Page 13 of A Wife's Duty

He looked at her and it was strange because for the first time, he didn’t want to leave her alone.

“I’ll be back.” He moved toward her, and she didn’t pull away, just tilted her head back, and he pressed a kiss to her lips. “Very soon.”

Boone left, going straight to the elevator and toward the parking lot where his car was. He pulled out and went to the nightclub where Ronald was already waiting. Within seconds, Ronald was in the car, giving him the address he needed.

Making his way across the city, he listened to Ronald’s update. The cops didn’t find any traces of drugs. That had miraculously vanished, but one of the guys he paid to keep him updated on Bonaldi’s shit, had said they were attempting to pin the girls at his nightclub.

There was no way they could do that, as they were only on Bonaldi’s turf. So, Howard had distributed it back at his boss’s. It was kind of poetic.

The address was a run-down dive, known to house addicts and drug pushers. There were also pimps and whores. Parking his car, he saw several men eyeing his vehicle.

He climbed out and looked at Ronald. “Stay with the car.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I got this covered.”

He didn’t say anything else as he made his way inside the building. It stunk like decay. This was not the first time he’d been in a place like this. This is where the evil sent their prey to die. There were women passed out on used mattresses, needles sticking out of their arms, or naked, with men rutting between their thighs.

No one paid any attention to him.

He got to the top of the floor, and there was Howard, counting the money he made. Boone tutted, Howard looked up, and realizing he wasn’t alone, freaked out. He instantly threw the cash down and attempted to make a run for it. He didn’t get far as Boone gabbed a broken piece of furniture and launched it across the room. It hit the back of Howard’s legs, taking him down with a cry. Within seconds he was there, and he wrapped his arm around the man’s neck, cutting off his air supply.

“I gave you a choice,” Boone said. “You made the wrong choice and now three women are in the hospital fighting for their lives because you gave them contaminated shit. Did you know it was contaminated?”

“I did what I was told, but I told them to take it in your nightclub. Please let me go. Please. I sent them to you because I knew they would be safe.”

And anger flooded Boone. He cut off the man’s air supply, and he fought. Howard did fight, but he was no match for him.

Three women were fighting for their lives. They shouldn’t have taken the drugs in the first place, and that was a warning to them.

Bonaldi wanted a war, and Boone would give him one.

Chapter Three

The following day, Lucia frowned as she rolled over in bed. There was no sign of Boone, although she had heard him come to bed the previous night. She had been awake, waiting for him, wondering what time he got home. He didn’t come back until after two in the morning.

She didn’t know if he even knew she was awake and waiting for him to return. He didn’t say anything, nor did he attempt to wake her. She didn’t know if she was disappointed or not. It didn’t matter.

She inhaled again and that was when she smelled it. First, it smelled like coffee, but that had to be bacon, or was that sausage cooking? Her stomach growled, and she threw the covers off and was going to head straight to the kitchen. Only, she needed to use the bathroom.

She veered toward the bathroom, used the toilet, flushed, washed her hands, and then looked at herself in the mirror. There was not a lot of time to get herself presentable. She quickly pulled her hair back into a messy bun, brushed her teeth, and splashed water onto her face.

She wore a pair of shorts and t-shirt. It was the most comfortable wear for bed in the summer. Did she have time to throw on a dress?

She didn’t want to waste any more time. Boone had talked to her yesterday. They had spent time together, and it was probably one of the best days she ever had in her whole life. There had been no pain. Even when he got that phone call last night, she hadn’t been sad or angry. Sure, she was a little gutted that their time had come to a close, but that was life in general. There was nothing she could do about that.

Stepping out of the bedroom, she made her way to the kitchen.

When Boone was home with her, the guard waited outside.

Boone was wearing an apron, frying bacon. He was already dressed in a pair of suit pants, a crisp white shirt, and a jacket. He looked so smart and put together.

“You’re awake.”

“Good morning,” she said.

He chuckled. “You want some coffee?”

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