Page 66 of Ripping the Odds

The sun was high in the afternoon sky by the time we pulled up to the house. Lennon and Daria said goodbye soon after gathering their belongings. The idea of leaving Pru alone was deplorable, but asking one of them to stay would’ve led to questions that were better left unanswered.

“Take a walk with me?”

She immediately took the hand I held out. We strolled along the path which led to the garden overlooking the Atlantic. It was one of Pru’s favorite spots to relax and had quickly become mine as well. The wooden bench swing creaked under our weight as we both sat. An occasional breeze from the ocean below blew gently through the trees on either side of us. It was a beautiful day, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. A tropical depression had formed to the south and was gaining strength. It was expected to make its way up the coast as a hurricane some time in the next two days. I was leaving to go to New York in a few hours. Even though I didn’t expect to be gone longer than overnight, sometimes things didn’t always go according to plan. That’s what had me nervous. Leaving Pru alone in the middle of a natural disaster didn’t sit well with me, but the confrontation with Victor couldn’t wait. It was long overdue.

Swinging back and forth, side by side, I told her about my upcoming trip. As expected, she pouted when I wouldn’t give her details. It amazed me how easily Pru accepted this part of my life. It didn’t mean she liked being kept in the dark, even when it was for her own good. Then, since there wasn’t a good way to soften the blow, I told her about Frank. She cried softly for the man she’d never actually met.

We stayed in our little haven until it was time for me to leave. At the door, she went up on her toes to give me a kiss. She wobbled a little because of her prosthesis, and I quickly used that to my advantage. My hands went to her ass, lifting her off her feet. I turned and pressed her up against the door. The kiss ignited as soon as our mouths touched. Our hands were everywhere. Touching. Kneading. Memorizing. My cock tried to bust through my zipper, begging me to take her right there in the foyer of our home. I probably would have too if reality hadn’t crashed through our afternoon sexcapades. That reality being Dimi clearing his throat behind us.

There was humor in his voice when he said, “You probably shouldn’t start something you can’t finish.”

“Asshole,” I grumbled as I gently put Pru back on her feet.

“Kas and Mak are waiting for us.”

Picking up my overnight bag, I gave Pru one more kiss.

“Alexsei is in charge of your security while I’m gone. Please don’t give him a hard time.”

“Who, me?” She feigned innocence.

I grinned. “Love you, baby.”

“Love you too. Come back to me in one piece.”

“I’ll try my hardest.”

“Not good enough.” She then narrowed her eyes on Dimi. “It’ll be your ass I’ll come for if he gets hurt.”

“Promise?” He winked at her.

“Let’s go before I kick your ass for flirting with my woman.”

“You could try.”

Victor wasn’t in Red Hook, he was in Gowanus. He was holed up in an old, run-down house with warped siding and peeling paint. It was wedged between two brick warehouses in a desolate neighborhood that looked like it was in the wrong century. My brothers and I had been watching from the rooftop of an abandoned factory across the street. No one came out, and the only person who went inside was a female escort about thirty minutes ago. She worked for a private service that Alexsei had done business with previously. He made arrangements for a particular kind of woman who would do anything for the right amount of cash, then disappear without asking questions. Victor was in for a surprise. In place of his little blue dick-hardening pill was a similar looking one that would knock his ass out within minutes.

After she’d gone inside, we moved to the lower level. Most of the windows were busted out, giving us the perfect view of Victor’s hideout. All we had to do was wait for her call.

“It’s too quiet,” Kas observed.

Dimi agreed. “I don’t like it.”

They were right. Enough time had gone by for the drugs to take effect. Something had gone wrong. Victor was too smart to let his guard down. He had to know we’d be coming for him, which meant we were walking into a trap. But we were prepared for every scenario. We wouldn’t be leaving empty handed. As we readied to move on the house, the front door suddenly swung open. Victor appeared in the doorway with his arm wrapped around the neck of the terrified escort, using her as a shield. He held a silver pistol at his side.

“Nice to see you again, Nephew,” he bellowed.

“I can’t say the same about you, Uncle.” The last word left a bad taste in my mouth. This man was no family of mine. He was a rabid squirrel who needed to be put down.

“Come out, Zahkar. Show me the man you’ve grown into.”

“Do not expose yourself,” Mak growled.

“I don’t have a choice.”

“You do”––his mismatched eyes bored into mine––“you just aren’t making the right one.”

“Then you’d better make certain he doesn’t get a shot off.”