Page 3 of Stolen Bride

“I’ll put up my company.”

“You mean your strip club?”

“No, I mean my investment firm.”

“So you have two businesses, and you can’t afford your own debts.”

“I can’t embezzle funds to pay off the debt of the other, Mr. Valentino.”

“I don’t want the investment firm. It’s too much work to see its value, but a strip club could be an easy business. However, I’ll only take the club if I don’t get my money within the allotted time.”

“Understood.”

“We’ll make it thirty-five days?” I offer, knowing his original suggestion was stupid and short-sighted.

“Yes, that’s more than I need.” He waves his hands manically.

Scoffing, I raise my hand to stop his sputtering. “You say that now, but I don’t want you coming back pleading for more time because I’m not the forgiving type, Tommy.”

“Yes, Mr. Valentino. Thank you.” I stand up and walk to the wall safe in my office that’s hidden behind paneling, and I open it while I use the bathroom mirror to watch Tommy’s greedy eyes on me. He has no idea that’s the reason the door is still open—or that I don’t normally carry funds in there on days I don’t have reason to—but I want to see what this weasel’s on about.

Handing over the funds, I state, “Now—let’s shake on the deal, and you can be on your way. I’m quite busy.”

“Yes, Mr. Valentino. Thank you, Mr. Valentino.” Many would be pleased with his sycophant behavior, but I find it suspicious, although I don’t let on and send the sloppy bastard on his way. I head to the bathroom immediately to wash his stink off my hands.

****

“Rocco, what the fuck am I going to do with you?” I ask of one of my favorite soldiers. He’s been with me for four years, and I’d hate to have to drill a bullet in his ass. “Give me one good reason, Rocco.”

“Boss, I didn’t mean to do it. She was hot, and she slipped me a pill when she kissed me. Before I knew it, I was feeling really fucking good…too good.” If she gave him something, itcould explain why he would break my club rules for a quick release when he could easily have taken her out to his vehicle.

Fisting his hair, I drag his head back and stare into his beady eyes. “You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?” I ask, reading him.

“No, I swear, Boss. You can test me. I swear it’s still in my blood.”

“Call the doc,” I tell Gabriele. “If you’re lying, I’ll chop your balls off. You weren’t supposed to kiss the teenager in the first place, but there are better places to blow your load than in my club and ruining my reputation.” My place has class for a reason. It keeps the cops from digging into it and my other assets, and it’s the way I’d prefer to maintain it.

“She caught me off guard.” There’s no doubt about it. Camille has a practiced way about her. Foolishly, she tried to use it on me, and I immediately shunned her advances. If that bitch tried to slip some drugs to me, I would have slit her fucking throat.

“That’s because you’re weak and you’re just interested in chasing pussy all night. You’re on my shit list. Any more fuckups, and it will be the last thing you do. Understood, Rocco?”

“Yes, Boss.” He bows profusely, thanking his lucky stars that I didn’t just whip out my gun and put a bullet in his head for defying my orders. The doctor arrives within ten minutes.

I stand up and round my desk to shake his hand. “It’s good of you to come so quickly.”

He looks exhausted, which means he probably had been on call when I summoned him. “I was at the scene of an OD at the strip club down the road.” I was right. Another reason I don’t want drugs and sex in my club. “What can I do for you?”

I point to the jackass sitting on my sofa. “Rocco believes he was given some sort of drug that made him horny enough to violate my club’s policy. I want to know if he’s lying. He said it was slipped onto his tongue.”

“I’ll take blood and urine samples as well as a cheek swab.” Nodding, I wave him off and let the doc do his work while I move back to my chair and go over this evening’s numbers. Once the doctor’s done, I thank him and send both of them on their way, but not before paying the good doctor for his expedited services.

Once they are gone, I pour Gabriele and myself a drink. Handing one over to him, I take a seat on the edge of my desk and ask, “How did my sister take her dismissal?”

He takes a long pull of his whiskey before twirling the tumbler in his hand. With a sigh, he answers, “As you’d expect. First, I was blamed, and then she complained that you ruined her night.”

Just as I expected. My sister is a lot like my mother, but sometimes I see my father in her. “I’ll tell my father to make it up to her, although I would like to have a talk with Grace tomorrow before work. Let’s head out of here before I find someone’s head to smash in today.”

He rolls his head and cracks his neck, tension vibrating off him. “Sounds good to me. There were several guys you could have lined up after the way they were eye fucking little Gracie.”

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