Roses & Thorns: Conquer Read online

  But I am glad that they’re here, and so is Jamie. That’s what truly matters.

  Everything is going smoothly. Perfect, even.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  Soft pounding echoes from outside.

  Adam tells Sven to watch Rose and goes to the door with a firm look on his face. I watch the doorway he came out of for several seconds.

  “Lacey, come here,” he calls. I instantly relax. He wouldn’t call me over if there was trouble. I smile at the crazy assortment of guests and walk to the foyer. I’ve never had to fight so hard to keep my face straight when I walk out. There is Cut in black jeans, a leather jacket, a gritty t-shirt, and tennis shoes with his hands in his pockets.

  “You’re welcome,” he grumbles when he sees me.

  “You came!” I practically shriek. I want to hug him. I want to grab him and wrap him in my arms like the teddy bear I see him as.

  “Yeah. I’m not staying long.”

  “No, it’s fine. But you came. You really came.”

  Some of his bad mood dies when he’s how freaking excited I am. I can’t believe he came. I really can’t. I’m a little nervous, since Maria is here, and they had a really weird first meeting, but there are, like, forty other people so it’ll be fine. He came. He really cares about me that much. My heart feels like it’s swelling. This is huge for him. I know it is.

  “Awww, look at Lacey, all happy for a change.”

  All three of us spin around. I know that voice. I know that voice. No. No. No. Adam’s gun comes out so fast, and Cut, on instinct, steps in front of me.

  “How the fuck did you get in here?” Adam seethes at the young Mexican-American devil standing calmly in the foyer.

  Miguel smirks and leans against our front door. “I got word that Lacey was planning a little party. Seems she’s much nicer than you, Adam. She invited most of your men. Really rather sweet. Seems security was a little lax. The few men you had up front had accidents by the way.”

  That’s my fault. I insisted the men come. I insisted it would all be okay for a few hours. I insisted it was his first Thanksgiving, and now men are dead and more are in danger.

  Rose is here. Jamie. My baby. Oh my god. No. My knees start to shake. Everyone I love is here.

  I… can’t…

  I collapse. I feel air brushing my face as I plummet to the ground. I’m two inches from my knees smacking down when a huge arm catches me. I grab onto it.

  “Got you, girl,” Cut’s rumbly voice rings out. He lifts me back to my feet. I have my head tucked into his leather jacket, trying to breathe, but I can see Cut look right at Adam, not giving a shit about Miguel. He should. “I’m taking her,” he says firmly. As if to say ‘you handle the kid.’

  That gets me. “No!” I screech, starting to fight. I can’t leave him alone with Miguel. No. No.

  “Girl… Jesus,” Cut grunts as I kick him straight in the gut. Somehow, he manages to pull me in tighter, rendering my kicking useless.

  “Let me go.”

  “Take her,” Adam says. “Grab Sven. He’ll know what to do. Go!”

  The only thing keeping me from actually having a nervous breakdown is the fact that Adam sounds murderous. No one is killing Adam when he’s like that. I hope. Oh God…

  “Cut, Miguel could kill him. He’s…. It’s…”

  My body collapses. I can’t control the fear I feel. When we are far from there, Cut pulls me back, still holding my shoulders tightly in case I try to run.

  “I need you to calm down.”

  I try to take a deep breath. I’m so used to trusting Cut’s rules, it’s instinct.

  “I’m sorry,” I squeak.

  He shakes his head. “No, I’m sorry. This sucks.”

  Yes, it does. Nothing can ever be normal. Not even for one day. I try to swallow the pain welling up in my throat.

  “Let’s go get Sven, alright? Let them handle this. I’ll make sure everyone else is good.”

  “What if—”

  “No what-ifs. We have to help your husband. Alright?”

  “You heard his name,” I whisper as he leads me to the dining area where all the guests are sporadically gathered.

  “Yes, I did.”

  “You can’t say anything. Cut, it could…”

  “Lacey...” He looks down at me and there’s actual gentleness in his expression. He always hides that. Always.

