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  We met when we were twelve and he was a good kid then. A kid who skipped two grades, won various state competitions, and fuck he even received a scholarship to a prestigious private elementary school. Marshall was well on track to doing all manner of amazing things, because of his love for science and technology.

  Then he fucking met me.

  Paul was right.

  I could see that more and more as I looked at Marshall.

  And, what did he just do?

  Pull out another roll up of whatever shit was mixed up in it and lit up. It actually smelled like a combo of weed and shit.

  “So, that’s it? That’s it?” Marshal balked pulling me out of my thoughts.

  When I just stared at him, he started pacing around the room.

  Knowing I wasn’t going, I was hoping he’d just go home and cool off. Instead he looked like he was either going to blow up or hit me.

  He stopped and continued his glare. “Gio, what happened? Why the change in plans? What the hell is with you? You came up with this idea and you know I’m going to have a hard time on my own.”

  “That’s why I’m telling you not to go.” I straightened up and squared off with him. “I just have a bad feeling about it.”

  “That’s seriously it? You not going?”

  Truthfully, I hadn’t decided what I was doing, because eight o’clock was only twenty minutes away. If that clock struck eight I knew I’d lose Lyssa forever.

  I just wasn’t sure if that was what I should do.

  Lose her.

  Lose her forever. The thought made me sick and if I was just screwing around with her I wouldn’t have cared.

  Paul ended his rant by telling me his daughter didn’t need me messing with her life. Lyssa had a bright future. She was in her sophomore year of college and she wanted to be a teacher. He looked at me with pleading eyes and told me to stay away.

  He didn’t want me to ruin her life.

  Lyssa gave me that ultimatum after I told her Paul knew about us, and that I’d thought his request for me to leave her alone was right.

  Marshall walked up to me and shoved me hard, but I didn’t stumble. We were both built, the same height, but I had more muscle. It would take more than a push to knock me down.

  “Man, fuck you. You fucking asshole. You won’t even come to back me up?”

  “Back you up? I said don’t go.” I gritted my teeth, annoyed that he wouldn’t back down.

  “You think you can tell me what to do, like you call the fucking shots.” He may have been stoned, but as he spoke I saw the real him. He was pissed, understandably, and I couldn’t really refute what he was saying. I would say the same if I were in his shoes.

  “I’m not you Gio.” He continued. “You have your father with his shit loads of money. I won’t have any kind of chance in my life to make money like that. You’re a fucking asshole for coming to me with this idea and thinking you can take it away.”

  He backed away, toward his bike and jumped on it.

  “Marshall don’t go.”

  “Don’t go? How about you come with me. Fucking come with me and help me get in on an opportunity of a lifetime.” There was a little spark of hope in his eyes.

  Opportunity of a lifetime, my ass. It wasn’t, but he wouldn’t see it that way.

  I glanced at the clock.

  It was a quarter to eight.

  If I was going to Lyssa I would have to go now, ride hard, and fast.

  “Marshall, just drop it man.”

  He answered me with a growl and gunned his engine, speeding away so fast the tires screeched against the tarmac.

  My shoulders dropped as I watched him go. I walked out to the pavement and watched until I couldn’t see him anymore.

  I had to will myself not to follow. If I followed, we’d get in. We would. I knew it. I wouldn’t go somewhere like that to look bad, and I wouldn’t allow him to look bad either. I was guessing these tryouts would attract all manner of guys just like us.

  My absence may throw him off, maybe not though. I knew I was a bad friend and probably a real bastard for hoping he didn’t get in, but he would be safer.

  Here’s hoping that next time when we spoke he would have calmed down and we could figure things out.

  As for figuring things out, I now had twelve minutes to get to the old house.

  Was I going, or should I stay away?

  Twelve minutes and counting …

  Chapter 2

  Lyssa

  * * *

  Present day …

  God …

  My heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to beat right out of my chest.

  I couldn’t calm myself enough to slow down and think the way I did before I had started the day. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t focus or concentrate. I had a very long day ahead of me.

  It was that week too. The last week in the month where I had to struggle to hit my target and make sure I had the money needed to pay all the bills.

  Mine and Dad’s both.

  The bills, the debt, and all his medical related stuff.

  Jesus, I didn’t know how I was still going. I didn’t know how I was doing everything I was doing and for so long.

  I parked up around the corner of Perfection, Carla’s salon I was currently working at.

  Thank God for skills that paid off. It was what was paying for everything now.

  During the day I worked here. I’d get a chance to go home for a few hours in the afternoon and then I’d head to dad’s bar to open and stay until closing.

  Day in and day out that was my every day.

  Today I should have gotten here a lot earlier, but this morning started out like shit with the news that Dad needed more treatments for his liver. Not to mention the insurance company wasn’t going to cover it because he’d require some inpatient stay.

  It was one more thing I didn’t need. One more thing I’d need to find money for and I was already stretched to the limit. I’d had enough and didn’t know what more I could do.

