CROW (Boston Underworld Book 1) (25 page)

I swallow the pain of my logic and putter to the kitchen, walking a little bit like a cowboy.

Rummaging through the cupboards doesn’t turn up much as usual. Ronan did some grocery shopping, but the man has no taste for anything with sugar in it.

Cornflakes it is, then.

I grab a bowl and sit down at the table across from Ronan, who is already scowling at me for some unknown reason. He’s in fine form this morning.

“Where’s Lach?” I ask.

“He had business to tend.”

“He hardly got any sleep,” I mumble around a mouthful of cereal.

“Welcome to his life,” Ronan answers dryly.

He continues to watch me eat, his eyes narrowed and the wheels in his eerily quiet head turning. By the time my spoon clatters into the empty bowl, I’m about ready to throw it at him.

“You got something you want to say, Ronan?”

I don’t actually expect him to answer. The majority of the time I’m lucky to get a grunt out of him.

“What did Sean say to ye last night?” he asks.

His voice is calm and quiet, but his body is even stiffer than usual. I can just imagine why. Somehow I doubt Lachlan would approve of this conversation.

“The usual,” I answer honestly. “Lach’s a manwhore, he’ll tire of me quickly, there’s a rat… oh and the Armenian’s stole money from the club. The Russians, I believe.”

Ronan stares at me but doesn’t make a peep. I can’t tell what’s going on in that noggin of his, but I know it probably isn’t good. I’m not supposed to know these things. But Sean told them to me for a reason, and I’m curious to find out why.

“He also said Lachlan’s men don’t trust him,” I add.

Ronan slams his fist on the table, and I actually flinch in surprise. He’s one of those scarily calm dudes, the kind that sort of looks like a serial killer or a professor, I can’t decide which. Though he’s always a little broody, I’ve never really seen him angry. Right now though, he looks like he’s about to have a hulk sized meltdown.

“That’s a load’a horse shite,” he snarls. “Those lads aren’t just loyal to the syndicate, they are loyal to Crow.”

“Alright, Ronan,” I tell him. “Just slow your roll. No need to have a coronary over it.”

He glowers, and I continue.

“I know Lach’s men are loyal, you don’t have to tell me. Loyalty is a big thing where I come from too.”

On instinct, my fingers move to touch my necklace, but it isn’t there. My heart jumps into my throat as I feel around my neck with panicked hands.

“What is it?” Ronan asks.

“My necklace!” I shove my chair backwards and bolt to my feet. “It’s not here.”

I can’t help the very raw and real reaction to finding it absent. It’s the only thing that ever meant anything to her. The last connection to Talia. I race back down the hall and start tearing Lachlan’s room apart, searching for it. I’m breathing hard and fast when someone comes in behind me.

“Mack?” Lachlan calls out.

“My necklace,” I choke out. “I can’t find my necklace!”

“I have it right here,” he says.

I wheel around and stare at him in disbelief. Sure enough, the silver chain is dangling between his fingers.

“I had Conor take it to get cleaned this morning,” he says. “It looked like it could do with one.”

“That wasn’t your call!” I snatch the necklace back from him and clench it with a shaking hand.

He’s staring at me like I’m a frigging lunatic, and I know there are tears leaking down my face. I don’t care. Let him think me weak. When my eyes move to the heart-shaped pendant in my hand I want to scream out my frustration. It doesn’t look the same. It’s not the same. It’s all shiny and clean and new looking, but that wasn’t how Talia left it.

“You shouldn’t have done this!” I yell. “If it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it. Hasn’t anyone told you that?”

I don’t know what I expect when he stalks towards me, but when he pulls me into his arms and presses me against his chest, it isn’t that. He’s rubbing my back, holding me close… and comforting me. It’s too surreal to believe.

“Come, sweetheart.”

He pulls me onto the bed and lets me curl up in his lap. I’m still sniffling against him, and I’m embarrassed. God, I can’t believe how badly I just let my emotions show. Lachlan’s kissing away my tears and being unexpectedly sweet and gentle with me.

“It won’t happen again,” he says. “I thought I was doing something good for ye.”

Part of me feels guilty for the tension in his voice. It was a kind gesture, but he doesn’t understand what this necklace means to me. It’s like now there’s nothing left of Talia. All the old has been stripped away, and I didn’t want that. She wasn’t shiny and perfect. She was tarnished just like me. But I can’t blame Lachlan for not knowing that.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him.

Lach wipes my tears away and shakes his head. “Grab yourself a shower, sweetheart,” he says. “I’m taking ye out today.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Mackenzie

S
ome men take their women to the movies, shopping, or out to dinner. Mine? He takes me to a boxing gym. And I grin like a lunatic when we step inside.

“You going to spar with me?” I ask.

He laughs. “If that’s what ye want, sweetheart.”

“What about your cuts?”

He gives me a look, and a couple of the guys around us chuckle too.

“Don’t insult me, Mack.”

I smile and shake my head. I know he’s taking time out of his schedule to do this. Time he probably doesn’t have, considering the Armenians are still breathing down his neck, and all the problems back at the club. So when I look up at him, I’m overcome by a wave of emotion. I reach up on my toes and plant a kiss right on his lips, in front of all the other guys. Lachlan likes this of course.

“Go and get changed.” He hands me the bag I packed and points to the back. With a slap on the ass I’m on my way.

