Blood & Vows Read online

  I stiffened. Ever since we got here Castello had never left the estate, never left me. He arranged all his business meetings to take place here, so why would he not do the same with this meeting?

  “Where are you going?” My voice was soft, lacking confidence since I wasn’t sure if I had the right to ask that question.

  He straightened his suit jacket sleeves. “The meeting is taking place at one of my clubs.”

  “Your clubs?”

  “Yes.”

  “You own clubs?”

  His lips curled up at the corners. “I’m not just a mobster, Tatum.”

  My mind reeled. “It just never occurred to me—”

  “What? That I had other interests that weren’t illegal?”

  “Well…yes.”

  Casually he placed his hands in his pants pockets. “When my father and brother were still alive I never thought I’d take over the family business, so I created my own.”

  I leaned back on the table. “How many clubs do you own?”

  “Four.”

  “Strip clubs?”

  An amused grin crossed his face. “Night clubs.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  He moved toward me. “It never came up.”

  “It never came up because you never told me.”

  Dark eyes searched my face. “I’m sorry. I was too busy trying to keep you from being killed.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him, not amused by the fact that he tossed my own words back at me. I slanted my head to the side. “Oh right, that was after you actually tried to kill me.”

  “Correction.” He held up his finger. “I never tried to kill you.”

  “Well you planned to kill me.”

  He feigned a look of thought. “True.” His gaze found mine as he reached up to tuck my hair behind my ear. “But never make the mistake of thinking that I’d have to try to kill you, little mouse. If I wanted you dead, you would be.”

  And there he was. The charismatic, deceivingly dangerous mobster. The man who captivated me in more ways than one. The man who gave me no choice but to fall in love with him.

  There was still something about him that scared me, but that was the part of him I loved the most. Unpredictable, yet thrilling. Unsafe, yet magnetic.

  With squared shoulders, and my gaze pinned on him I stepped up leaving only a few inches between us. “I want to see it.”

  “See what?”

  “One of your clubs. Take me with you to this meeting of yours.”

  He moved back, his face showing me what the odds were of him taking me with him. Zero.

  “No.” His tone set the finality in his answer.

  “Why not?”

  “You know why.”

  “I need to get out, Castello. I’ve been within these walls for weeks, and it’s starting to drive me crazy.”

  “Then I’ll arrange for a therapist to come and see you, help you with the crazy, because you are not setting foot off this estate.”

  He turned his back on me and walked to the door, opening it. Desperation made tears prickle my eyes.

  “Please,” I called out after him, and he paused. “Please, Castello. Just once. I won’t ask you again.”

  “I can’t allow it, Tatum. I will not risk you or our child.”

  “I’ll agree to any condition you have. Please.”

  A few seconds went by with him just standing there, his back toward me. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew the odds were against me.

  He slammed the door shut before turning around to face me. “You and our child are the most important parts of my life. If anything had to happen to you or our baby, I don’t know what I’d do.”

  “Nothing will happen. I just want to get out…just for a little while.”

  I could see how conflicted he was, how he was struggling with his need to protect me against his need to give me what I wanted. It was probably selfish of me to put him in such a position, but I was desperate.

  His eyes grew even darker, worry lines forming on his forehead. “Do you know what you’re asking of me?”

  I walked closer to him. “I do. And forgive me. But I can’t stay between these walls any longer. I swear I won’t do anything that would put me or our baby at risk. I swear.”

  He searched my face, his jaw taut. “Just this once.”

  My body literally sagged with relief, excitement causing my heart to race. “Thank you, Castello.”

  “You will not leave my side, not for a second. And whatever you do, do not let anyone suspect that you might be pregnant. Do you understand?”

  I agreed without hesitation.

  “I’m serious, Tatum. Give me one ounce of grief by defying me and I will haul your ass back here so fast you’ll have vertigo for a month.”

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  He let out a sigh. He wasn’t happy, I knew that. But honestly…I didn’t care. All I cared about was having just a few hours of freedom, to not feel like we’re alone in the world. I needed city lights and the buzz of life around me. I wanted to hear the sound of traffic, and laughter echoing from crowds of people rushing through the streets.

  Castello pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial. “I need you to double the security at The Capitol, and make sure the VIP lounge is clear. Have men waiting by the back entrance, and scout the entire block. If you see anything that looks remotely suspicious, you call me right away. And Giovanni…don’t fuck up.”

  He hung up and placed his phone back in his suit pocket. “I’m not happy about this. Just so you know.” His eyes were dark, and he didn’t even try to hide his annoyance and disapproval of what we’re about to do. But bottom line, he was giving me what I wanted.

  “Thank you.” I got up on my toes and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. The familiar scent of amber and peppermint that once created fear in me, now soothed me, calmed me.

  He placed his hand around my waist and pulled me tighter against him. “You’ve got a lot of appreciation to show once we get home.”

  I smiled. “Yes, master.”

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I loved how it affected him whenever I called him master. I might be his queen, but he preferred me as his slave, on my knees and at his mercy.

  So did I.

