I heard her chuckle a little, and couldn’t help but turn around to look at her. She looked amazing sprawled across her bed, completely naked and completely mine. Always. Fucking. Mine. She didn’t need to say anything. Just her presence alone was enough to make my body vibrate with need, my cock pump with blood, and my head thump in agony. I was in turmoil whenever I looked at her. A part of me wished I could take back that day and forget it ever happened. Take Tyler in my arms and tell her who has been sneaking into her room for the past three years. I had always been there, always been around in her life in one form or another. She didn’t know, but I practically grew up with her as much as Ian had. I had never disappeared like she assumed. I had been with her more than she knew.
“I just wish you would stay a little longer,” she purred, giving me the perfect outline of her body. I watched as her hair splayed around her shoulders towards her pert breasts. I watched as the curve of her body dipped into her waist, then out again as her hips cried out for me to grab them.
No way. Oh no, Deany boy. You’re not letting her fucking voodoo magic work its wonders on you now. Go! Go before you make a huge mistake.
So I fastened up my zipper and stood up, noticing Tyler was still lying on her bed. She saw me move to leave and pouted a little bit.
“Don’t sulk, Tyler. I’ll be back for more. That is always one thing you can guarantee with me.”
“You’re such a tease,” I heard her whisper as I headed for the door.
I let out a rough chuckle. “You’re the tease, Tyler. You’re sprawled across your bed, looking like a fucking sex goddess. How can you expect me not to want to take you again?”
Rising from her position, Tyler turned herself towards me, opening her legs slightly so I could get a better view. I couldn’t help it. I growled. My dick swelled and my heart pumped faster as I gazed upon her naked form. When she heard my growl, Tyler shuddered and smiled that sexy grin of hers. Closing her eyes, she made a little satisfactory moaning noise as her eyes searched for my face.
“Why not take me again? Take me anyway you want, Lotus. Why don’t you come over here and fuck me again? I want you to fuck me. You can fuck me hard just like you know I like it.”
What. The. Fuck?
What was she trying to fucking do to me? Did she not know the buttons she was pressing? Could she not see the hidden demon within me? The one that wanted to ravish, tarnish, and devour her until there was nothing left?
Fisting my hands tightly, I growled again. Tyler let out a little gasp, and I knew she was just dripping wet for me now. I only had to be here and that was enough to get her pussy throbbing. She was the fucking devil in disguise.
Closing my eyes, I tried desperately to calm myself down. No matter how much my body yearned to take her again, no matter how much my dick throbbed in protest, I couldn’t let her win. I was in control—not her.
I took a deep breath, then opened my eyes again, trying hard not to look at her too much. I knew if I did, I would relent.
Instead, I tried my best to bring back my playful composure. “You can never have too much of a good thing, Tyler. Good night.”
I started moving, waving as I went, and walked out the door. I was pumped, but also horny as fuck. I didn’t know when enough was enough when it came to Tyler. What I said definitely had an element of truth. If you had too much of a good thing, you just got complacent with it. I never wanted Tyler to get complacent with me. I wanted to keep her on her toes, begging for more. Always begging for more.
As I neared my Vanquish, I pulled out my phone to call Jimmy. “Hey. What’s up, boss?” I heard his gruff London accent say as I got in my car.
“I need you to do another job.”
“Okay. Who do you want me to take this time?”
Gritting my teeth, I shook my head. The thought of Jimmy taking Tyler filled me with rage. “I don’t want you to take anyone. I need you to watch someone for me for a little while.”
“Give me the details.”
I sighed. I didn’t want to share Tyler with anybody, but I couldn’t be everywhere at once, and I needed to know what she was doing during the day. Why she had been away for a week, and who it was that fucking upset her. If I found out somebody hurt her, I would rip their fucking heart out and feed it to their dog.
“I will send you a picture of her later but, for now, I need you to be at this address by seven o’clock tomorrow morning.” I ran off the address of the building.
