7 Degrees of Alpha (a collection of seven new BWWM, Alpha Male Romances) (39 page)

Frank drove them to a small cabin at Lake Texoma. Marco often used this place as a getaway, and only he and Frank knew about it. Not even Mel knew exactly where the cabin was located. Once they arrived, Frank dropped them off and headed out to ditch the van and go back to the office.

Marco had the cabin stocked with supplies, although he wouldn’t be staying for long. He was checking the cabin when he came face to torso with a petite vixen with her hands on her hips. Marco looked down into the face of the smooth, mocha beauty that he missed so much.

“Bella Donna…I missed you,” Marco said as he rubbed his hand down Sydney’s lovely face.

“Don’t you Bella Donna me,” Sydney replied, but she still leaned into his touch, wanting to feel his masculine hands against her soft skin.

Marco smiled inwardly, knowing he was breaking down her walls….walls regretfully that he himself help to erect.

“Sweetheart…I know you don’t have a clue as to what’s going on or where we are, but I promise to explain it to you…I promise you will see it was for the best this way.”

Sydney sighed. “Okay, let’s sit…Lay it on me, big guy…What the hell is happening?”

Marco just got straight to the point. “You were being followed by Ron Blackwell. He’s a man of many talents, but is best known for making problems…disappear. He, like myself, is known for his discretion and is very hard to find. He’s had you under surveillance for at least a month, maybe longer.”

“But why? Why is he following me and not Megan?” Sydney asked in confusion.

“So you know who he is?” Marco asked curiously.

Sydney nodded as he said, “Good…at least Megan didn’t keep
that
from you,” Marco mumbled to himself. “Blackwell is a hired gun. He only does what he’s paid to do. Moore must want his wife alive, that’s why he had Blackwell following you, and not her anymore. He wanted to hurt you. If something happened to you, Megan wouldn’t be brave enough to go to anyone else for help, and she would fall in line.”

Sydney suddenly felt like she was freezing from the inside out, even though it was May in Texas. “So I was in some sort of danger; that’s why the theatrical pickup was necessary.” Sydney was trying to lighten up the tension that had suddenly filled the room.

Marco gave her a small smile. “Baby, I know you’re scared, but I told you I would do anything to protect you, and I meant that. Blackwell is a dangerous man, and he needs to be put out of business. Frank has been tailing Blackwell, and we felt that he was about to make a move; especially since you have so much evidence to support Megan’s abuse claim. So yeah…we had to make the ‘theatrical pickup’, as you so eloquently stated.”

Sydney nodded, taking in all of what Marco was saying. She had never in her life dealt with anything like this.

Marco continued, trying to gage Sydney’s reaction while he spoke. “Thomas Moore has way more problems than his wife wanting custody of his son. A friend of mine at the DA’s office let me know that he is about to be indicted; another friend of mine, a detective at the Metro police department, is investigating Moore and Blackwell’s prior dealings. He’s the one that let me know that Blackwell had been spotted in town…at the Haley House Domestic Violence Center.”

“So he followed me to the center?”

“He followed you everywhere…which was one of the reasons I was driving you everywhere.”

Sydney’s eyebrows rose high in surprise. “I thought you were just being polite…and you wanted to get to know me better.” Sydney’s shoulders slumped, and her head lowered at the realization that maybe she was the only one with true intentions of getting to know Marco.

Marco hooked his fingers under Sydney’s chin, lifting her head up to look him in the eyes. “Yes, Bella Donna, I was being polite, and I wanted to get to know you better. Blackwell just gave me the reason I needed to do it without feeling like a perv for wanting to be around you all the time.” Marco gave Sydney a megawatt smile.

“I love spending time with you, and the more I got to know you, the more I knew that I would do anything to make you mine. You. Are. Mine….Nobody will hurt you…That I promise.”

Sydney was captivated by his hypnotic hazel gaze. She knew what he was saying was true, and he wouldn’t let anyone hurt her, but she was reluctant to let go of her heart again.

“Bella Donna…You know I speak the truth, right?” Marco questioned.

