Page 7 of The Sicilian Princess
Nick
Iwas an asshole. I was telling myself off internally in my truck after leaving Rose in her motel room panting for me. She just got under my skin. That display with Amber made my cock harder than a rock. I didn't need to be hard in front of the people I have built a life around. It's not like this was New York, where women were bitches and fought each other just to get to someone higher in the rankings. The townspeople around here weren't cutthroat. Although that shit Amber pulled wasn't normal, either. She must've heard I was at the diner with Rose and gotten territorial. The only problem was that I didn't do clingy chicks. Then there was the other problem. Rose was marking me, in a way, when she poured that cold coffee down Amber's shirt. Yet it was hot as fuck, her pouty mouth drawn in a tight line, her displeasure on display. I held it in, until I got to her room, but I couldn't hold back any longer. I wanted to turn her frown into a moan of pleasure, bounce her on my cock until she was screaming the walls down in ecstasy. I groaned out loud, running my hand down my face. I was fighting my inner beast, trying not to turn around and pound on Rose's door until she opened it, then pound her pussy harder than I would've done her door. I adjusted my cock in my pants. There was no way I would be able to fuck Rose the way I wanted to. Besides, she wasn't mine, and I had work to do.
I'd spent the whole day with Rose. That put me behind schedule. I had a few guys stop by the ranch and check on things, but still, I never neglected work. It was my happy place, my sanctuary. I pulled into my land and let out a sigh of relief. Solitude, that's what I worked off of. My property was on the other side of town. It was right on the outskirts, perfect for me because I hated people. The only person who had been invited to stay on my property had been Maddox. Like I conjured him up, Maddox revealed himself from the shadows of the porch that wrapped around my house.
"Speak of the devil," I muttered.
"You weren't talking, asshole," Maddox stated with no heat. We were going on two long years of friendship guised underneath insults and barbs because that's just how we were.
"What are you doing here?" I hadn't expected him to stay around tonight. My thoughts were all over the place. This was whatshedid to me and I was sure she would continue to affect me until she finally left this town.
"I just wanted to see where your head was. By now, everyone has heard about what happened at the diner with Amber and Rose." Maddox had a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Are you staying for dinner, fuck face?" I growled at him.
"You could at least feed me for all the hard work I put in around here." Maddox playfully shoved me.
I socked him in the gut, and we went inside. No need to shoot the shit on the porch. He could've stayed inside. Maddox was the closest thing I had to family. Well, the closest thing I had to family in this life. I shook off the past and washed up at the sink. Maddox grabbed us a few beers and popped down at the counter. Most guys would probably go out to eat, but we ate so much at the diner, I eventually got sick of it. At the end of last year, I taught myself how to cook. Nothing too fancy but enough to get by. I briefly wondered if Rose could cook. Then I panicked, thinking I should've invited her over. Then I remembered she just ate at the diner and I needed to stop thinking about her, like a crazy person.
"So, what's up with Rose?" Maddox wasn't one to beat around the bush.
I didn't say anything, just started chopping ingredients at the counter waiting for him to tell me his opinion. That's what he was good at. I didn't need to talk if I didn't want to.
"I think she's good for you."
I halted mid-slice and glared at him. He had an innocent expression on his face like he didn't just tell me it was a good idea to pursue Rose.
"I'm sorry. Did you forget who the fuck I am?" The enforcer was out. Sometimes I couldn't control it, but for some reason, I was irrationally angry. Of course, I wanted Rose. I wanted her to go. It would make my life simpler, which was exactly how I wanted it.
"Of course not, but aren't you sick and tired of living half your life?" For fuck's sake. Maddox was in one of his contemplative moods. It was where he started to look at the big picture. He started dreaming of more than this tiny town. Some days, he wanted kids and that white picket fence. Others, he wanted to become a big shot in some big city somewhere. I told him the city is not all it's cracked up to be.
"Who says I'm not living?" I dropped the meat in the wok, glad my back was turned to him so he couldn't see my reaction to this conversation. I didn't think he was going to be talking tonight. Contrary to what women believe, some men talk about shit.
"You haven't had a relationship since you came out here, just sticking your cock into any wet hole that swings your way. It's been years; you need to stop running and start living."
