Forbidden Bastard Read online

  With speed, I squat, lowering my body to get better leverage and movement radius. He’s caught off guard by the sudden shift, and before he can recover, my bent arm is extended and he gets my elbow jabbed straight to his nose.

  He stumbles back a few steps. His left hand instinctively goes to his nose while he discreetly slips the knife that was in his right hand into his pocket. Looking directly at me with an evil sneer full of hatred, one corner of his mouth twists upward with amusement. Sick fucker.

  The action gets the attention from those closest to us, and they all step back just a bit. I hear some male voices rumbling with agitation from what appears to be a group of frat guys. One of the biggest of the college guys steps forward between the man who’s now detailing every second of my upcoming murder and me. Another guy comes to my side and asks if I’m okay, but I don’t respond. Even though I can technically only see half of this sicko with the frat guy in my way, I won’t take my eyes off him again. Made that mistake once already. It’s not happening again.

  He might want to kill me, but I’m not going to make it easy for him. Life lesson, asshole, you’re going to have to earn this one. His accusing eyes meet my glare, but I don’t flinch. His face is set with a viciously dark expression.

  “See ya soon, princess,” he says with a raw edge to his tone. Looking at me intently for a second, he sidesteps, disappearing into the crowd.

  “Ma’am, are you okay?” the voice says again, but I can’t answer because I’m hyper alert and waiting for the evil asshole to pop out and catch me off guard.

  Then I hear another voice. “He ran out the back. I tried to catch him, but the dude was too quick.”

  It’s not until I hear those words that I realize I’ve been holding my breath. I finally drop my shoulders enough to get air into my lungs, and before anyone else tries to talk to me, I spin and more aggressively push my way through the crowd heading toward the hallway that will take me to Lucas.

  Remembering his words to Christian, “Interrupt me immediately if Elianna needs me. Got it? I can’t get to him fast enough. As soon as I approach the ogres blocking the hallway, one of them steps aside, allowing me access, and I quickly slip through. I should probably tell them that some crazy man just attacked me, but I don’t. He’s long gone, and at this point, I don’t have time to waste because there’s no question he’ll be coming back for me.

  9

  - Hurt -

  Elianna

  Once I’m a dozen steps in, I realize how much quieter it is back here even with the opening of the club at the end of the hall. It must be soundproofed. Is that just terrific? Soundproofing is never a good sign.

  I walk quickly toward the door I know will lead me to Lucas, and as I get closer, I find that I was accurate about that shadow. Another guard stands outside this door too. Only this one is armed, and even though he’s not engaged to shoot, I have his undivided attention. Great. Just what I need, another asshole to deal with.

  When I reach the entryway, he lifts his brow inquisitively. Clenching my teeth while I speak because I’m not in any mood to play nice, I say, “I need to see Lucas.”

  “Not happening. He’s busy. You’re only supposed to be visiting the little girls’ room from what I was told, and you passed it ten yards back. No one told me to get Lucas for you, and last I checked, nobody takes orders from you around here. Sorry, princess, this isn’t your kingdom.” He smirks with a cocky grin, thinking he’s won. I stare him straight in the eyes, not bothering to hide my scalding fury, but he stares right back with equal contempt.

  The sound of a door closing farther down the hall distracts us both. When we look over toward the sound, we find Anthony Ruffinelli approaching. Holy shit. It’s Lucas’s father and the boss of the Ruffinelli family.

  I look back at the douche blocking the door and being the smartass that I am, I smile. “Hmmm . . . I wonder if you’ll take orders from him.”

  He gives me a dirty look, but he stands down as the boss approaches. I’ve never actually met Anthony Ruffinelli in person, but I’d been told he and my father were friendly to one another, probably business allies or maybe even partners. I can only hope he’s willing to help me get to his son.

  He smiles when he reaches us. “Elianna Nicchi, what a nice surprise seeing you here. This really must be my lucky day.” Reaching for my hand, which I graciously offer, he places a light kiss on the top. “I’d heard you were relocating to the area. I’m glad you’ve made it and that I’m able to officially welcome you,” he says kindly, almost causing me to forget that he’s the boss of one of the top five crime families in the United States.

