Hearts on Fire 5: Loving Frankie(9)

He chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m not moving in on Hawkins’s territory. I’m just stating the facts. You’re a stunning young woman. Kind of remind me of Carrie Underwood, except you have that real long platinum-blonde hair. And a better body.” He winked.

“I’m not even from the South,” she replied as she lifted the tray.

“Where exactly are you from?” he asked, and she felt her chest tighten, and immediately she lost her smile. Shark definitely picked up on that.

“Far from here,” she told him as she headed away from the bar and to the guys whose drinks she needed to deliver.

On her approach, she took in the sight of the brothers. Rye appeared to be the youngest. He was very handsome, with spiked, crew-cut hair, hazel eyes, and very smooth skin. He seemed like the type who shaved his chest so his muscles would show better in the summertime.

Mike was the opposite. He had lots of tattoos and looked in need of a shave, which she surprisingly found very sexy.

“Hey, babe, we thought you forgot about us,” one guy said as he eyed over her chest and bit his lower lip.

“Nope, just really busy tonight. Sorry for the wait.” She passed around the drinks.

The other guy tipped her and paid the bill.

“Your eye looks like it might need some ice,” he told her.

“Yes, I’m planning on taking a break and doing that right now.”

“You want some company?” he asked, and she felt the hands on her waist at the same time she heard the deep voice next to her ear.

“She’s taken care of.”

Frankie heard Turbo’s voice and gulped. “Take your tip, Frankie, and then come with me so you can ice that eye.”

She reached onto the table, saw the annoyed expressions on the guy’s face, and then said thank you.

Turbo held her by her waist and walked away from the table with her in tow.

“You’re on break. Charlie said to come to the back room.”

He escorted her, and she noticed the eyes upon her and Turbo as they walked together. Now people would think they were an item. Was that a bad thing? She couldn’t help but feel her body hum with an awareness she wasn’t accustomed to. But her fear, her distrust was more powerful. The moment they got into the hallway so she wouldn’t make a public scene, she pulled from his hold. As she turned around, he nearly collided with her, and she wound up against the wall palms, flat behind her. She gasped, and he held her gaze.

“I don’t need an escort for a break. I also don’t need some guy I don’t even know acting like I belong to him. Go back with your friends,” she told him, her voice cracking and giving away how intimidated she was of Turbo. He was so muscular and defined that she could see the cords of muscle in his neck leading under his dark-blue dress shirt. It didn’t help that he smelled really good, too.

His expression held steady. Confidence, control, and something else oozed from his gaze, making her hesitate walking away in a huff, as she expected she should after her statement.

He held her by her arms, gently. The feel of large, masculine hands against her skin did a number on her.

“You have an escort, whether you like it or not. I was there when that woman attacked you for no reason. I’m concerned about your cheek and eye.”

“Why?” she snapped at him.

He licked his lower lip, and she couldn’t help but watch him and wonder what it would feel like to have a man like Turbo kiss her, hold her, and make her feel safe. Instantly, that word, safe, made her chest tighten and had her stepping back. He stepped closer. Now she was pinned between him and the wall.

“Are you kidding me? I know you feel it. That deep sensation, that inner instinct that says there’s something happening between us. Between all of us.”

Her eyes widened. Was he talking about his brothers, too? A ménage? A relationship of some sort with four men and her? Was he out of his mind? She’d sustained the abuse and lies from one older guy whom she thought she could trust. Why would she set herself up for such torment and pain again?

She shook her head.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t feel a thing.”

He ran his thumb and pointer along her chin, gripping it gently as he looked down into her eyes. The man was tall. She felt feminine, petite, and protected just standing this close to him. How would she feel with their bodies entwined and his cock deep inside of her?

She was shocked by her own thoughts and felt her heated cheeks give away his ability to get to her. He didn’t smile, smirk, or give any facial indication that he read her like a book. Instead, he gently stroked that thumb of his along her jaw to her neck and then leaned forward as though he was going to kiss her. She turned slightly. Enough to make his lips press against her jaw then to her ear.

