fucking glorious.
Silas
He's pretty fucking injured. What do you want me to do with this kid?
Me
Check him out. If he needs a real doctor, take him to one of your friends, stick a band-aid on him or whatever, and then put him to work.
Silas
And then what?
Me
And then we'll see what he's made of.
And if he touched my sister in a way no man should be touching a kid, I'll kill him myself.