His Kingdom (Owning Vegas Book 1)

Ican’t believe I left a beautiful woman in bed to deal with this shit. And not just any beautiful woman either. Charlotte. Her face is painted in my memory. I might have spent an hour watching her sleep, cataloguing every single one of her features.

I’ve always been able to find flaws in people. But no matter how hard I look, I can’t find a single fucking flaw on that woman.

Her screams replay like a song in my mind. I was prepared to wait for her to wake up and take her again. It seems the world chose tonight to fuck up my plans. Or rather, the dipshit currently tied to a wooden chair in front of me did.

My right fist swings out, connecting with his jaw. His head snaps to the side and blood splatters from his mouth. Am I enjoying hitting him? Fuck yes, I am. It’s because of him I’m not currently in bed with Charlotte. Then, there’s the fact he was dumb enough to betray me…

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you?”

“I didn’t…” His voice breaks off when my fist connects with his jaw again.

This asshole thought he could dish out details of our operation to some lowlife thug who decided he’d try to take what was mine. It wasn’t the first time and I know it won’t be the last either. When you’re at the top of the food chain, everyone wants what’s rightfully yours.

The idiot who paid for intel from the soon-to-be dead man in my chair was caught red-handed. “You didn’t what? Think I’d find out?” I ask. I turn around and walk over to the opposite side of the room. Carlo is watching with a smirk on his face. He knows what’s coming.

I could end this right here and now, but where would the fun be in that? Any fucker who betrays me doesn’t get the mercy of a quick, painless death.

“Please, Louie, I didn’t know what he was gonna do. I needed the money. My ma needs surgery,” the fucker cries out.

“If you needed money, you should have asked me for more work instead of stealing from me,” I say, knowing full well this cocksucker doesn’t have a mother.

I have files on every single member of my organization. I don’t let anyone come onboard without a thorough background check. And this guy? Justin? He has no family. Grew up in the system, thrown out onto the streets at eighteen.

Picking up the metal branding pole, I walk over to the fire and hold the end over the flames. The flat side is in the shape of a playing card with the word “renegade” carved out in the middle of it. Anyone who goes against the laws I’ve laid down in this city gets branded. It shows everyone else what happens when they try to go against me.

I’ll make sure this asshole’s body is found—every now and then, you have to make an example.

“You see, you’re going to help others not make the same mistake you have, Justin.” I watch the metal heat up until it’s glowing red. “When they see this brand on you, they’ll think twice about betraying me.”

Once I’m satisfied that the metal is hot enough to do its job, I slowly walk over to a now-screaming Justin. He’s struggling against his restraints. I lift a foot and kick him square in the chest, knocking him and the chair over so he’s laid out flat on his back. I hold him still with my foot while I bring the brand down right in the center of his torso. The smell of burned flesh assaults me. Justin’s screams die off, and his body stops moving.

“He passed out. Didn’t take long.” Carlo walks over, peering down at Justin before looking up at me again. “You might want to check your phone, boss. Sammie is trying to reach you.”

I pause. The metal rod drops next to Justin’s head, landing on the concrete floor with a clank. I left Sammie with Charlotte. I didn’t want her to wake up alone and think I skipped out on her.

I quickly pull out my phone and find three messages.

Sammie:

Boss, your girl wants to go to a health clinic. Something about unprotected sex?

Sammie:

Unprotected? Really, have you lost your goddamn mind?

Sammie:

In a car with her now. She offered to let me know if you have any STDs, btw.

What the actual fuck?

I hit dial on his number, and Sammie answers after two rings.“Boss.”

“Where the fuck is she?” I grunt. And why does she think she needs to go to a clinic? Is she sick?

“Right next to me. Wanna talk to her?” Sammie says, humor evident in his tone.

“Yes.”

“Hello?” A sweet southern voice fills my ears.

“Charlotte, are you okay? Are you ill?” I ask her.

“No, I’m not ill,” she says.noveldrama

“Then why are you going to a clinic?”

