King of The Bronx: A mafia romance, page 15
“Let’s get you into the bed while you’re still rolling high on the morphine,” I said.
Enzo smiled a sloppy grin. “I just got shot and you’re already trying to get me in bed.”
I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips.
I turned to Tommy. “Help me get him in the bedroom?”
Tommy came over and, together, we walked Enzo to our bedroom. I helped him change into clothes that weren’t completely soaked in blood. All the while, he insisted that I was trying to fuck him because I found gunshot wound victims hot. It took everything I had not to laugh at this goofy side of Enzo, but doing so would only encourage him. Once he was asleep and tucked into bed, I slipped out of the room. Tommy and Cole were sitting in chairs across from each other, both focused on the phones in their hands.
Tommy lifted his eyes to look at me. “Cal is bringing Erica in,” he said.
In the midst of seeing Enzo almost bleed out on the kitchen island, I’d forgotten about the reason he’d put himself in danger in the first place.
“She’s here? Why—?”
“She was passed out when we found her. They must have drugged her. Cal has been watching over her in the car. She just woke up.”
Fuck. What if the drugs they gave her triggered her addiction? The front door opened, and Erica’s eyes were wide with a mix of confusion and fear as she slowly walked into the room. Cal stood behind her but didn’t move.
“Erica!” I said before crossing the room and pulling her in for a hug. Tears streamed down my face, and Erica returned my hug. I’d been terrified since the moment Erica went missing. I pulled back to look over her. She looked fine, but that didn’t mean anything. I placed my hands on both sides of Erica’s face.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Erica wiped at a tear that slid down her face. “Yeah, I’m okay. I don’t remember much…I’m just really hungry.”
I smiled, but then looked over at the kitchen. Blood was still caked on all the surfaces.
“I’ll order you some take-out.”
*****
Erica ate and showered before going to sleep in the guest bedroom. I didn’t miss the way Cal hovered around her as if he still needed to watch over her. Tommy and Cole left after they had someone clean up the blood. The guy who’d shown up to clean the mess was young. He was probably trying to prove his worth to the mob, but I’d still felt bad as he scrubbed the kitchen clean of any traces of blood.
After what felt like the longest day in my life, I finally showered and changed into pajamas before laying in the bed next to Enzo. He laid on his back and raised his arms up as I got into bed, indicating he wanted my head on his chest. I curled into his good side and rested my head against his naked chest. I stared into the dark bedroom for a while, just feeling his chest rise and fall with each breath. His hand absentmindedly stroked my hair.
“Thank you…for everything,” I said quietly.
“I promised you I’d get her back.”
“You also promise me you’d be safe.”
“I’m alive,” he said.
I let out a breath of air. “Thank God. You scared the shit out of me.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
A moment of silence passed between us. His breaths evened out as he fell asleep. A few minutes later, my eyelids became heavy and I drifted off.
*****
The smell of bacon made me snap my eyes open. I lifted my head up, expecting Enzo to be next to me, but the bed was empty. What the hell? I stood up and stumbled to the kitchen, where Enzo was leaning against the counter talking to Erica as she cooked.
“What the hell are you doing?” I barked at him. He narrowed his eyes at me as a silent warning. “You got shot less than twenty-four hours ago. Why are you up?”
“Babe, I can’t lay in that bed all damn day.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Then lay on the couch. I don’t care where you lay, but you’re going to rip your stitches.”
His eyes roamed over my body, and his lips moved to one side as if debating if he should argue with me, but then he walked around me to lay down on the couch. I knew it would be a challenge to make Enzo sit still, but I didn’t think it would be an issue so soon. I walked over to Erica as she brewed a fresh pot of coffee.
“How are you feeling today?” I asked her.
She shrugged. “I’m okay. Sleeping was hard. Since they kept me drugged the entire time, I think my body is confused, but Cal kept me company.”
I looked down at her arm. There were fresh track marks where they must have stuck her.
