Wicked Liar by Faith Summers

Chapter Forty-Two

Dominic

Last night I went to bed with three things on my mind. The first was the blood I got on my hands.

I've never killed so violently. I can be as ruthless as my brothers, but last night the thirst for vengeance darkened my soul. Lucas took one look at me and knew I was approaching to give him death. He managed to open his mouth once before I shot him in his head. That would have killed him instantly, but it was like that wasn't enough.

I emptied my gun in him and I realized when I still wanted to keep going that nothing would ever be enough. Nothing I did would ever fix what he did, or change it.

I went home and the next thing that hit me was the fear in my girl's eyes when she saw the darkness still lurking inside me. It was still there in full force and I couldn't shake it. That steered my thoughts to Jacques, who we now can't find.

Fucker.

The fact we can't find his ass irritates the fuck out of me because I knew in my heart right off the bat that something was off about him.

He was the first thing on my mind when I woke, and he's still there.

This is possibly the only time since the Syndicate was set up that they’ve had to meet twice in a week. Because I want that asshole dead, I can't even take comfort in the fact that we’re meeting to plan something concrete. We’re not speculating anymore. The time for pussyfooting around is over.

Massimo sits at the head of the table. Tristan and I are to his left and the others are at his right, consisting of: Claudius and his first capo, Dante, Vincent, and his brother Salvatore, Aiden, and his cousin Maksim.

Massimo leans forward onto his elbows, readying himself to give the speech.

“Thank you all for coming guys,” Massimo begins and the guys all nod their acknowledgments. When he straightens up he reminds me of Pa. He has the same presence and even looks like Pa when he used to conduct business meetings.

“I’ve got the report of who will be onboard the Blue Iris, and it’s everyone except Jacques Belmont. There are four senior members of the Circle of Shadows, and the rest of the men are from the Order.”

That report he’s talking about was the last thing I tasked myself with finding last night.

“And what do you suggest we do, Boss?” Claudius asks. “I’m sure we can agree this shit needs to end right the fuck now. They’ll be on board that boat tomorrow. The whole fucking brood. That’s good for us.”

Vincent nods his agreement. “We have the advantage here.”

“A massive one,” Massimo concedes. “They have no idea we got to Lucas Ricci. His flight to Florence left this morning and as far as they’re all concerned, he was on board. They’re none the wiser that we are for once one step ahead.”

“We finally have a chance we’ve never had. We should get to them before they board the boat,” Aiden suggests.

“Yes,” Tristan agrees. “Get those fuckers before they have a chance to meet and plot more secret shit. There’s too many of them. Like rats, they’ve come out of the sewers and festered into this plan of fucked up shit to screw with us.”

“I have other ideas,” I cut in before the chorus of idea clashing can swallow up our time.

These are men who know what they’re doing. I don’t doubt that one bit but I want to do something more efficient than what they’re saying. What they’re suggesting is what we always do. As we have an advantage we’ve never had before, I think it’s time to change things up.

“Speak brother,” Massimo says.

“I want to work with the advantage we have. I want to seize the opportunity for what it is, so I suggest we don’t get to them before they get on the boat.” I look at each man in the room and allow my gaze to settle on Massimo. “I suggest we let them get on board and go out to sea. We let them all gather together like they were supposed to and meet. Then, we bomb them.”

That is my idea. The silence that settles over the room suggests I’ve hit home.

The nods that follow all in agreement gives me a feeling of satisfaction, and suddenly I feel like the old Dominic D’Agostino again. I feel like I found myself and I’m ready to be that guy again and secure our future. Most of all, I’m ready to end the fuck out of this.

“Agreed,” Massimo says. “Anybody disagree with that idea? I feel like it’s one hell of a solution.”

Everyone shakes their head.

“Then that’s what we’re going to do.”

* * *

Candace walks over to the dinner table and sets out a plate of ravioli. She made that for dinner.

I got home to the aroma and the sight of her walking around in my kitchen preparing the food. She’s wearing shorts and a little tank top.

Her hair is down. She normally only does that when she’s going out or for special occasions. At all other times, it’s in that braid.

She hasn’t been the same since yesterday. I know killing Lucas affected her. The fact that I did it affected her more. She’s never heard of me killing anybody before.

I walk over to her and slip my arms around her waist. She stops and sinks into my chest.

“You’re scared of me,” I mutter into her ear.

“No.”

“I know you are.” She places her hand on top of my arm and strokes over the eagle tattooed on my forearm. “You don’t have to be scared of me, Candace. I will never hurt you. You are mine, no matter what happens and whether you want to be mine or not. So I’ll do everything I have to, to protect you.”

She twists around and I allow her to face me.

“It was just a lot to deal with.” With a trembling hand, she reaches up to touch my face. “But you’re still the boy I love.”

“Always.”

I lean forward and kiss her. She tastes too good to stop, so I continue. Within seconds, I’m hungry for her. Hungry to taste her all over and hungry to be inside her tight little pussy.

“I need you,” I growl and pick her up, deciding I’m having her for dinner instead of ravioli.

From the seductive look in her eyes, it seems she wants to eat me too.

I take the plate off the table and set it on the sideboard.

“We’ll come back to this later,” I assure her.

“You better.”

I reach for her top and tug on the hem. “This needs to be gone from my sight. Get rid of it.” I enjoy watching her take her top off.

As she does it now, the thrill that races through me hardens my cock. When those perfect tits tumble out, I know the sight of this woman’s body is always going to have the same effect on me.

