Chapter 5
Relaxing back against the plush booth, I enjoyed the two fingers worth of whiskey I poured myself.
I glanced down at one of my many empires.
It was one of the newer establishments. One that was doing pretty well.
It was crowded tonight, which meant my pockets would be well and truly lined by the end of it.
“Boss, Rox has arrived,” Finn called from the door, glancing at his watch to check he was on time.
He wasn’t.
“Only fifteen minutes late.” I scoffed, downing the amber liquid.
Within seconds, Rox Marshall swanned into the private lounge. He was a complete and utter cock, but we needed a new arms supplier after our most recent one was hacked apart and buried all over due to a monumental fuck up.
“Mr. Ricci, it’s a pleasure.” A wide smile stretched across his face, revealing a glinting gold canine tooth that immediately captured my attention.
He was a middle-aged man, his hair slicked back with an excessive amount of gel, giving it a shiny, almost wet look.
It was as if he believed more was always better, not realising it left him with a helmet-like appearance.
I found myself instinctively wary, certain that he should steer clear of any open flames unless he wanted to become a human torch.
“You’re fifteen minutes late,” I told him, letting him know we weren’t off to a good start.
“I know and I apologise for that, but I met this woman outside, and I couldn’t say no to getting my dick wet, could I?” He laughed, but it wasn’t reciprocated by anyone in the room.
“Business comes first, Mr. Marshall, so if you can manage to keep your cock in your pants for another hour, that would be appreciated.” As I slid into the booth, he shifted uncomfortably across the table, his eyes darting away from mine.
His throat bobbed with a tense swallow, and a faint flush crept up his neck, betraying the embarrassment that lingered from his recent behaviour.
“Of course, it won’t happen again,” he assured me.
“Too right, it won’t.” I tensed my jaw as I cracked my neck. “I don’t take kindly to being fucked around, so can I count on you to not fuck it up?”
“You can, you have my word.” He held out his hand, securing his word with a handshake, but only time would tell how genuine he truly was.
“Okay, let’s begin.” I smiled, sliding him a glass of whiskey.
We spent the next hour meticulously dissecting every last detail of our partnership, leaving no stone unturned, as we discussed the intricacies of what it would entail.
We delved into the nuances of each party's share, ensuring clarity and fairness in the distribution of profits.
The moment he grasped the full extent of the money he stood to gain from each transaction, his eyes lit up like a damn Christmas tree.
“So, by the look on your face, I take it we have ourselves a deal?” I asked, crossing my ankle across my thigh, awaiting his response.
“Indeed, we do, Lorenzo.” He clapped his hands together with delight before downing his shot of premium whiskey.
“Perfect, just as expected. Now, you’ll be dealing with Red regarding the contract.” I gave Red a quick curt nod as he set the contract down in front of Rox with a pen.
“I’m sorry, a contract?” Rox cleared his throat, taken aback at the fact I was asking him to sign on the dotted line. He could barely hide the astonishment in his voice.
“Unfortunately, some can’t be trusted with cuts and such.” I said as he arched his brow as if to question me. “I’m sure you understand, don’t you?” I narrowed my eyes as he nodded rapidly. “Red, I’m leaving you to get this sorted and squared away.”
“Of course, Boss.” He explained the contract to Rox, who listened carefully to every detail before enthusiastically signing his name in permanent ink.
But we all knew that all it took was one slip up for Rox to end up like the others.
“Now that that’s done, how about we enjoy a drink to toast what will hopefully be a long and respected partnership?” I asked once all the t’s were crossed and i’s were dotted.
His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he leaned back in his chair, a wide grin spreading across his face. "I think a drink sounds like the perfect way to solidify our partnership," he declared, his voice filled with a warmth that matched the atmosphere of the dimly lit area around us.
As we enjoyed the first round of drinks, Red caught the eye of a violet-haired girl practically wearing next to nothing. He wriggled his brows at me. I chuckled before giving him the go ahead to do whatever it was he planned on doing tonight.
“I must say, your men have exquisite taste.” Rox smacked his lips as he poured himself another whiskey.
“That’s questionable at times.” I laughed as I checked my phone, seeing if there was an update on my wife, who I expected had either trashed her room in anger at being married to me or had already fallen asleep whilst cursing my name.