When I come back out, dressed in my workout gear, Lachlan’s talking to another guy. I hardly notice who it is because Lach’s got his shirt off, and nothing but a pair of low hanging black track pants. I’m nearly salivating at the mouth just looking at him. I’m sure there are some good looking guys in this room. It’s chocka block with nothing but testosterone and sweat. But all I can see is Lachlan. I love how much bigger he is than me. How when he holds me at night, I feel small and safe in his arms. It’s crazy. But looking at him now, I can’t find a single flaw from his tattoos to the gold medal dangling from his chest. Everything about his body is addicting. Strong and lean with a flat stomach and hip bones that angle towards his glorious manhood. Some crazy part of my brain wants to demand that he walk around like this all the time.

“Mack, c’mere,” he says.

I walk towards him dutifully and he tugs me into his side with an expression of pride on his face as he introduces me.

“Jimmy, this is Mack.”

“Lovely to meet ye.” Jimmy nods. “I hear ye’re a boxer?”

I look up at Lachlan and grin. “Sometimes,” I say sweetly.

Lach’s laughing again. It sounds nice. It doesn’t happen often.

“Well youse two can have the ring for however long ye need it,” Jimmy says. “Or any other equipment ye want to use.”

Hmm another benefit of being with Lachlan. Not having to wait our turn at the gym. I doubt there’s a man in here who would dare to refuse him a request. But as I glance around at a few of the familiar faces from within the syndicate, I realize the gym is probably one of theirs.

Jimmy leaves us to it, and Lach helps me into some gloves. Over the next hour, we have at it, and I love that he doesn’t hold back with me. We draw an audience with our laughter and competitive insults after a while. He’s light on his feet and outmaneuvers me almost every time. I’m impressed with his strength and even more with his hot body, but I won’t tell him that.

By the time we finish, Lachlan and I are both covered in sweat, and I’m too proud to say he’s exhausted me. We share a bottle of water, and then he slaps me on the ass again.

“Let’s hit the showers, sweetheart.”

I glance around the room full of men, and he shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it, I got us covered.”

He grabs my hand and gives Jimmy a little nod as we head into the changing room. I’m assuming that’s some sort of signal to tell everyone else to fuck off, but I don’t get a chance to ask. The minute we’re inside, he’s got me pressed up against the wall, grinding his body on mine.

“Mack,” he groans as he kisses his way down my throat. “I’m so fecking hard for ye, sweetheart.”

To prove his point, he grabs my hand and presses it over the bulge in his pants. He isn’t lying, it’s like a frigging rock. I glance over at the open entryway into the change room and bite my lip.

“Someone could hear us,” I protest half-heartedly.

Lachlan’s eyes flash and he grins. “Oh I want them to hear us, butterfly. I want all the lads to know who’s inside of ye. The only man that’ll ever be inside of ye.”

“You don’t own me,” I laugh.

He captures my wrists and holds them above my head with one hand while the other pulls down my shorts. “Aye,” he grunts. “I fucking do.”

I smile back at his caveman bullshit in spite of myself. There’s no denying I like feeling a little bit helpless when he’s around.

It’s clear by the laser focus of his eyes and hands he’s done talking. Once my shorts are off, he yanks down his pants and wraps my legs around his waist. Then he grabs me by the hips and drops me onto his cock, using my back and the wall for leverage.

Before he moves, his eyes find mine and something in his expression changes.

“I know ye’ve had to be tough all your life, sweetheart,” he says. “But ye don’t have to do that with me. I’ll protect ye, and on occasion boast because ye’re mine. That’s just the way it goes.”

I bite back the wave of emotion his words bring on. It’s something I’ve always wanted, though I’m too proud to admit it. How long has it been since I had someone looking out for me too? Since I didn’t have to worry about the dangers lurking around every corner. That’s what Lachlan’s promising me. And right here and now, for a moment, I pretend that I can have it.

He fucks me hard. Harder than he’s ever fucked me. And just as I suspect he wants, I’m screaming when I come. The whole goddamn gym probably heard it. Lach’s still powering into me, and I can’t stop myself from stroking over his muscular chest and shoulders. He’s so incredibly hot. And he wants me. I reach forward and suck on his neck, tasting his salt and skin. He groans, and I suck harder.

He grips my ass and impales himself as deep as he can go before he jerks inside of me, swearing like a sailor. I pull away from his neck with a pop, smiling at the hickey I left for all the world to see.

“Oops.”

Lachlan grins and kisses me hard, holding me up with his arms. I don’t know where he’s finding the strength after everything we’ve done today. On top of that he’s still wounded, and it’s the last thing he should be doing. I slide down his body until my feet touch the floor

“Right.” He grabs my hand in his. “Now let’s hit the showers.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Mackenzie

A
nother week passes without a whole lot of leads. I’ve been bored out of my mind hanging around the club, and Lachlan’s had Ronan at my side the entire time which I can totally tell he just looooves. I did however manage to get Sasha onboard with my plan. She agreed to let me know if she sees the Russian that was hanging around Talia. The longer I spend here, the more I gain her trust. It can only help that I’m keeping Donovan away from her.

So far dickhead has been avoiding the place, but he’s here tonight. I’m sitting at the bar waiting for Lachlan to get back when I notice Donny slinking towards the dressing room. Since Sasha’s on first, he no doubt expects her to be back there getting ready. Too bad for him that I’ve put a little wrinkle in his plan. I’m ready for him, and honestly, I’ve been counting down the minutes for this.

Every day for the last week we’ve taken over one of the downstairs storage areas and turned it into a makeshift dressing room for Sasha only. I made up a whole story about the other girls being bitchy as an excuse. Lach grumbled about it for all of two seconds before I used my lips to coerce him into it. Secretly, I don’t think he actually minds since he thinks Sasha and I are bonding. As it turns out, Lachlan is quite busy with his mobster activities, and me having a friend here gives him some peace of mind. Probably because he thinks it’ll keep me out of trouble. Hah.