A lot has happened over the past two weeks. We’ve started renovations on Lucky’s. We dropped the investigation and had Jeffrey sign off on the accidental report. Then Jasmine, Alexa, and I got into a very heated discussion when I told them I was paying for all of it. I didn’t want either one of them to worry about it. Jasmine had already put up so much for Kink, and Alexa only had enough set aside from selling the studio to do the small remodel. I told her to keep the insurance money, and I would handle it.
Ethan is in jail. Grave finally had enough and called in a favor. Ethan was picked up during a sting operation for distributing illegal narcotics to a minor. He’ll be away for a while. We’re just glad he didn’t kill anyone or himself. April tries to visit him, and he refuses to see her. She hates herself for it, but even more, she hates that he doesn’t want to be better.
“I love you.”
I look over my shoulder to see Alexa come up to me. Bending over the back of my chair, I wrap her arms around my shoulders from behind. “I love you too, gorgeous.”
Reaching up, I take her left hand and turn her palm over and kiss her tattoo on her inner wrist. I do it all the time out of habit. A reminder that no matter what, she’s by my side.
She kisses my cheek and skips off to go talk to Jasmine across the room, who is already scrolling through wedding pictures online with Emilee.
April plops down in Alexa’s vacant seat beside me. “Congratulations,” I tell her.
“Thanks.” She laughs excitedly, but stops suddenly, and her face turns serious. “I was wondering if you could help me out with something.”
“Of course,” I say, figuring it’s a gift for Grave with his birthday coming up.
“Do you have any openings next week at Tit for Tat?”
I frown because that was not what I was expecting. “I can make time.” Tit for Tat doesn’t have to be open in order to give her a tattoo. Hell, I did Grave’s in a hotel, practically sitting in the dark because he wanted to wallow in his pity.
She shifts in her seat. “I, uh, I love Alexa’s tattoo and Grave’s …” Her smile returns. At the mention of his name, he comes up behind her.
She lifts her hips off the chair and digs into her back jean pocket. “I drew something …” She trails off, holding the still folded piece of paper in her hand.
“It’s beautiful,” Grave tells her lovingly.
She licks her lips. “I … we want to get matching tattoos, and we would love for you to do them.”
“Of course,” I say, shifting in my seat to face her. “Just let me know the time and day that’s best for you. I’ll make myself available.”
“It’s …” She gets choked up, and Grave starts rubbing her shoulders. “It’s for the baby.”
My chest tightens. It’s the first time I’ve seen her show any emotion about their loss around him. Other than when we were here, and she asked him if he was still using. It just shows how far they’ve come.
I reach out my hand, placing it over hers, and smile. “I’d be honored to.”
She gives me a sad smile and leans forward, hugging me. “Thank you,” she whispers. Pulling away, she wipes her cheeks and gets up, walking away while pocketing the piece of paper.
I stand and face Grave. “Congratulations.” I hold out my right hand to shake his, but he pulls me in for a hug, slapping my back.
“Thanks, brother,” he whispers, choking on the word, and I hug him tighter before pulling away.
“Hey, where are Haven and Luca?” I hear Emilee ask no one in particular.
“Probably fucking,” Jasmine answers, making us all laugh. “Must be nice,” she mutters.
Alexa comes bouncing back over to me. She throws her arms around my neck. “The girls want to go wedding dress shopping.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll only be gone for a few hours. When I get back to Kingdom, we can lay in bed and take a nap.”
I run my hands down over her ass. My fingers slide into her pockets, making my cock hard. “We’ll be doing something, but it won’t be sleeping.” Then I kiss her, knowing she’s safe and all mine. If anyone threatens that, I’ll make them pay the only way I know how—by setting their world on fire.
THE END
CONTINUE ON TO READ THE PROLOGUE FROM CODE OF SILENCE
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CODE OF SILENCE
PROLOGUE
LUCA
Ten years old
“WHO DID YOU fucking talk to?” my father demands.
“No one, John,” Uncle Marco snaps. “You know that—”
“I know what I’ve been told and what you are saying doesn’t add up!” He pokes his brother in the chest. “And you.” He points at my aunt who stands in the corner of the living room with her back against the window that overlooks their backyard. “You’ve been running your fucking mouth too much.”
Tears fill her brown eyes as she stares at my father. Her shoulders shake, and she bites her bottom lip, trying to swallow a sob.
John Bianchi puts the fear of God in you. Because he is god. As the Don—the ringleader of the Italian-American Mafia—he decides when your time is up and how you pay for your sins. He was born in New York, but he and my uncle moved to Las Vegas when my father was fourteen. Uncle Marco was twelve. The laws in Sin City were more fluid back then, so my father was able to get his hands dirtier. He likes life messy.
“Don’t talk to her like that!” Marco shoves my father.
“I’ll talk to the bitch however I fucking please!” He punches my uncle, knocking him to his knees.