“Yes, I know, but we can’t keep secrets that’s going to hurt one another. My mind knows that it was your job, but my heart can’t take it,” Sydney told him sincerely.

“I know, baby, and I am truly sorry. It wasn’t my intention to hurt you, and it won’t happen again.”

Sydney sighed loudly. “Okay, I guess I can let it go….as long as you don’t do
anything
like that again.”

Marco smiled. “I promise.”

“Well, alright t…I mean, I have never been a person that holds grudges…and I’ve missed you terribly this past week,” Sydney said smiling as she wrapped her arms around Marco’s neck.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, Amore Mio.”

Marco straightened to his full 6’4” height, sliding Sydney up his muscular lithe body as he stood. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him like she had never kissed him before. He took in her tantalizing taste as their tongues wrestled for dominance. His hands moved from her waist to squeeze her ample ass. He massaged and rubbed her round supple globes as he walked towards the bedroom in the cabin.

Sydney moaned into Marco’s mouth. She loved the way his hands roamed her body, touching every part of her and setting her skin on fire. She was so hot for this man that she couldn’t think straight. All she knew was she wanted him…badly. Sydney stopped kissing Marco long enough to catch her breath and look into his eyes.

He took in her kiss swollen lips and tousled hair, and he grew even harder in his relaxed fit jeans. Marco moaned his appreciation as he wrapped her hair around his hand, pulling her head back so he could kiss her down her neck and suck on her pulse point. He licked back up to her earlobe and behind it to the spot that he knew would give her chills. She shivered and groaned her approval of his ministrations.

He stood her on her feet and stripped off her purple wrap dress. This time, he was able to leave the sky high heels she wore on her feet. She stood in her matching purple bra and panties, and he knew he was, not only in lust, but in love with this woman.

Sydney bent to unstrap her heels when Marco stopped her.

“No, Bella, leave them,” he said in a husky lust-filled voice.

Sydney left on her shoes as Marco stripped her naked and then himself. He dropped to his knees and pleasured her with his tongue. He spread her legs as he got between them. Dipping his tongue in and out of her core while simultaneously rubbing her clit with his nose, Sydney was swiveling her hips to the rhythm he made with his mouth. She came quickly as he held her by the waist, pumping in and out of her with his long tongue.

Marco swiftly sheathed his manhood and slipped into home. He was standing with her legs wrapped around him. He slid her up and down his cock with a fierce passion of lost lovers. They were only apart for a little over a week, but it felt like forever to Marco being without his Bella Donna. And to know that some paid psycho was watching her made him see red. He wanted to make sure that she knew that she was his, and he was hers.

Sydney could feel Marco putting his mark on not just her body but her heart. He rolled and flexed his hips in a way that he had never done before. Since the first time they had sex, they had been going at it like rabbits until their argument, but this time was different, and they both knew it.

“Oh, baby, you feel so fuckin’ good,” Marco groaned as he stroked in and out of Sydney’s wet heat. “Can you feel how hard I am? Huh? Can you feel what you do to me?” Marco was moving in and out, picking up the pace with each question. All Sydney could do was hold on and pant, trying her best not to pass out in pure ecstasy.

Marco lifted her higher, putting her legs in the crook of each arm and leaning her against the wall.

“You need to cum for me, baby…Cum for daddy.” Marco sucked on Sydney’s bottom lip as it began to shake, a sure sign of her oncoming release.

“Yes, daddy, give it to me.” Sydney panted, then she began to moan her release. She came hard while Marco pumped into her.

Marco growled his release. He could still feel Sydney clenching and unclenching around his manhood. He could feel how her body still quivered as she came down from her orgasm.

“Amore Mio,” Marco whispered into Sydney’s sweat soaked hair. “My love.”

Ron Blackwell sat in his car stunned into silence. He couldn’t believe that someone got the jump on him and snatched Sydney Hamilton before he got the chance. He couldn’t even get back to his car in time to follow the obviously stolen white van that picked her up.

Shit! How could this happen? To me of all people?

