I pulled into the parking structure and headed back inside. My mind was buzzing with a thousand different scenarios, but one thing kept coming back to me.
I wanted that girl. As soon as I had touched her body, I was reminded all over again. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking about her that way. I couldn’t see her as just another civilian, an enemy of the mafia. I couldn’t think of her as a target.
Sure, she’d lied to me, but fuck, I lied all the time. I didn’t give a damn that her real name was Cassidy or that she thought she was going to use me for a story. She knew as well as I did that she wasn’t going to get shit out of me, that she was really just doing it because she couldn’t help herself.
I saw the way she had looked at me: afraid, but wanting it anyway. She looked at me like she wanted to strip my pants off and suck my cock and then run away screaming.
And that got me fucking hard. I couldn’t explain why. I didn’t want her to be afraid of me, but I also found that fucking fear exciting. I wanted to kiss her softly on the lips while slapping her ass rough. I wanted to make her beg and laugh and come.
But I couldn’t do any of that if Ernesto fucking tortured and killed her.
Once inside, I walked through the halls until I got to the office. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Vince looked up from his desk. “She okay?”
“She’s fine.”
“Good. Ernesto is on his way down right now.”
“What?”
“He called a minute ago. Wanted a meeting. I assume about you.”
“Fuck.”
“Relax.”
“I’m relaxed. But I’m afraid I’ll hurt that piece of shit.”
“Have a little fucking control.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
I sat down at my desk, but just then there was a knock at the door. Vince glanced at me and I got up, opening the door.
Ernesto stood there, a sour expression on his face. “Rafa.”
“Ernesto. Come on in.”
He stepped into the room. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“What can we do for you, Ernesto?” Vince asked.
Ernesto walked over to him and sat down in the chair in front of his desk. “Wanted to talk about this Spiders shit.”
“I figured.” Vince leaned back. “You know I don’t have much to do with it. They’re not my fucking problem.”
“They’re all of our problem,” Ernesto said. “Plus, your boy is involved.”
“Only because you got me involved,” I said, annoyed.
“Doesn’t matter. I want this journalist girl. What do you think about her, Rafa?”
“She’s not a problem,” I said. “And she doesn’t know anything.”
“Oh look, a fucking expert.” Ernesto made a face. “Listen, Vince, I want the girl. I’m only here out of courtesy to you and Rafa.”
“We don’t think you need to take her,” Vince said slowly.
“I don’t give a fuck. She’s the only link we have to the Spiders, and I want those fucking bastards.”
“She’s just a girl,” I said. “Some stupid girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Ernesto looked at me. “She’s a journalist looking into our fucking business. That alone used to be enough to get her killed.”
“I chose not to kill her, because I know what’s fucking best,” I practically growled at him.
“Rafa is a good judge,” Vince said quickly, trying to defuse my anger.
“Maybe he is, but I still want this girl.”
“I’m not letting you,” Vince said simply.
Ernesto looked surprised. Hell, I was fucking surprised. Ernesto slowly stood up.
“You can’t stop me,” he said.
“I can,” Vince said simply. “Stay away from the girl.”
“You stupid boy,” he said. “You stupid fucking boy. Arturo is going to have your ass.”
“Arturo can do whatever he wants. For now, you back the fuck off, or else.”
Ernesto glared and then looked at me. “You fucking pussy. You should have just killed the girl.” He turned and left the room.
I stood up and looked at Vince. “Thanks. Now I have to go kill that fucking cocksucker.”
“Sit back down,” Vince said. “I didn’t do shit. He can do whatever he wants. He’s just afraid of starting an actual civil war.”
“And you’re not?”
“No, because that was an empty fucking threat.”
“So what? We just let him have her?”
“We see what Arturo says. For now, keep an eye on her.”
“Fine.” I headed toward the door and then paused. “Thanks for backing me up.”