OWN HER: A Dark Mafia Romance(84)

I decided to set the tone on a more even keel. “Yeah, sure, I’d love a drink. Johnnie Walker, if you got it.” I knew he had it.



He looked at me a minute, pursing his lips. “You watch yourself, Dom.” Still, he got up, fixed me the drink, and brought it over to me at the couch. He took the armchair, and we studied one another for several seconds while I sipped.



He looked tired. His salt-and-pepper head of long frizz was tied back in a low ponytail, his mostly gray beard hanging down off his chin a few inches. His eyes had dark circles hanging underneath, and the lines on his face seemed more deeply ingrained, especially the ones between his brows, like he spent all his time lately frowning something fierce.



Sienna had not been far off; the man scowled an awful lot. Didn’t used to be like that. There was a day not so long ago when his laughter had rung out loud and often. I guess it’s lonely at the top, especially when you lose your best friend. I knew something about that, myself.



Remembering that, and the way Clav had forced us into this indentured servitude for Joey Ronn, I steeled myself. I was not here to give this man compassion or pity.



“I overheard some shit about you earlier today, Dom. You need to know. That shit you pulled last week with Fielding is comin’ back to bite your ass.”



This was news, though I can’t say I was too surprised. I had figured that there would be some blowback at some point. I guessed we had reached that point.



“Lay it on me.”



“I overheard Joey Ronn and Fielding talkin’ in Ronn’s office at Hardcore. Fielding wants your new woman, and he wants you dead. Ronn’s worried about body count. Fielding said he’d settle for a trade—your head or your woman’s bod.”



Wow. Shit. I had not thought that Sienna would play in on the blowback, but I guess I had overestimated the complete shit-ball that was Fielding.



“You got anything more than that?”



“I don’t know if you understand what I just said. You get what he wants? Not just a onetime use. Fielding is not fucking around. He doesn’t want to just fuck Sienna and be done. On the DL, Dom. Plain language.” He leaned in. “Fielding is a sick fuck. He’s talking about takin’ her for a sex slave.”



My jaw literally dropped, and my eyes widened. No way was this shit was for real.



“So A) he puts a hit on me; or B) he wants…” I couldn’t even say it. It was unthinkable. We were in 2017, right? In America? What. The. Fuck.



“Yeah, he wants. And he’s not fucking around.” Clav looked at me hard, like he was trying to impart some further knowledge and understanding with his eyes, which his mouth was unwilling to say.



“What aren’t you tellin’ me, Clav?”



He noted my use of his name instead of his title and raised his eyebrows a little. “Respect, Dom. Watch it.” He looked at me hard for several seconds longer and then finally answered. “I know some stuff, but it’s not for general consumption, Dom. Ronn and Fielding, they are planning some shit, and you gotta be aware. And maybe it’s best if you and your woman get gone. Not forever, but for a while, till shit gets sorted.”



I nodded my head, seeing his line of thought, and the light bulb flashed in my head. There was a way that this all made sense. “I see what you’re sayin’, Pres. I see that line of thought. But there’s more you ain’t tellin’ me, and at this point, I want explanations.



“How far are you dug in with Ronn, Clav? Don’t bullshit me. I know some big shit is goin’ down. I’m not stupid. I know you’re involved, too. What I don’t know—yet—is how involved you are, and in what capacity. But I know there’s some serious dirt that Ronn must have on you. I want to know why the MC is payin’ for your shit. And I want to know what went down with Manny on that fuckin’ porno lot out of town in February. You owe me—fuck, you owe all of us—some serious explanations. I’ve about had it, man.”



His face was getting red, and his eyes were piercing in a tight, angry lock, and his jaw was clenched, but I was on a roll.



“So maybe now you heard I’m askin’ questions, kickin’ up what is sure as shit goin’ to fuck up your little game with Ronn, so you want to run me out. You think this Fielding shit and sex-slave thing is the easiest way to get rid of me for a while, too, huh? It’s too bizarre. It’s almost laughable. But I ain’t laughin’, man. And I don’t buy it.”



I stood up and over him, and I declared, “You do not threaten me or my woman, and think you can just run me out of town. Now start. The fuck. Talking.”