“You don’t have to make breakfast,” I told her.
“Might as well. I couldn’t sleep so I’m a little hyped up anyways.”
I nodded and poured myself a cup of coffee. I added in creamer and sugar before making a cup for Erica.
“So who’s running the house?” Erica asked.
I smiled. “Actually, I don’t really know.”
Erica laughed. “I’ll go after breakfast.”
I leaned against the counter and took a sip of my drink. “You really don’t have to. You can stay here as long as you want, take some time to relax.”
Erica gave me a sad smile. “Thanks, but it’s probably better if I stay busy, go to a couple meetings. Try to focus on things that can distract me from…”
Her craving. She didn’t need to say it out loud. I nodded and decided not to push her to rest and relax like I did with Enzo. Erica had dug herself out of a drug addiction before, so she must know how to do it again.
After we ate breakfast, Cal drove Erica back to the house. I took a seat on the chair next to the couch, but Enzo shook his head and sat up, making room for me.
I rolled my eyes but didn’t argue as I got up to sit next to him. I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling fatigue run through my body. I hadn’t really done anything today, but I felt like I was at the end of a marathon. The stress that’s been running through my body was finally over, and now, all that’s left is exhaustion.
“So it’s over now?” I asked Enzo.
He kissed the top of my head. “It’s all over, baby.”
“About the brothel…”
He let out a sigh as if he was dreading this talk just as much as I was. “Before all this happened, I talked to Cole. I didn’t understand why you would want to keep working there when you didn’t have to anymore. I had enough money to take care of us forever, and even if we got divorced, which isn’t an option, you’d get half of everything.”
I opened my mouth, but he pressed a finger to my lips.
“Let me finish. You shouldn’t have to give up your entire life because I decided to step in and play Superman. It’s not fair to you. I put myself in dangerous situations everyday, so I can’t keep you from running the brothel if that’s what you really want to do. I would never keep you from that. All I ask is that you let me increase security and invest in the business. I need to feel like you’re safe because the clients are too scared to try anything stupid.”
His green eyes stared into mine, waiting for a response. I wasn’t sure what to say. I was ready to give up everything for Enzo, but he surprised me. Did I want to run the brothel? I thought about my life without it. My identity was more than just the owner of the brothel, but I enjoyed being around my girls. I wanted something to do during the day. I’d go mad sitting around Enzo’s apartment all the time.
“I want to run the business. I like being there, and you’re gone so much, I need something to entertain me. But I want you more. You’re the one who makes me happy.”
He nodded. “Then we just have to make sure you run it like a queen.”
“Me and you, taking over the Bronx.”
He smiled and kissed my forehead. “Baby, we already own the Bronx.”
Epilogue
Raven
My heels clicked against the marble floors as I walked behind the desk.
“Go take care of your other businesses and stop hovering,” I said to Enzo, who was leaned back in the desk chair, typing into his phone. Ever since we found out I was pregnant, he’s been glued to my side. I was too early to even show, but Enzo acted like I was about to go into labor any second.
He looked up at me, his green eyes holding a playfulness in them. “They’re our businesses and I’m taking care of them right from here.”
Cal opened the door to the brothel, and a man in a suit walked in. I smiled at the John and got him checked in on the computer system before he took a seat in the waiting room. We’d renovated the entire house so it looked more like an office. The wooden floors on the main floor have been replaced with marble, and the old waiting couch has been replaced with an entire waiting room, complete with a TV that was always playing ESPN. The bedrooms were still upstairs, but there were only five instead of ten. Walls had been torn down to make the rooms bigger. The basement has been completely finished, including five newly built rooms. As promised Enzo doubled down on security, and the Johns would have to be stupid to try something. We also raised our prices significantly, which meant better clientele. The girls were making more money, so they didn’t stick around for long. It made me happy that this place still served as a way for girls to do something temporary to get back on their feet.
