Chapter One
Nico
I watched the woman who would soon be mine through the window of her parent’s house. I didn’t care that what I was doing was considered stalkerish, it couldn’t be when Riley Sullivan was soon to become my property.
Her breath was mine. The heart beating in her chest, mine, too. Finding her wasn’t as hard as I expected it to be, and now that her father had refused to pay the debt owed, I was here to collect Riley instead.
A half million dollars for a pretty thing like her. Yeah, the thought of stripping her bare and sliding my tongue across her creamy white skin made my cock rock hard.
Would she fight me? The idea of her doing so sent tingles of pleasure down my spine. As badly as I wanted my money, and as horrible of a man I was, I didn’t want to hurt her. Not like that. I wanted her pleasure more than I wanted her pain.
Which surprised the fuck out of me.
She was truly innocent in the big scheme of things. It wasn’t her fault her daddy was a low life who borrowed money he knew he couldn’t pay back.
I watched her closely from the tinted windows of my BMW, my right hand Antonio sitting in the passenger seat next to me. There was no group of men, no strong arm, or army, if you owed us money we would find you.
One way or another.
It might not be today. Or tomorrow. But we would find you and, when we did, you’d wish we hadn’t.
Mark Sullivan had a gambling problem, and because of his addiction to the game he would pay, hell his entire family would pay.
“What’re you going to do with her?”
Antonio’s curiosity with Riley annoyed me and I snugged my grip on the steering wheel. I didn’t like being questioned and I didn’t like his newfound interest in my property. I licked my lips, “Whatever the hell I want. She’s mine.”
Antonio grumbled.
However, I found saying the words out loud made my cock harder, and the desire for her swelled in my chest.
“Now, don’t take this the wrong way, but why her, boss?”
I ground my teeth together, my hands gripping the steering wheel until my fingers mottled as Antonio waited for me to give him permission to continue. I didn’t have to answer the question if I didn’t want too, but strangely enough I did. I wanted to spell out all the nasty details. I wanted everyone to know why I choose little Riley Sullivan as mine. “She’s an innocent and perfect for me. Where she is clean, and proper, I’m bloodied, and crude. We’re polar opposites but brought together because our two worlds have collided.”
I stared out the window awhile longer, moving my eyes from the window and down to my watch over and over again. It was almost time to make my appearance. Soon, Mark would be home, and the perfect image he painted of himself to the world would be gone, as would his daughter.
“We could just kill him, saving you the pain of having to deal with her.”
I sighed, feeling that Antonio really wasn’t getting what I was saying here. I’d been watching Riley as long as I’d known her father—a decade—because when you’re loaning people money, it pays to know the details about them.
For instance, where they work, who their kids are, what kind of life they live. We all have some kind of collateral, and that’s the info I pocketed for cases such as these.
Twisting toward Antonio, I met his black gaze. “It’s not about dealing with Riley. I don’t want to deal with her. I want her. As mine. I want her in my bed nightly, as the woman by my side. I want her, physically, and emotionally.”
Antonio held hands in the air. “Fine. You want her. Okay.”
I had never spoken words as true as the ones I had just said, and maybe that’s why Antonio had been confused because it wasn’t like me to stake claim to anyone or anything.
But Riley was different. Her blonde colored hair reminded me of the sun, and her smile was something I pictured in my mind day, night, the in between hours. Even as I cut off people’s fingers and threatened to kill their families.
It was fucked up, but it was what it was. The air in the SUV seemed to grow thick with heat, so much so the humidity fogged the window, suffocating me. I tugged at my shirt collar, hungry for a breath of fresh fucking air, at least to clear my head.
“I’ve never heard you talk about someone like that, boss. How do you know she’s the one? You’ve never really talked to her before.”
Antonio was close in age to Riley, so I presumed he would understand her emotions to the conditions I was going to lay out for her. But me? I was older, and wiser, and I knew a good thing when I saw it. Any man that was too blind to scoop up Riley and treat her like a queen needed to be shot. Like her abusive father. “I don’t need to talk to her. I just want her… and need her…”
I narrowed my eyes at the house as Riley’s slim form disappeared from view. Seconds ticked by, and just like clockwork Mark pulled down the culda-sack and into his driveway.
