Hard as Steel (7 page)

“This is coming from the pampered princess of a crime boss.”

“What? You think I’ve had it all handed to me on a plate? I can do and say whatever the hell I want?”

“Yeah, princess, I do. I think you’ve got life really fucking easy actually. You’ve not got to fight for a single thing. All you’ve got to do is click your fingers and you get exactly what you want.”

Daniella snorted. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Putting the burger back onto the plate, she started to push away from the table. Shakes surprised her by putting his hands on the chair, stopping her from moving.

The strength he showed should have sent her running as far away from him as she could get. Instead, she simply stared into his beautiful cerulean blue eyes. She liked his eyes. They made her feel safe and warm when everything around her was cold, as totally cold as the arctic.

“What are you doing?” she asked, licking her suddenly dry lips.

“Tell me how I don’t know what I’m talking about, princess.” His voice was deep and rough.

“You don’t know me, Shakes. Don’t try to pretend that you do.”

“Then tell me about yourself, princess. Tell me about Daniella and why she gets pissy when people think she’s had life easy.”

Tears filled her eyes, but like so many times before, she forced them down. Nothing good could come from tears. They made a person weak. Tears didn’t solve problems, they didn’t make anyone feel good. It was a useless action for a useless emotion.

“I don’t need to talk to you.”

He let out a sigh, but he didn’t back away like she’d hoped he would. Shakes leaned closer, invading her space. “You’re right. You don’t need to talk to me but you’re not a bitch, are you, Daniella?”

She gritted her teeth, refusing to talk to him.

“It’s okay, baby, I see it in your eyes. You’re not this bitch you portray. I imagine it’s very fucking lonely being Zeke’s daughter. No boys will ever want to get close to you. They’d be afraid of getting their asses blown off.”

It was hard for her to swallow and her tears were still welling up.

“You have no one to talk to. What do you have, Daniella? Your books?”

“Why are you doing this?” She didn’t sound strong anymore. No, she sounded weak, pathetic, everything her mother hated.

He reached out, pushing some of her hair off her shoulder. “Why am I talking to you?”

“If my father knew—”

“Your father will never know because you’re not the type of girl to go running to daddy, are you?”

She licked her lips, staring into his blue eyes. “It’s hard,” she said. “It’s hard to always be tough.”

“You don’t have to be tough around me.”

“You’re the enemy.”

“I’m not your enemy, Daniella.”

“I don’t like being called princess. I’m not a princess. It’s not easy knowing I’m going to school, and he’s killing people or doing something.”

“If your father knew I was talking to you right now like this, he would kill me,” Shakes said.

“Why are you risking it? No one else ever has.”

“They’ve never risked it for you.” He stroked his fingers over her cheek.

“No, no one ever has.” She didn’t want anyone to risk their lives for her. Daniella knew she wasn’t worth it.

“Come out for a ride with me on my bike tonight.”

“Why?” she asked. She’d never been on a bike before. Zeke would go mental to hear her even thinking about it.

“It’s time to start living outside of that box he’s got you trapped in.”

Her heart was pounding inside her chest.

“Shakes, I need a word.”

Demon was in the doorway to the kitchen. She wondered why he was in the kitchen after taking Deanna out a couple of minutes ago.

“I’ll be back,” Shakes said.

She nodded, watching him leave. The two men started talking in hushed voices so she couldn’t hear anything.

Go on a bike with him?

I can’t do it. Zeke would go insane.

It had been years since she called him dad.

Biting her lip, she tossed the burger into the trash before washing her plate.

Her cell phone buzzed inside her pocket making her jump.

Pulling her phone out, she saw Zeke had texted her.

Zeke:
How are you?

Daniella:
Fine.

She went to pocket her phone, but it buzzed again.

Zeke:
Are they treating you well?

Frowning, she stared at the message wondering why he even cared. He’d made them pick her up.

Daniella:
How are the fat business men?

It took several minutes for him to respond. She was already making her way out of the kitchen toward the front door. No one was around to stop her.

Zeke:
It’s business. I wish you were here. I miss you.

Daniella:
They’re treating me fine. I could have stayed at school.

Zeke:
You need to learn how to take a break. What are you doing?

She was tempted to tell him exactly what she was doing but decided against it. Getting Shakes into trouble wasn’t ever going to be her intention.

Daniella:
Studying.

Zeke:
What?

Daniella:
The reproductive process. Tutor says practice makes perfect. Do you agree?

Zeke:
What’s your teachers name?

Daniella:
I’m not telling.

This was the first time they’d had any conversation.

“No, please, I swear I didn’t do anything.”

Staring at the phone, Daniella felt sick as she recalled the man begging for his life.

Zeke:
You’re my little girl. I care. Tell me your teacher’s name.

Daniella:
I’ve got to go. Busy.

She would have added something derogatory about him killing people but decided against it.

“I went looking for you in the kitchen,” Shakes said.

Putting the phone into her pocket, she offered him a smile. “Sorry, I didn’t want to wait around in the kitchen. You’re taking me for a ride?”

“Yes, I’m taking you for a ride but first you need this.” He grabbed a helmet, and she groaned. “You’re wearing this. If it’s your first time on a bike. I’m not going to risk your safety.”

“This is cruel. I thought this was supposed to be fun.”

“It is fun.” He slid the helmet over her head, hitting the top. “There, it looks cute on you.”

She stuck her tongue out, watching as he straddled the large machine. The bike was huge and she wouldn’t trust it if it was under her.

“Climb on, princess.”

