Chapter 21
Twenty-One
MATEO
It looks like the wall in serial-killer movies, where the investigators put all the evidence on a board and link things with strings.
A photocopy of the letter Violet carries in her purse is the center, and Damien’s name is circled in red.
There’s a police report and photos of a smiling young girl who must be Rosie because she looks a lot like Violet, along with newspaper clippings.
There’s a note with my fight club listed, and she must have added my name after that first night together.
It’s also circled in red, but there are question marks beside it.
The fact that my name is on the same wall as someone as despicable as Damien makes me want to set fire to the entire fucking apartment.
“Mateo?” She pokes her head out of the bedroom. “Oh.”
I’m not someone who’s often at a loss for words, but I don’t have any right now.
“When I’m here, which isn’t often, I like to look at everything in one place so I can think.”
She sets her bags on the floor and walks over to me, and I open my arm so she can snuggle up to my side.
“I don’t like seeing my name up there.”
She presses a kiss to my chest. “I’m taking it all down today, anyway. That’ll go in the trash. Unless this has changed something, and you don’t want me to move to your place.”
“It doesn’t change a fucking thing, it just rattled me, and that’s not easy to do.” I press a kiss to the top of her head. “I can arrange for a board to be brought into the penthouse so you can recreate this however you need to.”
“You’d do that?”
I scoff and turn to face her, tip her chin up so I can see her. The swelling has gone down a bit, but the bruising is at its worst now.
“Until the day I die, anything you need or want is yours. Let’s get this taken down so we can take it with us, and I’ll have the rest of your things packed up and brought over.”
My phone rings, but I ignore it.
“The furniture stays,” she informs me. “I rented it furnished. But the clothes, linens, and kitchen stuff is all mine.”
“So, just the furniture stays?”
She nods. “Yeah, I don’t have much. I’ve paid more attention to looking for Rose than I have to buying shit I don’t need.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
I’m going to spoil the shit out of her.
Suddenly, footsteps come pounding down the hallway, and I’ve just pulled my gun and have it pointed at the door when there’s a knock.
“Boss?”
“It’s Bobby,” I mutter but don’t put my gun away as I cross to the door and crack it open. “What’s wrong?”
“I just got a call from Diego. He said you didn’t answer your phone. Our men who were taking the assholes to the cell were ambushed, and the assholes are gone. Our men didn’t make it.”
Fuck.
“We’re taking Violet back to the penthouse first.” My voice is hard as fury rolls through me, but when I turn to my girl, I soften my tone. “I’m going to get you home, and then I’ll be out for a while. I’d take you to Rome’s so you can hang with Lulu, but you haven’t met her yet.”
“Is she the pregnant one?”
My lips twitch. “Yeah, that’s her.”
“Which is closer?”
I frown at her. “Don’t worry about that—”
“Which is closer, Mateo?”
“Lulu is.”
“Then take me there. Looks like I’m making new friends today.”
I don’t argue because I don’t have time to. I want to get to the scene so I can see firsthand what I’m dealing with.
“Bobby, I want you to meticulously take that wall down and pack it carefully. Do you understand me?”
“No problem. Don’t worry, Miss Violet, I won’t hurt it.”
“Thanks, Bobby.”
With my eyes always scanning the area around us, I get Violet and her two small bags to the armored Range Rover outside. Three of my men are still here, also on high alert.
“We’re going to the Rapture building,” I inform my driver as I get Violet safely in the vehicle and then climb in behind her.
“They live at the Rapture building?” she asks.
“Yes, for now, anyway. Rome’s having a house built out of the city since they’re about to have a baby, but it’s not quite finished yet.”
She nods thoughtfully. “Do you have businesses in your building? The one you live in?”
“I have offices,” I confirm.
“What does Carson own?”
I love that she’s asking questions and doesn’t sound wary or upset.
“He owns the King of Spades next door to the Rapture building. The whole resort. It’s connected to Rapture by a skybridge, and they share a lot of clientele.”
She nods thoughtfully.
“If you ever wanted to run your own tattoo shop, you could open one in my building, or even at King of Spades.”