The Sullivan’s lived a very comfortable, and somewhat lavish life. They had nice houses, two to be exact, and couple of luxury vehicles, and yet, they didn’t have enough money at all. I watched curiously as Riley opened the front door, greeting her father as he entered the house. This was going to destroy her, rip her heart out, but I’d be there for her to piece her back together, little by little.
“It’s show time. Grab the guns, rope, and duct tape.” I ordered.
I didn’t plan on hurting Riley, not if I didn’t have too. I’d throw her ass over my shoulder and carry her out to the SUV if I had to. I didn’t care if she fought me. I expected her to fight. But not like her parents would fight me. They were who I worried about. I’d check them for weapons, tie them up for safe measure, and threaten them a bit if need be. The deal was simple.
Riley was mine and the debt would be settled. So long as Riley listened to me, and didn’t run, that deal would remain intact. I’d do my best not to hurt her, but everyone else was fair game.
I slipped my nine-millimeter into the holster that was fastened to my slacks and exited the SUV. Antonio got the items from the backseat, and we headed across the street and in the direction of their perfect suburban family home.
“You’re sure this is what you want? You want her as the payment instead of his blood?”
Antonio was double-checking with me, which would have been fine on any given day besides today. Today I didn’t want to be second-guessed. I had made my choice and I was sticking to my plans. “I want her. Don’t touch her. Leave her to me. You take care of the parents.” I hissed, my foot landing against the sidewalk on the other side of the street.
Antonio checked his weapon.
Excitement filled my veins. The day had finally come, my obsession as sick as it was would finally be complete. Riley would be mine and I would finally be able to protect her from all the bad in the world even if I was one of the worst criminals on the eastern seaboard.
I’d make sure no one fucked with her.
I’d watch over her and protect her, and if I had to? I’d kill for her.
We trucked up the sidewalk, and then bolted up the front steps of the house, passing a small sign that read… Welcome, Mark, Jane, and Riley Sullivan
I kicked the sign over, my stomach turning from the knowledge of how shitty Mark was being to his wife and daughter, though all the reasons would come into light soon. All his indiscretions would be revealed, and I’d enjoy every second of making those infractions known. I lifted my hand, banging my fist against the brown wooden door.
If Mark didn’t open the door, I’d kick it in. I hated to be violent in Riley’s presence, but someone had to wake up that dumbass who called himself Riley’s dad. He didn’t have to know I wasn’t going to hurt his daughter. Better to make him believe she was to become my slave. Better to know he’d suffer.
“Knock, knock. Open up asshole.” Antonio slammed his fist against the door.
I could hear shuffling against the floor on the other side of the door. Seconds ticked by and my patience grew thin. If this door didn’t open in ten seconds I was going to kick it in. “Open the door Mark. We both know why I’m here. The longer you try and hide behind this door the worse it’s going to be for you.” I growled, rubbing at my jaw. I was six feet two inches of toned muscle. If he wanted to go a round with me I’d let him. Just for fun.
The sound of the lock unlocking grabbed my attention, and then the door came swinging open, and sweet, innocent Riley was there, standing before me in all her glory.
Fuck. Her sunshine colored hair was straight, and cascading down her back and over her shoulders. She was looking up at me, her big blue eyes full of fear and confusion. She was short, tiny even, small enough for me to pick her up and carry her where I wanted, and soon I would.
The divine scent of lavender and vanilla perfume rushed up my nose and caused a tightness to develop in my groin.
“Can I help you?” The words were out of Marks mouth before he realized whom it was that he was talking to.
I lifted my eyes from my sweet thing, and to her father’s fucking mug, grinning like an asshole. Because only I knew the pain I would soon inflict on him. Mark was going to pay. He was going to pay for hurting his family, and for stealing from mine, and he was going to pay in more than blood for hurting Riley.