I heard her moans.
I heard her screams.
And then they turned into mine when I finally couldn’t take it anymore and got the hell out of the house.
The only place I knew I could go that was actually safe belonged to my family. It was one of our many investments. A fancy bar and grill a few miles away from the house in one of the nicer subdivisions. I knew some of our men would be there blowing off steam. They’d recognize me, and if anyone tried anything, they would shoot them first and ask questions later.
I hadn’t expected him to be there, however. He rarely went out in public.
And that was when it hit me.
“Nixon sent you, didn’t he?” I licked my lips and stared at the red liquid as he filled my glass.
He didn’t answer right away, instead his strong hand reached for the stem of the glass, his fingers wrapping around it, caressing the smooth surface for a minute. “And if he did?”
I shrugged.
He leaned closer until I could smell the warm swirling scent of honey and whiskey on his breath. “And if he didn’t?”
“Then…” My voice shook. “That means you’ve been following me? Like a stalker?”
“Stalker.” He laughed and leaned back. “I like the sound of that. Stalker of the Abandonato family gem.”
I rolled my eyes.
“What?” he whispered, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Don’t tell me… you think I’m full of shit.” His lips grazed the same ear. “When really, I’ve been watching you your whole life. Always close. Always ready to attack. Always ready, ready for the time…”
“The time?” I sucked in a breath. “For what time?”
He pulled back, his eyes snapping to my mouth. “For the time when you finally say my name—when you finally need me.”
“And that time is now?”
“That time was six months ago.” His voice dropped lower. “But I’m a patient man.”
And that was it. He released his hold on me, his sensual gaze took in the people around us, and then he pointed to my glass. “Drink, Monroe. We have much to discuss.”
“Mo? Everyone’s in the living room waiting. I figured…” Trace’s voice trailed off. “Well, I figured you’d want to make sure Nixon doesn’t kill him.”
“Right.” I nodded. “Be right there.”
With shaking hands, I pulled out my phone and sent one simple text.
Me: It’s done.
He replied back immediately.
G: Good. I knew I could count on you do get the job done. You’re an Abandonato after all. For what it’s worth… thank you.
Me: Don’t mention it.
CHAPTER FIVE
Getting shot hurts. The end.
Tex
I LICKED MY LIPS, and winced as I tried to stand to my full height. This was going to hurt. That much was true. Just shooting me wasn’t going to appease Nixon. Had the positions been switched—I would have done the same, possibly worse, because I was a possessive son of a bitch, and I loved Mo with my whole heart. Well, at least the heart that wasn’t in Hell for all the crimes I’d committed.
“The truth.” Nixon paced in front of me. “All of it, I need to hear it.”
Mo swayed into the room, her face pale. I offered a wink of encouragement. I had this, I had her. I wouldn’t let her down.
“I love her.” I nodded. “I made a mistake. Mistakes happen. Condoms don’t protect one hundred percent and—”
“Please—” Nixon lifted his hand in the air “—spare me a sex-ed lesson. Pretty sure you’re the last person who should be giving advice on safe sex.”
The room fell into a tense silence. My voice cracked. “Well, that’s basically everything. Don’t tell me you weren’t aware of our… extracurricular activities.”
Nixon’s eyebrows shot up, swear they almost went through his forehead. “That’s what you think I’m upset about?”
Next to me, Chase groaned and took a step out of the line of fire.
Nixon let out a laugh that was anything but amused. “You son of a bitch. I should just end your life right now. Tell me not to do it, Chase.”
Chase didn’t say anything. Bastard.
I glared to my right. Chase kept his face impassive. Great. I officially had no fans. Even Mil and Trace were silent. Thanks Mo, really, so awesome to be hated by the only family I’ve ever known because I’m protecting you and some prick’s unborn child. Felt good. It was all good. Totally what I deserved. After all, I was a Campisi; we freaking breed mayhem.
“You,” Nixon spat, “were in bed with two girls, not one, two.” His nostrils flared. “Not less than three weeks ago. So yeah, sorry if I’m a bit pissed that you were screwing my sister while you were screwing every whore within a fifty mile radius!” His fist went flying, hitting me square in the stomach. I hunched over and puked as he hit me again and again.
Unable to hold myself up anymore, I collapsed onto the floor, holding my stomach so that I wouldn’t puke again.
“Enough,” Mo said quietly. “Nixon. Enough.”
“It will never,” he said in a hoarse yell, “be enough. Never. Do you hear me?” He lunged for me again but was stopped by Chase, because apparently he wasn’t as heartless as I’d first assumed.
“Walk away, Nixon.” Chase grabbed Nixon by the shoulders and directed him towards the door. But Nixon, wasn’t having any of that, he fought against Chase so hard you’d think I’d actually killed Mo rather than getting her pregnant. There were worse things in the world, weren’t there? I mean, didn’t we face death every day?
“Nixon.” Mo cleared her throat; her voice seemed shaky. Damn it, she was afraid of her own brother. “Tex didn’t do anything wrong. He simply gave me what I asked for.”
Say what?
Wow good to know the story changed from something totally believable to mass insanity—I was as sure as dead.
“What do you mean?” The anger had faded slightly from Nixon’s voice.
Mo shrugged. “I missed him. We slept together. Once, for old time’s sake. That’s all it took. It’s not Tex’s fault I seduced him.”
Yeah I would have loved to be a part of that seduction. Freaking loved it. Too bad it didn’t happen, because Mo was a dirty little liar.
“I basically attacked him.” She looked down at her feet. Was she blushing? Seriously? “He didn’t really have a choice but to appease me—and we all know Tex, he doesn’t choose himself. He always chooses me, every single time, to a fault. I’m his weakness.” Something about the way she said it didn’t settle with me. Because if she knew that, others knew, which meant I was a giant-ass chicken walking down the middle of a road directly into oncoming semis.