She turns to me in surprise. “You’re telling me that Carson would just give me space in a prime resort on the Strip?”
“No, I’m telling you I’d buy space in Carson’s resort for your kick-ass tattoo shop, Savage. You’d be easier to protect there too. But it’s up to you. I’ll protect you no matter where you are.”
Her mouth opens and then closes again, and she sits back in the seat.
“Well, that’s really . . . sweet. And tempting.”
“Done.”
Violet laughs for the first time since I saw her in that warehouse last night, and it sets my soul on fucking fire.
“I didn’t say yes.”
“But you didn’t say no. I’ll talk to Carson.”
We pull up outside Rome’s, and the man himself is waiting for us outside, along with six of his guards.
“I come in peace,” I deadpan, and Rome’s lips twitch.
“I had a nice little threat come through this afternoon.”
“Yeah, well, two of my men are dead, and someone tried to break into my girl’s place. Sounds like we have a problem. Is Lulu upstairs?”
“With Scarlett, and Julian’s on his way with Natasha. The girls are going to bake.”
“See? Lots of friends,” Violet says with an encouraging pat to my chest. “I’m also hoping for a couch and an ice pack.”
Fuck.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart, you should have let me take you home.”
“We’ll set you up, and I have plenty of guest rooms if you’d like to rest,” Rome assures her as we walk inside and to the elevator.
Carson’s already at Rome’s door when the elevator opens to the penthouse floor. He nods at us and offers Violet a smile.
“You look good today, pretty fighter.”
That’s Carson, turning on the charm with the girls.
Violet chuckles. “Thanks for the lie.”
“No lie. I didn’t say much last night, but you’re a damn strong woman, and I respect the fuck out of that.”
“Um, I appreciate that,” she replies softly. “That’s a high compliment from you.”
Carson winks at her, and we file into the penthouse, where we can hear the girls chattering away in the kitchen. Violet slips her hand in mine, as if she’s nervous, but her face is impassive and she lifts her chin, and I can’t help but smile.
“Ladies,” I say as we reach the kitchen. “I’d like to introduce you—”
“Violet!” Lulu wipes her hands on a towel and comes waddling around the island. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
“You too,” Violet says, and before she can hold out her hand to shake, Lulu hugs her. “Wow, you’re really nice.”
“We have to stick together,” Lulu says with a wink. “No one understands this life like we do. This is Scarlett. She’s shacked up with Rome’s second, Luke.”
“Hey,” Scarlett says with a smile from where she stands at the stove. “I’m not allowed to stop stirring this. Apparently it’ll unleash the hounds of hell or the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse or something.”
“It’ll separate,” Lulu corrects her, rolling her eyes. “She’s the dramatic one. I’m getting you some ice and a comfy chair.”
“You’re not getting me anything. I’ve got this.” Violet shakes her head and turns to me. “Thanks for bringing me here. Don’t worry about me. Go kick some ass.”
She lifts on her toes and kisses me, and then she walks right into the kitchen and opens the freezer, grabs a bag of frozen peas, and sits on a stool. She arranges her hurt foot on the stool next to her and drapes the ice on her ankle.
“There. I’m good to go. It already smells so good in here. I haven’t eaten since yesterday, but I think my appetite is coming back.”
“She fits,” Rome murmurs next to me and pats me on the shoulder.
Yeah. She fucking does.
And I’m so in love with her my chest aches with it.
“I’m making homemade pizza for us to nibble on while we bake,” Lulu says.
“I like pizza,” Carson says.
“We have shit to do,” Rome reminds him just as the door opens and Julian strides in with his wife. Natasha’s blue eyes brighten when she sees the girls.
“Violet’s here,” Natasha says with excitement.
“I feel really popular today,” my girl replies with a chuckle. “You must be Natasha. God, I love your hair.”
“And I love your tattoos. And your muscles. I need to start working out. Do I smell pizza?”
I smirk and glance over at Julian, who’s watching his wife like she’s the best thing since sliced bread.
I can’t resist tipping Violet’s chin up and gently covering her lips. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Stay safe,” she murmurs back.