Page 18

I do love when toys fall into my lap. The dumbass currently tied to a chair, in one of the torture rooms, is proof of why Cris and I prefer to have a hand in picking everyone with an iota of power.

When it comes to the De Luca side of things, however, we had to take what we could get.

The transition of power was difficult enough, the last thing we needed was to overturn something if it wasn’t broken.

An oversight on our part, as evidenced by the asshole who apparently thought we wouldn’t notice him skimming off the top, in the midst of everything. If only he realized that the target he painted on himself made things worse because of everything going on.

“Did you watch the video I sent you, Agnellino?” I ask, without taking my eyes off the dumbass.

“I did. Roman is very…good at this.” There’s awe in Jude’s voice, and it makes me smile.

“He’s a natural. Don’t worry, you will be too, once I’m done with you. You and Benjamin both.” Though this lesson is for Jude only, since my Baby Mouse is with his Boss at the moment.

If it wasn’t so important for Emilio and Benjamin to get on the same page, I would have insisted he join us, but in their position, my Boss would be my priority as well.

There will always be someone who needs to be taught a lesson, so I’m not worried about Benjamin missing out on important training. The one on one time will be good for both of my mentees as well.

“Have any ideas, Agnellino?” I ask.

Jude studies the dumbass for a moment, as he considers my question. Finally, he says, “String him up. I want more of a canvas.”

I grin. “Oh, Agnellino, I am so happy to hear that.”

The dumbass glares at me as I cross the space between us and begin undoing the restraints around him. “You can’t do this to me.”

“I am, aren’t I? So that’s not quite true.”

“I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve been loyal to your Family since the beginning. If I wasn’t, I would have joined the Manasseros’ rebellion.”

I tsk. “Yes, because stealing from us is very loyal.”

Dragging him across the room, I dump him on the floor and reach up for the chains that are hanging from the ceiling.

“Like you would have even missed the money!” the dumbass spits.

I won’t admit it, but if it wasn’t for Antonio being a sneaky little shit, we wouldn’t have.

Not until the problem became worse, at least. Because we had no reason to look at that section so closely.

Jude would have found it sooner than later.

He’s quite proficient at organizing and analyzing the information he’s given, but too many things are happening at once, so even that would have gone on for longer than any of us are comfortable with.

The Bosses need to be found now . Partly to cut down the workload, and partly to prevent any more of De Luca’s people from getting greedy.

Cristian and I can work on replacing them once he’s back.

If Roman doesn’t beat us to it, but that’s not something I can help him with, since Roman and I don’t work together well—not on this type of stuff at least.

“I would like to see you get a regular job, steal from them, and then when they called the police, I’d want to see you tell them the same bullshit you just told me.”

Connecting the chains to the cuffs around his wrists, I walk over to the crank and turn it on, raising him enough so his feet barely brush the ground. Making my way to stand in front of him, I enjoy watching him struggle for a few minutes.

“You can’t do this,” he pleads.

Jude and I both laugh. “Since we are ,” I say joyfully, “it pretty much means we can.” Taking a step back, I sweep my arm out towards the dumbass. “All yours, Agnellino.”

Jude moves to stand directly in front of the dumbass, careful to stay out of range of his legs, so he doesn’t get kicked. “Why’d you do it?” he asks.

The dumbass stops struggling for a moment to stare at my lover. “What?”

Jude huffs. “I didn’t stutter. Tell me: Why’d you think it was okay to fudge the numbers and keep more than your cut?”

Dumbass looks over Jude’s shoulder at me, but I stay silent, and offer up nothing in return. This is Jude’s show, and I’m content to let him run it as he sees fit; it’ll give me a lot of insight into what we need to work on in the future.

“It’s a simple question,” Jude says. “Why’d you do it?”

Dumbass looks back to my lover, his lip curling. “Why should I tell you shit? I don’t answer to you .”

I can’t see the smile on Jude’s face, but I hear it in his voice as he says, “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself? My mistake. Jude Manassero, Roman Amato’s Second in Command, at your service.”

I never understood the phrase “white as a sheet” until now, as I watch the blood drain from dumbass’s face while he stares at my lover.

“So, you, in fact, do answer to me.”

Stepping back, I move to the perimeter of the room, trusting Jude has this under control. I'm content to watch as he takes matters into his own hands.

Dumbass seems to weigh his options, but since he’s already been caught red-handed, and—literally—hanged for his crimes, he seems to understand there’s no other choice but to confess.

“I was told to,” he says in a low voice.

“Speak up,” Jude snaps. “I want to hear, in agonizing detail, how and why you screwed the hand that feeds you.”