I’ll be the happiest fucker on this planet if I can have her just like this every day for the rest of my life. Her, Candace Ricci sitting on my table topless with her hair wild, fanning her beautiful face. Her swollen red lips look like a beating heart, and those long golden legs on show in her shorts enchant me.

I love the shorts, but I’ll happily trade them for her naked pussy. I reach over, undo the zipper, and pull her shorts down with her panties. My cock presses against my pants to the point of bursting when I look at her pretty pink pussy. I’m desperate to be inside her, but I’m doing this first.

I deserve it.

Crouching down, I bury my face between her thighs and force my tongue into her passage.

She’s already wet for me, so the nectar that has gathered in her delicious cunt tastes like heaven.

As I lick and taste, she runs one slender hand through my hair and uses the other to support herself on the table.

Mindless moans of ecstatic bliss pour from those lips and she arches her body into me, beckoning me to take her, claim her, and finally make her mine.

That’s exactly what I plan to do. I can call her mine all I want, but it’s different when she gives herself to me. When you’re given such a gift, it’s everything. It means she truly trusts me. That is priceless.

As she comes, her juices gush into my mouth, and I take it all. She thrashes over my face, screaming my name as pleasure erupts from her. In my arms, she comes undone and is every bit the woman from every fantasy I’ve ever had.

I’m however by no means finished with her. I’m just getting started because, like always, I want more.

I take out my cock and reach for her, giving her a second to catch her breath before I tease over her folds with the head of my cock. Spreading her thighs wider, I line my cock up with her hot entrance and plunge right in.

A hum of pleasure slips from her lips and breathy moans encourage me to fuck her the way I like to fuck. Hard and sure, relentless and unforgiving.

Her sounds of need fill the room, feeding my hunger. I spear into her repeatedly, pounding into her like I’m going to devour her.

Then, just when I already thought she’d blown my mind, she locks her legs around my waist, holding me captive to lust. A prisoner to her.

Fuck…

She lifts her hips to meet my thrusts, and that’s when my balls tighten painfully and I blow into her.

As her walls wrap around my cock and milk me, I slip my hand behind her head and pull her closer. I press my forehead to hers and she laces her fingers with mine.

We stay just like that in silence for several beats, and I hope this last battle will end all.

When morning dawns, she’s already awake. I’m leaving early. There’s much to be done.

Although I haven’t said anything much to her, Candace knows what’s happening at two o’clock today.

She’s sitting by the window, looking worried.

I get ready and make my way over to her. Her beautiful eyes take me in with love and something lifts inside me to see the twinkle that sparks only for me.

“I’m heading out now,” I tell her.

“Business?”

“Business.” The moment I say that the worry increases in her eyes.

I crouch down and take her hands. I remember two years ago when we woke up in bed on Tristan’s island. I looked down at her in my arms and I couldn’t believe I had her. I finally had her.

“I love you,” I whisper.

“I love you too Dominic D’Agostino, so you better come back to me.”

I smile and brush over her cheek. “My angel. I will try.”

That’s the best I can offer her and hope things go as planned.

* * *

Massimo, Tristan, and I are stationed on the rooftop of one of the buildings in San Pedro Bay. The others are down below, keeping watch just in case.

It feels fitting that the three of us should see this part together. It carries a sentiment.

The yacht on the sea ahead of us looks just like one of ours that we use for meetings. It’s medium-sized so one that wouldn't require a crew. That’s good. I’d feel more damned than I am if innocent people were on board and got caught in a trap.

It’s just gone two, and the yacht has just drifted out to shore making its way across the great Pacific.

There are twenty people on board. Today was the first we’d all seen the men we’d been looking for. It was like some act of magic that made them appear. They boarded from a side entrance on the dock that gave good coverage so you wouldn’t be able to see if you weren’t specifically looking for something or someone.

I saw the state's attorney first. As the leader, he was the first to board the yacht. When I looked at him I saw a man of many masks. The face I saw was one of evil. Definitely not the one he shows the world when he talks about building more shelters for the homeless and offering help to rape victims and young women who need support. That bastard was probably selling women in his traffic ring in his spare time, or when he’s not thinking of ways to kill us. Motherfucker, I wish like hell we could have gotten some hard dirt on his ass and ruined his name. It’s fine though. This will have to do.

Kazimir follows next and a host of Shadow members of his caliber. The other guys from the Order follow behind them and my one regret is that I never got to kill Tobias Navarro with my bare hands. He was the murderer. He killed Candace’s parents and because he’s done so much shit, he won’t even know what he’s dying for.

Massimo had our men keeping watch from yesterday so we’re ready for all of them.

Everything is ready.

The bomb is in the stern of the boat. It was placed there in the early hours of the morning when the maintenance crew did their checks. We had a man go in undercover and implant it. When you know what you’re up against, you can work certain things to your advantage.

The bomb was designed to obliterate.

It’s the kind where there will be no survivors. Just like what they did to Pa.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a fucking tooth.

Blood for blood.

In two minute's time when the yacht gets further out that’s when it will happen.

As I wait, I go over everything in my mind. Our lives turned upside down over three years ago, but this was brewing for over two decades. Peter was right when he said our problems began when my father lost everything.

I say a silent prayer that we'll fix it and as I whisper amen, the yacht blows up.

It’s over.

They’re all dead.

I accept it as payback with no regrets on what I could and couldn’t do.