“I’m watching a female, am I?”
I heard the tone in his voice and it made my blood boil. “Yes, and you can keep any fucking ideas of going anywhere near her to yourself. You’re just to watch her, Jimmy. Nothing else.”
“Whoa, Dean. Don’t fucking go nuts. I hear ya.”
Shit, I didn’t need this. Now Jimmy knew I had a weakness. A weakness for a witch in fucking sexy high heels. This was how I had managed to grow as strong as I have. My empire was as big as any other out there simply because I never showed anyone my weaknesses. If you did that, you were showing your vulnerability. Tyler would quickly become a target if Jimmy ever wanted to screw me over.
“All you need to do is follow her and report back to me if she does anything other than go to work and come home. You got that?”
“Sure thing, boss. What is she to you anyway?”
I sighed deeply, trying to keep myself in check. “It’s none of your fucking business,” I stated matter-of-factly.
“You’re not planning on hurting her, are you? I mean, I don’t mind being involved in anything, but I won’t be involved in hurting any women or children, Dean. That shit is fucked up.”
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. I was planning on hurting her, just not in the sense that Jimmy was referring to. “Jimmy, if you have to ask, you surely don’t know me. Have I ever asked you to hurt a woman, or be involved in hurting a woman?”
“No.”
“When we went that time to Tommy’s house to teach him a lesson and found him there with his wife and kid, did I not tell you the plan was off?”
“Yes, you did. Sorry, boss. I wasn’t thinking.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I started the car. “I just need her watched. I don’t need you asking questions why. All you need to do is watch and tell me if she does anything out of the ordinary. Can you do that for me?”
“Of course.”
“Good. I’ll send you more details shortly.”
I hung up and drove out of my parking space, heading for the mansion. I didn’t want to stay there, but I had to for the next few days. I hadn’t heard from the police, but I took that to mean they hadn’t found Pinzano’s body yet. No doubt the bloated fuck would surface somewhere shortly—if he hadn’t already.
As I neared the garage, I pressed the button for the door and parked the car next to my Jaguar XF. I hadn’t used that car in a while. I suppose I should so that I’m not seen too much in the same vehicle.
As I got out, I placed the keys on the hook and made my way through the door and into the kitchen. Humphrey was there smiling, and I knew what that meant.
“Enjoy yourself this evening?”
Pulling the fridge door open, I grabbed a bottle of beer. I opened the top and took a swig. “A gentleman never tells.” I smiled.
“Hmm,” he answered. “Strange how you’ve always told me about your conquests, but Tyler is off limits? What is so special about her?”
I knew where this was heading, but I did my best not to let him get to me. “Tyler is special and you know full well the reasons why.”
Grinning, Humphrey grabbed an apple and bit into it. “Yes, but you’re not one to have the same pussy for too long. You’re motto was always once was enough. When was the last time you fucked anyone other than Tyler? I know you didn’t fuck Samantha or Katie the other night, but not once have you invited a girl back to your place to do just that.”
I grunted and took another sip of my beer. “I’m too fucking busy to worry about a whi
ney woman right now, Humphrey. And that’s just what they are. No matter how many fucking times I tell them it will be one time and one time only, they always want to be the one that breaks me. To be the one that finally catches Dean Scozzari.”
Humphrey sighed, taking another bite of his apple before reaching for the door. “From where I’m standing, Dean Scozzari has already been caught. In fact, he was caught a long time ago. I just don’t think he quite realises it yet.”
Humphrey walked out the door and I was left reeling over what he just said. It pissed me off that I was feeling more for Tyler than I wanted but, more than that, it pissed me off somebody else could see it.
Downing my beer, I walked down to the basement and into my cinema room. I never used this place as much as I should but, tonight, all I wanted to do was watch a Bruce Lee film. Before setting it all up, I sat down with another beer and sent all the info about Tyler to Jimmy. Once all was done, I tried to get lost in the movie. It was no use, though. Normally, Bruce Lee did the trick, but not tonight. Tonight, all I could see was Tyler’s body moving up and down on my cock as she moaned my name. She was everywhere in my head and I fucking hated it.
