“Get your shit together. The fuck is wrong with you?” Benny shouts at Jeremiah. “We need to get out of here now.”
“Don’t do this, Benny,” I say when he grabs me by the arms and pulls me toward the entryway where two of Devlin’s men lie in pools of blood. “He’ll kill you.”
“Your father isn’t going to kill one of us over your fat ass,” Jeremiah spits.
The hate in his eyes has me stepping closer to Benny. I’ve clearly gotten some spunk since I’ve been with my Devlin, but I’m not that stupid. Still, I can’t help but to poke a bit, knowing Benny is in between us.
“I’m not talking about my father,” I respond when Benny pulls me outside to a waiting SUV. He shoves me into the back. The doors barely close, and the driver takes off.
“You really think your husband is going to come after you? That you’re worth risking death?” Jeremiah asks. He tries to speak derisively, but I can sense the undernote of fear in his voice.
“I don’t think so. I know so.”
Jeremiah starts to laugh. “Maybe he’ll get mad, but that’s all ego. He doesn’t really give a shit about you. Devlin Harrigan only made you his wife because he was left with no other choice once he found out who you were.”
“No.” I shake my head. “He loves me.”
He must see the small hint of self-doubt in my eyes, because Jeremiah only laughs harder at my response. I don’t want to believe him. Then again, Devlin did rush me down the aisle after my father left. Is that why he married me after all?
21
Devlin
By the time I get to the club, all the dancers are running out or already in their cars. What the fuck?
One of Alonzo’s men is standing out front, and he raises a hand as if to stop me. To search me? I almost laugh as I throat punch him so hard I doubt he sees tomorrow. He falls in a heap and clutches his neck.
Pulling my pistol, I burst through the front doors, but Brenda comes out of nowhere and takes me to the ground at the coat room.
I try to get up, but she puts a finger to her lips, a gun in her other hand.
“What the fuck is going on?” I whisper.
She points, then moves me a little to the side so I can see past the front office and into the club.
Alonzo and his men are there, and I can tell they’ve shot the place all to hell. Shattered glass, busted tables and chairs—all fucking wrecked.
“Anyone hurt?” I ask, keeping my voice low.
She shakes her head. “No one shot, but five of them kicked the shit out of Malone. He’s alive, though,” she adds quickly when she sees the alarm in my face. “I was going to take them all out, but then I figured I needed to wait for you. Mafia rules and all that.” She rolls her eyes.
“When is your little ass-clown boss going to show up, shithead?” Alonzo’s voice cuts through the room. It’s quiet in here with no music, only the sound of the air conditioner humming in the background.
“Why? You ready to get on your knees and give the best head of your life? Won’t save you, though. Not even—” Malone grunts as Alonzo buries his knee into his stomach.
“You’ve got a smart goddamn mouth. I’m going to enjoy silencing it for you once that little bitch Devlin gets here.”
“He’s not going to just walk into a trap, dumbass.” Malone groans as Alonzo’s men yank him back to his knees, and one of them puts a gun to his head.
“He’s already in it.” Alonzo turns and strides to the bar, pushing through to the server area and grabbing a bottle from the top shelf. He’s closer now, so close that if he looks our way, he’ll see us.
I glance at Brenda.
All of them? she mouths.
She’s asking if she can kill without discrimination. As in, can she even take out Alonzo. I should say no. I should try and keep the shaky peace between the bosses of this city. But I can’t let this insult go unanswered. Busting into my club and shooting up my shit? No, this won’t stand. Even so, I need to tread carefully. I have to think ahead—
“Has he been enjoying tapping that fat pussy?” Alonzo smirks and walks back to Malone.
My grip tightens on my pistol.
Brenda puts a hand on my upper arm, her gaze steady. She gives me a slight shake of the head. Don’t be rash. Don’t do anything that could get Malone killed. I try to focus on what she’s telegraphing to me instead of what Alonzo is saying.
“I used to hit a fat girl. She loved to suck my cock, you know? I think it was because she was ashamed to get naked and show me all those rolls.” He laughs. “Does Don Calabrezi’s little piggy get naked with him or does he just shoot his load down her throat?”