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How the hell was I supposed to say no? When he issued another hard jab, catching me in the stomach, I reacted as I would with anyone else trying to beat the shit out of me.
I took two savage swings, catching him under the chin and in his gut, pummeling him backward. “She’s a grown woman, Mike. She can do what she wants.”
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away from her. You’re a fucking criminal, for God’s sake. I thought you cleaned up your act, but then I find out you’re some bigwig in a New York mafia. Maybe I shouldn’t have bailed your ass out of jail those three times.”
Had the man hated me all these years?
“Now that you’re worth billions, you think that gives you the right to take anything you want. Don’t you?”
There was no arguing with the man. He’d never consider our relationship as anything but sick and taboo. Why bother trying to change his mind?
He’d plied me with information about the Cosa Nostra to confirm his original belief that I was a reckless degenerate. “This needs to stop. I’m not here about my personal life. I am here about keeping your sister safe.”
“Safe? As far as I’m concerned, she needs to be kept safe from you.” He pounded into me again, which I allowed. As stars floated in front of my eyes, anger rushed into me that I’d yet to experience with the man.
I rubbed my jaw, taking deep breaths. I slammed both hands into his chest, tossing him backwards and into his apartment.
Then I stormed inside, slamming the door.
He immediately lunged toward me, wrapping his hands around my throat and pushing me against the door. Within seconds, his fists were flying. While I didn’t want to hurt the guy, I needed him to calm down. I issued another savage punch to his jaw, the force pitching him backward by several feet. He crashed into the coffee table, tumbling to the side then collapsing on the floor. “How could you do that?”
I planted my hands on my hips, shaking my head. “We need to talk, Mike. Now. This isn’t about anything going on with Madisen, which there isn’t. This is about her life.”
He groaned, rubbing his face. Then he moved to a sitting position, tilting his head. “What did you do to her?”
“I did nothing but offer her protection. I wasn’t shitting you, Mike. Madisen is in real danger.”
As he struggled to his feet, I took a deep breath. I knew this was going to be difficult, but the guilt I felt had risen to the surface, so much so I couldn’t think clearly.
“What the hell is going on?”
“You were right that she got herself into some trouble. You’re going to need to leave town for a few days, maybe longer until I can sort all this out.”
My statement set him off again and he flung himself in my direction. Before he had a chance to connect another swing, I wrapped my hand around his wrist, twisting it awkwardly until he cried out in pain. When he tried to use his other hand, I wrapped my fingers around his neck, shoving him against the wall.
“We can’t do this. You need to fucking listen to me.” When he said nothing, although it was easy to see the pain on his face, I squeezed my hold around his throat.
Finally, he did what he could to nod in acquiescence and I let go, giving him a warning look. He slumped against the wall and I backed away.
“What happened?”
“She witnessed a murder in the casino where she was working. The owner, a real bad dude is after her.”
His eyes opened wide in understanding. “He’s going to kill her?”
“There’s a contract on her life. Mafia.”
He smirked then glanced away. “I knew she would find trouble wherever she went.”
“For God’s sake, Mike. She’s a good girl. All she wanted was to live her own life free from your shadow.”
“You bastard. I did everything in my power to give her a happy life. I worked two jobs to send her through college!” He stopped, half laughing.
“I know and she is fully aware of what you sacrificed. She also wanted you to find yourself and live the way you wanted. This isn’t her fault, but right now, I’m the only person who might be able to save her life.”
“They think they can get to her through me.”
“Exactly, which is why you need to get the hell out of town.”