“I don’t want to climb on.”

“Get on.”

Rolling her eyes at his bossy words, she climbed on. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she squealed as he revved the engine.

“Are you ready for this, baby?”

“No.”

She didn’t get time to finish what she was saying before Shakes took off out of the compound. When they first started riding, she kept her eyes closed, not daring to open them. The minutes passed, and she finally opened her eyes. She wished she didn’t have the helmet on.

The helmet restricted the freedom of the air on her face.

All too soon their ride was coming to a close as Shakes pulled up outside of a garage. They were close to the grocery store.

Daniella climbed off the bike. Her legs now jelly so she leaned up against the wall.

Tugging the helmet off, she giggled. “That was totally amazing.”

Shakes stepped closer to her. “Glad you liked it.”

He stood right in front of her. His hands landed on either side of her head.

“Why did you take me out for a ride?” she asked, licking her lips. She wasn’t going to complain. The bike ride was the best experience of her life, not that she’d had all that many experiences.

“So I can do this.” He cupped her face, tilting her head back.

She gasped as he slammed his lips down on hers. His tongue plundered her mouth, stroking over her tongue. Shakes deepened the kiss, rubbing his cock against her mound.

There was nowhere for her to turn to or run to. He surrounded her, consuming her mouth.

Shakes bit her lip, pulling away. “I couldn’t do that with everyone looking. We’re under strict rules to keep our hands off.”

“Then why did you do it.”

He took her hand, pressing it against his cock. “From the first moment I saw you, you’ve made me fucking hard.”

“I can’t do this. I’m not ready.” She was scared, excited, nervous.

“I’m not going to pressure you for sex, Daniella. You’re in college and I know there are boys there that don’t have control over their dick.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I’m doing this so that when you go back to college, you know who you belong to.”

“And who do I belong to?” she asked, intrigued. No man had ever staked a claim before.

“Me.”

She shouldn’t get a thrill from his word but she did.

Fucked, she was well and truly fucked.

Zeke stared at
his cell phone for the longest time. He didn’t like his relationship with Daniella. There was a time when she’d jump at any chance to spend time together or talk. Her bitch of a mother had ruined it all.

“What are you doing?” Francesca asked, leaning against his arm. The devil speaks.

Staring at the woman he’d fucked to get Daniella, Zeke couldn’t think of a reason why he’d been with her. She was plastic; she couldn’t smile because of the Botox in her face. Her tits were too big, they didn’t move. Every part of her was fake and vile, including her personality.

“Aw, is Daniella giving you the brush off. How is little tubby doing?”

He grabbed Francesca around her throat, slamming her to the table. She cried out, clawing at his wrist.

“If I hear another nasty word out of your mouth about our daughter, I’m going to spend the rest of the night making you wish you hadn’t come back here.” He squeezed her throat a little tighter, relishing the sight of her fighting for breath.

Kill the bitch.

Zeke had a lot to make up for with Daniella. He’d left his little baby girl with this monster thinking she was going to be safe. Daniella had become withdrawn as she’d grown up and he was spending more time away. When he came home, she wasn’t cuddly, just withdrawn. He’d give anything now just to have her cuddly again. Anyway, when he’d seen the diet shakes in the fridge and the weight machines, he’d gotten suspicious. Installing cameras around the house, he’d discovered Francesca’s true self, how vile and mean she was.

It had given him the out of a marriage he hated, but it wasn’t the same with Daniella, not after she caught him hurting someone in their home.

Releasing her throat, he moved away from the table. This was the reason he needed the Soldiers of Wrath to take care of Daniella. He wouldn’t allow his daughter to go near the spiteful woman.

“I see you still love her,” Francesca croaked out.

“She’s my daughter. Of course, I love her.” He ran fingers through his hair, hating how her very presence riled him. All he wanted to do was kill Francesca, but her death would bring too many questions. She was his wife, and he had no doubt that Francesca had her way out of everything.

“Are you still going to love her when she’s spreading her legs for all the dick that will have her?” She lit a cigarette, staring back at him.

He really couldn’t guess what she was thinking. “You don’t have a caring bone in your body, do you?”

“Caring gets you killed. I’m resourceful. I want my allowance doubled.”

“That’s what you’ve come over here to ask? For more money?”

“What can I say? You’re going to give it to me, Zeke. You can’t risk me going to the right cop or spilling the beans, can you?” She tilted her head to the side. “A police investigation now would destroy any relationship with Daniella. She can’t stand you now. Not to mention how it would hurt your business.”

He stepped up to her, lifting his hand as if to strike her when an idea entered his mind. “You want double, fine. You’ve got double.”

“Do you want to fuck for old times sake?” she asked.

“Get the fuck out of my house. If you talk to Daniella, our deal is off.” He couldn’t believe he’d stopped his time with his daughter for this piece of scum. She might be the mother of his kid, but she was scum.

“Tell me, Zeke. Why did you give in so easily?”

“I don’t see the point in arguing. You’ve got all the cards, Francesca.” He stared at her, waiting for her to leave.

“It’s a good job you know when you’ve been beat, Zeke.” She grabbed her purse, turning away. “You were so easy back in the day. All I had to do was moan in the right places and you thought you were God’s gift to women.”

“Get out.” She wasn’t baiting him.

He had another plan.

“Fine. You don’t want to play; that’s fine with me.” He watched her leave. Only when he saw her climbing into the back of her car did he pull his cell phone out.

Dialing the number he used for this kind of business, he waited for the man to answer.