Page 41 of The Leader

“She’s not going to jail,” he agreed. Jazzy sagged against him, the tension leaving her body. He was surprised she’d thought he would let that happen. She belonged to him now, with a murderous sister and all.

“She’s going to be okay,” Jazzy mumbled, as if trying to convince herself. “We’re all going to be okay.”

“I would never let anything happen to you, you know that, right? A threat against my wife, is a threat against me.”

And there it was. A flicker in her gaze, before she looked down, hiding the story in her eyes.

“Spill.”

“What?” She looked confused.

“Anything you need to share with me? Any deep, hidden secrets? Skeletons in the closet?”

Her eyes flamed up. Damn, he wanted to put her over his lap when that happened. He needed to be in control, though. There were boundaries he would discuss, and she would accept. If she didn’t, there would be consequences. She needed to understand that.

“If I told you what they were, they wouldn’t be deep and hidden anymore, now would they?”

He was on her in a heartbeat. She gasped when he pushed her up against the wall, his knee between her legs, up to her core. Her pupils dilated, and he had to rein in the urge to strip her right here, right now.

“No more secrets. I can’t protect you if I don’t know whatever it is you’re hiding from.” There it was, the faceless expression she donned when he said she was running from something. “Or whomever,” he added.

“Please.” A soft whisper.

He pulled her back against him. This wasn’t over yet. Whatever it was she was afraid of, he would get to the bottom of it. Later. When she wasn’t shaking against him.

She cleared her throat. “Franco. Is he—”

“He was still breathing when Hector moved him.”

A sigh of relief. “Good. The bastard deserves to suffer before he dies in prison. I suppose I’ll have to give a statement to the police.”

“No, you don’t. We didn’t exactly call an ambulance for him, Jaz. The medical personal you just saw don’t work at a regular hospital, and they didn’t come here in a regular ambulance. There won’t be any police involved.”

“But—”

“Franco’s been taken care of. We won’t speak of this anymore.” Like he would ever let a bastard that had taken a shot at her live. The mere thought was ludicrous.

“Wait a minute. What about Tommie? He’s been shot. Gunshot wounds are always reported to the police.”

“Tommie’s been taken to a private clinic, just like your sister. There will be no report of a gunshot wound.”

“I want to see them.”

“You will.”

His chauffeur didn’t need any directions to the clinic. It wasn’t the first time they visited the place.

When they walked into the lobby and asked for Tom Green, a nurse informed them that he was in surgery. Gio had to rethink his initial assessment of the kid, which was one of annoyance. He hadn’t liked the time the man, or any other man, spent with his wife. He wasn’t prepared yet to acknowledge why that was exactly, though he had to admit it seemed fueled by jealousy. A new feeling to him, though not entirely unfamiliar. His father had never tolerated another man around his wife either. Maybe it was just in his genes. However, Tommie Green had taken a bullet for his wife, which meant Gio owed him now.

The nurse took them to Carmen’s room. Her small frame seemed even smaller in the big room, almost disappearing in the bed. Her eyes were closed and according to the nurse, she was sedated. Apparently, she’d broken down after she had learned that she lost the baby.

Gio had seen a lot of shit in his life, could understand all too well what could make a man kill, steal, lie, or cheat to get by in life. But he would never understand a man that would take a hand to his own wife, let alone kill his own blood.

Jazzy was absolutely devastated. She sobbed into his shirt, as he held her in Carmen’s room.

“He killed her baby, Gio. I had just learned this afternoon that I was going to become an aunt. Carmen was so excited.”

Gio realized something that night. Women didn’t have to love their husbands, but this one did. He wanted the fierce passion she defended her sister and friend with. He already had her body, but he wanted her heart, mind, and soul as well. Anything else was unacceptable.

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