Aryana Monteverde Santini POV “DNA test,” Craig said. “Where does your father live? The man you thought was your father?”“I have no idea. He abandoned us. I haven’t heard from him since I was a kid.” “But you can give us his name and last known location,” Montero pointed out.Yeah… I could. But should I? He was an awful father, but that didn’t excuse sending three armed men after him. Then again, I didn’t owe him any loyalty. “Daniel Santini. Last I heard, he was living in Quezon City, Metro Manila.”“We’ll find him,” Craig said.“I want to talk to him.” My words surprised both the men and myself.“That’s not necessary.”“I’ve been pissed off at him for two decades for the way he abandoned us. Now, maybe I’m not even his kid. That would explain a few things.”“He was still married to your Mom,” Craig said. “He still abandoned her.”“All the more reason to talk to him.”“Well—”Rocky Ace cut off Craig’s response. “We’ll see. For now, let’s get inside.” He looked around. The first gl
Aryana M. Santini POV“She could’ve told me you weren’t my biological father, though. That might have made it a little easier.” Possibly. But it still would have been crushing. And possibly more than a four-year-old could face. But she’d had decades after that to tell me the truth.“She was probably just trying to protect you,” Montero said.Daniel took a step closer, but one look from Montero had him backing off. “So you took off and a woman and her young child all alone,” he snapped.“A woman who… whose child was from another man,” Daniel said quietly. Then he sighed. “Those guys scared me, okay? I’d never encountered anyone like them. I told myself that it wasn’t worth my life.”The tears flowed harder. Would Daniel have stayed, if my real father hadn’t threatened him? It would’ve made all the difference in the world to my mother. To have someone help with the childcare after those first few years. To have two incomes. To have some support.“I’m sorry, Aryana,” Daniel said.Montero
Aryana Joy M. Santini POVIt wasn’t just his muscles that were big. Not just his overall size. He was big all over. Every single inch of him.In fact, one part of him was bigger than I’d ever seen. I reached a finger out to stroke his huge erection, marveling at its size. His balls were heavy, and they swung when he moved back onto the bed.Pressing against his naked body, skin to skin, was so much better. His skin was like fire, and I felt delicious warmth that I’d never experienced. I parted my legs, bringing my knees up, and he moved in between them, hovering over me. He was so strong that he looked like he could maintain that position all day.Rocky Ace stared into my eyes. “I’m going to make you come so hard.”I believed him—and I wanted him, so damn badly. I reached between us and stroked his cock. I could barely fit my fingers around it. There was steel under his flushed skin, and I couldn’t wait to feel it spread me open.Fumbling, I angled his cock toward my slit, but he took
Rocky Ace De Luna POV“No,” Montero agreed, looking the older man in the eye. “But it is for you to decide. This isn’t the way we do things.”“I’ll admit, killing a young woman isn’t ideal.”“Not just a young woman, Don Gregorio,” I said. “His kin. His sister. I thought the organization had some principles.”“Let me ask you something,” Gregorio said, his eyes sharp. “You’ve been in Bernardino’s family for what? Fifteen years? When was the last time you heard a Don got whacked for breaking the rules?”His question had me thinking for several seconds. Montero and I looked at each other, an ugly truth setting in. Judging by my friend’s demeanor, he couldn’t think of an example any more than I could.“Never,” I murmured, pursing my lips.“So, you realize the position you’re putting me in,” Gregorio went on, bringing his gaze to Montero first, and then, to me.“He’s dangerous,” Montero said. “When he doesn’t follow the rules, he puts us all at risk.”“Quit blowing smoke up my ass,” Gregori
Aryana Joy M. Santini POVA tear slipped down my check. “Doesn’t this mean that I’m part of the Bernardino family?”Montero squeezed my hand once more before pulling his back. “Yes, but a far superior branch of it.”“And that’s not what he meant,” Rocky said, jerking his head at Craig. “By family, he meant the entire organization.”“Oh, is that all?” I gave a watery little laugh.“It is daunting. But the next step is to pick up the documentation of the test and take it to Don Gregorio,” Montero said.“We will,” Rocky said.As I looked from one man to another, I couldn’t hold back the tears.“What is it?” Rocky Ace asked gently.“I can’t believe my mom kept this from me.”“If you ask me, she wanted to protect you,” Rocky said. “That name would have been a burden. Your mom probably wanted you to have a normal life. To be an average nobody. Bernardino’s life ain’t what you’d call normal.”“Rocky’s downplaying it,” Craig commented. “You don’t know what you’d be in for, if your name was ‘B
“That’s a problem for another day,” Rocky Ace responded. “We’ll deal with it. You won’t have to worry about chaos. All you need to do is give us the green light. What’s right is right, Don Gregorio. Bernardino must pay.”“Maybe we should resolve this quietly,” he suggested, interlocking his fingers. “Maybe I could tell him to step down and retire. He’ll just take a few million and disappear abroad or in Italy. He owns a lot of real estate over there.”I jumped in before Rocky Ace could respond. “With any other Don, that would work. It would be the honorable thing to do.” Rocky gave me a side glance, trying to judge where I was going with this. “But Bernardino isn’t honorable. That guy is so cheap that he won’t even tip a hobo for wiping dust off his windshield. You really think he’ll settle for a couple of million bucks and move to Italy? Because I don’t.”“Montero’s right,” Rocky Ace agreed. “There’s no way Bernardino will just go away quietly. He won’t let anyone else touch what he