  “Thank you so much, Mr. Ruffinelli. Lucas stopped by earlier to welcome me to town. He brought me here tonight to celebrate, but he had to step away for a few minutes. He instructed Christian it was okay for me to interrupt him if I needed anything, as I just explained to his doorman here. I hate to be a bother, but I’d really appreciate it if I could speak to your son for a moment.” Mr. Ruffinelli looks from me to the goon who now looks like he’s seconds from swallowing his tongue.

  “So Vinny’s called for Lucas then?” he asks with obvious annoyance toward him. He must already know this guy was giving me a hard time. Before Vinny can answer, I do him the favor of offering an explanation.

  “Well, in actuality, Vinny told me that Lucas was busy and he couldn’t get him for me. I understand Vinny’s position, though. He was just following orders. And he’s right. I don’t have any authority here. He can’t really assume I have any right to make a request, I suppose.” I smile innocently.

  Mr. Ruffinelli narrows his eyes at the goon. “Is that so, Vinny?” he asks. “Go ahead and let my son know that Elianna is upstairs and would like to speak to him, and while we wait for him to arrive, you can tell me verbatim what you said to Ms. Nicchi.” The boss of the family steps closer to me and watches Vinny as he swallows hard. Pressing the button on the wire coming from his earpiece, he tells the person on the other end exactly what Anthony Ruffinelli instructed him to.

  As soon as he gets a response back, affirming that Lucas is on his way up, he relays that information to us. “Well done, Vinny. That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” he questions, but it’s not a question and Vinny’s well aware of it. “So, Vinny, let’s have it. I’m quite interested in hearing what a man would say, rejecting any request Ms. Nicchi could have. I’m only aware of a few powerful men who have been able to resist those eyes. You’re either extremely skilled or have a death wish. Let’s see which it is.” Sarcasm is lacing the statement, but I can’t figure out if Mr. Ruffinelli is pissed or amused and just joking. If I had to bet, I’d go with the first.

  “Um, I don’t recall my exact words, sir. But she’s right; I did tell her I couldn’t take orders from her. I was told she was coming down the hall for the ladies’ room.” Vinny jumps when the door opens with Lucas storming through. Finding me immediately with his eyes, he pins me in place. He then looks at his father and Vinny, before coming back to me.

  “What the hell is going on?” he asks, coming to stand in front of me. “Sunshine, are you okay? What’s happened?” he asks again, but when no one answers again, he loses his shit. “Somebody had better tell me something . . . right fucking now!” It’s safe to say that when Lucas Ruffinelli asks a question, he expects answers, and promptly. Also, note to self, if he has to ask the same question three times without an answer, he loses his mind and become a very angry bad boy beast. Cupping my chin, he searches my face for answers.

  “I’m okay, Lucas. I just really needed to speak with you, and your dad made it happen.” His dark gray eyes narrow suspiciously but never look away from mine. For a second, I think I forget to breathe.

  “Made it happen?” he asks, appraising. I nod. My arms dangle at my sides with my hands clenched and nails digging into my palms, realizing that may have been the wrong thing to admit before I talk to him about the more important situation.

  “Father, since Elianna’s explanati
on wasn’t one, would you mind please telling me what exactly you needed to take care of for her?” He releases the hold he had on my chin although his eyes still have me pinned. Moving each of his hands, he places one on each of my shoulders with a grip that’s gentle and firm at the same time.

  “It seems Vinny can’t remember exactly what he said to Elianna, only that he couldn’t take orders from her and refused to have you notified. When I stepped out of the conference room after ending my call, I wasn’t pleased to see Elianna in distress,” Mr. Ruffinelli explains, somewhat, but enough that Lucas’s eyes are suddenly cold as ice.

  “Is that true, principessa? Did you ask Vinny to see me?” he inquires. My entire body tenses with the warning bells ringing in my head, and they’re getting louder with each passing second.

  His face hardens, and I see a vein throbbing in his neck. I swallow my screams of frustration and turn my face away. Looking down the dark, empty hall, which matches exactly the way I feel, I’m not sure I can take any more right now.