  Both of us went up to our bedroom to get ready. When I got out of the shower Castello was waiting for me by the closet holding a black sleeveless cocktail dress.

  I tossed the towel on the bed and placed my hands on my hips. “I want to choose my own dress.”

  “No.”

  My eyes narrowed, my lips pursed. “My appreciation will double if you let me choose my own dress.” I gave him a suggestive look, and he cocked a brow as he stared back at me.

  “Fine,” he conceded before placing the dress back in the closet.

  I sashayed my way over to him, loving the way his eyes travelled all along my naked body. At first I hated the way he looked at me. It made me feel dirty. Not because of him…because of me. Because I liked it too much. But now, his lewd, suggestive looks made me feel powerful, knowing that a man like him desired me, lusted for what only I could give him.

  I brushed past him, and while I searched through the wardrobe, I moved my ass from side to side, making sure I had his full attention.

  “You’re a tease.”

  I smiled. “Am I?”

  “Do you know what I do to a tease?”

  “No. But do tell.”

  A loud crack filled the room right before I felt the burn on my naked ass. At first I moaned, then whimpered as he leaned in closely. “I punish her.”

  The burn on my skin made desire flare. The way his palm lingered on my scalded flesh, I anticipated him to spank me again. And just the anticipation of it caused everything south of my navel to throb, my body primed to welcome him inside me with ease. Here I was trying to seduce him, and now I was the one who was mere seconds away from begging him to fuck me. Slut.

  As he stepped back, I took
a deep breath in a bid to gain control over my needy body. By the sting on my ass I knew there was a big, red handprint blooming for Castello.

  I grabbed the dress and turned. “I choose this one.”

  Castello looked at the dress, and then turned his unamused gaze at me. “Funny.”

  I shot him a sly grin while I held the exact same dress he had chosen for me originally. I was starting to love this game.

  22

  TATUM

  I stood by the front door, and I was nervous. For the life of me I couldn’t understand why I would be nervous. It’s been months since I’ve seen the outside world. The trip here to Uncle Gino’s estate the day all hell broke loose at the Fattore mansion was all just a blur. I didn’t remember seeing anything, just hearing the screams, and the echo of gunshots resounding over and over inside my head. And then the memory of my father’s lifeless body, everything in black and white except the red that seeped through his clothes, pooling around his feet. That was the only thing I remembered clearly from that day. Everything else was just flashes and blurry images.

  “At my side the entire evening, understood?”

  I glanced up at Castello who stood next to me. I nodded.

  “And you keep your mouth shut. You only speak when spoken to.”

  It was amazing how he could go from gentle, passionate, and caring, to a controlling, fierce, and demanding boss. But I’ve come to love both sides of him. He was ferocious, intense, and strong when he needed to be. But gentle, compassionate and attentive when I needed him to be. The way he controlled his need to rule every aspect of my life, and allowed me more freedom little by little was enough for me to know that he loved me. Men like Castello Fattore didn’t give up control for anything. They didn’t change for anyone. Yet Castello had changed for me.

  There were three black SUV’s lined up at the front. Castello guided me down the steps with his hand at the small of my back. A security guard dressed in a black suit opened the door of the SUV in the middle, and Castello towered over me from behind as I climbed in.

  Castello moved in next to me, and the second his door closed, the SUV pulled off.

  Two men sat at the front, both wearing earpieces and looking scary as hell.

  Castello seemed tense, edgy, his fingertips tapping anxiously on his knee. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked to come along. He had made it clear that I was his weakness, and now I could see how it affected him. Inside the walls of the estate he had more control. Outside, not so much.

  We drove in silence. It was dark outside, and the heavily tinted windows made it impossible to see anything. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, adjusting the short skirt of my dress. Then Castello reached out a hand and placed it on mine.

  “By my side at all times.”

  I smiled. “I promise.”

  He gave me a half-hearted smile just before the guy in the passenger seat turned around.

  “Sir, we’re almost there.”

  Castello nodded, and his fingers wrapped around my hand, squeezing tight.

  I turned to look out the window, but all I saw was the vague flashing of city lights through black windows.

  The car stopped, and the door on Castello’s side flung open. He didn’t let go of my hand and pulled me out behind him. Everything happened so fast. Security guards cocooned us in and I was literally dragged in to one direction. It was insane.

  Within seconds we were led inside a building and once the door got shut behind us the frenzy seemed to calm.

  “That was insane,” I said to Castello as I fell in to step next to him.

  “Get used to it. That’s how it’s going to be every time you go out.”

  I glanced up at him. “So there will be a next time?”

  He glowered at me. “Don’t count on it, little mouse.” But the tiniest hint of a smile on his face told me otherwise.

  As we walked down a hall, music started to become louder and louder. I followed Castello up a flight of stairs, two guards walking in front of us, and two behind. I felt like a fucking celebrity—and not in a good way.

  At the top of the stairs we reached huge double doors. The two men in front opened the door and gestured for us to stay put. When they came back out, they nodded toward Castello and he visibly relaxed, still holding my hand as we walked inside.

