“We got 'em waiting for you, Vince.” Anthony’s eyes travel to my face and then back to Vince. “We figured you would want to do the honors.”
“Damn right I want the honors. All of them?” he asks.
“Still looking for two of them.” Anthony answers in a tight voice. It makes my stomach churn. Judging by the look on his face, that’s really fucking bad. I try to ignore it all. I need to forget.
His hands grip my hips and he leans in to talk to me in my ear, “Sweetheart, you stay here.”
I turn around and plead with him, “No. Don’t leave me.” I don’t want him to go. I don’t want to be left here.
“They put a hand on you, baby?” he asks me. “Who hurt you?”
I gently shake my head. No one’s hurt me. “No one.”
“That’s 'cause you’re mine.” He kisses me on the lips. “I’ll be back.”
“Please, Vince. Just wait till I’m asleep. I need you.” His face softens and he leans down to kiss me.
“I can do that, sweetheart.”
“Good man,” Dante says from behind me. “Take care of your girl, and then you guys take care of that shit tonight.” Vince nods his head as Dante walks to the door and opens it. “Don’t be late for dinner tomorrow,” he adds before crossing through the door. Under his breath, he mumbles, “I gotta take care of your mother.”
Vince smiles at his father and leads me to the door with his hand on the small of my back. “Let’s go home, sweetheart. I’ll take care of you.”
Vince
Both men stare back at me. Only two out of four, but I’m giving them the full treatment. I want to send a message. These are the bastards who opened fire on me. On my family. On my sweetheart. My fists clench in anger. They’re screaming through their gags. I wanted to make sure they were awake for what comes next. Tommy beat the shit out of one of them, and it was nearly 40 minutes before he woke up. It made it easier to tie his ass up to the truck though. The other one put up a fight, not that it was of much use against all of us. I stretch my jaw, feeling the slight bruise there from the shit punch he landed. I suppose if I knew I was going out, I’d fight like hell, too.
“Any last words?” I ask, knowing they’re trying to say something. I don’t give a fuck though. They scream louder and fight the ropes that are chafing their skin.
“You ready, boss?” Anthony asks, as he tosses the container into the bed of the truck. It smacks against the one guy's leg and I swear to God he shits himself at the touch. The whole front yard of the Locos Diablos MC club house smells like gasoline, so I just take a few steps back. I hope the two fuckers we didn’t find are in there right now or hiding somewhere watching. I want them to see this. I want them to know what’s going to happen to them.
“Light it up.” I don’t turn my back as Tommy lights a match and tosses it at them.
I stare at the flames as they rise higher and higher. Their screams get louder and louder. I know the cops will be here soon, and I need to get my ass out of here. The smoke will rise and someone will call it in. I gotta get out of here in case it explodes, too. Everyone on the streets will know, though. You don’t fuck with the Valettis. A chill runs through my body as I turn and get into the car. Tommy’s in the driver’s seat and Anthony’s in the back.
“Am I taking you home, boss?”
“Yeah.” I need to get home and feel her writhing under me. I’ll need her every night until I die.
No one touches what’s mine. No one but me.
Elle
I purse my lips as I look at the canvas. I set it up in the dining room so I’d get more natural light on it while I worked. There’s just too much darkness. It’s supposed to be a man’s lips on a woman’s neck, with his hand around her throat and her mouth parted. It was too realistic though, initially. I wanted to make it more abstract, so I added a black gradient to make them look like they were fading into it. But, I overdid it. I think I really fucked it up. I take a step back and put the brush on the easel as I take a deep breath in, and then out.
“They’re going to love it, sweetheart,” Vince says from behind me, and I smile. I keep my eyes closed as his arm wraps around my waist and he kisses my neck, just like I knew he would. He holds me to him and I open my eyes. We both stare at the painting.
“You think they’ll really like it?” It’s my first exhibit. The gallery next to Becca’s restaurant is featuring me in their exhibit. I’m scared shitless. Painting is a lot of fun, and relaxing as well, but I never thought it’d be a viable career. There’s so much risk and no stability. But Vince is right. It’s the next step for me. It’s been a few weeks since the shooting, and everything has finally calmed down. I’ve even gone out a few times with Becca. Vince didn’t like the idea at first, since there’s still something going on with the MCs, but he relented. I’m fairly certain him and Dom just sat outside of the restaurant every single time. I know they did at least once. Becca and I kinda of love it. How protective they are. The only place Vince has taken me is to family dinners and the gun range. I need to get out and do something. Thank God for Becca. I call her almost every day. She’s going to pop sometime soon. Having her as a friend really helped me to take painting seriously. She calls me an artist, but I haven’t earned that title yet.
My vow to be more social could be going better. I was going to take my mother to her AA meeting. But when I showed up and found her drunk and heard her excuses… I stormed off and haven’t been back since. It wasn’t worth cussing her out. I’m tired of putting the energy into helping her. I really do want to try; I want to help her. But I can’t take her bullshit anymore.
I tilt my head and get a wave of inspiration as I look at the canvas. I need to make more of it black and white, and have the red lips saturated in comparison. That and more contrast on his hand. That would really make it pop.
“I’ve got it!” I yell out, and move to pick up the paints on the table.
“I gotta get going, Elle. Are you sure you wanna open those now? They’ll dry up by the time I get back.”
Arousal shoots from my chest down to my heated core. The thought of him leaving turns me on so damn much. He still ties me up when he leaves, and fucks me so fucking good when he gets back. I love it. I live for his touch. I clench my thighs and close my eyes trying to hide my desire. Not that it matters. He knows how depraved I am. And he loves it, too.
But playing during the daytime has waned a bit. I’ve been busy with shopping dates and luncheons. The women in his family are so friendly and open, I can’t possibly say no to their invitations. He always ties me up at night though. And I fucking love it.
My eyes shoot open and I stare at the canvas. This is supposed to be done tonight, and it needs at least two days to dry completely. I bite the inside of my cheek contemplating what I should do.
“You need to get this done, don’t you?” he asks, picking up his mug off the table. He grabs mine as well and walks to the sink.
“I really should,” I say, as I take in more details of the painting. I should take advantage of this inspiration while I can.