Montero Villar POVAsking around, trying to find out a Don’s location was a whole lot easier when you didn’t have a price on your head. Much easier.Still, there were people who were loyal to us, as long as we assured them that Bernardino would never find out. Plus, there were a few idiots who didn’t even realize that the three of us and our Don weren’t on good terms anymore.But mostly, the word on the street had spread.People knew he wanted us gone.Questions like “why” just didn’t matter. Money talks, bullshit walks, as they say.And speaking of money, it was a joke.That cheap son of a bitch had put on our heads. Ten thousand. Each.To a seasoned professional, this would be a joke. Hired guns were expensive. They cost a lot more than a miserable ten thousand bucks. To the average junkie or pimp, though, this was a lot of money. Which is why the ones Craig and I contacted sounded desperate to meet with us. Once we mentioned we were back in town, they all got super-excited. They sp
Aryana Joy Santini POV“Rocky, please!” He begged once more as I grabbed him by the neck.A movement on the left caught my eye. Craig was there, and he gave me a nod. I knew that meant all of Bernardino’s bodyguards had been taken care of.I was free to shoot the prick who had made our lives miserable. Who’d threatened Aryana. And who’d been a shame to his family’s name.But instead, I stuffed my gun in my waistband. Then I dragged the squealing, naked man past the pool. Across the patio. And over to the ledge at the edge of the building. Hoisting him high up in the air, I smiled at him. “Any last words?”“Go to hell,” Bernardino choked out in the weakest voice ever.“Drop him,” Craig growled, his hand cupping the grip of the gun on his waist. “Drop that motherfucker or I’ll blow his fucking brains out.”I flung the little man out into the open air.A deafening scream ripped through the night as I strode away, not even looking back.From far below, there was a dull thud and the sound
He slipped the ring on her finger, climbed onto the bed, and swept her into a kiss. By the time he was done, her head spun more than a little, and there was a strange clapping sound assaulting her ears. “Ignore them,” he whispered, cupped her jaw, and lowered his head for another kiss.Confused, she looked beyond him, toward the door. Val, Ginger, Ariana, Lee Anne, Anaisse, and Tommy gathered just beyond the threshold, clapping.“About time, Snowflake,” Ginger called.“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Ryan called, never taking his eyes off her. His smile held wicked intent.The door whooshed closed.“I’m injured,” she warned as he moved in.“I’m careful.” He traced the front opening of her hospital gown, barely grazing her flesh.“I guess you are,” she managed, as his fingers parted the gown.“And creative.” As proof, he tapped the bed-adjust button and eased her into a more reclined position.She raised a brow at him. “A nurse could walk in here at any moment to check on me
The light hum of female voices registered first, followed by the smell of roses and lilies. Annabelle lay still for a moment, kept her eyes closed, and did a quick physical inventory. Toes? Check. Fingers? Check. Head still attached to the shoulders? Check.Best she could tell, all parts were present and accounted for. She felt stiff and groggy like she’d been asleep for a week, but nothing too alarming. A vague impression of Ryan holding her hand and telling her not to worry about anything danced through her mind, but she couldn’t say for sure whether that was memory or wishful thinking. She racked her brain for something more. Other images formed—a nurse with a short brunette bob offering her water. Anaisse smiling through tears while helping brush her teeth and hair—but no Ryan Ferrer.Deciding to chance a look around, she opened her eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the sudden brightness. Sunlight streamed through an unfamiliar window, below which sat a metal cabinet holdi
Ryan hurried down the passageway toward the stage, hugging the wall and keeping his steps quick and light. He doubted anyone would hear him coming over the noise of the party, but he didn’t plan on leaving it to chance.The passageway widened at the back of the stage. A retractable metal security gate spanned the stage to prevent anyone from moving the festivities to the backstage area. The blackout curtain hung just beyond the security gate. He wrapped his hand around a slat and gave the gate a shake, testing it. Fully secure, with very little give. No one had slipped into or out of the backstage area through there. He worked his fingers between the slats, moved the curtain aside, and looked out. A sea of zombies, ghouls, princesses, and pirate wenches danced under flashing purple lights. Nothing unusual.His phone vibrated. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the screen. A text from Tommy read, At the back door. Wait for me. For a nanosecond, he considered waiting, because, pro