  I didn’t know what I expected to see, but what I saw wasn’t it. When Castello said he owned nightclubs, I imagined nightclubs. Dark, gloomy, hard to breathe, loud music making your chest vibrate. But that wasn’t it at all.

  We walked into a huge, well-lit lounge. There was a round bar right in the middle, two men wearing bow-ties working behind it. Black and red leather couches were placed throughout, with glass tables and granite statues of dragons that decorated the room. There were four pillars around the bar which were fish tanks, blue lights accentuating the colors of the tropical fish that swam through the bubbles in the water.

  The floor was pitch black with shiny tiles, and the walls on either side of us were mirrors, yet the wall behind us red, and in front of us were floor to ceiling windows. Blue, red, and yellow lasers flashed through the window, and I walked across the room. Castello was right behind me, I could feel it.

  As I reached the windows, I looked down, and then I saw the nightclub I had imagined. Dark, gloomy, hard to breathe. From here you could see every corner of the club. The DJ box was set to the right, two guys jumping around as they created magic with the world of sound. I couldn’t hear the music anymore, but I saw what looked like thousands of people dancing, entranced by the vibe and music.

  “What do you think?” Castello moved in next to me.

  “I think you’ve managed to create your own world here in The Capital.” I turned to face him. “It’s amazing.”

  With his hands in his pants pockets he stared out the window like he was observing his own kingdom. God knew he looked every part of a King.

  “This was my home away from home. Like you said, my own world.”

  “Was?”

  He looked at me. “I found a different home now.” The way his gaze was pinned on me, his dark irises staring at me like it willed me to understand what he was trying to say.

  I was his home now.

  I smiled, my heart momentarily swelling on the inside of my chest.

  “This is the VIP lounge.” Castello turned around to face the room. “Some nights it’s used for entertainment purposes. And nights like these, it’s used for business only.”

  I raised a brow. “What kind of entertaining purposes?”

  A sly grin crept up at the corners of his mouth. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

  He turned to face me. “Listen, whatever is about to happen tonight, you need to keep an open mind.”

  “Castello, I think I’ve been about as open minded as I can be when it comes to you and your business.”

  “I’m serious. I’m about to meet with our biggest supplier.”

  “The guy from Mexico?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay.”

  He stepped closer, folding his fingers through mine. “There’s a certain way we do business, and I need to act in a certain way, be someone you might not like very much.”

  The gentle, almost remorseful tone in his voice scared me. It sounded like he was already apologizing for something he had yet to do.

  I met his gaze and tried to sound as confident as possible even though I was nervous on the inside. “I think I’ve seen the worst of you, Castello.”

  “Don’t be so sure.”

  I wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but the big double doors opened and a crowd of people walked inside. The security that stood scattered around the lounge didn’t react, which told me these were welcome guests.

  Castello turned and softly murmured, “By my side at all times.”

  Just as he turned a man emerged from the sea of huge evil looking guys who seemed like they were itching for a reason to pull the trigger
s of the guns they didn’t even try to hide.

  “Jorge.” Castello reached out and shook the hand of a middle-aged man with dark hair and dark eyes. I expected a big bellied gross looking criminal, but instead Jorge was a well-groomed, handsome man who didn’t seem like the hardened criminal type at all.

  “Castello. It’s been a while since we’ve met face to face.”

  “Indeed it has. We should try to meet on more joyous occasions rather than wait until shit hits the fan.”

  Jorge grinned. “In this case the shit you are referring to is your little brother.”

  “He’s always been a little shit to me.”

  Jorge laughed, and then his gaze fell on me. “Who is this beauty?”

  Castello wrapped his arm around my waist, his fingers digging into my hip. “This is Tatum Linscott.”

  Jorge’s eyes grew wide, his lips twitching at the corner. “The Tatum Linscott?”

  Castello and I both stiffened, but I gathered all my courage and smiled as I held my hand out to Jorge. “It seems like my reputation precedes me.”

  Jorge took my hand gently. “It certainly does.” Jorge turned to Castello. “I can see why you chose her.”

  Castello smiled a fake smile. “She is quite the woman.” He glared in my direction, and I swear I could hear him scolding me because I had spoken what he would deem as out of place.

  More people came walking into the lounge. Mostly half naked women, and a few suited men. They were all laughing and talking, obviously looking to have a great time.

  Castello noticed the crowd. “I see you brought quite the entourage.”

  “You know me, Castello. I love a huge crowd eager to have some fun.” Jorge winked suggestively, and I was immediately grossed out by him.

  “Come, let’s have a drink.” We walked over to a set of leather seats at the corner of the lounge. Jorge sat down opposite us, his eyes darting between me and Castello as if he were amused with us somehow.

  “You know your brother wants her dead?” The way Jorge said it sounded like he wanted to discuss the damn weather.

  Castello didn’t even flinch, but my heart felt like it wanted to rip out of my throat.

  “My brother has always had a problem with the women in my life.” Castello’s reply was smooth, unfaltering. “It seems he has some trouble finding his own.”