  “Lacey, I think it’s fucking great that you’re loyal, but I have no interest in hurting your husband. I don’t care about his name. There are monsters much worse than him out there.”

  I nod at that.

  “Lacey, oh my god, are you okay?”

  Maria comes running over, getting the attention of a whole slew of other people: Enzio, Rose, my dad, a few of Adam’s other men. Guilt sweeps over me. I look to Cut for help. He’s staring right at Maria, before gathering himself.

  “Where’s Sven?” Cut snaps to the group.

  “I’ll grab him,” Rose mumbles and runs off.

  “Hey! What’s going on?” Maria snaps, running her hands up the arms of my jacket.

  Cut looks at her like she’s an enigma, not saying a word.

  “Hey,” she snaps in his face. “Why is Lacey pale as a ghost? Quit staring and talk, big guy.”

  His curiosity turns into a scowl. “She’s fine. Now can you be helpful and entertain people, so they stop staring at her.”

  She pauses for a moment.

  “While you’re at it, gather all the guests in the dining hall. Not one person outside those doors. Make sure her kid is with someone as well.”

  Maria narrows her eyes dangerously as she adjusts her boobs, which are spilling out of her dress.

  “Fine, but I’ll find you later and you better tell me what the hell—”

  “Quit talking and go help, woman. Jesus.”

  Cut waves her off as Sven comes rushing in. Maria is true to her word and moves people out with ease.

  “What’s going on?”

  Sven looks from Cut to me. His face looks the way it did when I first met him: determined, vicious. Since Rose has been back, so has his effortless aura of succeeding in everything he does.

  “You need to get out there. Some kid—”

  Cut doesn’t even finish before Sven is running out, gun drawn.

  “Hide Rose!” He snaps as he runs out.

  BANG!

  Adam!

  “Don’t you dare try to stop me, Cut!” I scream as I pull out of his arms. “Get my daughter and get Rose!”

  Don’t be dead. Don’t be dead. One gunshot, and only three men.

  Boss

  I can’t even think about how heartbroken Lacey is going to be. I can’t. Not with Miguel standing in my fucking front door like he owns the place.

  “Why are you here, Miguel?”

  “Just popping in.”

  “To torment Lacey.”

  He smirks. “That would be so cruel.”

  I cock the gun. “And why shouldn’t I shoot you. Huh? Tell me that right the fuck now.”

  “Because, Adam, I have a bomb planted somewhere around this house. It’s really such an impersonal way to kill. I’d hate to do it. Of course, I won’t let you kill anyone with the last name Castello again without taking a whole fuck ton of you guys with me.”

  Fucking shit! Damn it. I hate that he calls me by my first name. I’m not sure I believe him since I have no idea how he’d get a bomb in here, but I wouldn’t put it past him. Ultimately, not taking this threat seriously is too big a risk. My only comfort is that, if he managed to get a bomb near my fucking house, he wouldn’t trigger it unless he absolutely has to. He has a bigger game here, but I don’t like it. Not one bit.

  Because I really think he did manage to plant the bomb. Lying isn’t his play here.

  “So, you see, you won’t kill me. We’re just here having a chat.”

  “You alone?”

  He smirks. “A man is never really alone, now is he?”

  I
hear Sven come running in. He immediately cocks his gun. “Get the fuck out of here, Castello.”

  “Adam, care to share with your friend here why guns aren’t necessary for our little chit-chat?”

  Sven’s face gives away his shock. He’s never heard my real name. No one would guess it’s so English, so standard. I grit my teeth.

  “Lower the gun, Sven.”

  I can see that he wants to argue, but he does as I say, clearly ready to pull the gun back out again if need be.

  “Get out of here, Miguel. You got what you came here for.”

  He smirks. “Seems I did. Send my apologies to your wife, will you?”

  He grab his gun and shoots a vase to my left, shrugging as he does so.

  “Whoops.”

  Then he strolls off, and I can’t even fucking shoot him. My fingers are itching for the trigger. Sven’s staring at me incredulously, waiting for me to talk, waiting for me to move. But I can’t. My hands are tied. I’m ready to fly into a rage when Lacey comes running into the room at full speed.