  He releases his hold on my shoulders, and I look up at him before he turns, taking four long strides toward Vinny. “Let me ask you a question, Vinny.” Lucas pauses, stepping to the side so he can look at Vinny and I both, while also giving Vinny a clear view. “Vinny, when Elianna approached you, did she look more or less upset than she does right now?”

  “I’m not sure, Lucas. I think she looks the same,” Vinny admits. Lucas’s temples pulsate, and he clenches his jaw. Looking at me again for long, uncomfortable seconds, he nods knowingly and turns back to Vinny.

  “When Elianna asked to see me, did you happen to ask her if everything was okay before you refused to notify me that I had a visitor?” His head turns back to me, meeting my eyes as he waits for the response.

  “Uh . . . no, Lucas. I guess I didn’t think to ask that. I’m sorry. They said she would be going to the ladies’ room.”

  Have you’ve ever watched the National Geographic documentaries with the large cats that pounce on their prey before the prey even realize they’re caught? That’s what happens. Faster than I can blink, Lucas has Vinny pinned to the wall with his hand wrapped around Vinny’s neck. Lucas is seething angry, and Vinny actually looks afraid.

  Since Vinny isn’t turning blue, I can only hope that means Lucas isn’t going to strangle him, but as mad as he is, I’m not sure that can be guaranteed. Mr. Ruffinelli leans casually against the wall, looking cool, calm, and collected. I have absolutely no idea what to do right now. I know it’s not my place to interfere with ‘family’ business even though I’m technically already involved.

  “When Christian informed the men today that Elianna Nicchi would now be living in Boston and everyone was to treat her as one of our own, he informed everyone it was a message sent down from the boss. You were there. Did you hear that message?”

  “Yes, Lucas.” Vinny gasps.

  “So you think the other men in the family wouldn’t mind if their mother, wife, daughter, or fucking girlfriend came in looking upset needing her man and you turn them away? You think that wouldn’t end with some scars, if not a damn tombstone? Where the fuck is your respect for this family, traditore? The way you treated Elianna . . . is that the way you’d treat our own, Vinny?”

  “I would never, Lucas. I’m sorry. I respect the family. Please?” Vinny begs.

  Lucas drops his hand from Vinny’s neck and steps back looking disgusted. “Get the fuck out of here, Vinny. I can’t even look at you right now without wanting to watch the life drain from your eyes.”

  “Lucas, please?” he pleads again, but he’s ignored as Lucas turns and strides directly to me.

  The bad boy bestia reaches for me when he’s close enough and pulls me toward him, wrapping me in his arms and squeezes tight. “I’m sorry, sunshine. Let’s go up to my office so you can talk to me about what you came down here for.” Leaning back just enough to tip his head down, I expect his forehead to touch mine. Instead, I feel the softness of his lips linger.

  Following his lead, we turn toward the farthest end of the hallway and take a couple of steps. Lucas stretches his arm, placing his hand on the small of my back, encountering my bare skin where my dress was slit with the blade. Immediately feeling the sting where my skin is raw, I unintentionally gasp. Lucas stops, twirling me to face away from him, which puts me eye to eye with Mr. Ruffinelli. In my peripheral, I see Vinny’s face fall in shock, and I’m surprised he hasn’t left yet. Dummy.

  “What the fuck? Elianna, who did this to you?” Lucas roars. Twisting me around again, he turns me this time to face him. If I thought he lacked patience before, that was nothing. “Words, Elianna. Who the fuck hurt you?”

  “I don’t know, Lucas. DON’T you dare yell at me right now. I’ve been trying to get to you to tell you. I have no idea who he is. I’ve never seen him before, but he caught me on the way to ladies’ room in the middle of the club. He had a message for me. I waited for him to give me the message and then escaped him. God. I came straight here after that, but I didn’t realize the knife scraped me until you touched the spot,” I retort, lifting my chin and meeting his icy gaze straight on.

  “Elianna, are you telling me some man you’ve never seen before had a knife . . . on you . . . in my fucking club?” Lucas asks, his face a glowing mask of rage now.

  This night just keeps getting better and better.

