"Just say it Chryseis."
Leighton.
Here.
Whispering in my ear. Urging me to say something.
"Just say 'I do' and you can go back to sleep."
I don't want to go to sleep. I want to go home. I want to go where Gio is. Warm hands clutch my arms. Shaking me. Soft at first. But then harder. So rough. My head bobs from the force. I try to swallow but film coats my tongue, thick and heavy. Unable to utter the words he demands.
Hands cover mine. Curling my fingers around a stick. Dragging across paper before my arm flops down again to the softness.
"You need to consummate the marriage."
Patti.
Yelling in my ear. Urging me to do something.
Cold air wafts over my bare thighs. My dress lifts higher and higher. I try to kick but can’t lift my legs. My body resisting me as much as I’m resisting her. Fighting her tight hands gripping my shoulders. Keeping me immobile. This can't be real. "No! No!"
"I'll hold her down if I have to Leighton."
“God mom no. I can't do that."
"Damn it Leighton. You have to. Just hurry up and stick your cock in that girl’s pussy and fuck her."
Arguing. So much yelling. So much anger. So much I can’t understand. Except fear.
"Come here Baxter. You can fuck her then."
"Yes ma'am." A cruel chuckle drifts above me as I'm restrained. Blurry and dim, but I swear he hulks over me. "Happy to."
"Get the fuck away from my wife."
Wife? I’m supposed to be Gio’s wife.
"Somebody just fuck this girl. Then he won't want her any more. She'll be damaged goods. Used and worthless to him."
Not worthless. Pain roughens Patti's voice. As if speaking from experience. For some reason now she wants me punished too.
“Shit! He’s here!”
Footsteps pound across the floor. A crash rumbles from far away. Bright lights burn behind my heavy lids.
“How is that possible? They were supposed to kill him! Why isn’t he dead?”
“I don’t know.”
“Get her! We’ve got to go!”
Fuck the driveway. My team races a convoy of SUVs through the yard. A line of defense so solid no one will get between or around us. Especially this stupid son of a bitch. Rory skids to a stop in front of the house and rage boils through me so fucking hard I shake.
Too many fucking enemies, and fuck me if it's not that stupid motherfucker racing across the lanai. Holding my girl. Flanked by two of the fucking animals who stole her from me. Each of them fire off a few rounds, but are easily dropped by my guys. Outnumbered ten to one. Never fucking under estimate me. I am the fucking king. I come to play, and I always fucking win.
The sharpshooters are fucking skilled to pop the bastards without injuring her. Or the cocksucker who carries her. The only saving grace keeping him alive and my head from exploding is I know he won't kill her. Not when he wants her for himself. But what he’s too ignorant too realize is once I get her back, nothing will save him. There is no mercy for him. He will die from my hand.
I fly out of the vehicle. No need to even reach for my gun. My men are already trained on him. Ready to end him once she's safe. “Put her down carefully motherfucker."
Some crazy bitch slams the door open and rushes out. Stupid and reckless with the massive firepower aimed in her direction. Waving a paper in the air. That I don't give a damn about.
"Don't you dare give him your wife Leighton." She shakes the certificate toward me. A stupid smirk smears across her evil face. That she thinks I give two fucks for. “They're married. The proof's right here. Official and consummated."
Consummated.
Bile lurches in my stomach from the fury engulfing me. Fucking rapist. His death will be slow and agonizing for even thinking he could touch her and still survive. I slide out my glock, firing off a shot. Right through her fucking proof. She shrieks and falls back on her scrawny ass in fear. “Get her the fuck out of her before I kill her too."
Freddie rushes forward and grabs her by the arms. But she fights him as he jerks her to her feet. Actually fucking foolish to think she can battle a man twice her size.
“Don't you know who my father is?”
What in the actual fuck? I don’t care about her or her father. Lucky’s she a woman, or I would cap her in a heartbeat. “No and I don’t give a rat's ass who your Daddy is.”
Her chin lifts in a misguided defiance. “It's Anthony Carpucci."
The Scorpion? Woman really is nuts. Tony’s been dead for ten years. I would fucking know because I’m the one who fucking killed him. And this chick must be his whack job daughter who’s been in and out of treatment centers for years. Never able to break through the heady haze of an acid, coke, and meth cocktail still controlling her. I heard she'd been permanently locked up after she flipped out when her husband left her.
“You think you’re the only one with money and power but you’re not. We used to own this city, and we will again. Leighton and Chryseis will rule it. I will make sure of that.”
Despite my rage, I actually chuckle. Scanning the bodies of her dead soldiers. She must have already forgotten about the two other slaughtered bastards they left behind at the church. “And how in the fuck do you plan to do that? You got nothing. We wiped out your men, and Chryseis is mine. She’ll fucking rule by my side. I’m for damn sure of that.”
"You don't–"
I'm tired of listening to her bullshit. Because it’s her son who should have stopped her. And protected Chryseis when he knew his Mom had lost her shit again. Any man who claims to love a woman and abuses her deserves to die. “Get her out of here." Ignoring her thrashing and screaming, I shift my attention as well as my aim to him. "I will blast your fucking head off if you don’t give her to me.”
“Okay. Okay.”
Fear doesn’t sound in his voice. Instead shame as hollow as the pain on his face rings out. He steps forward slowly, showing his deference to my demand, and I holster my gun. Pure defeat drooping his body as I lift her out of his arms and into mine. “Chryseis?”
Sweat covers her freezing skin. Clammy and shivering, while she mumbles words I can’t make out. "Come on angel. Wake up."
I jerk toward him. Standing there like the sad sorry motherfucker he is. "What'd you give her?"
Cocksucker doesn’t answer. “I said, ‘what the fuck did you give her’?"
He flinches from my scream. Finally looking up from the concrete. "My mom. She did it. Painkillers. Too many for her size."
Fuck! She's overdosing. Her head lolls against my shoulder. I lost my mother to that shit. I'm sure as hell not losing her too. Not enough time to get her to the hospital. I have to get this garbage out of her. “I'm sorry Books but I've got to."
As gentle as I can, I sit her on the step, propping her against my bent knee to keep her upright. I cup her mouth and jam my fingers to the back of her throat. Pushing down and deep. Her body twitches. Resisting the intrusion. Arching to fight the invasion. Until the gurgling in her stomach grows angrier. The gagging against my palm too fierce to stop. Finally wetness covers my hand. I lean her forward as the fluid streams between her lips. Three huge wretches before a few last dry heaves. She moans and collapses back against me. Her stomach finally empty. Thank God. Thank fucking god. I kiss the top of her beautiful head. Never more grateful for anything than this moment.
“I...want..."
The words fade but her consciousness doesn't. Her tiny trembling hand clutches my lapel. As if I’d ever fucking leave her. I shrug off my jacket and wrap it around her, cuddling her to my chest. Both of us covered in vomit and tears and blood. None of that matters. Nothing matters except she's alive.