Page 15 of A Wife’s Duty

This was not just a kiss, it felt like a possession. His lips were rough and gentle at the same time. She felt her body come to life under his lips, and she didn’t want him to stop.

This was the kiss that movies were made of.

****

“W e have been invited to a family dinner,” Boone said.

Lucia looked up from the book she had been reading.

“What?”

“Your father sent an invitation.” He pulled it out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her. He noticed how her hand shook as she glanced over the invite.

“Why?”

Boone shrugged. “Does he need a reason?”

“Usually ... yes.”

She looked nervous and he noticed she went to her haircut.

“Don’t be nervous.”

“You want us to go?”

“It would be way too rude not to.” He leaned back against the tree, enjoying the shade.

Boone had decided to take Lucia to the park for lunch. They had already enjoyed their picnic, sat and watched people come and go with their families. He had a few emails to tend to while she read her book.

Since the kiss in the shower, neither of them had said a word. He’d kissed her like he had been wanting to kiss her, and then once the shower had run cold, he dried her, dressed her, and they went to bed. He had been the perfect gentleman.

This was nearly four days ago. Four days since he exposed the child labor warehouse.

The detective he was using seemed to have his plate full.

The men on Bonaldi’s payroll were also dropping like flies, and Boone had nothing to do with it.

Their failure was getting them killed, bodies washing up in lakes, found on beaches, or dead in cars.

All of them looked like suicide, but it was just another death in payment from Bonaldi.

No one had any way of knowing who was uncovering their operations.

Jimmy’s information had been enlightening.

It had also led them down another avenue he was currently working through.

This next one he didn’t like. From what he and Ronald had uncovered, there was some dark web shit, which included snuff.

Boone didn’t like it. He had seen some of the women he knew were missing on the tapes. They were being raped and murdered for the highest bidder.

He had a guy currently trying to crack the codes that would give him access to the creators, buyers, and distributors.

It had to be somewhere in the city. He just needed to find it.

Bonaldi wouldn’t have any of that shit linked to him, so he was checking through Valdez.

Something wasn’t adding up, though. There was a missing piece of the pie.

Ronald didn’t like any of it. In fact, Ronald had vomited at some of the shit they had seen. To Boone, it wasn’t even the worst he had seen. This is why he had no choice but to step out of retirement.

Lucia sat up. “I don’t think I should go.”

“Why?”

“My hair. I don’t know, you gave me that choice. What if they start asking me questions? I’m not a liar. I’m not...” She looked panicked.

He took hold of her hand and pulled her in closer. “You’re not what?”

“I don’t want to ruin what you’re doing.”

“I know, and you won’t. I won’t be leaving your side.”

“But the wives are always left alone.”

“Not with me,” Boone said. “I won’t let you leave. I’ll keep you by my side. This could be kind of fun.”

“Fun?” She was going to throw up.

“Yeah, fun. Your family and the whole Bonaldi family are big on women being submissive, right? You live for your husbands?”

“You know that.”

“Yes, so that means I can have a little fun with you.”

Lucia frowned. “I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”

Boone smiled. “You don’t at the moment, but trust me, you’re going to.”

He stroked her cheek. “Did you have fun today?”

“Yeah, I did. I like coming here. I like seeing the families. It’s fun.”

He moved her so she was sitting between his thighs. “Is it a family you’d like?” he asked.

“One day I’d like a family, but I don’t...” She suddenly stopped.

“What is it?” he asked.

“It’s ... silly.”

“Nothing is silly.”

“This is.” She sighed.

“You know, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me about it.”

“Do you think you can fix everything?”

“I’ve been doing a pretty good job of it so far. Don’t underestimate me.”

She laughed. “That’s true. Fine, here it goes. If I have a family one day, then I don’t want them to be at the mercy of my dad, or this world. I don’t want them to witness someone getting murdered at the dinner table.”

He felt her tense up between his thighs.

“Did you witness something like that?”

“Yeah, and not just once.” She told him the story about one of the women that served them. How she had become her father’s favorite, and her mother didn’t like it. An insult led to this woman being killed right in front of her.

“I’ve got you,” he said.

“It’s fine. It wasn’t the first time and it probably won’t be the last.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because, death just seems to follow me, don’t you think?” She leaned back and tilted her head to look up at him. “You’ve killed people before.”

He didn’t deny it.

Lucia sighed. “Anyway, I know, unfortunately, death is the only option. The only way for us to be free is when you get rid of Bonaldi, right?”

He kissed the top of her head but didn’t say a word.

“You don’t trust me?” she asked.

“I trust you, however, in a park this size, with the enemies I’ve made in the last few weeks, some things just shouldn’t be talked about.”

“Crap, I am so sorry.” She made to get up out of his arms, but he tightened his grip around her.

“You don’t need to be sorry. I’ve got you.”

