Men of Mayhem (25 page)

“Enough!” He slammed his hand down on the desk. “It’s out of my hands and you need to let it go.”

I was so mad that I was tempted to reach across the desk and snap the short fucker’s neck. “Fuck you, Gio. I’m going to Florida to find Vanessa and keep Cassie safe.”

“No. I need you here for the next heroin shipment.”

“Jimmy can handle that,” I countered. “I’m going and the only way to stop me is to kill me.” We glared at each other, neither one of us prepared to back down. Gio ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair then shook his head.

“Fuck it. Fine. Go check on your family, but you’re on your own. Don’t go snooping around the MS13 and bring a shit storm down on the organization. You do that and I won’t protect you, understand?”

“Got it, boss.” I stood up and got ready to leave.

“Victor?”

“Yeah?” I turned back to look at him.

“I am truly sorry about your dad. He was a good friend. Good luck with your sister.”

I thanked him and left, more agitated than before. Lauren took one look at me when I emerged from the hallway and I shook my head, cutting off her questions. “I’ll tell you in the car. Let’s go.”

Lauren

I had done it. Victor had brought me to Gio’s house and left me alone. Of course I wasn’t prepared and didn’t have any devices with me to plant. A few seconds after hearing the office door shut, I crept down the tiled hallway to listen. At first there were only murmurs, but things escalated and Victor was shouting. I only heard parts of the conversation and one word stuck out—cartel.
Holy shit!

“Can I help you?” a woman said from behind me and I whirled around, my hand against my chest as if holding in my pounding heart. A tall, thin blonde woman with a face frozen from too much Botox stood blocking the hallway, her arms on her hips.

“Um, I’m looking for a bathroom?”

“You’re in the wrong place,” she said over her shoulder, leading me away from the office. “Who are you?”

“I’m Lauren, Victor’s girlfriend.” The woman stopped and turned to look me over.

“Really? Victor usually doesn’t do relationships.”

“Well, we’ve been dating for over a month.”

“Huh,” she said and continued down another hallway past a kitchen that looked like it could have been featured in a home magazine. She showed me where the bathroom was and left me alone. I waited the appropriate amount of time before flushing the toilet and washing my hands. Fishing my cell phone out of my bag, I made sure I was alone in the hallway before discreetly snapping pictures of the layout of Gio’s house. Once I returned to the sitting room where Victor left me, I didn’t wander off. He emerged seconds later looking severely agitated. His hair had come loose from being tied back. He silenced my questions before I could voice them and rushed us through the courtyard.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him as soon as we were clear of Gio’s estate and heading back toward the city. Los Angeles stretched out below, a blanket of lights.

“My sister is missing and I need to fly to Florida ASAP.”

“What? Oh my God! Do you want me to come with you?”

“No.” Victor gripped the steering wheel tight and I heard the leather groan beneath his hands. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Dangerous? What’s going on, Victor?” I turned in my seat to face him.

He sucked his lip ring between his teeth before releasing it and proceeded to tell me about his father’s death being connected and that Vanessa had been abducted by a gang. When he said MS13, I choked back a gasp. That gang was notorious at the agency.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” he asked, reaching for my hand and giving it a squeeze. “I want one more night with you.”

“Why does it sound like you’re not coming back?” The idea of not seeing him again triggered a panicky feeling. My throat felt tight and my mouth went dry.

“Once I make sure my mom and Cassie are in a secure location, I’m going to Mexico. Word is that’s where Vanessa was taken…to be sold.” He paused and gave my hand another squeeze. “It’s possible I might not make it back, but if I die trying to save my sister, it’ll be worth it.”

The sinking sensation in my gut grew heavier, like I had swallowed cinderblocks and they were drifting slowly to the bottom of my stomach. Tears spilled out over my cheeks and I looked away so Victor wouldn’t see them.

When we got back to his house, I made a quick dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup—comfort food my mom always made for me whenever I was sick or had a bad day—while Victor made flight arrangements to leave the next morning. The kitchen lights were dimmed while we ate, a reflection of the somber mood. After eating, I loaded the dishwasher and found Victor in his bedroom. He wasn’t doing anything, just standing and staring down at the suitcase on the king bed. I left him alone and locked myself in the bathroom to call my boss.

“I need a contact for any agents we have in Mexico.”

“What the hell for?”

I filled him in on the situation. “This innocent girl is going to be sold. We need to stop it,” I whispered. “I know we have sources to get this done.”

“That’s not the assignment, Lauren, and it’s not our problem.”

“Human trafficking is a major problem, sir.”