Detective Ryan FerrerRyan bit back a curse as he examined the broken lock. Kicked in? He pulled his gun and crept through the door, keeping it low. Since nobody shot him in the head the moment he cleared the threshold, he swept left with his gun, then right. No sign of anyone.He straightened, stuck his gun into the back of his jeans, and debated his choices. Val’s office and the dancers’ dressing room were down the hallway to the left. The hallway on his right led to the stage, and beyond that, another narrow hall led to the back door of the club.Instinct told him to go right since that direction ultimately led to an exit. He shot off a text to Tommy. The door’s busted. Get back here. Don’t bring Anaisse. He didn’t wait for a reply, just tucked the phone in his pocket and started down the hall, scanning in every direction as he went. A few steps along, he glanced down and froze. What the hell…? He crouched and picked up a small white feather.His heart thundered in his chest. Annab
Oh, no. No one would see them up there. “I can’t. I’m afraid of heights.” Also, she was in no condition to scramble up a straight-vertical ladder. Numb hands, shaky legs, and the unrelenting pain in her side made the climb risky.She released a shuddery breath when the pressure of the gun disappeared from the center of her back. Her shoulders dropped and she relaxed infinitesimally, just knowing the damn thing wasn’t poised to blow a hole through—The cold, unforgiving metal pressed against her temple, scattering her thoughts like seagulls. She heard the click of the safety release.“Climb or die.”“Okay, okay.” The words scraped along her tight, dry throat. Turned out her fear of bullets trumped her fear of heights. She clasped the nearest rung in a bloody grip. “I’ll climb.”Working her way up the ladder took even more effort than she’d anticipated. Escape scenarios cart-wheeled through her mind too quickly for her to get a solid hold on any one plan.Stay calm. Easier thought than
Fuck, fuck, fuck, Annabelle, where are you? Ryan cut a path through zombies, mummies, and vampires, scouring his search area for any sign of her. There was none. To compound his apprehension, his phone remained frustratingly silent. The secret hope he’d harbored that she’d sneaked away to a stall in the ladies’ room to put herself together and curse him to hell and back waned with each passing second.If anything happened to her, he’d…he didn’t know what he’d do. His hand shook as he shoved it through his hair, pulling hard at the roots until his scalp screamed. They had to find her. End of discussion. There was no way his last interaction with the love of his life could take place in a back room at a strip club, her staring at him with a heartbreaking expression on her face, saying, “I’m sorry.”Absolutely not. He’d find her. And when he did, he’d sit her down and they’d have an honest talk—no more games or tactics. He’d ask her, point-blank, what the hell part of their relationship
Now Tommy turned and looked at him. “She doesn’t have her phone.”“What?” True, Annabelle hadn’t been carrying hers either, but Anaisse was the responsible twin.“You saw what she’s wearing. You think she’s got a BlackBerry built into her shoe?”“I was hoping.”“Sorry to burst your bubble. I don’t suppose Annabelle told you what she did on her way in to the party?”The bad feeling came back. Stronger. “She said something about handling her pen pal.”“She scooped him. He threatened to reveal that she used to strip for a living. Annabelle decided to break the news herself, so she rolled out of the limo this evening and held herself a press conference, during which she mentioned she’d spent two years dancing at Phoenix.”He felt the color drain out of his face. “Holy shit. Exactly why am I not supposed to be worried yet?”Tommy shrugged but returned to inspecting the crowd. “She could be right. Now that he’s got no hammer to hold over her, he’ll lose interest.”“Maybe. Or could be he’ll
The insult stung. Did he really think he’d fooled her up until they’d danced? Like she only recognized him by the feel of his cock? “I knew it was you the minute I saw you. Letting you think otherwise was just”—she lifted her shoulder in a casual shrug—“an entertaining little game. But the game is over and, ultimately, doesn’t change what I want.”Apparently, she could sting him back, because his eyes narrowed. Then he ground his hips against hers until she bit her lip and moaned.“You’re sending mixed signals, Annabelle. You don’t know what you want.”Sadly, she did—she wanted far too much, more than he’d offered—but her stupid, traitorous hips lifted, seeking more from him.“Careful. The condom…” He reached down between them and pinched the base of his erection, holding the latex in place. But when he started to pull out, she panicked.“Don’t.” Her hands flew down to his hips, and her fingers dug in to hold him still. Don’t leave me empty. Not yet.“Annabelle…” He swore under his br
Annabelle rode out the last trembling aftershocks from the mind-numbing orgasm—the kind of full-body meltdown only Ryan could deliver. Shaky, sweaty, and tingling like she’d been struck by lightning, she barely registered when he lifted her and put her on his lap. She opened her eyes and immediately tumbled into his. Dammit. He pinned her with an expression she couldn’t fully read, but made her heart want to flip over in her chest and expose its soft underbelly. Which only proved she was, in fact, her own worst nightmare. No faceless stranger could lay claim to the title. She held that honor all on her own.Was that what you were looking for, Angel? He’d spoken quietly, but she heard the test in his voice as if daring her to push him even one more inch.Oh, she dared. Pushing him was about the only thing she dared do at this point because she knew full well her resolve would collapse like a house of cards if she came clean about their charade. And God only knew what confessions would