Til' Death (Ricci Crime Family: Book 2)

CHAPTER ONE

Cash

My best friend, Tanner leaned against the bar as I poured him a drink. Whiskey was his favorite. I glanced next to him and raised a brow at his wife. “And for you?”

“She’s not drinking.” Tanner answered for her.

“For Christ’s sake, just tell him.” Mindy, his wife growled.

“She’s pregnant.” He replied, taking a drink.

So, that’s why he’s gone so long without contacting me.

I raised my glass and grinned. “Congrats is in order then.”

“Thanks.” Tanner muttered. “That’s not why we’re here. I need a favor.”

“Okay?” This isn’t like him.

“Decker called me last week.”

I remember Decker.
He used to be part of my family until he went all political on us.
Hell, he went to school with us.
Now, he’s running for damn President.

“Oh, he did?”

Tanner clenched his jaw as Mindy nudged him. “Baby, go talk to the girls for a while. I need to talk to him alone.”

Whatever it is isn’t good.

“He’s coming here in a week to talk to you. He wants your help in winning the race.”

My gaze shifted to my right and I glanced at Greta. She’d been working here for two years now. The reason for my presence here every night. It wasn’t to make sure she didn’t steal from me. It was for a completely different reason. It was because the saucy brunette made my dick stiff. I liked watching her. Some may call it stalking, I call it watching closely.

“Earth to Cash.” Tanner said, snapping his fingers in front of my face.

“Sounds good.” I muttered, never taking my eyes off of Greta.

“What are you daydreaming about?”

“Just thinking about how many ways I’m gonna fuck that pretty little waitress tonight.”

He shook his head and smiled. “Still the same manwhore.”

I haven’t fucked her.
Not yet.

“So, Decker is coming here to my bar in a week, is that right?”

“Yep, he wants you to help him get the votes he needs to win.”

“He may have gone political on us, but he’s the most crooked motherfucker I’ve ever known.”

“Listen, I’ve got to go, but let’s do dinner tomorrow night. Your place?”

“Sounds good.”

“And, Cash… if you do fuck your employee, you better wrap it up. Just ask Denton.”

Yep, I knew about Denton.
He fucked his secretary and knocked the girl up.
Now, he’s happily married to her.

Fuck!
Happily married.

I had a girl I wanted years ago. I was going to marry her until I found out she was fucking my father. Let’s just say they both received a bullet to the head. Killed them without hesitation.

No one knows that. For all they know, they both died in an armed robbery.
“Yeah, dinner sounds good with a side of that pretty little thing I got working for me.”

Tanner chuckled and shook his head. “Just fuck her and get her out of your system.”

That’s the problem.
I don’t want to fuck her out of my system.
I wanted to fuck her every morning and night. Maybe a nice blowjob at noon in my office. Two years I’ve waited for the perfect timing. I gave her two years to live her life and work as my waitress in exchange for saving her life. In that time, I haven’t fucked another woman. I couldn’t bring myself to. Not when all I see is her.

Tanner grabbed his wife and winked on his way out.

I focused back on Greta and clenched my jaw. One of the regulars had his arm around her waist. My fingers twitched and I wanted nothing more than to murder him. I jumped over the bar and grabbed him by the back of his shirt, yanking him away. “Get your motherfucking hands off of her!”

I drug him to one of the tables and slammed his head down on it. He thrashed and sneered. “What do you care? She’s fair game.”

“No, she’s not. I see you do that again and I’ll cut off your hands. Clear?”

He gasped. “Y-yes, Mr. Ricci!”

Greta widened her eyes but quickly composed herself. She narrowed her icy blue eyes and growled. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Hush, sweetheart, let the adults talk.”

I knew she hated to be told what to do. In fact, I knew every detail of her whole life. I knew she had a hard life. That her mother was a junkie and her stepfather was a real piece of work. I hated them both. The first night Greta worked here he picked her up, but she refused. I looked into it some and found out the truth behind that. He was a pervert that liked to touch little girl. Thank fuck I got Greta out before he touched her.

Greta slammed her fist into my chest and shoved me back. “Asshole, quit telling me what to do.”

“I’m your boss, sweetheart. I think I’ve earned the right to order you around.” I replied, taking both of her wrists in my hands.

“Let me…”

“Go? Nah, I don’t think so. I gave you two years to live a peaceful life without your junkie mother and her pervert of a husband. Now, it’s time.”

“Time for what?”

“Time for the Devil to collect what you owe, sweetheart.”

“What do you want?”

“You. I want you to be my bride and become Mrs. Ricci.”

“I won’t love you.”

“You don’t have to as long as you let me fuck you any time I please.”

“I’m not… you can’t just demand this from me. I hate you.”

“No, I don’t think you do.”

“I-I do.” She stuttered.

“If you hate me so much, why do your eyes tell me a different story? That’s okay, I’ll give you another three days before I take what’s owed to me. For now, you’ll be my chef/waitress. I have a dinner tomorrow night and I need you to come to my house to prepare a meal for my guests.”

“No.”

“Do you want to go back to him? To your crackhead mother? I can arrange that if that’s what you really want.” I wouldn’t, but she didn’t have to know that. I just wanted her to do what I say. If I have to play dirty, I would.
That’s who I am.

“Fine, but I’m leaving after I cook it.”

“You misunderstood, I expect you to be dressed to the nines and at my house at three to prepare a meal for my best friend and his wife. You will sit down and eat with us as my date.”

She narrowed her eyes and hissed. “I’ll cook the dinner, but I refuse to be your date.”

“I wasn’t giving you a choice, sweetheart. You will eat dinner with us and be a good little date. Am I clear?”

Tears brimmed in her eyes and shook her head. I didn’t want to threaten her , but she gave me no choice. I had to use force.