Page 4 of A Wife’s Duty

They continued walking, but all of a sudden, Boone gripped her hand, tightened his hold on her, and they came to a stop. At first, she panicked, because this is not what she wanted. She didn’t want him to suddenly stop. That was scary.

Then ... his guards closed in. Was he about to hit her?

Her father usually waited until they were behind closed doors, as it was always about image. Was Boone suddenly angry with how she was dressed as she tried to change it?

He cupped her cheek. It was such a gentle move. Was this going to happen just before the pain?

Only there was no pain. He simply tilted her head back and forced her to look at him, although there was no real force, nor pain.

“What is it?” Boone asked.

Was he concerned?

“It’s nothing.”

“Tell me.”

He didn’t like lies, but she was scared. Should she tell him the truth and run the risk of looking like a fool? Should she lie? Lying was out of the question. She didn’t want him to be angry at her.

“I ... uh, I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”

“Why would you have embarrassed me?”

“Because ... I was a little ... you know, I was excited about going out to lunch with you, and I know that shouldn’t be the case.”

She looked down at his dress shirt, hating how her cheeks heated.

“I’m not your father,” Boone said.

This took her by surprise and she looked up to him. “What?”

“I know your father was not a nice man. I know he hurt you, but while you are mine, there is nothing you need to fear. I want to enjoy this time. To love it.”

Was he being serious? Was this a trap?

He leaned in close. “You are going to have more freedom than you have ever known, Lucia.”

The way he said her name was like a dirty word rolling off his tongue, but in a good way. Sexy, sensual. She felt a little strange, like her body had heated up.

“And that is what I want. I do believe you’ve been told to give your husband what he wants, and I want you to enjoy yourself, along with every opportunity presented to you.” He kissed her cheek.

And they were walking once again. She didn’t know if it was a trick or not, but she didn’t care. He’d kissed her cheek, and now she had an overwhelming need to touch her cheek, but she didn’t.

She was able to hold it together long enough to walk into a small café with him. No one looked terrified when they saw him. His men followed, but they took different seats.

Boone seated them in the center of the café, at a lovely table. There was a pretty red checkered cloth covering the table, that looked so crisp. A small menu was resting between the salt-and-pepper pots. She loved how quaint it was.

He picked up the menus and handed one to her.

Again, this was a new experience for her. She took the menu, feeling a little out of place. She was used to having someone order for her. Not that her family took her out to many cafés or restaurants. She often stayed home.

The waitress came forward.

“Mr. Grinder,” she said.

“Nancy, how are you doing?” Boone asked.

The waitress was a lovely-looking woman. A small amount of makeup on her face, an easy smile, some greys to her brown hair.

“I’m doing good. We’re doing good.”

“No trouble?”

“Not for a long time, thanks to you.” Nancy placed a hand on his shoulder.

“How are the boys?” Boone asked.

“They’re great. Loving that play slide you installed for us.”

Who was this man? She had never heard anyone close to him talk like this, with such admiration. People complied with fear and pain. She was used to seeing people nervous, shaking, terrified. This woman had an easy smile and looked happy.

“All right, Boone,” a man said from behind the counter.

“Hey, Tyler,” Boone said.

It wasn’t long before Tyler came toward their table.

“Has Nance told you about our boys?” Tyler asked.

Lucia tensed up as he reached into his pocket, but he didn’t pull out a weapon, instead, his wallet. Within seconds, she was being shown three very devilish-looking boys, and they were covered in mud.

“Damn, can you believe one of those little lads is nearly in high school?” Tyler asked.

Nancy laughed. “He’s a proud papa.”

Lucia loved watching them and she couldn’t look away from the smile on Boone’s face.

“Well, I guess I better introduce you to my wife. Nancy and Tyler Wright, I’d like you to meet my wife, Lucia Grinder.”

She held her hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Wow, man, you got married. I didn’t even hear about it,” Tyler said.

Nancy slapped Tyler in the chest.

“Well, it is so lovely to meet you.” Nancy didn’t take her hand but pulled her in for a hug.

Lucia tensed up because the truth was, she really wasn’t used to too much human affection. Her mother had been so disappointed with her, that she had rarely held her.