“Stay on task. This subject is closed,” he said and hung up. I flipped the phone off and wanted to hurl it against the wall.

I went back into the bedroom and Victor was still standing there in front of the empty suitcase looking like a lost child. Taking pity on him, I started packing, making sure he had enough clothes for seven days. He didn’t know how long he was going to be gone.
Or if he is even coming back.
I couldn’t bear that idea and threw myself into his arms, letting out a sob. This brought him out of the trance he was in and he wrapped me up in a hug, kissing the top of my head while murmuring that it was going to be okay.

“I’m scared, babe,” I said with a sniffle and looked up at his face. “Are you sure I can’t come with you?”

“No, sweetheart, I need you stay here where it’s safe. I can’t be worrying about you too.” He placed his hands on my cheeks, stroking away tears with his thumbs, before kissing me. He started out slow and soft, his lips moving against mine before he grew more insistent, hungrier. I sucked on his piercing and he groaned, forcing his tongue into my mouth. We were devouring each other and I wanted to climb inside him. Pulling away, panting, I stripped off my clothes and started removing his jeans. As I lowered them down to his knees, his erection burst free and sprung up in my face. Dropping to my knees, I licked his tip before drawing it completely into my mouth.

“Oh sweet Jesus, fuck!” he growled and buried his hands in my hair, guiding my head so I took in more of his length until he hit the back of my throat. I moaned, creating a vibration that made his dick twitch in my mouth. Suddenly he pulled out and helped me to my feet. He sat down on the bed and grabbed a condom out of his bedside table. While he rolled it on, I cupped my breasts and teased my nipples.

“Come here,” he ordered and I climbed onto the bed then straddled him. He held my hips and guided me down until we were completely joined. I rocked against him and we moved together. Victor lightly traced the tattoo on my stomach before sliding his hands up to my breasts. I arched, pushing them into his palms. He sat up and latched onto a nipple, sucking on it hard.

“Oh!” I cried out and rolled my hips.

“Yes, let yourself go,” Victor whispered, his breath hot against my skin and he flipped me over in one motion so I was on my back. I winced at the pressure of his weight on my tattoo, which was still sensitive, and he automatically adjusted, his arms forming a cage around me. I ran my hands up his chest, wrapping my arms around his neck and met him thrust for thrust. Victor slowed down, grinding deep as he lowered his lips to mine to kiss me as he found his release and I found mine.

Afterward, we faced each other with our legs intertwined. “I could get lost in you,” he said, tracing my lips with a forefinger. “If I don’t return, I need you to know something.”

“Stop talking like that. You’ll come back.” I hated the panic that threatened to take over. I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him again.

“Shhhh,” he placed his finger against my lips to silence me. “I love you, Lauren. I’ve loved you since you first walked into my shop.”

He loves me?
A warm giddiness consumed me and I couldn’t suppress the smile that erupted.

“I love you too,” I whispered and immediately regretted telling him because even though it was the truth everything else about me was a lie. “I’m not supposed to love you, but I do.”

Victor

“What do you mean you’re not supposed to love me?” I asked, confused by her choice of words. When the color faded from her face and her blue eyes grew wide, I untangled my legs from hers and sat up. “Answer me.”

“Shit, shit, shit!” she cried out and scrambled out of bed. “I can’t do this anymore because I
do
love you, everything about you. I don’t care that you’re an enforcer for the mob or that you deal heroin. I should care, but I don’t.” She pulled her t-shirt on over her head then bent over to pick up her pants.

“Hold up. How do you know about that?” I stood up to block her path. Putting my hands on her upper arms, I forced her to look at me. “Who the fuck are you?”

She was shaking, vibrating with fear, but her tear-filled eyes didn’t waver from my gaze. “I work for the DEA.”

I released her like she’d told me she had some contagious disease. My first reaction was to hit her, maybe snap her neck, but I couldn’t because I fucking loved her. I knew Gio would expect me to kill her if he found out.

“Is your name even Lauren?” I said with a sneer.

“Yes. My last name is different and aside from my job, everything I told you about my past is the truth.”

I couldn’t even look at her, and I couldn’t hurt her, but she had hurt me plenty. “Just go.”

“Victor, please. I know people who can help your sister.”

“I don’t want your help.”

“But, Victor.”

“Get out!” I yelled, still unable to look at her. She stopped trying to talk to me and I pretended to stare out the window, but watched Lauren’s reflection as she finished getting dressed. She looked over at me once and her shoulders slumped when she realized I was done talking.

“I’m sorry,” she said and quietly left the room. Minutes later I heard the front door shut. I don’t know if she called a cab or walked home, and I didn’t care.