“I’ll tell you what isn’t questionable,” Rox responded, his focus clearly drawn elsewhere.
“Enlighten me.” I glanced up at him briefly, waiting to see what had captivated him.
“That gorgeous blonde over there. The one with the incredible legs. I wouldn’t mind having them thrown over my shoulders, if you know what I mean?” His tongue darted out, wetting his lower lip.
I followed his gaze and realised the woman he was salivating over was none other than my woman! My wife!
He continued to run his mouth, making his interest in Anastacia known as she gracefully swayed her petite hips in time with the pulsating music.
She was an electrifying presence, a fiery force of nature that was almost impossible to contain.
I studied every inch of her. Starting from those fuck-me heels to the hem of her figure-hugging dress, the one that just barely covered her perfect ass.
Her hair was slicked back in a ponytail that highlighted her flawless features. Then, there were her lips. Painted a deep cherry red, they made my cock twitch as the thought of having them wrapped around me became all too much.
I continued to watch her as I blocked Rox out. She dismissed any man that came near her, too focused on dancing with her two female friends. Good girl. I could tell just by looking at them that they’d been friends since diapers or close enough.
Rox stood, ready to excuse himself so he could make a move on my wife.
“Am I keeping you, Rox?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Actually, I’m going to see if she’d be up for a good time.” She would be but not with you, you deluded prick.
“I suggest you sit your ass back down and keep those filthy hands to yourself unless you want to lose them,” I snapped, slamming my glass on the table.
I watched as his face fell, completely unaware of what he did wrong as he lowered himself back onto his seat.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be trying to score with someone else after I was already late. I’ll head down once we’re done here.” He leaned back, wiping his sweaty palms on his slacks.
“I don’t give a shit if you want to score, get lucky, or get your dick wet. What you do with that nasty thing is none of my business, but when you mention her, it becomes mine.” He side-eyed me, still trying to look at her as I spoke. “Look at me when I’m speaking to you.”
His head snapped towards me, and I noticed an expression I knew all too well… Fear.
I leaned forward, my voice low and firm as I locked eyes with him.
"My wife is off-limits to anyone but me, do you understand?
" The tension in the room was palpable, and I could feel the intensity of my own words vibrating in the air.
There was an unmistakable edge of possessiveness that laced my tone.
“Your wife, huh?” He chuckled.
“I said, do you understand me?!” I demanded, slamming my fist on the table as it rattled beneath me. My men stepped forward, ready to intervene, but the second I shook my head, they returned to their positions.
“Oh, I do, but answer me this—if she is your wife then where’s her wedding ring?” He tapped his finger against his non-existent lips, questioning me.
My eyes locked on her ring finger and there it was… Bare. No wedding band in sight.
“So, no ring means fair game, right?”
Bastard.
That was my breaking point. A surge of adrenaline coursed through me, and before I knew it, my hands gripped the edge of the table, flipping it violently across the room with a crash that echoed like a thunderclap.
The path to Rox was clear, and I moved swiftly, each step fuelled by an uncontainable fury.
In an instant, my fingers clamped around his neck, the skin beneath my grip hot and pulsing.
His eyes widened, round and glassy, as my hold constricted, cutting off his breath and reflecting the intensity of the moment.
“My wife will never be fair game!” I hissed through clenched teeth.
“She belongs to me and me alone.” I declared, my voice steady and cold, my words slicing through the tension like a blade.
He wheezed and sputtered, struggling to draw a breath.
I leaned in closer, my gaze unyielding. “Now, I’m going to ask you one more time, do you understand me? !”
“Y-yes, I u-understand,” he choked out, his ringed fingers clawing at my wrist.
Once I was satisfied, I released him. My eyes never left his beady gaze.
“Please accept my apology, Lorenzo. I truly had no idea,” he spluttered as he rubbed his neck.
“Yeah, well, now you do.” I smoothed down my dishevelled shirt. “Make it known that Anastacia Fedorov is now Anastacia Ricci, and if anyone lays a finger on her, I’ll torture them in ways they’d never be able to think up themselves.”
“You married Victor Fedorov’s daughter?” he asked, again, not realising who she truly was.
“I did, but as I said, she’s a Ricci as of today.”
“Let me get this straight—it’s your wedding night, and you’re here? Doing business with me?” He tsked, taken aback. After hearing it, I realised how shitty it sounded.