“Because we… well, you know. And I don’t know what kind of diseases you may or may not have,” she whispers into the phone.

“I’m clean,” I tell her.

“Thanks, but I think I’ll stick with the medical tests.” She sighs. “Look, I had fun. It was fun, but you can tell your guard dog here to leave me alone now.”

“Give the phone back to Sammie.” I’m not mad that she wants to go and get checked out after having unprotected sex. It’s smart on her part. It’s not something she should be doing alone, though.

“Boss?” Sammie asks.

“Stay with her. Text me the address and I’ll meet you there.” I cut the call and walk over to the sink, strip out of my shirt, and wash my hands. The water turns red with the fucker’s blood. “Finish up here. I’ve got something to do,” I call out to Carlo.

“Yeah, you know what’s worse than an STD? A kid. Unprotected? That’s not like you,” he replies.

“How the fuck would you know how I fuck?” I lift a questioning brow in his direction.

“I don’t. But you’re smart, and not wrapping it isn’t smart.” He shrugs.

I don’t care what these fuckers think. Was it smart? No. Do I regret it? Also, no. Being inside Charlotte is probably the best thing I’ve ever felt. And it’s something I plan on feeling again as soon as possible.

I pull into the parking lot at the health clinic a few minutes after Sammie sent me the details. And when I walk inside, I find Charlotte sitting in the waiting area. The moment Sammie spots me, he stands and walks over.

“You want me to stick around?” he asks.

“Nah, I got it. Go help Carlo,” I tell him.

“Gladly.” Sammie smiles. I guess disposing of a body is better than sitting in a health clinic. At least for him it is. Right now, there is no place I would rather be than here, supporting this woman.

I take the chair my friend just vacated, and Charlotte looks over at me. “You didn’t need to come here.”

“You should have waited for me. I would have called the doc in for whatever tests you wanted,” I tell her.

Charlotte blinks at me. “Why are you here?”

“Because you’re here.” I shrug.

“Don’t you have things to do?” she asks.

“What’s more important than making sure neither of us has any diseases?” I counter. “If you’re going to get tested, it’s only right that I do it with you.”

“Yeah? You going to ask them to give you the morning-after pill too?” She raises a challenging brow.

“The what now?” I know what the morning-after pill is. I just don’t agree with her taking one. Something about it doesn’t sit right with me.

“The morning-after pill. It’s this magic little pill that will hopefully ensure I don’t end up pregnant,” she explains.

“You don’t want kids?”

“I do, actually. But I’d prefer to be married to their father first. Being a single mom may not be totally avoidable—because who knows? I could end up marrying some deadbeat asshole. That said, it’s not something I’m gonna set out to do,” she says.

“Don’t take the pill,” I tell her, and Charlotte’s head whips in my direction.

“Excuse me?”

“Look, I get it. Your body, your choice. And I’m one hundred percent onboard with that. But, if you’re only taking the pill because you think you’ll be a single mom with a deadbeat for a baby daddy, then I’ll be the first to tell you that’s not happening here. I wouldn’t abandon you or any child I helped create.”

Charlotte shakes her head. “You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough.” I lean in closer to her. “I know how you taste. I know how you sound when you come, and I know the way your brows crease when an orgasm hits you. I know that you talk in your sleep, and I know that you’re smart. Probably too smart to be mixed up with the likes of me.”

“Oh god, what did I say in my sleep?” she gasps.

“That’s what you took from all that?” I smile at her. I swear this woman is never what I expect.

“Well, no, but seriously whatever I said, I was asleep and it can’t be held against me.” She looks away as her cheeks turn a deeper shade of pink.

“Don’t worry. You didn’t say anything bad. Just that I was the best sex of your life and that you couldn’t wait to do it again.” I smirk.

“I did not say that.” She turns back in my direction.

“No, you didn’t, but am I wrong?” I raise a brow at her, and she shakes her head. Little does she know, as soon as we’re done here, I plan on taking her back to my place and not letting her out of bed for at least a week.