*****
I was in Tyler’s bedroom and could see Lotus. He was hovering over her with a knife and she was screaming at me to help her.
“Dean! Dean, please help. Please make him stop!” she cried as she bore her eyes into mine.
In a blind panic, I roared and rushed to tackle Lotus to the ground. I wanted to kill him for daring to touch her. I wanted him dead for even thinking it was okay to hurt her. But something was blocking my path. It was like I had an invisible glass in front of me, blocking me from saving her. I banged and kicked with all my might, but it didn’t break or give way. It was stronger than me and I felt weak.
I could see the fear in Tyler’s eyes, and the feeling of helplessness surrounded me. I wanted to help her. I wanted to save her from the demon.
Lotus—myself—turned to me as I stood there, giving me an evil smirk. He was goading me, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop him.
With a turn of his head, he went back to Tyler and raised the knife in the air. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, and I felt myself beginning to lose it, thinking I would never see Tyler again.
As the knife came down, Tyler looked at me one last time before screaming my name, “Dean!”
“Dean!”
I woke with a start, sweat dripping down my face as I scrambled to gain control. For a fleeting moment, I didn’t know where the fuck I was and the panic rose like never before. I felt a tug on my shoulder and was about to turn and swing…until I saw it was Humphrey.
“Fucking hell, Dean. You look like shit. What the hell is wrong with you? I was calling your name, and all you were doing was shouting something I couldn’t understand.”
Knowing it was all a bad dream, I felt my breathing calm a little. I could still see her pleading eyes, and I could still hear her screams for me to save her. Just as I had told her, the demon always won. Tyler would never listen to me, even when we were young.
“I’m fine. What do you want?” I asked, knowing I was snapping.
“The cops are here, Dean. They’re waiting for you upstairs.”
Rubbing my face in my hands, I sighed and looked at my watch. Fuck. It was ten-thirty? I had almost slept for ten hours?
“Okay. I’ll come right up.”
“Don’t you want a shower first? I can hold those fuckers up, if you’d like. It would be my pleasure.”
I looked at Humphrey’s smiling face, knowing just how much he loathed the cops. A while back, he did a stretch for an auto theft ring he had set up. It was very successful for a while, then he got too complacent with it and started making mistakes. Of course, the police were tailing him for a while, but Humphrey never knew anything about it. Then, one night, they raided his garage, confiscated the cars, and arrested him.
“No, it’s okay. Let’s get this over with. We knew they were bound to come at some point.” I raised my eyebrow at him. I think he knew what I meant. I didn’t need to kill anyone around here to raise any suspicion. If any whiff of a gang-related incident happened around here, I was immediately suspect number one. I’d never been caught simply because I was always careful. My parents were good at what they did, but there were lessons learned and I learned along with them. One thing in my favour was that I took everything in like a sponge. That was why I’d learned so much in so little time. With the sudden death of my parents, I was really left with little choice.
I walked past Humphrey and took the stairs up to the lounge. I knew exactly where to go as Humphrey always knew where to take guests like this.
As I opened the door, the two police officers sitting on my three thousand pound sofa stood up. One of the officers looked to be in his late thirties, whilst the other looked like he had only just left the clutches of Hendon, a police training academy. He was barely a kid. A snot-nosed rookie who was, more than likely, brown-nosing all the higher ranking officers.
“Gentleman, what can I do you for?” I smiled sweetly at both of them, holding out my hand. The older cop smiled, shaking my hand, but I didn’t even try to offer it to the younger one. He had the look of “he’s guilty” before I even got in the room. I was, but everybody was innocent until proven otherwise.
Sitting down, I motioned for them to take a seat. All the while, snot-nosed kid was watching my every move and, no doubt, sulking that I never offered him my hand.
“Can I offer you a drink? A coffee or tea, perhaps?”
