Page 21 of Kingpin

“I’ll talk with you once I get there,” I said.

“I’ll be here, sir. Let me know when you get here, and I’ll send out an escort.”

“Don’t bother. I’ll be armed.”

I hung up the phone and shoved it back into my pocket. I turned away from my gorgeous wife and those puckered tits of hers. Again, she’d have to wait. As much as I wanted to tie her to my bed and make her my sex doll for the weekend, I had other things to take care of.

Like making sure the safety of my family wasn’t compromised again.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

I brushed past her. “I have to get to work.”

“But it’s Saturday and you just said you didn’t have to work late.”

“Plans changed. Work doesn’t stop for men like myself.”

“Israel, wait. I just—”

I heard her heels following behind me as I made my way for the elevator. I plucked my coat off the rack by the golden doors and threaded my arms through them. Brianna caught up to me and took my hand in hers. It was the softest, kindest touch I’d ever felt, and my heart slammed against my chest.

“Let me come with you, then,” she said.

I shook my head. “It’s dangerous right now. I need you to stay here. The bodyguards are down at—”

“Israel, we got married two weeks ago, and half of that has been awkwardly dancing around one another while not really addressing anything between us.”

I slipped my hand out of hers. “I have to go.”

“I miss my husband!”

I froze at her words. “What?”

She sniffled. “I miss my husband. At least, the husband I thought I’d have. And I don’t know, maybe my expectations of all it were too high. I just figured we’d at least sleep in the same bed. I figured I’d at least feel you every morning. But…there’s nothing. It’s like we have nothing, and it kills me, Israel.”

Her words actually made me consider my response. “Even if things weren’t this dangerous right now, my work is still no place for a woman.”

Then, I jammed my hand against the elevator button while she protested behind me.

“Israel, just—”

“I have to go, Brianna.”

Her eye twitched again. “Just let me come this one—”

The doors started closing. “I’ll be back for dinner. I promise you. Eight o’clock. I want your best.”

* * *

Work had been long, arduous, and got me no closer to any answers. I had no idea who decided they thought they could intimidate me, but they were doing a hell of a job. Still, I was better. I was always better.

As the elevator rose, a plan formulated in my mind.

I’m going to find you, whoever you are.

The second the doors opened, the decadent smells of pork and apples filled my nostrils. It pulled me from the recesses of my dark mind and ushered me off the elevator. I made my way into the kitchen. I saw my wife with a bloodstained apron against her body. She pranced around in heels with her hair tied up into a wild bun, and she wiped at the sweat on her brow.

I saw half the damn pig still sitting on the kitchen island.

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