“Do you think someone could be watching us right now?”

“There is a chance.” He had a sneaking suspicion the man on the bench, currently holding up a newspaper, was watching them. No one read the newspaper that intently. His own men blended in, looking like they belonged in the corporate world, simply having a stroll through the park.

“What do we do?” Lucia asked.

“Nothing. You sit back, relax, and tell me your troubles.”

“Do you think he read my lips ... or she? Is it a man or a boy?”

He laughed. “Don’t worry about it. All you need to worry about is talking with me. I think when we go to your father’s house, you should wear the jeans and one of the shirts that shows off your cleavage. In fact, I’m going to choose your outfit.”

She gasped and pulled out of his arms, turning toward him. “You’ve got to be joking.”

“I’m not.”

“My dad will be upset.”

“You’re not dressing to impress him, though, are you? You’re dressing to impress me and as my wife, that is your duty. Don’t worry. I’ll be by your side.”

“I just feel that would draw ... won’t that be antagonizing the situation?” she asked.

“Probably, but I’m not there to make your dad feel comfortable. I’m there to have dinner.” He grabbed her shoulders and drew her back against him, massaging the tension out of them. “What you do need to do is relax.”

“I can’t. I’m not allowed to wear pants or jeans, or trousers. That is a big no. Women are supposed to wear dresses and skirts, that is it.”

“Well, you’re my wife, and what I say goes, and if I say you wear jeans, guess what, your ass is going to wear jeans.”

There was silence for a brief moment, and he took the chance to watch the man who hadn’t even flipped the page of the newspaper. This was so obvious, especially as Boone looked up and caught him peering around the side of the newspaper. Amateur. Who had sent him? It didn’t matter.

“You’re enjoying this a little too much,” Lucia said.

“And you’re worrying about it too much. Trust me. That is all I ask you to do. Also, it will sell the story that you can’t be invited out to lunch, or for your family to get you alone.”

Now, this did make her tense. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it. Out of the blue, your parents are inviting us to dinner. No reason. Why now? Why after all this time of us being married? They’re testing the waters, Lucia, and if you don’t show your obedience to me, they will believe they can use you. Do you want to be put in that position?”

“No.”

There was no hesitation, which he liked.

“Then, being my wife, following what I like, submitting to me, is what they are going to see, and they’re going to know not to mess with you. You’ve become the dutiful, submissive wife. They will not make an ally out of you.”

With that, he knew it was now time for them to move on from their lunch, and he also had a hunch.

“Come on, it’s time to head back,” he said.

They had been in the park for a couple of hours. He was relaxed and ready for the next few days. He had already told her father they would be attending the dinner, so he didn’t have to double-check that. Lucia was nervous, and he made a note not to let her worry.

Once the picnic was packed away, he took Lucia’s hand, and together they walked out of the park, heading toward the car, where one of his men waited, leaning against the vehicle.

Boone watched as the man with the newspaper left the park a few seconds after them, only he disappeared into the small local toilet.

“Watch her,” he said to the guard.

Lucia was already inside the car. He’d stashed the picnic into the trunk of the car and made his way toward the toilet. He was quiet, waiting. He closed the main door and flicked the lock back into place. He had his gun, but he wasn’t interested in using it.

The main bathroom door opened, and out stepped the man. For a second, they both just looked at one another. Boone couldn’t quite place him. It was a standoff.

The guy lightly turned his neck, and there on the side was a small little square.

It was just a square, but Valdez’s men were each inked with a square on the side of their neck, signifying who they followed.

Each capo had a different symbol, some of them even changed colors.

All of Valdez’s men had a black square inked at the side of their necks.

Boone waited, and when the man went to strike, he was ready. The man lifted his arms as if to come at his face. No noise came out of him.

Slamming his arm against the man’s rib cage, he winded him, but he came back for more. He shoved his fist into the man’s gut, then sliced it in an uppercut motion, punching him in the face. He didn’t stop, but this little spy had a wit about him. The jabs didn’t stop him from coming back for more.

Boone was able to block multiple hits, but one got him in the nose.

It wasn’t broken, but it stung, and he lashed out.

He was getting tired of this piece of shit and that he just wouldn’t die.

Through the chaos, he held the man’s tie and tightened it around his neck.

They were now down on the ground, his body wrapped around the man’s, trapping him, keeping him in place, as he held that tie, cutting off his air supply.

Seconds passed, or perhaps even minutes, before the man slumped and was dead.

Boone didn’t waste any time. He shoved the man into the bathroom, pulled the door closed, and then grabbed his cell phone. There was blood on his hands, and he quickly glanced in the mirror. It wasn’t from him. The guy seemed to bleed a lot easier than he anticipated.

The cell phone wasn’t locked, and there was only one message from an unknown sender: Follow them. Watch them.

Boone was keeping the phone. It might come in handy one day.