Blackwell slammed his fist against the hood of his dark sedan as he grabbed his cell and dialed a number. He was the best at what he did, so how did he not know someone else was looking to snatch her? He had to call Moore and let him know what went down. There was only two possible answers to this conundrum; Bradford Murray or Marco Bellomi.

When he heard the line pick up, Blackwell immediately barked, “Moore, shit hit the fan. Meeting place in twenty.”

Then he disconnected the call before Moore even said a word.

****

Thomas Moore looked wide eyed at the detective that had answered his phone.

How could Ron Blackwell be so stupid? He knew to only call me on my burner phone. We have been working together for almost fifteen years, and Blackwell has never made a colossal fuck up like this. Of course I got rid of the burner as soon as I caught wind of the investigation against me. Now, because of this idiot, I will have to do some very fast covering up.

Moore shook his head, his façade of being unfazed cracking slightly.

“So you want to explain that call?” Detective Wells asked.

“I will wait for my attorney,” Moore responded in a snooty tone as he looked the detective over as if he were beneath him.

“Suit yourself, but just to let you know, that call was the final nail in your coffin. We finally have a solid connection to you and Ron Blackwell. So would you like to talk and make a deal before we find him, or continue to wait for your attorney?” Detective Wells asked with a smirk on his handsome, caramel colored face.

“Hmmph. I’ll continue to wait…
alone
,” Moore responded.

“Again…suit yourself.”

The detective left the interrogation room. He was now watching his suspect through the two-way mirror. He could hardly believe that after seven years of investigating the scum in a suit, Blackwell had finally slipped up. Letting Cindy Collins live was his first mistake. She had proof of everything that went down between the two of them. She had waited until the perfect moment to tell everything she knew. Cindy refused to let his threats keep her down, and she was determined to get revenge for the beating Thomas gave her all those years ago. Another mistake was how he underestimated his estranged wife and her tough as nails lawyer. But the biggest mistake of them all was overlooking a woman scorned.

***

Blackwell had been waiting for ten minutes with no sign of Moore. He hated waiting on people, especially in a dire situation such as this.

Where the hell is he?
Blackwell thought to himself as he punched the redial button on his smart phone.

Moore’s phone rang several times before disconnecting, the voicemail didn’t even pick up. He knew there was something fishy going on, which was his cue to leave.

Blackwell put out the cigarette he was smoking and started walking back to his car. It was time he left the city of Dallas -hell, maybe even the state of Texas altogether- and go somewhere warm, maybe Mexico or maybe even further south. He knew that it was time to get the hell out of dodge, but before he left, he had some loose ends to tie up, starting with Marco Bellomi.

***

Marco and Sydney had passed the weekend making up. They spent most of their time naked and wrapped in each other’s arms. But Marco knew he had to put the second part of his plan in motion and that Sydney was not going to like it.

“My love, Frank is going to be coming by later on, and we have to put some things in motion that you may not agree with. We are going to have to separate to keep you safe.”

Sidney sighed. Then she grew panicked. Her eyes were wide with fear. “Are you leaving me by myself? What do you mean separate? I can’t stay in these woods by myself.”

“No, Bella, Frank will be with you. I would never leave you alone. I know you can take care of yourself, but I would rather have the peace of mind knowing that my heart is being protected.” Marco bent down, capturing Sydney’s luscious lips in a kiss.

Her heart melted. This big, strong man could say the most romantic things sometimes. “Okay, I can handle Frank being here, but what about you? And what about Megan and TJ? Are they still at the safe house?  Do my parents know that I haven’t really been abducted? What about Kelly-”

“Bella-”

“She will go out of her mind with worry.”

Marco massaged Sydney’s shoulders as he told her, “Bella, calm yourself, please. There is no need to worry. Everyone that needed to know what is going on, does. Of course they were given need to know information, and nobody but Frank and I know your exact location, but everyone is aware. As for Megan and TJ, they are in a secure location and are fine. Keeping you here is just a precaution we are taking to ensure you are safe until we have Blackwell in custody.”

Sydney sighed as she relaxed from Marco’s touch. There was just so much going on in such a short period of time; it was a lot for her to process. However, getting all worked up and stressed out was not helping anybody.