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Can I please go home now? I think I’ve had enough of this night.” Lucas looks over my shoulder to his father. Mr. Ruffinelli comes around to stand next to Lucas.

  “Elianna, you were walking through the club to come to the bathroom and were attacked on the way. So instead of going to the bathroom as planned, you came here to find Lucas?” Mr. Ruffinelli asks. Seriously, how many times must we repeat the same things? I just want to go home. I’m done. Completely finished. But instead of being rude to Mr. Ruffinelli and making a smart comment, I just nod.

  Mr. Ruffinelli steps around Lucas and goes to Vinny who’s still standing there. How stupid can one person be? Now that the boss is coming for him, though, he has no choice but to remain there. He’s lucky the bosses don’t usually get their hands dirty.

  Anthony Ruffinelli grabs Vinny by the collar with his left hand so tight he’s almost lifting the grown man off his feet. “Now do you see what you’ve done?” He viciously asks Vinny.

  Even if Vinny wanted to answer, he wouldn’t be able to, but it doesn’t matter. Anthony Ruffinelli doesn’t want a response. Pulling back his right arm, he lands a punch right in the center of Vinny’s face, then drops him. Holy hell.

  “I’m sorry, boss.” Vinny stands up, wiping the blood from his nose with the sleeve of his jacket. That’s a broken nose, for sure.

  “And Elianna, I’m really sorry to you. I should’ve helped you. I promise, this won’t happen again. If I can ever help you, say the word. Your word is the law around here too. I’ll do whatever I can to help you.” I force a sympathetic smile but don’t say anything.

  Then I see the two ogres rushing our direction. I look Lucas directly in the eyes to make sure I have his full attention. “Liability,” I whisper.

  Lucas’s eyes soften for a moment before he shakes his head. “I’m sorry, principessa. Not this time.”

  I groan, looking up toward the sky or, in this case, the ceiling. “Seriously, you have got to be kidding me. So over this day. Sleep. All I want is sleep . . . and my dog,” I complain to no one, everyone, and anyone who will listen.

  Lucas looks at me briefly. He’s still pissed, but a little amusement is sprinkled on top from my little tantrum. However, when the ogres are front and center, his mood flips the switch back to business.

  “Call the doc and get him to come here to check Elianna out. That fucker over there will probably need to see him too, but I want him here for Eli first. I need the security tapes for tonight from the moment we drove into the parking lot to right now. Every camera. Every room. Every angle. I want the same from Eli
anna’s place. Send them to my computer upstairs with a secured link.

  “Call Luis, tell him to go Elianna’s house and pack her a bag. We also need a bag for Gatsby with all his puppy shit and toys. Bring all that stuff here, but most importantly the dog. Tell him to hurry his ass up too.

  “Somebody go find a pillow and blanket. If there’s not a set around here someplace, go fucking buy it, but I want it yesterday. I’ll be upstairs with my father figuring out how the fuck this shit happened in my club under all your noses. Elianna is going to rest. Stay the hell away unless I call for you. The only exception is the doc, the dog, and the bedding,” he orders, acting like a giant ass.

  I’m not sure what it says about me that after this shitshow of an end to the night, I’m somehow even more attracted to him now that he’s having Gatsby brought here for me plus all the other stuff.

  “You know you’re a giant ass, right?” I ask mockingly.

  “Yep. Known it my whole life. It’s one of my better qualities. You’re lucky to have witnessed me at my finest tonight. I get it from my dad.”

  10

  - Game -

  Lucas

  We walk up the stairs with my father about ten steps ahead of us. Instead of going into my office, he heads to the sitting room attached to the space. I’m sure his plan is the same as mine. We need to know what that message was. Right now, no information is more valuable than that.

  Multiple oversized sofas are in the room with a television and kitchenette area, so hopefully, she’ll be comfortable to rest here until we can figure out what’s going on and devise a plan. The curtains are closed, covering the wall of glass that overlooks the club, so the lights aren’t a distraction. The room is soundproofed as well. Walking into the room, my father leans over the back of an oversized chair that faces one of the sofas. I guide Elianna to the sofa and take a seat beside her, holding her hand between my two palms.