***
Dominic
“Repeat those words again, Valdez,” I dare the man.
“My deepest apologies. We will find Taylor. My man was concerned about Benny, they have been glued together since Regina went missing. They are trying to find her and you. Benny’s father wants both of them dead. However, you did not clear Benny’s death. Taylor gave my guy the smallest window, he took the shot and missed. Please know both my man and I take this as a personal failure. Richard Taylor will be found and we will kill him. The question is, is Benny acceptable collateral damage?”
“No, I don’t need the firestorm that will rain down on me. If Alonzo wants Benny dead he’ll want to be the one who did it. Kill Taylor, I don’t care if Benny knows it was me. I just want Taylor dead.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Valdez, don’t call me unless you have good news.” I end the call fighting the urge to get violent.
I nod at Vincent. “Taylor is loose and coming after Regina. I need you to get her to the dentist, have them put in the tracker as a filling. Start making sure everyone is wearing their bulletproof vests.”
Everett is stiff in the front seat. “Everett, you want to retire again?”
A pause as he considers the question. “No, sir.”
“There’s no shame, no offense taken,” I assure the man.
“I’m sure.”
Vincent shakes his head. “Don’t worry, Everett, Taylor is too much of a pussy to come right at us. He’ll go to the girl to hide behind her skirt. I’ll make sure aside from the dentist tomorrow, Regina won’t see the light of day until Taylor is dead.”
There is no doubt Vincent is correct. Taylor is a coward. But he’s riding shotgun with Benny. Benny is no coward. The only question is does he know his father wants him dead? What was his move being beside Taylor in all of this now that they should consider Regina out of play? Because fuck it all, she’s my woman, so she should be completely off limits to everyone. Tension builds inside me as I consider how far they are willing to go to get to my woman.
Vincent ends the call with the dentist. “He can get her in tomorrow. You need to talk to Tony. He’s your weak spot, Taylor might try to get to him.”
I shake my head. “I’m too pissed. You call him. Regina can’t know, not that I ordered Taylor dead or that he’s coming after her. Make sure the men are aware to keep their mouths shut.”
Vincent nods. “It will be done.”
15
Regina
It’s been six days since we arrived in Chicago. After the day in the library I had thought I was really going to give up, but only the next day Dominic changed my mind all over again. He found me in the library, asked me about the book I was reading. It was a love story. Hearing the title, he rolled his eyes and laughed at the absurdity of the love on which the whole story hinged.
The moment told me everything I needed to know. We would be one of those plastic couples who were together out of duty, not out of want, of need for each other. As badly as I wanted him, as afraid as I was that I had already fallen in love with him, I knew I had to leave to save my sanity. I couldn’t survive loving
him without ever getting his love back.
I’m not even sure how it happened, but we’re on the same schedule. While Dominic is at the club I’m working on my translating. I need a few more hours of sleep than him and I hate the idea of him knowing I can’t settle unless he’s home, so I’m usually lying in bed when he comes in in the morning, with my alarm set for the same time as his in the afternoon. As soon as I hear the elevator notification I’m asleep.
When Dominic wakes up we have breakfast together, spending hours talking about his previous night and what will happen throughout his day. Normally, he would spend the morning with his father, only he’s not ready to see him yet.
It’s weird how not weird it is. I don’t feel like a prisoner. I’m not going stir-crazy considering I haven’t left the apartment since the second day. It was just supposed to be a dental cleaning but the damn dentist found a cavity. I left with a filling, a lecture to cut back on sugar and a gross tube of fluoride toothpaste.
Dominic is the perfect fucking gentleman, no more kisses, not even a simple touch. Which I’m telling myself is a good thing. Why do I miss it so much? There might not be any touching, but there is definitely mind-fucking. Every day Dominic draws me deeper into him. He smiles more, laughs, teasing as he wants to know my every thought and opinion and fear. He casually talks about our future as if it were a given.
He calls me his wife. It didn’t matter we haven’t said the words, I am wearing his ring, I’m his. As his, it his responsibility to take care of me, anything I could want or need is provided, any casual mention of something is answered, often within hours. Despite my every attempt against it, I’m falling for Dominic.
It isn’t until the afternoon of the seventh day, with our wedding just three days away, when I finally get the opening I was beginning to give up on. Of all people it’s Johnny who gives it to me. When the alert from the elevator goes off I don’t bother taking my attention from the translation I’m working on in the library. Assuming it’s Marco coming to relieve Dario. Then I hear shuffling and Johnny calling my name.
Stiffening, I consider ignoring him, except it’s childish and stupid. I get up and go into the living room. He’s on the long leather couch. I sigh, he looks awful. I see Dominic’s warning now. How the hell could I have been so blind in New York?
He nods at me. “You look good, like a woman now. I have picked well for Dominic. He’ll thank me later. Come, we go shopping for your house. Dominic thinks he’s going to leave you in this place. No, you need a real home.”