“Don’t be sacred of my brothers and me. We’ll take things slow, Frankie. As slow as you need.” He kissed her earlobe. She couldn’t help but to close her eyes and relish the feelings he drew out of her. She’d never felt anything like this before. She was stunned.

“Let’s get that ice and make some plans so my brothers and I can see you again.”

His words snapped her out of the fog she was in as he took her hand and led her down the hall. She pulled her hand from his gentle hold, and he paused by the office door, staring at her as though she’d hurt his feelings. It was so crazy, this instant attraction and this need for her to not like another man or take another chance. Kevin had really screwed her up big time.

He stared down into her eyes and opened the door. Charlie and Lure were in there, waiting for them.

“Damn, Frankie, it’s swelling up good. I think you’re done for the night. Let’s ice this and call it a night,” Lure told her as he took her hand and escorted her to one of the chairs in the office.

She sat down, crossed her legs, and accepted the bag of ice from Charlie. As she looked at the three men, she noticed Turbo exchange looks with Lure. Something was going on, but at the moment, she didn’t care. Her cheek was aching, and the ice was very cold. It cooled down her libido, bringing her body temperature to a normal level. But one look at Turbo standing there in the office, looking so big and sexy, made her feel as though the ice was melting, and she was not going to be able to resist his advances for long.





Chapter 3




“Getting arrested is not keeping a low fucking profile,” Sal Baletti told Gloria as he gripped her upper arm and escorted her out of the local police station. She couldn’t believe Sal was here to spring her.

“It wasn’t my fault. That bitch had it coming.”

He squeezed her arm a little harder, and she gasped from the pain. Sal was a mean son of a bitch and a big shot around New Jersey. He didn’t say a word more until they were in the parking lot and his driver opened the door to the black SUV with the tinted windows.

She felt a little scared now. She’d fucked up in more ways than just striking Little Miss Sweetheart.

Before she could get a look inside the SUV, a hard hand gripped the back of her head and hair, pulling her across the seat. Her face hit the hard leather and the door. She cried out.

“You stupid bitch,” Gino, Sal’s cousin, yelled.

“Get us the fuck out of here. Bring us to the warehouse. This bitch is done,” Sal ordered as the SUV took off.

“No. No please, Gino, Sal, please give me another chance. I know I screwed up. I know I lost my shit and let my anger get the better of me.”

Smack.

“Oh!” she cried out after Gino gave her a backhand to her mouth.

She grabbed onto Gino’s knees as she knelt on the floor, crunched up in the small space.

“Please. Please don’t kill me.”

Gino glanced at Sal, and Sal leaned back in his seat. He wouldn’t look at her.

“You cost us thousands of dollars. You fucked up a good operation at that club. We were bringing in a shitload every week.”

“I’ll make it up to you. I’ll get into another place and get it hooked up in no time.”

“That’s time we don’t have. It’s not all our money, Gloria. The dough we made at Prestige selling drugs covered our loan and interest from Carlotto. In fact, while you were fucking that sleezeball in the back room, we were negotiating terms and selling the Prestige business entirely to Carlotto. He’s been interested in taking over some of the Jersey connections. This is really bad. I had to call him and tell him it wasn’t going to happen because one fucked-up, stupid bitch addicted to coke and cock screwed us all. And do you know what he told me?”

She shook her head and felt the tears roll down her cheeks.

“Kill the bitch and get me my fucking money. He upped the interest on our loan. We’re fucked, Gloria, absolutely fucked, and you’re a liability.”

The SUV stopped, and Gloria looked at Gino. He moved his jacket to the side, revealing his gun. “Don’t try to run. Just accept your fate. When Louie Carlotto issues an order, there’s no negotiating.”



* * * *



Deputy Turbo Hawkins was on the scene along with Detective Buddy Landers and Sheriff Jake McCurran. It didn’t take a seasoned detective to see that someone had tried to get rid of a body in the bay near the inlet that led to the ocean. Treasure Island did have its share of homicides over the years. People got crazy or even violent when they were drinking all day or night, but rarely did people try to dump bodies in the ocean from the shoreline.