I almost killed him.
“You’re worthless.”
The voice haunts me as I stumble back to my car.
* * *
I slide into the straight-backed chair as the boss of Montreal sits across from me, eyeing me sharply.
“I got a very interesting call right before you showed up here.”
I resist the urge to look behind me.
“What?”
“Benjie seems to be scared out of his mind. Said you screamed about your father before almost choking him to death.”
My insides freeze as the guys surrounding John immediately drop their eyes.
A dangerous, crooked grin stretches his face. “Are you cracking up?”
Admit weakness and you’re dead.
“The guy was getting smart with me.”
He leans across the table. “First you kidnap your ex-girlfriend from witness protection. Then you choke out one of our business partners.”
I bristle at his tone. “She had my son. What did you expect me to do?”
Johnny’s black eyes glitter. “That still doesn’t explain—”
“I was pissed off, all right?”
“Look, I realize that you might be a little fucked up from prison, but I cannot deal with this right now.”
My scars still burn and my eyes scan the restaurant restlessly.
“Whatever you’re doing with that fucking girl is none of my business, but—”
“You’re right,” I say, my voice leaden. “It’s not.”
“You’re being sloppy.”
His voice rings in my ears like a high-pitched tone. I won’t deny that the family business is high on my priority list. I have a son who needs me, an overzealous cop with a crush on my girl, and this asshole, giving me a hard time.
I don’t give a damn about Johnny’s problems, but the man has power over me. He’s the boss. All it takes is a nod from him, and I’m dead.
“All I want is to start working again to provide for my family.”
“Family? That girl is kidnapped.”
“So?”
“She’s not your family. She’s your hostage.”
Right now, maybe.
“Not when I get another kid inside her.”
He just stares at me. “What?”
“I’m trying to knock her up again.”
He shakes his head, looking at the others for help. “He’s lost his fucking mind.”
“I’m not crazy for wanting to start a family.”
“No, you’re crazy for wanting to start one with the girl you kidnapped. The same girl who sent you to jail.”
“I know what she did. She’s being punished for it.”
His eyebrows narrow at my tone. “Take it down a fucking notch. I’m just saying that girl will go to the cops the moment she gets a chance.”
Cops. The word brings back that fuckhead’s mug in my memory, and my lip curls.
“There’s something you should know. This cop came to my house before I went out.”
“Who?”
“Some asshole. Frank Boucher.”
“Fuck.” He leans back into his chair with an aggravated sigh. “He’s RCMP and has a huge hard-on for organized crime.”
Fucking perfect.
“This is what I’m fucking talking about. She’s going to run to him the first chance she gets.”
An image of Claire recoiling under his touch flashes through my head. “Not going to happen.”
“Do me a fucking favor and lay low for now. I still have the CSIS up my ass about the shooting at Sorel-Tracy.”
I get to my feet, the chair scraping back as Johnny rises from his, smoothing over his jacket.
“You’re on thin ice.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
His glacial tone calls after me.
“Luc, don’t make me regret keeping this girl alive, and,” he smiles darkly, “welcome to fatherhood.”
* * *
Signal. Left. Stop. Green. Go.
My mind is on autopilot as I drive back home, numbed by the fact that I might be actually going insane.
I focus on them. My girl and our son.
She must be pretty pissed off at me right now, but I’m on my way back to her. My cock stirs to life just thinking about her tied up on that bed. The first thing I’ll do is rip that dress away. I’ll cut it from her body and play with her tits and pussy while she’s powerless to stop me. I want her honey-brown hair wrapped around my fist as I fuck her mouth. And then, yes, I’ll blow my load inside her. My son needs a sibling to play with and she’ll give it to me.
Sirens wail behind me, and I glance in the rearview mirror. Red and blue lights flash over the unmarked car.
“Fuck!”
I definitely wasn’t speeding.
I pull the steering wheel to the right, the car bouncing on the uneven road. I grind to a halt in front of an old video store as the cop car follows me. The engine dies as I turn the key, and a growl reverberates in my throat as I watch him throw open his door.