Page 53 of New Orleans Collection

I don’t want to upset her.

I don’t want her to look at me like I’m a monster.

I want her to want us as much as we want her. I want her to choose us.

Which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense considering a lot of women have chosen me over the years. The thing is, I know those women chose me because of what I could do for them, whether they realized it at the time or not. If Fleur chooses to be with me and my brothers, it won’t be because of what we can do for her.

She doesn’t need us in her life. She has power at her fingertips if she wants it. She has money she only has to snap her fingers to get. She has support from her family and a club of men who would kill for her because of the loyalty that runs through their veins.

She doesn’t need us.

I want her to want us. I want her to choose us.

Maybe it’s too much to ask considering she walked away from us without a backwards glance.

I absently rub my chest over where my heart feels sluggish. It’s felt that way since I woke up to find Fleur gone with only the lingering smell of her perfume and something uniquely her reminding me that what we shared was real. Fuck. It was so real. I’ve been kicking myself for not sinking into her tight pussy for days.

I should have fucked her hard and filled her with my cum. I should have fought my brother for that right, but I thought I would have plenty of time. I figured she would fall at our feet and never walk away.

I was wrong.

Roch looks at me from where he’s been sniveling at my feet with fear in his eyes. I sigh and shake my head, knowing he’ll be able to see the disappointment in my eyes. Roch is someone who scurries through the seedier side of New Orleans, and he always keeps his eyes and ears open for me.

I’m sure it helps that I pay him very well for his skills and his loyalty. Only one of those things do I actually trust and, believe me, it’s not his loyalty.

I have zero doubt that Roch would sell me out if it was a better deal. Which is why I also make sure to instill a healthy bit of fear in the man.

He has a nasty little habit of losing his money at underground poker tables and with bookies who are more than willing to take his losing streak out on him. And he always has a losing streak going. He might be the kind of guy who people can ignore and forget about, which means they have loose tongues around him, but he has horrible luck when it comes to winning.

I would almost feel bad for him if using him didn’t work for me while helping my brothers and myself from time to time.

Since Viola was abducted and had to be rescued from Juan Martinez months ago, Roch has been on the lookout for anything to do with Martinez, his whereabouts, and his business. I hate that the piece of shit who dared to put his hands on my sister went to ground, and we haven’t been able to find him yet. He should never have gotten through that day with his life, but Martinez is a cockroach like that.

He’s been quiet since then. I wish my gut was telling me he had abandoned his business and need for power here in New Orleans, but I know that is only wishful thinking. There’s no way he left the city. He must be biding his time while making plans.

Which is where Roch comes in.

“I’m sorry,” he fucking sniffles like he’s about to cry and I barely stop myself from roaring at the man in frustration. “There’s still no word about Martinez. No one on the street is talking about him. None of the guys who used to do business with him acknowledge his existence. His bookies have all gone underground.”

“Roch,” I growl his name and he flinches, “if I find out you’re blowing sunshine up my ass I am going to be pissed.

His hands, which were hovering in front of him at chest height, go even higher like I’m holding him at gunpoint—which I am not—and he wants me to know he’s not armed. “I promise you. I haven’t heard anything.”

I narrow my eyes. “What about the Riding Rebels MC?”

Roch starts to shake his head rapidly at the mention of a rival club who decided it would be a good idea to antagonize the DSMC a few months ago, not long after everything went down with Viola. They had business dealings with Martinez, which means we now keep an eye on them as they navigate their little leadership transition. It’s taken them longer to get their feet underneath them after the death of their Prez than I would have thought.

But, then again, maybe that’s what happens when your whole club is full of men who are more interested in pussy than business and loyalty.

My family lucked out with the ties we have to the DSMC.

Which has me thinking about Fleur. It would strengthen our ties for the club princess to be married into the Guidice family. I shake my head and tell myself to ponder that shit later. Especially considering the thought of her wearing only a sparkling diamond ring and a pregnant belly is making my cock get hard as a fucking rock.

Not like the fucker has stopped being hard since I woke up to find out Fleur ran from us.

“They’re still trying to get their shit together after Anarchy’s,” Roch swallows hard and his eyes dart away from mine, but I know it’s from fear and not from lies, “disappearance. They are selling some low-level shit out of The Alloy Riot, but you know about that already.”

“We do,” I grunt, making sure to remind him that while I might be the only Guidice standing in front of him, there are more at my back.

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