  “Oh my god,” she screeches. Her legs give out, but I see it coming, so I’m able to get to her before she falls. The second she finds her footing, her hands are all over me.

  “You’re alive… you’re alive… I thought…”

  Tears stream down her face, and now I know why he shot that vase. He knew what Lacey would think.

  “Goddamn it!” I roar, making Lacey jump slightly. I grab her face. “I’m okay. You hear me? I’m okay.”

  She jumps into me, wrapping her arms around me. “I thought he shot you. I thought he shot you. You can’t die, Adam. I can’t… I won’t…”

  She’s crying. In front of Sven. She rarely cries for herself, but now, for me, because she thought I was dead… she’s crying. I know it has to do with everything: Miguel showing up at her one safe place, men out front dying, it being a special day for her, just everything.

  I wrap my arms around her small, sobbing form.

  “I’m here. It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere, Lacey.”

  I glance over at Sven. His gun is by his side and he’s shaking his head. No matter who you are, this is fucked up. I need to get someone on the bomb, but I can’t tell Lacey and I can’t push her away. I can’t even give clues because she’ll figure it out in an instant. She’s too smart. If Sven would get it, she would too.

  I look at Sven, letting him know my dilemma. He gets it instantly. He nods, running off to grab Rose or somebody. I should comfort her myself, and I will, but I need a minute to do my job and get things settled, dealt with, and plans in order first. I need that time so I can comfort her correctly and not lie when I say everything is going to be okay.

  Sven’s already gone by the time Lacey’s sobs die down.

  “Did you send Sven off to try and find someone to get rid of me?” She says quietly against my chest.

  I stiffen. “Huh?”

  She sniffles, but it’s a mix of that and a sad laugh. “Don’t lie to me.”

  She pulls away and kisses me gently.

  “I’m glad you’re alive. Do what you have to do. I’ll grab Sven for you. We’ll talk later.”

  “Lacey.”

  She turns back. Her eyes are still steel grey, but she looks so damn heartbroken.

  “I understand. Really. I’ll make everyone a plate. I know they have to go.”

  I don’t know if you’ve ever felt your own heart shatter seeing someone else’s pain, but it feels like a million tiny knives ripping apart your chest one by one. All she wanted was a day. One day. It wasn’t even about her, either. She wanted to give me a normal day. One. And everything went to hell.

  Damn, it hurts so fucking badly knowing how badly she’s hurting.

  I can’t fall apart now, though. I can’t afford to. So I use my pain to fuel my rage.

  “She figure out what you were doing in ten seconds flat?” Sven says as he reenters the room.

  “It’s Lacey. Of course she did.”

  “This is fucked up. She was really looking forward to this stupid dinner. She’s been cooking…”

  “I know!” I snap. “You don’t think I know?”

  He goes quiet. He knows I get trigger-happy when I’m like this. I pull my gun from its holster, letting it hang by my side, making the threat clear.

  “So you know my name.”

  I circle him. Sven remains still, keeping his eyes trained on me. He knows how serious this is. If we didn’t have personal history, he’d be dead already to protect my identity, but fuck, I don’t want to kill him.

  But I don’t want him knowing my name, either.

  “You know I keep my mouth shut, Boss, but I won’t beg you for my life. So if you’re gonna kill me over this shit, kill me. You have to take care of Rose, though. If you kill me, you have to take care of her.”

  With that, he stands tall. This is the shit I respect about Sven. He’s got honor. He doesn’t go down whimpering and crying.

  I take a deep breath and glare at him.

  “If you tell anyone, I take Rose down with you, understand?” I’ll give him options.

  “Deal, with one condition.”

  I glare. “Condition?”

  “If someone finds out your name, you make certain it was me who told. With Miguel knowing, you make damn sure it was me who opened my mouth before going trigger-happy on me and Rose.”

  That’s smart. Very smart. “Deal. I won’t lay a finger on you until I am sure.”

  “Alright,” he laughs. I don’t know how the fuck he’s laughing, but he is.

  “Miguel said he planted a bomb. We have to find, disarm, and get rid the damn thing. If there really is one, find out how the fuck he got it near my house.”