She accepted the hug, patted the woman’s arm, and in a whirlwind, they took their orders and were gone.

The café continued to be busy.

“They are nice,” Lucia said, hoping to dispel the awkwardness she felt.

“They are.”

“How do you know them?”

There was silence, and she glanced up to see Boone looking at her.

“I met them four years ago. I came to have a drink and some food. It’s a nice lovely quaint little café.

Not too far from one of the many places I lived.

Anyway, on the day I came to enjoy my food, Nancy and Tyler had fallen on hard times.

The economy at the time fucking sucked. Prices were soaring and it was hard for small businesses.

The land you’re standing in was once owned by the Bonaldis.

To do business, not only did they have all the usual legal outlay—the general running of the building, initial outlay of expense for food and furniture and such—but Bonaldi decided to set a tax for each business within his own areas.

Each month, he sends in a couple of goons to collect.

Those that don’t pay end up with interest added on.

It gets to the point when bones start to get broken. ”

She didn’t like this story. Nancy and Tyler were nice people.

“So, I was there, minding my own business, enjoying a juicy piece of steak, when two goons walked in. Now, I had no idea who they were and I don’t scare easily.

Other customers got up and hightailed it out of there.

Not me. I sat and watched as they threatened Tyler.

He didn’t have the money, and they decided to start smashing up the place.

I heard enough, especially when one of them grabbed Nancy and said if he didn’t pay, they were going to start using his wife. ”

Lucia gasped.

“That was when I heard enough. I don’t know if you heard of me at that time.

You’re twenty-two years old, and four years ago, you would have been eighteen.

I gave the two men a choice. Leave, and never return, or attempt to throw the first punch.

They chose wrong, and I sent them to Bonaldi in body bags.

The next night, two more came, and I did the same.

Then, piece by piece, I started to take back each of these businesses.

The streets we just walked were once owned by Bonaldis and controlled by your father.

Now, I control them, and people here conduct business and do not have to pay a fee. ”

****

B oone saw the shame in her eyes and when Nancy came to deliver them food, he also saw that his wife couldn’t look at her. He didn’t tell her this story for her to feel guilty. He wanted to make her aware of the family she came from.

Nancy frowned but he nodded at her, and the other woman left.

“Stop,” Boone said.

“How could you ... they must hate me?”

“They have no idea who you are. Your last name is Grinder, and they probably know you had nothing to do with what happened to them.”

The steak looked heavenly. He didn’t need to add any salt because Tyler was one of the best damn cooks around. He picked up his knife and fork and sliced into it. Juicy, just cooked. He didn’t like his steak rare. Blood on his plate didn’t appeal to him.

Lucia hadn’t picked up her knife and fork, and her chicken salad was not going to eat itself.

“Eat and enjoy.”

“They ... how ... what?” she asked.

“I took care of it,” Boone said. At first, he was pissed off at having his dinner interrupted.

He hadn’t told Lucia that the men had tried to remove him from the building prior to them making threats.

He had told them to fuck off, as he had paid for his steak, and he was going to stay and finish it.

The guy who had attempted to threaten him and then threatened Nancy with rape, must have seen something in his eyes. Maybe he was smart, but he still hadn’t made the right choice.

Killing came easy to Boone, as long as they were the right people to kill. He didn’t hurt civilians. He gave everyone a choice. He was trained well.

His father had seen something inside him and made sure he was used where needed.

No one knew of his past. He had military training. At one time, when someone needed someone killed or protected, he was the one they put in charge, but that was a long time ago.

He left, his identity erased, just as he liked it. His father had died many years ago, even before he got out of the military. There was no other family.

“Is that what you do? You take care of it?”

Boone looked toward his wife. She looked so .

.. heartbroken. He didn’t bring her here to talk about old memories.

That just happened. He came here for some good food, and also because he knew Tyler and Nancy were people he could trust. Staring at her now, he had to wonder what was going on in her mind.

“Can I trust you?” he asked, sitting back in his seat.

She frowned. “I don’t know what you mean?”

“You’re my wife, Lucia, and I know you have been raised within a very tight, confined family. You’re connected to the Italian mafia, and I know they have attempted to use you, to keep me in check. I also know that by you marrying me, they think they have insulted me.”