Page 56 of Monster

18

Mateo

I leftMiss Pettigrew stewing in a puddle of her own juices as I made my way back upstairs. The cleaning staff was already busy at work trying to sweep up the shards of vases that had crashed to the floor. I slowly glanced around the back patio, which had been the first place of penetration regarding the assault on my life, and the blood stains seeping into the wood would surely have to be painted over. I hated a painted deck, too. It always looked so out of place.

“We can replace the wood, sir.”

I didn’t bother looking at who was speaking with me. “Yes, that’s the best course of action. And let the staff know they’ll be paid overtime for their overnight work efforts.”

“Of course, sir. It would be my pleasure.”

I drew in a deep breath before I made my way back into the house. I had so many people at my employ that sometimes, I simply couldn't keep them straight. And after the orgasm that crashed over my body downstairs, I wasn’t in the mood to address people by name.

Except her.

I couldn't get Miss Pettigrew off my mind, especially now that I knew what those pouty little lips of hers could do. I laid in bed all night staring at the ceiling, forcing myself to stay in bed instead of going back downstairs. I wanted to, though. Everything within me wanted nothing more than to tie her to that bed, spread her legs wide, and keep her as my sex toy until further notice. I forced myself to sleep instead, though.

After all, I had a long Friday planned for myself.

Darkness finally took me under and didn’t release its hold until my alarm started going off. The soft chirping of birds and the simple piano music slowly grew louder and louder as timed sunrise lights in my bedroom slowly illuminated the surrounding space. My eyes fell open and immediately, the pain hit me. The pulsing electricity rushing through my wound made me sick to my stomach, and I quickly reached for my bedside table.

“Come on, come on, come on,” I grunted.

I stretched my fingers to open the bedside table, then dipped my hand inside. I fumbled around with the random articles I had tossed into the drawer until my fingertips landed on the one thing I’d been searching for.

“Bingo,” I whispered.

I groaned as I sat up in bed. I popped the white cap off the orange bottle and dumped a couple of pain pills out into my hand. I had a recurring prescription with the pharmacy in town. I provided security for their little mom and pop shop, and in exchange they filled a pain prescription for me at the drop of a hat, without explanation.

Very convenient, for times like this.

“There we go,” I groaned.

I popped two into my mouth and let my head fall back as I swallowed them down. Then, I sat there until the medicine kicked in. The foggy haze the pain had me in would be no good for the shit I had to get accomplished today, so this had to work.

And after about thirty minutes, I was pain free.

“Thank fuck,” I whispered.

I eased myself out of bed and made my way for the shower. And after scrubbing Miss Pettigrew from my skin, I hopped right back out. With my towel around my hips and my hair drip-drying, I walked into my closet and took my time picking out my suit for the day.

Then, I put myself together and headed out.

I had a lot of errands to run today. I had shops to check in on, deals to solidify, and one more girl to return to her family. I had my driver haul me all around the island so I could check in on the people that utilized my security services in exchange for providing me anonymity, privacy, and leeway for certain things.

Such as accessing private docking ports in the middle of the night with the cameras conveniently off.

While the Lucchese Family owned more of the island than I did, I had a monopoly on our ports. And when someone had their thumb on the pulse of what helped this island to survive, one had more power than anyone else that owned anything else. The Lucchese Family always took pride in the amount of the island they owned. The businesses they robbed from and the streets that they bled dry. It was sickening, how that family ran things.

But, they didn’t have control of the ports.

Needless to say, that always put us in contention with one another, because if they wanted something to happen at the ports then they had to go through me. It kept us from constantly fighting and slaughtering each other’s families, but it almost wasn’t enough any longer. I wanted the Lucchese Family off this island for good. I wanted them to tuck tail, run for the hills, and never speak of this place again. Yes, I had my darkness. Yes, I had my sins. But, none of them compared to the disaster that family had been for these precious islands.

To put it shortly: the Lucchese’s demolished our tourism with their bullshit auctions.

“Speaking of the Devil.”

I heard Lorenzo’s voice behind me and I didn’t bother turning around.

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