“You can’t sit around here my entire pregnancy,” I told Enzo, placing a hand on my hip.
He rolled the chair closer before grabbing me around the waist and sitting me on his lap. I giggled in surprise.
He kissed my neck. “I. Can. Do. Whatever. I. Want,” he said in between kisses.
I never thought I’d see the day when Enzo could sit still. Little did I know, all I had to do was get pregnant.
“Get a room,” Erica said as she came down the steps. While most of the girls had left, Erica had stuck around. She was still managing her addiction by going to meetings twice a day. I flipped her the bird, and Erica laughed before going into the waiting room to grab her next client. I ground against Enzo’s lap, and a low noise sounded in his chest.
“Don’t provoke a lion,” Enzo warned, his voice low and husky. A heat started in my belly, and Enzo placed a hand there as if he could sense it. I still couldn’t believe I was going to have a baby. The life I lived now was so different than anything I ever imagined. Before Enzo, all I wanted to do was survive. I never imagined I’d be married with a baby. Our life was far from traditional. I was a madam for crying out loud, and Enzo dabbled in a little bit of everything. Our child wouldn’t live a normal life. That was something I’d come to accept. But this was my family. After bouncing from foster home to foster home as a kid, I’d never imagined having a huge family. Toby was right. Cosa Nostra was my family.
Enzo’s phone rang, interrupting our moment. He sighed and pulled it out. I got up from his lap.
“Enzo,” he answered. He listened to the person on the other side of the phone. “I’ll be there,” he said before hanging up.
“Thank God,” I joked. He stood and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“The Bronx needs you, Superman.”
He nuzzled my neck. “The Bronx can fucking wait.”
The End
What’s next? Sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date on all new releases. http://eepurl.com/dF1a0D
Notes
I hope you enjoyed reading King of The Bronx. Please consider leaving a review of this book. Reviews mean the world to indie authors.
ALSO BY K.D CLARK
The New York Capos Series:
Cassandra doesn’t need a Prince Charming.
She has saved herself more times than she can count.
Life as the Boss of the biggest criminal organization in North America is not an easy job but maybe for one night she can forget about all that.
When she runs into a handsome man in her nightclub she doesn’t ask any questions because she couldn’t care less.
Cassandra is a boss but so is Andre and he’s about to show her that he can be just as ruthless as her.
Merciless Queen
Twisted Judgement
Fallen Judgement
Apprehension
Admission
Standalones:
Savage Spades
The last thing Cam needs right now is the town’s motorcycle club taking over her bar.
The failing bar that her father left her to deal with along with a loan from a dangerous man named Venom.
On top of that, she’s trying to get through her classes without failing.
She doesn’t have time for the blue-eyed monster of a man that can’t keep his eyes off her.
But damn he would be a good distraction.
Dirty Empire
I married a monster.
Years ago my husband was the perfect man, until I was faced with his abusive side. I thought my husband would kill me but Maverick saved me. He seemed like my knight in shining armor. However, Maverick comes with his own set of baggage.
How will this tangled web of destruction and lust unravel? Dirty Empire will thrill, anger, push, and prod you to the edges of your imagination!
King of The Bronx
He belongs to the most notorious criminal organization in North America.
I watched him kill a man without blinking.
I've let him into my heart, and now I'm about to be his next target.
I need thirty-thousand dollars to save the only family I have, and the only way I know how to get it is by stealing from Enzo Genovese.
About the Author
K. D. Clark is a United States author living in Saint Louis, Missouri, with her high school sweetheart and being a dog mom to two amazing pit bulls. She spends every minute she can either working on her books or reading the great works of other romance authors. For more information on book releases and her writing process, please feel free to check out her website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Website
https://kdclark926116107.wordpress.com/
https://twitter.com/KDClark2
https://www.instagram.com/authork.dclark/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKDClark/
K.D Clark, King of The Bronx: A mafia romance
