Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Maksim
Rico Martinez was a formidable man that honestly frightened me a bit.
A man like him who could keep someone like Alfonzo on a leash?
He wielded power. And while I liked Alfonzo just as he was and never wanted him to change, I was pretty sure I knew just how deadly he was.
The fact that Rico kept him in control was a testament to just how dangerous Rico was.
“He’s not family,” Rico said when we stepped into his office.
Alfonzo rolled his eyes and nudged me to sit in the chair in front of him.
I dropped down into it, thankful to have something to sit on.
Though I’d been given two pints of blood, I was still exhausted, and it took quite a bit out of me to walk from Alfonzo’s room to Rico’s office.
Even now, my breathing was slightly heavy, and I could feel sweat beading along my temples.
“He is now,” Alfonzo told him. “He’s mine, Rico. That makes him family.”
Rico grunted but didn’t say another word.
A young man with pretty Asian features and soft eyes timidly stepped into the office, his eyes a little wide.
Immediately, Rico straightened in his chair, giving the young man his full, undivided attention.
He must have been Anurak, Rico’s husband.
The only person in the entire world Rico bowed down to.
He was also the most protected individual I’d ever come across.
“What is it, perrito?” Rico asked, pushing back from his desk but not standing. Anurak took a step in his direction, and Rico smiled. I blinked, not expecting the transformation of his face to be so damn jaw-dropping. When Rico smiled, his features softened, and he was jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
Alfonzo grunted and leaned around me, arching a brow at me. “You admiring another man in my presence, mouse?”
My cheeks colored, and I quickly shook my head.
Alfonzo hummed, pressed a light kiss to my lips, then straightened so he was looming behind me once more.
Bento and another older Asian man I hadn’t met yet stepped into the office next, shutting the door behind them.
“Maksim, meet Niran, the head of our security,” Alfonzo told me as Niran and Bento took to leaning against the wall.
I gave a small wave. Niran just dipped his chin at me.
“Can I stay in here, papi?” Anurak asked. I almost swallowed my tongue. Had he just called Rico papi? I didn’t judge kinks. I’d just never been exposed to anyone’s lifestyle before, so it was a bit of a surprise to me to hear it just… out there.
“Of course, perrito,” Rico said, patting his lap. Anurak quickly erased the distance between them and climbed into Rico’s lap, straddling his thighs so he could bury his face in the curve of Rico’s neck. When Rico looked at Bento, Bento shrugged.
Bad day, Bento mouthed. Rico nodded and grabbed a throw blanket from somewhere behind his desk, tucking it around Anurak before pulling it over his head.
I chanced a glance behind me at Alfonzo, wondering if he’d ever be that soft with me.
I’d never had that kind of softness before, and it was a little enticing.
“How’d the meeting go last night?” Rico asked, scooting closer to his desk.
“Fine. Rurik’s not behind this,” Alfonzo told him. “But we both agreed it might be good to have a meeting between you, Shaw, and Anatoly Balakin about this. We’re not ruling out the possibility that someone may be targeting all three of our families, starting with using Maksim as an example.”
“Or some kind of warning,” Niran spoke up. “Even I think it’s time to let bygones be bygones, Rico. This could be something dangerous, and this person clearly knows what they’re doing. I still haven’t found them, and I’m the goddamn best at what I do.”
Rico grunted. “I don’t fucking like Anatoly Balakin. He let one of his own men get shot, and he’s not even attempting to see if he’s okay.”
I shrugged my good shoulder. “I’m just a soldier,” I muttered, then colored because I knew I was speaking out of line.
Alfonzo growled. “Soldier or not, you are still family, mouse. We never leave one of our own out to dry. And if Rurik felt the need to get you out of that house while he dealt with Anatoly, then Anatoly had no interest in hearing what you have to say anyway. He just saw your betrayal, and that was it.”
“La familia lo es todo,” Rico said.
“It means family is everything,” Alfonzo translated before I could even ask what that meant. He looked at Rico. “Regardless of how we all feel about Anatoly, he is still Maksim’s family.”
Rico grunted and began to gently rock Anurak.
“Fine. Get in touch with Rurik and set up a meeting. It has to be on GBMC territory though, or I won’t come, understand?
Neutral territory only. All weapons left in Digg’s possession.
” Digg, whose real name was Arlo, was one of the Ghost Born MC patched members, and he was the most reasonable out of all six of the GBMC patched members.
“Got it,” Alfonzo said.
A light knock sounded on the door. Niran opened it, reached out, and came back with a plate. Alfonzo took it from him and handed it to me. “Eat up, mouse.”
My heart clenched at the sight of the food in front of me. He just kept taking care of me so effortlessly. I didn’t have to think about eating. Didn’t have to remember to take my meds. He just… did it all for me. Alfonzo was a monster, but he was my monster. And I was never letting him go.
Fuck what Anatoly had to say on the matter.
“We need to discuss protection for Maksim,” Alfonzo said.
“I don’t need—”
“You do,” Niran interrupted me. “Not just because you’re being targeted but because you’re now Alfonzo’s… whatever you are to him.” Alfonzo snorted a laugh. “You can be used against Alfonzo, and people will try. Protection on you is non-negotiable.”
I sighed and focused back on my food. Alfonzo trailed his fingertips along my neck, soothing me.
While the four of them began to discuss a protection detail for me, I focused on eating, speaking when someone asked me a question, and staying quiet otherwise.
And when I was done eating, Alfonzo conjured up a bottle of water and a pain pill, which I swallowed.
Then, he whisked me back to his room, where he put me to bed and we watched some piranha movie until I fell asleep sprawled across his chest.