I shuddered just thinking about letting my guard down. "Doesn't mean that Rose Thornberry is the one for me."
Maddox threw me a knowing glance. I was just being contrary for shits and giggles at this point.
"The way you were eye fucking her in the diner, says differently."
I barked out a laugh. Maddox had never pulled any punches. I let my thoughts drift as I finished up something for us to eat. It's the least I could do for Maddox. While I was spending all my time with Rose, he had come back here to take care of everything on the ranch. That way, I wouldn't need to be up late tonight.
"I think I'm going to show up at Doc Brown's in the morning, just to check on her." I caught the look Maddox threw my way. He wouldn't call me out on my bullshit, but he could smell it a mile away. It was fine. It wasn't like I was trying to claim her or anything. I told myself that I would do this for anyone in town. I probably would. With Rose, it was different, though. I couldn't help the urges that rose within me. She set off every baby girl radar I had. I could also tell she was lying about almost everything that came out of her pretty little mouth. I briefly let myself imagine fucking that lying mouth, putting my cock against her bee stung lips and sliding in. It would be like washing her mouth out with soap, but more fun for me. Instead of spitting, she had to swallow all my cum.
I made a quick stir-fry and put it on plastic plates. I never had people over, so I didn't have to try to impress anyone. We didn't talk about much as we stuffed our faces. Then Maddox took off. He had some chick he wanted to link up with at the bar. He invited me, but I declined. I was beat, and if I was being honest with myself, going out looking for a woman didn't seem all that appealing. I would never be too honest and admit it had something to do with the white-haired beauty I met today. Instead, I lied just a little to myself and thought it would be more work than what I wanted to put in. Instead, for the first time ever, I went to bed without hunting someone to slake my needs.
The man in front of me was a rat. I already had the proof I needed, but I still had a part to play. I needed to make sure he didn't leak any vital information to the bratva. I knew we couldn't trust him. He wasn't even Italian, just some street rat we picked up to be a runner. He'd worked his way up and gained enough trust to be there for meetings, I told the underboss we couldn't trust him. He connived and lied to get his way through the ranks. I kept my eyes on his every move, and now we were here. He was sniveling and tied to a chair.
"Disgusting." I spat in his face. "No loyalty. Nothing. We gave you a new life, and what do you do? You consort with the fucking bratva." I breathed out my nose trying to calm down. There were two things in this life I hated. Liars and recreants. This rat was both. I would take great pleasure in what was about to come next, but first, information. I started with his fingers. I gripped his pinky and looked deeply into his eyes. I wanted to see and make sure he knew who was doing what. I didn't want him to forget. Besides, I loved watching the reactions in each of their eyes until they drew their very last breaths.
"What did you tell the bratva?" I smiled at him. It was the one I wore just before I let the mask slip. I would wear the smile to get sheep to trust me. I wore it until I had no more use for it. Once it slipped, they were fucked. His wrists were tied with 5mm polypropylene rope. The smaller size made the rope dig into his skin more. The knots were tighter, and he would bleed if he struggled. The scent of blood started to fill the air. It had begun. I didn't repeat my question. I just rotated the digit in my hand and waited for him. I had a lot of patience. I needed it in this kind of job. Sometimes it could take all night to get the answers I needed. Sometimes days if they were particularly stubborn. I doubted this rat would be too thick. He would break. They always did.
"I ain't tell 'em anything," he panted.
I looked at him silently. The lie was easy to spot. I almost let out a sigh, but I couldn't let him see that he bothered me with his dishonestly. Instead, I smiled brighter.
"No?" I slowly forced pressure on his finger as I held it slightly back. Just enough for him to squirm, but not enough for him to be in pain. Not yet. I waited, but he thought that if he clammed up, I'd just kill him and get it over with. Not good enough. I snapped the digit back. He moaned in pain, but this was nothing and he knew that. He'd seen my work. If he wanted to protect the bratva fucks in our territory, then he would have more pain. I didn't even wait for the buildup. I snapped the rest his fingers on his hand in all different directions. I could feel myself getting worked up. It was too early. I couldn't finish him yet. I needed to reel it in. I checked in his eyes again, but what I saw there excited me. His eyes were no longer filled with fear. Instead, they were glossed over. Cold. Unfeeling. Oh, this rat wanted to play. I could give him play.