  I got out of the car and rushed inside the salon thankful there weren’t many people around.

  No customers were waiting and the stylists on the floor were just doing the standard wash and trim. One of the new girls was doing a manicure.

  I went past a group of ladies who were all having their hair styled for a party. They each had fashion mags and were talking about what they wanted to wear later.

  Carla would be back in her office and she wouldn’t have minded me heading straight there to see her for a minute or two.

  The door was open and there she was swiveling around on her chair with a huge smile on her face. My friend looked extra gorgeous today with her shiny black hair sparkling and her sun kissed skin, looking like she’d just come back from vacationing in Brazil where she went to see her family.

  “Girl, there you are. I have a lunch date with Sean. Oh my God, I can’t believe I insisted on a lunch date and he gave in.” She giggled.

  I tried to smile, but it didn’t come. A little one pulled at the corners of my mouth, but I was just too worked up after seeing Gio.

  “I’m so glad.” I answered. That was about all I could manage before a tear ran down my cheek.

  Fuck, I didn’t want to cry.

  Not now when I had all the admin stuff to do and I was supposed to go through the online booking system.

  “Lyssa, what happened?” She got up and came over to me.

  I shook my head, not sure if I could say the words.

  Did I really see him?

  Gio …

  “Lyssa, tell me now, what’s happening? Is it your father?”

  “No, it’s not. Today has just been shit.”

  “It’s ten, how can the day already be shit?” She tried to joke. She knew my struggles though and knew I’d often had shit days that started way well before I even set foot in the building.

  “It is Carla.”

  She ushered me over to the chair to sit.

&n
bsp; “Do you need more money. Let me help you.”

  I shook my head. She’d already given me money and I’d worked it off. Carla was a good friend to me and I appreciated her. I would never take advantage of her kindness and the type of money I needed was …

  Well I couldn’t even tell her how much it was.

  It was the debt that got me. Dad owed two hundred thousand to the worst kind of people known to man. A debt that got bad, because he’d ruined his health with alcohol and could no longer work. Then instead of telling me what was going on he kept it secret until it grew out of control.

  I brought my hand to my head and sighed.

  “Talk to me Lyssa,” she prodded.

  I gazed into her warm eyes and found comfort there. The same comfort I found when we met in high school and her family just moved to the area.

  “Gio. Gio is back.”

  Her brows shot up and her eyes snapped wider. “Gio? Gio Bianchi … that Gio?”

  It didn’t surprise me that she had to clarify the name because I didn’t think I’d ever see Gio again.

  “Yes, the same.” I pulled in a deep breath.

  “Oh God, what did he say to you?”

  “I never saw him,. well not to speak to. I went to the old parking lot and he was there right at where the crime scene was. He just stood there looking.” He had looked like he was trying to figure something out.

  “Jesus, why would he go there? I know why you went, but that is all so odd. He comes back to town and that’s where he goes?” She tilted her head to the side allowing her dark locks to fall over her shoulder.

  “I know. It’s odd, but it got to me in a bad way. I didn’t think I’d see Gio ever again.”

  “What are you going to do?” Her gaze intensified and I knew why.

  “I’m not doing anything. There’s nothing to say and nothing to do. He left me and he made it clear that he didn’t want me in his life.”

  Marshall’s death was more than I could bear. I still grieved. Still felt the pain like it was that very same day when I was being told what happened to my brother.

  My brother had been shot and killed just like that ... all that life gone. Gone and all I had left were memories. Damn it, every single memory I had involved Gio.

  Marshall left me behind, and Gio thought it was a good time to leave me too.

  The person who’d been my rock left me at the worst time of my life, throwing me in the deep end of the fucking ocean and I was still there years later.

  I was still there swimming around trying to make my way back to land, or even a bit closer to the shallows.

  Life just took a turn for the worse and continued on a downward spiral that was still spinning out of my control.

  “Sweetie, what if he comes to see you?”

  I frowned and feigned surprise. “Him, come see me? Really? No. Carla after he left there were so many times when I wanted to go and find him. But when you know the person doesn’t want you there is no more expectations for either of you.”

  “Do you really think he’d come and not see you?” She asked, giving me an incredulous look.

  “Carla, for all I know he could have been coming here this whole time and I just happened to see him this time.” It was entirely possible. Gio’s uncle lived here so it wasn’t as if he didn’t have family.

  Carla sighed. “This is deep Lyssa. I wish I knew what to say to you, but I’m stuck. It’s sensitive, very sensitive. I’m going to tell you to try and push him out of your mind. It’s hard seeing him and clearly having a reaction to him, but don’t worry about him unless you have to.”

  I was going to tell her I wouldn’t be worrying about him at all, but I lost the chance when a hard knock sounded at the door.

  We both looked on and froze when we saw who it was.

  Frankie Mancini stood there with that bright smile on his face.

  The blood ran cold in my veins.

  I hated this and hated more that I dragged my friend in this with me.

  This man was the type who was cold and vile and thought he was God.

