The Tattoo Artist's Mate

“Boss, you wouldn’t believe me, if I told you. He’s gonna pay his debts, he says…”

The odd intonation in his second in command’s voice made the fine hair on Gabe’s neck stand up. Andrini was broke. Even the house he lived in with his daughter was mortgaged to the hilt. Gabe knew because he held the deeds and had been waiting for the right moment to pounce. That only left one asset the bastard could sell… Revenge was best served cold, but this left a foul taste in Gabe’s mouth.

Not for the first time he cursed the promise made to Lissandra’s mother, before she died from the bullet meant for Andrini.

“Look after my little girl, please, Gabe. Kill him if you have to but spare her. She’s an innocent in all this.”

Ghosts of a past when he actually had a beating heart in his chest. Was capable of emotions and listened to his conscience.

The doors finally slid open, and Gabe entered through the kitchens.

“Keep him there. Where’s the girl now?” he tapped his ear to ask the question.

After a moment of static, he got his answer.

“See you figured out his method of payment then. Stowed her by the kitchens for you, boss. What do you want me to do with him?”

“Let him gamble, for now. He brought me what I wanted.”

A low whistle came through, before Gabe clicked off the communicator and slowed his steps as he rounded the corner. This side room was used by the kitchen staff for their breaks, but it was empty now, apart from one lone figure.

Revenge was in his grasp in the form of one luscious bundle of curves. Her light, flowery scent wrapped itself around him, and Lissandra gasped when he stepped up right behind her.

“What are you doing here, girl?”

She spun around at the sound of his voice, hands held up in a defensive move. Her eyes widened, and her breathing sped up, when she appeared to recognize him. Sure enough, her next words confirmed his assessment.

“You’re Gabe.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Of course, you are, but I don’t understand.”

Gabe smirked, and she took a step back and another when he slowly advanced on her. Her back hit the wall, and a whimper escaped her when he put his hands either side of her shoulders and caged her in. Even with her killer heels on, she barely reached his chin. So small, and curvy, and downright delicious. Fear poured off her in waves, and so help him, that turned him on, even as a small, long forgotten and buried deep part of his conscience brought out his protective streak.

“Please, I don’t know what’s going on. I just want to go home, please.”

Blue eyes, the color of the deepest ocean, pleaded with him, as she looked up at him. She was the picture of youthful innocence, but Gabe knew better than to fall for the oldest trick in the book. She was Andrini’s daughter, and until he knew for certain what game the fucking asshole was playing he would keep his guard up around this sweet young thing.

“There’ll be no going home, little girl. Your father owes me a lot of money, and until I get it, you will be staying with me.”

Those baby blues of hers pulled together in a deep frown, and she shook her head.

“You’re insane. I’m not staying with anyone, let alone you. I demand you let me go this instant.” She pushed against him, and Gabe laughed. While she was surprisingly strong for someone so little, she was no match for him. He grasped her wrists, and lifting her arms, held them high above her head, while he pinned her to the wall with his body. Fuck him, this close to her, her soft curves fit against him in all the right places, as though she was made just for him. A ridiculous notion, but he hardened anyway. He knew the minute it dawned on her, because heat rose in her cheeks, and she stopped struggling.

Indulging himself, Gabe bent his head and inhaled deeply next to her ear. Her pulse jumped. He grinned and growled in her ear.

“Nice try, little girl, but you don’t get a say in this, at all. You’re mine now.” A shocked gasp reached his ears, and she resumed her struggles. When it didn’t get anywhere, she hissed at him through clenched teeth.

“I’ll never be yours, you … you bastard.”

Gabe threw his head back and laughed. Her knee came up in an attempt to emasculate him, but Gabe blocked that easily enough by shifting out of the way. Transferring her delicate wrists into just one of his hands, he ran his free one down her arm slowly.

“Now, now, little girl, that wasn’t very nice. Here we are just having a pleasant conversation and you try and do that.”

Lissandra glared up at him, her full, kissable lips pressed into a thin line of disapproval. “Let me go, damn you. You have no right to manhandle me like this. I’ll scream for help.”

“Go ahead. Be my guest. Do you honestly think it would get you anywhere? This is my casino, sweet thing.” She groaned but opened her mouth as though she was indeed about to launch into a screaming fit. “Know this, little girl, you start screeching, and I’ll put you over my knee.” He smiled grimly at her sharp intake of breath. “I’ll also find something to occupy your mouth and it won’t be a gag.”

He flexed his hips to prove his point, and another one of those cock-hardening moans came from his captive.

“You wouldn’t dare.” That breathy denial served to make him harder, and he smirked down on her.