“Okay, sweetheart. I will do my best not to stress out, but it’s going to be hard for me not to worry about you, especially while I’m here in the cabin in the woods with the boogeyman after me while you hunt him down like you’re Veronica Mars or somebody…”

“Wait…” Marco cut Sydney off midsentence. “Are you calling me…Veronica Mars? I am far from a skinny chick with a hard-on for solving after school mysteries.”

Sydney laughed. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to offend you. She’s just the best PI in the game.”

They both laughed, making the tension in the cabin all but disappear.

***

Blackwell knew that it was Bellomi that had snatched Sydney. After Marco had confronted that sniveling little rat Bradford, he knew that he didn’t have the balls or the resources to pull off that kind of operation. He knew that besides himself, the only other person that could pull off such an elaborate kidnapping was Bellomi. He just didn’t know where he was keeping her. None of his research on Bellomi or Sydney had turned up any place they could be, so he had to follow the closest guy to Bellomi, his right hand man, Frank Bosco. But Frank had been in and out of the office over the past three days.

All I have to do is stay out of sight so I can find Bellomi and take care of him once and for all. I am the best at what I do, and nobody can stop me,
Blackwell thought to himself as he followed Frank out of Dallas on I75 toward Oklahoma.
Interesting…looks like this is finally what I’ve been waiting for.

***

An hour and a half later, Marco saw Frank pulling up to the secluded cabin. Marco was ready for this case to come to an end, and tonight was going to be that night, one way or another.

“Hey, Syd, Frank just pulled up. Can you give me a minute alone with him? We have some things to discuss in private?” Marco asked Sydney as he walked toward the front door.

“Sure. I’ll just go and put on some dinner,” Sydney said as she kissed Marco on his lips and headed toward the kitchen.

Then Marco walked outside to meet Frank.

“Everything go alright ?” he asked as soon as Frank was in sight.

“Yep, worked just like you said it would,” Frank replied. “Does Sydney have any clue?”

“Not anything specific. She would want to help, and there’s no way in hell I am putting her in harm’s way,” Marco stated gruffly.

“Okay, big fella…Calm yourself.” Frank smirked.

Both men walked into the cabin discussing firm business and new clients; Ron Blackwell was sitting far enough away in a pitch black car watching every move they made, and waiting for his chance to take them out.

***

It had been two hours since Blackwell watched Bellomi and Bosco walk into the cabin, and everything seemed to be calm and quiet. He decided that now was the time to make his move. Blackwell moved swiftly and quietly to the back of the cabin. The locks, like the cabin, were old, so they were easy to break. Blackwell crept through the small cabin, looking for the one man that had complicated his life. Marco Bellomi was coming to an end…tonight.

Blackwell continued through the cabin. The first room he came upon was small, and it looked to only have room for one person, so he kept moving. The only other bedroom was the master, and two people lay cuddling in the bed.

This is almost too easy.
Blackwell smirked to himself as he slowly slid his 9mm with a silencer out of his pocket and to the head of his victim.
It’s such a shame that I have to kill Sydney as well…such a beauty.

Blackwell was so enthralled in the fact that he was about to get rid of his number one problem so easily that he didn’t notice that his victims were lying entirely too still. Blackwell pulled the trigger twice, putting a bullet to the back of the head in both victims. He breathed a sigh of relief once the deed was done, but then he noticed there wasn’t any blood.

“What the fuck?!” Blackwell growled as he threw back the covers, revealing not bodies as he expected, but dummy heads mounted on lumpy pillows. As soon as the realization kicked in, he heard the familiar click of the gun to his head.

“Put the fuckin’ gun down and don’t make any sudden moves,” Marco’s deep, baritone voiced growled in his ear.

“Fuck!” Blackwell hissed as he did Marco’s bidding.
I’m fucked!

“To say you’re the best, you sure did make a lot of rookie mistakes, Blackwell. We’ve had your number as soon as you rolled into town, and for following my woman and then thinking you could not only kill me but her, I will end you!”