  “A bomb?! I was wondering why the hell you weren’t shooting the guy.”

  “I want this done. Once that bomb is disarmed, text me. We go from there. This kid, this... this ends, Sven. He pushed it too far today. It’s time he learned exactly who he’s dealing with. Make Gioele, Frances, and Enzio your right-hand men on this.”

  “Yes, Boss. And Boss?”

  “What?”

  “I had a thought. What if the same men who were involved in Rose’s murder are involved with Miguel?”

  “Sven,” I growl, “we have bigger things going on than…”

  I stop as the thought sinks in. Honestly, Miguel figured out my first name. He probably knows all about Sven’s addiction to the blonde. If he’s making allies, which we now know he is, then the first person he’d team up with is the man who tried to kill Rose.

  “You may have a point. Keep Rose here safe until this is all over. Now go disarm the damn bomb. Then text me.”

  “Yes, Boss.”

  That’s the easy part. Confronting my brokenhearted wife, now, that’s the hard part. I run my hand over my face and slip the cold black phone into my hands. I text my men to clean up the foyer and resume security.

  Throwing my shoulders back, I walk through the house. I have to show power to people. Show them I’ve got this, because I do, and if I don’t, everything falls apart.

  Thankfully, I run into Cut first. Everyone else is gone. Thanksgiving is still spread around the table, but most of the food is gone.

  To-go boxes.

  The meal Lacey put so much time and effort into.

  When Cut sees me he sets down everything he’s carrying. Cut doesn’t work for me. Well, he’s a trainer, but he is absolutely not one of my men, so it was a deed of respect or friendship that he stepped up today.

  “How’s Lacey?”

  His eyes slip to the floor.

  “I feel for her.”

  For Cut to say that is huge. I don’t know what to say to him. There is nothing to say.

  “Thanks for pulling her out of there, and everything else you did today.”

  He nods. “I should go.”

  “Wait!”

  Both of us spin around to see Maria running up. The woman’s boobs are bouncing everywhere and her
hair is all crazy. Rose is behind her, whisper-shouting for her to stop.

  “What the hell is going on? Everyone seems to know but Rose and I, which is complete bullshit.”

  My eyebrows shoot up. Cut looks completely shut off. Any emotion that was there a minute ago is completely gone now. Meanwhile, Maria keeps looking between the two of us for some kind of explanation. Rose looks like she wants to crawl out of her skin and hide. She always was a coward. I’m surprised she made a friend so brazen.

  “Does Mirial have my daughter, Rose?”

  She nods. Maria steps right up in front of me and snaps her fingers.

  “Hey, did you hear me?”

  I snatch her wrist quickly.

  “Do not snap your fingers in my face.”

  “Let go of my wrist.”

  She doesn’t even flinch at my use of mild violence. No woman I’ve met is unintimidated by a man laying a hand on her in a threatening way, unless they’ve experienced it before.

  I release her arm and straighten my suit.

  “Do I have to ask again?” She repeats with a raise of her eyebrows.

  “Woman, Jesus,” Cut growls. “Shut up.”

  “You did not just tell me to shut up! I told you, big guy, once I helped you, I wanted answers. Rose is not getting involved with anything else.”

  Cut looks shocked by that.

  “I did my part. I’m out of here,” Cut snaps.

  Cut stomps out the door after that. I know my men will see him out. I told them to have the strictest security measures.

  “Listen, Maria. You want to fit in here?”

  I step forward. She doesn’t step back, but I do notice how she watches Cut walk out of the room. There is a look in her eyes that I just can’t place. When he’s completely gone, she looks back at me.

  “Get in my face all you want. I don’t think you’ll hurt me. Not seriously, at least. I want to know what the hell is going on. Lacey—”

  “Rose!” I snap, making her jump. “Get your friend under control. Where’s Lacey?”

  “I don’t know. I really don’t. She saw Jamie and her parents out the door, checked on Rose —your daughter, not me, you know— and, um, Enzio tried to talk to her. Then she left.”

  “Left?”

  I sidestep Maria.