Dumbass clamps his lips shut and Jude sighs, shifting his weight to his good leg, as he adjusts his grip on his cane, before swinging it and hitting dumbass in the stomach.

We wait for dumbass to catch his breath, and as he does, Jude asks once more, “This will be less painful for you if you just tell me why.”

“I. Was. Told. To,” he says again, gasping for breath, but each word is enunciated carefully.

“By who?”

“Don’t know… And that’s the fucking truth!

” dumbass shouts, his face turning a little pink as he carefully watches Jude.

“Some dude dressed like a highschooler in a hoodie and dark pants—only he was clearly middle aged—came to visit about two months ago? He said he’d protect me from getting caught.

All I had to do was take a little more than my cut, fudge the sales numbers, and pretend like nothing was going on.

I don’t know who he was, or why he wanted it, but he…

knew things about me and my family. He didn’t threaten them per se, but he made a good fucking argument for why I should side with him over you. ”

Jude shakes his head. “You should have come to us, we would have protected you.”

Dumbass laughs. “You would have fucking killed me.”

Jude doesn’t deny it, just shrugs. “Maybe, maybe not. Depends on how much we would have believed this story of yours. Especially without proof, but…since you didn’t come to us, you are for sure going to die. And it’s going to be very painful.”

Before dumbass gets a chance to protest, Jude hits him with the cane again.

Over and over, he uses the walking aid to beat the dumbass, until he coughs and blood spills from his mouth.

Jude shifts his weight again, using the cane as it was intended, leaning heavily on his good side, his breathing heavy and sweat runs down his temple from the exertion.

He’s never looked so beautiful. With his curls weighed down with sweat, his chest heaving for air, and his pale green eyes sparkling with life, all I want to do is throw him down and fuck him.

“Drop him,” Jude signs, moving in close to the dumbass.

Quickly, I move back to the crank and lower the chains, and none too gently, the dumbass collapses onto the hard floor.

Pressing my lips together, I ignore the urge to reprimand Jude as he squats down in front of the dumbass, a brief flash of pain coming over his features as he does so. He grabs dumbass by the hair and tilts his head back.

“I hope you used your stolen money wisely,” he tells dumbass. “Your family is going to feel it when they lose everything you tried to provide them.”

“Fuck. You,” dumbass wheezes.

“You’re not my type,” Jude says as he reaches into his jacket for his knife, before swiftly slitting dumbass’s throat.

Jude goes to stand, and I hurry to his side, letting him steady himself on me. “Don’t tell Jayden,” he says, as he readjusts his stance, and the cane in his hand. “But he’s right to switch up my PT plan.”

I snort. “You’re an idiot.”

“Sometimes, but can you blame me?”

I shake my head, knowing if the roles were reversed, I’d be an even worse patient. Grabbing Jude’s curls, I tug hard, forcing a moan from his throat as his neck arches.

“I’m proud of you, Agnellino,” I tell him, before kissing him harshly.

When we pull away for breath, a brief flash of what can only be insecurity crosses his face, before he smiles. “Take me home and show me. Roman is with Leandro tonight, and I need you and Hol to wreck me.”

I kiss him again, groaning at the feel and taste of him, enjoying the sting as he bites my lip hard enough to break the skin. “Whatever you want, Agnellino. You’ve earned it.”

Jude drags me into another kiss, ravishing my mouth, leaning heavily against me as he does so. His hard cock brushes against mine, and I tighten my grip in his hair, enjoying the way he winces as I tug on the curls.

Jude snakes one hand under my jacket, clutching at my skin through the shirt, his nails digging in, but not piercing the skin, simply because of the fabric there.

“I could fuck you right here,” I tell him, just loud enough to be heard.

He shakes his head. “No.” Pulling back, he looks at me with darkened green eyes.

“I need you, and Hollis. More than I’ve needed anything else in a long time.

I… I want to explore things with Antonio Martelli.

I want to see him writhe underneath me from pleasure and pain, but first, I want you to make me do it for you.

” He grins, a wicked thing that lights up his too pretty for his own good face.

“You and Hollis broke me, Ten. I want more than I ever thought I would give before. Show me why you’re the only ones able to provide it to me. ”

With a groan, I pull him tighter against me, enjoying the way he gasps as my cock slides across his, even through our clothes.

“You are pure temptation and sin, Little Lamb. And I am going to enjoy taking you apart.”

“Yes…please.”

Unable to resist, I kiss him once more. As he meets me stroke for stroke, tongue and teeth biting and tasting, for the first time since Cristian was taken from me, I feel like myself.

My chains are still broken, and the monster I am is close to the surface, but it is also…content, in a way it’s never been without our Boss before.

And that’s due to the man in my arms, and the three others at home. Proof that, no matter what our enemies throw at us, we are stronger together.