  It was the best way that I could describe him and I hated the way he looked at me. Like it was only a matter of time before he would own me just like the fucking contract said.

  “Carla,” he said to Carla nodding. She immediately straightened up before walking out. She didn’t need to be told to leave the room.

  Glancing over her shoulder I saw the terror in her eyes for me, because of the shit I’d landed myself in, and realistically her too.

  This place was hers. She’d bought it and he didn’t own it like the other business places on this road. Carla bought this salon with her hard earned cash and this man threatened to take her business away before she could blink if she intervened like she did last time.

  I stood up not wanting to place myself in any kind of position where he’d have the upper hand.

  He walked in and ran a hand through his thick dark hair.

  He was the kind of man who knew he looked good, but the type who you knew was a killer.

  My first meeting with him was me rushing home to find him standing over my Dad with a knife at his throat, blood dripping from his neck where Frankie had sliced him. He’d given Dad a good beating and even broke his arm.

  He stepped closer and loved that I backed away from him.

  I stepped right back until I was up against the wall and he placed his hands either side of me, blocking my escape.

  “Lyssa Carson, how are you on this fine day?” He spoke in a low even tone that showed he meant business.

  “I’m fine thank you. Is there a problem?” I had to ask, because he shouldn’t have been here. I paid him at the end of the month. It was the decided upon arrangement. I still had a few days before the end of the month. Thankfully I still had a few days to hold on to, but I was still a grand short of the payment. I was hoping to take care of that by the end of the week. It should be fine. I’d have to starve and owe on the electric bill, but I’d rather do that than owe him. Owing him wasn’t an option, ever.

  “I was kind of hoping there was.” He leaned closer and ran his hand along the underside of my cheek.

  “There’s no problem. You’ll get your money at the end of the month.” It was too much all of it and I’d spent close to a year like this already. Last year was when everything had just blew up in my face.

  Just like a snake he looked me over and carnal desire flashed in his eyes. “Resilience, defiance, and strength, most women would have jumped at the chance to fuck me well before now. But not you.” He smiled again and got really close.

  Close up to my cheek and licked the skin there. It was all I could do not to fall apart.

  His hands fluttered across my stomach and run along the underside of my breasts.

  “Please, just leave me alone.” I begged. I didn’t want him near me; nowhere near me. Not touching me or breathing near me.

  He pulled back slightly and grinned. “Not you Lyssa Carson. I’m tempted the more you resist, the more I want you. I want you on your knees screaming as I fuck your brains out.” A tear ran down my cheek. It seemed to enrage him and he pressed my stomach harder. “I could change it. Change the contract and you wouldn’t be able to do shit about it. I could change it up and have you in my bed within the hour or on the floor right now sucking my cock.”

  God, I was so screwed. I was fucking screwed.

  “Please, don’t. I can pay.”

  “Maybe I don’t want you to. Maybe I want you to fail. Mark my words when you do, I’ll be there. I’ll be there ready to collect big time.” He looked down to where his hands lay and laughed harder as he ran his fingers over my breasts before moving away. “You can’t keep up like this. You’re looking tired. It’s just a matter of time before you fail. Make it easy on yourself. Give yourself to me.”

  I shook my head and more tears streamed down my cheeks. “No.”

  “No?” He quirked a brow.

  “No. Now leave, leave me alone.”r />
  Laughter rumbled from deep within his chest and he taunted me by moving back in and kissing my cheek.

  When he stepped away and walked out of the room, my whole body sighed in relief.

  My legs gave out crumbling under the weight of all the stress and I sank to the floor, breaking down.

  It was too much, and yes Frankie was right.

  I was tired and it was just a matter of time before I fell. Then I’d fail and what …

  Become the whore he wanted to own. I’d lose myself, everything that mattered and made me, me.

  Gio …

  I hate you so much for leaving, but I wish like hell you were here to protect me. If not for me then for our son.

  Chapter 3

  Gio

  * * *

  I didn’t know anyone who polished their guns.

  I didn’t even know it was a thing. You wouldn’t catch me doing shit like that.

  Dante though …

  Yep he had to, and was doing it right now. He was sitting around the dinner table polishing his guns. The twin Berettas his father gave him with the Japanese characters branded on the handle. He polished away with one of those lint free cloths people used on their glasses while he balanced his phone between his ear and his shoulder.

  I would have asked why he didn’t just put the damn phone on speaker, but I knew why. He had to be talking to Maria, his wife. The look on his face told me that it was one saucy conversation he must have been having.

  This would be one of those times where I would make fun of him or tease him in some way, but I wasn’t in the mood.

  I’d just walked in the house and entered the living room, but I should have gone upstairs if I wanted to be alone to think.

  The thing was maybe it was best to be around people, even if it was clear they were having phone sex with their wife.

  How this guy found one woman to tie himself to was beyond me. Then again it was Maria, he’d always been in love with her—from childhood.

  We had so many similarities with our stories and our friendship seemed to thrive off it.