Snot-nosed kid was about to speak, but the older cop beat him to it. “No, but thank you. I must say, Mr Scozzari, you look a little tired this morning. Did you have a late night?”
I chuckled. “You could say that. Sometimes women can be a handful, but I certainly am not complaining.” I winked towards the older cop, who laughed along with me. The snot-nosed kid didn’t find it so amusing. More than likely, he probably hadn’t even been laid himself yet.
“I suppose you’re wondering why we’re here,” older cop said, looking serious all of a sudden. I knew then that pleasantries were finished. “I’m Detective Sergeant Cartwright and this is Detective Constable Tomlinson. We are heading a murder investigation into a man whose body was found in the Thames River around the Kingston area on the early hours of yesterday morning.”
He paused and I nodded, looking perplexed. “That’s terrible. Do you know who it is?”
Cartwright cleared his throat a little. “He was a little unrecognisable when we found him. It seems he was tortured before his death. But initial reports suggest he was Antonio Pinzano.”
I clenched my teeth, but gave the officer a wry smile. It was deliberate, of course. This gesture, though, somehow confused him. “It looks as though you’re quite happy about this, Mr Scozzari.”
I nodded, leaning back in the chair, feeling completely at ease. “Let’s not beat around the bush, Detective Cartwright. I believe you’re here because you already know my history with the man. He was responsible for killing my parents. Who wouldn’t be happy that he was dead?”
Cartwright’s posture straightened “Allegedly responsible.”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it. I knew exactly what his tactics were, as I was expecting them. He was hoping I would get angry at his comment and lose my cool a little. Maybe reveal something in the heat of the moment. I was a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them.
“Quite,” was all I answered, showing him his comment didn’t mean a damn thing to me. Cartwright wasn’t happy with my calm demeanour—far from it. In a sense, he was the one starting to lose his cool.
“Are you admitting that you are responsible for his death in some way?”
Straightening a little, I put on my best “offended look”. “Was there any word in my last sentence that suggested I, in anyway, had anything to do with his death?”
“Well, you did admit that you were happy he was dead.”
&nbs
p; “Yes, I did and yes, I am, but that in no way implicates me in the cause of his death. Let’s make no mistake, DS Cartwright. I hated the man. He allegedly killed my parents, and I would have loved to have been the man that drew the last breath from his body, but that doesn’t mean I did it.”
Cartwright smiled a little. “So, let’s get this straight. You had nothing to do with Mr Pinzano’s death?”
I shook my head. “No, of course not. I may be the son of a Scozzari, but that doesn’t mean I am one of them. If you look into me, which I know you must have by now, you will see I own many legitimate businesses which earn me a legitimate income.” I leaned back in my chair and smiled at them both. I didn’t need to act it because I felt it. They had nothing on me.
“Hmm,” Cartwright mused. “I understand that, but you must have thought about revenge, Mr Scozzari. Anyone would if they believed someone had killed their parents and gotten away with it.”
The word “revenge” swam around in my head. It was what I lived and breathed for my entire adult life. Of course I wanted revenge. I needed revenge, and I exacted my revenge. Who wouldn’t?
“There is a big difference between thinking of revenge and acting the revenge out, DS Cartwright. You, as a man of the law, know that above all else.”
He nodded and looked down at his notes, as snot-nosed Tomlinson just stared ahead. If this situation wasn’t so serious, I would be laughing by now.
Flicking through his notes, Cartwright suddenly looked up. “Mr Scozzari, can you tell me where you were between the hours of around eleven o’clock Saturday night until three o’clock in the early hours of Sunday morning?”
Looking up in the air, I appeared as if I was thinking. “Hmm, Saturday night. I was here at that time. I had a dinner party.” I smiled brightly as I knew what was coming.
“Okay. Would you be able to give the names of all your guests so that we can verify your story?”
I nodded. “Of course, but there was one particular guest I was with most of the evening. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind verifying my story.”