Making trip after trip from that godforsaken dock container to their SUV and his pick-up was time well spent when he stood looking at the empty unit. There would be nothing to draw her back out to the docks again. This was not a safe area by any stretch of the imagination and after what he’d heard today, he wanted her under lock and key.

Having Marge drive his vehicle back, he drove the SUV while Sarah cuddled up to his side. She seemed exhausted as she almost dozed on his shoulder. “You smell nice.”

“Expensive cologne will do that for a guy. Shit’s almost a grand a bottle. Nice to know it’s not wasted on you, Doll.”

“Not the cologne, what’s under it. I like how you smell.” Nuzzling her nose under his arm, she inhaled.

“Shit, babe. Cut it out before you get a whiff of armpit.” Johnny was well aware that women didn’t like body odor.

“Remember that first day when I came to your apartment?” Her voice was soft and dreamy.

“Yea, I remember that I was working out and tried to keep my distance cause I was sweating like a pig.”

“I thought you smelled wonderful. It made me want to climb right into your lap.”

Something about her words really got to him, making him feel desired and accepted. Since he wasn’t particularly good at sentimental stuff, he teased her instead. “Yea, that’s kinda how I feel when my face is between those pretty little legs of yours.”

Laughing softly, she curled closer. “I love it when you’re like this, all sweet and playful.”

Taking one hand off the steering wheel he wrapped it around her. “I’ll have to see what I can do to stop being such a hard ass around you.”

“Don’t try being anything except what you are, baby. I think you’re just perfect.”

“Cut it out, Doll. You’re making me want to stop and fuck you stupid against the side of the vehicle.”

“Umm, I could go for some stupid about now.”

Grinning, he kissed her on the forehead. “We’re almost to Enzo’s. How’s about I do you against the wall instead and we can catch a nap before dinner?”

“Sounds like the perfect way to work up an appetite to me. So, how long were you listening to us talk today?”

“Since you walked out the door.”

“What part was most shocking?”

“Hearing all the things you said about protectin’ me and my pops. I never would have guess any of that, especially the part about my old man. I thought you hated him.”

“He’s your father. Of course I don’t hate him. Sorry, I can’t just sit around and let you get on with it. I’m just not built that way.”

“Don’t apologize. Guess if you don’t expect me to change, I should stop expecting you to. It’ll take some getting used to, cause it’s not how I always imagined my family life to be. I’ll make it work though.”

Within an hour they were safely ensconced in their room, pulling each other’s clothing off. “This makes every horrible day worth it, Doll.”

“You’re sweet.”

Rolling his eyes he pressed her to the wall. “I really ain’t.”

“Then why do I love you so much?”

Rubbing his massive chest against her soft breasts, he licked his bottom lip. “I got no idea, but I’m damned grateful for it. I can’t seem to get you off my mind.” Placing his hand against her stomach again, he could tell that she knew what he was thinking. It turned her on just as much as it did him. “You sure about this?”

Nodding, she smiled at him. “Never been more sure of anything in my entire life, Johnny. I hope we have little boy that looks just like you.”

Her words hit him square in the chest like a fucking blast of sunshine. Having no appropriate response, he dipped his head, capturing her lips. She was so damned eager for him. Her hands already sifting through his hair as her tongue tangled with his.

Unfortunately, their moment was interrupted by a loud pounding on the door. Johnny cursed under his breath as he gently released her and jerked the door open.

Gino was stood on the other side. “Come the fuck on, both of you. Your pops is missing. His entire crew is downstairs.”

Sarah was at this side in an instant, all thought of romance a distant memory. They rushed downstairs to find every one of his father’s generals were sitting in Enzo’s huge living room.

“What the fuck is going on?”

“He left the office and never showed up at home. You mom called looking for him and we found his vehicle.”

“Tran and Tony?”

“Dead and stuffed in the trunk. Killed execution style, with one bullet to the forehead.”

“Is he in the middle of shit with anyone?”

When the men didn’t answer, he growled. “Speak the fuck up before I drop you where you stand.”

“Dragonfly and Markwell were his only two outstanding projects.”

“Sarah…”

She spoke up.

“I’ll head to the office and see where we stand on the CEO we arrested a while back in relation to the Markwell case.”

Glancing at Marge, she jerked her chin and walked off. Johnny didn’t need to ask - Marge would check Dragonfly.

“What do we have on his phone?”

