Page 18 of Playing to Win

“I take it back. I’m not going to murder you,” she says, wearing my shirt from yesterday, hair in a messy bun and voice thick with sleep.

“It’s my impeccable demeanor, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, right. Dragging me out bed this early, I’m going with orgasms and that you can cook.” She adds her sugar while I push the bagel down in the toaster.

“Fairy, we both know it’s the full fucking package.” I wrap my arms around her from behind as she takes a sip of her coffee. “Fucking sucks I’ve got to ruin our morning, but Sylvester is finding a wealth of information, and I want to prepare you.” It seems like there’s always some kind of corruption whenever there’s money involved. I’m not saying taking a life is a good thing, but my moral compass is fucking skewered when it comes to Danica. There are men who deserve to die and men who deserve to rot in prison. Prison was too good for Brian. Air to breathe was too great a gift for the likes of him. As for Charles, taking away his money, a free life, and being known as an abuser, well, that’s a whole other story.

“Okay, let’s do this.” She turns around, and I lift her up until she’s sitting on the countertop. “Man, my ass always takes the brunt of you picking me up,” she jokes.

“Make your bagel while I talk.” The bagel pops up, and I plop it on a plate, grab the knife and cream cheese, then slide it on the counter nearest to her thigh.

“Okay, caveman.” She rolls her eyes but gets to work while I make myself another cup of coffee.

“Sylvester found the weakest link among them. Shit is happening, and it’s going to happen fast. Each of the guys who were in on a not-so-complicated money laundering deal are ratting each other out left and right. It’s only a matter of time until the media gets ahold of it, which means I need to know what to do about your mom.” The bite of bagel she was about to take after she smothered and covered it with cream cheese is held out in front of her. The slew of emotions crossing her face has me worried. Maybe this is too much too fucking soon. It helped that Four Brothers and Sylvester have an auditor in place. A few key links from Danica, and shit happened fast.

“Make sure she’s safe. Please don’t let Charles hurt her. Not anymore.”

“Done. I’ll set her up. We’ve got houses where she’ll have a soft place to land, and I’ll get her an untraceable phone. Anything else?” She shakes her head. I pluck the bagel from her hand, drop it to the plate, and my hands cup her cheeks. “Everything is going to be okay, I promise you.” Her eyes close, our foreheads meet, and her arms wraparound my waist. I let her have her moment. When she’s ready, she knows this is where I’ll be. Always by her side no matter what.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Danica

“Theo?”I ask through the open doorway leading from the living room to the outdoor area. It’s two days after he told me their plan was in place. He was true to his word, and Theo and his friends—well, my friends now, too—their wives included, rallied. Apparently, I’m not the first woman in our group to need help. I’m hopeful I’ll be the last. These guys have done more than enough for me, and I have no way of paying them back. Though, I’m sure even if I could, they wouldn’t allow it.

“I take it things went well?” he asks, stepping outside. I stand up from my chair and walk toward him, my head nodding rapidly like I’m a bobble head figurine.

“Yeah, she wants to see me, and I want to see her, too.” I look up at him, my neck craning as I wrap my arms around his waist. One of his hands slides beneath my hair, fingers going to the base of my neck and working their magic.

“I want that for you, but we need to make sure the dust settles. Let the district attorney do their investigating. The last thing any of us want is to think she had anything to do with Charles and EverTrust with the bullshit that keeps coming to light.” The money laundering was the tip of the iceberg. Charles and his associates were also luring young men and women into the lion’s den. They’d come up with some kind of made up scheme, telling them if they didn’t do what they said, they’d make their lives and their families’ lives a living hell any way possible. Financially, politically, and sexually. Preying on the innocent. They’re sick, sick people, and I’m so glad they’re getting what they deserve. The shitty part about this equation is not being able to see my mom yet. It’s been too many years, and now she’s hours away, secluded in a high-rise apartment, staying sequestered in what I know is the lap of luxury because there is one thing about the Four Brothers: they like what they like, money isn’t an object, and what they like is nice to the extreme.

“Mom said that, too, but it really sucks. Maybe in a few more days?” The hopefulness in my tone has Theo grinning. His upper lip shows a glint of his perfect teeth.

“More than likely by the weekend if things go as planned. She’ll have to figure out where to go next. Charles’ assets are frozen, and the house is an active crime scene since he took his work home,” he explains, a matter I didn’t know, so it must be a new discovery.

“Yikes. Well, she’ll figure it out, or we’ll help her.” I go to the tips of my toes, and it’s still not enough for me not to tilt my head back so far in order for us to be at eye level. Theo gets the hint. His hands move to my waist, and he lifts me off the ground. My legs immediately wrap around his waist. These days, I’m not upset one bit about him carrying me around.

“We will,” he agrees.

“Have I told you lately how happy you make me?” I kiss the side of his lips, pull back, and continue, “How thankful I am to have you in my life?” Another kiss, this time on the Cupid’s bow of his lip, ending with my last question, “And how much I love you?” He groans deep inside his throat and attacks my mouth with his, walking us until my body meets the railing. Our kiss isn’t soft and sweet; it’s hard and aggressive.

“Fuck, you make me happier than ever.” He pulls back to nip at my lower lip with his teeth, soothing it with his tongue. “Best day of my life was walking into our home and finding you on your knees, when you threw your attitude back at my face when I gave you shit.” He proceeds to suck my top lip into his mouth, eyes locked on one another’s, neither of us not so much as blinking. “And, woman, I love you so damn much, you’re permanently ingrained in my soul.” He goes back to kissing me. This man, Jesus, what he does to me. He’s always one-upping me with his actions, his words, his devotion to me, and I’m going to hold on to him with two hands for the rest of my life.

Epilogue

DANICA

Four Months Later

“Theo,you did not put a ring on my finger without asking. Fucking caveman,” I groan out loud. I’m in bed, flat on my back, and he is doing wicked things with his tongue once again. The man is addicted to my pussy, which works for me because I’m addicted to his cock. What I was not prepared for on the day I was scheduled to walk across the stage was waking up to being engaged.

“Fairy.” His voice reverberates along my slit. There is not rushing Theo. If he wants to eat me, he’s going to even if we’re both late. Which we will be if he doesn’t stop licking me like I’m dessert for breakfast.

“Yeah, yeah, I accept.” I throw out a pretend yawn. It’s all an act. I pretend like I don’t secretly love his caveman behavior or how he likes to carry me around. I love him and his crazy-ass antics.

“I had no doubt.” His head peeks through the sheet I lifted up when I woke up at him moving my legs to accommodate his broad shoulders.

“And if I had said no?” I ask. God, this man. There are a lot of women out there who wouldn’t be able to deal with him and his overprotectiveness, his obsessive behavior when he has to know my comings and goings. I do, and for good reason. Theo Goldman saved me when I was drowning, not technically, but I was drowning in misery, barely existing in this great big world. I mean, on top of having him and his friends, I now have a relationship with my mom again, who is honest to God thriving. She’s working at a women’s shelter, living outside of the city, and is now divorced. Mom is also no longer using her married name and went back to her maiden name, much needed if you ask me. We don’t talk a lot about her time with Charles, and I’m glad. It would make me angry all over again. She talks to her friends, and, well, I talk to Theo if I’m having a moment.

---