“It went black about forty-five minutes after he left the office. Last known location had him moving out of town due east.”

“Towards the eastern seaboard?”

The older man who’d been providing information simply nodded. His father’s first officer was a short pudgy man, with no people skills. Then again, in their line of work soft skills were nowhere on the list of desirable qualities.

“That ain’t a lot to go on dipshit. I want you to call in every single person we got. Get them out airports, train stations, car rental places…”

“What good will that do when we know they were headed out of town?”

“All we know is that phone was headed out of town when it went black. Could have been a false trail, could be someone found a new toy and played with it till it went dead. The bottom line is, we ain’t leavin’ no stone unturned. I’m getting’ my old man back, no matter how many of you fuckers I have to go through to make it happen.”

Everyone just looked at him.

“Enzo, call Charlie’s club. Get them engaged. They know fuckers over several states. Send them my pop’s picture, tell them there’s a million dollar reward for information leading to his recovery but he has to be alive. Tell them to put the word out to every gas station and diner within a thousand miles.”

“I’m on it. You won’t see me again until I have something to report.”

“Gino, get me every computer hacker you can get your hands on. Drag them here with whatever equipment they need. I want fuckin’ leads. Go through his phone records, his credit card receipts and anything else you can get your hands on. If the fuckers who took him turn his phone on again or spend any of his money I want to know exactly what, when and where.”

“You got it, Johnny.”

“The rest of you have my phone number. Get your crews organized and get them covering every major highway between here and the eastern seaboard. If my pops makes it out of the country, heads will roll.”

As soon as everyone cleared out, Johnny began to make calls to every person who ever owed him a favor. No one turned down his request for payback. A mean sense of gratification stilled over his cold heart as he realized that if his old man was still alive, he’d be found. If he wasn’t then some fucker was going to pay with his life.

Tiffany sat down on the arm of his chair and draped an arm around his neck. “Cheryl’s making you some coffee, Johnny. Don’t worry, we’ll find him somehow.”

Nodding, he thought about standing and shaking off her caring. He didn’t deserve consideration until he fixed this shit. Suddenly, Marge was standing in the doorway, staring at him. The dark look on her face told him she didn’t like another woman touching her sister’s lover.

“What did you find out?”

They’re not answering any of my calls.”

“Did you leave a message?”

“You don’t understand. No representative of Dragonfly is answering my calls in any office around the globe.”

“How did you suddenly get to be persona non grata?”

“Tell me and we’ll both know.”

“They got my pops. The only question is where.”

Tiffany withdrew her arm from around him when Cheryl walked in with coffee.

“What do you say I go in and bug them?”

Steepling his fingers together, he thought it over for a moment. “No. I don’t want you anywhere near Dragonfly. We’ll let the nerds hack them.”

Cheryl spoke up. “I cleared out the garage for them. Several have already arrived.”

Standing, he headed out to supervise the communication hub they were creating in the huge triple car garage. This was the shitty part of being an outlaw, trying to keep the people you loved from being hurt.

“Your father’s men all do what you say.”

Frowning at Marge, Johnny growled. “They damned well better, if they know what’s good for them.” Seeing her pensive expression, he asked. “Why the hell wouldn’t they?”

“Normally, the second in command gets advanced not the lawless son who’s used to doing his own thing.”

Leaning over the makeshift table made from an old door and some sawhorses, Johnny glared at her. “They’re smart enough to know who’s the bigger danger. Ain’t nobody killing my pops but me.”

Folding her arms over her chest, for a brief moment she looked like her sister to his weary eyes. “Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?”

Tiffany walked in carrying a stack of laptops. “He always says his old man is outliving his usefulness.”

“Does he now?”

“Yep. In fact, he says it so often I’ve started thinking of it as his catch phrase.”

“Bitches are gonna get yourself whacked.” Muttering under his breath, Johnny didn’t realize anyone was listening until both women burst out laughing. Absolutely no one laughed at him. Snarling at the two women he muttered. “It’s all fun and games ‘til someone gets poked in the eye.”

Tiffany shrugged. “Or kidnapped and taken to Russia. I haven’t forgot what you and your pops did for me Johnny. Whatever you need, you can count on me.”

Backing up abruptly, he looked at his longtime friend with new eyes. She actually seemed to give a fuck about him in his time of need. Blinking, he swallowed thickly. “Think you could check on my mom?”

“Consider it done.”

“Thanks Tiff, I appreciate it.”