Here is Chapter eight please be aware that this is only part ONE there is a second part but I am waiting for it to be proofed. So I decided I occludent wait any longer and put the first half up second half should be ready soon.
Rivaled Love
Chapter Eight Pt. 1
"You don't have to be scared."
"I'm not scared." She scoffed. "Just worried."
He laughed at her grumbled expression and squeezed her hand. He knew how much she wanted to be involved in his plans and as much as he hated to admit it they needed her. Without her they wouldn't be able to lure Jose in. She was the only link between the two of them, but there was no way her involvement would go past these four walls, not if he had any say in it.
The fact remained that she needed to be briefed and she couldn't be briefed without meeting the rest of his men. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that his men wouldn't behave, but Anastasia wasn't convinced and he nodded silently telling her that he understood.
"I mean it's like being thrown into the lion's den." She whispered.
After carrying her to bed, he had spent the night in his guest room come to think of it ever since she arrived she's taken his room. He supposed he could have made her sleep in the extra bedroom, but something about her sleeping in his bed felt right. Too many women had spent the night in his spare room, but none had seen the inside of his. Christian guessed that was one - if not the main - reasons why he wanted Anastasia to have his room. She was different. She wasn't some girl he'd picked up on a night out looking for a quick fuck. Hell, they hadn't even touched yet, let alone had sex with each other and still he felt closer to her than he had with any other woman in his life.
That's why he wasn't worried about his men meeting her or vice versa. She was important to him and that alone would make her off limits to any troubles his men may have.
"I think you're forgetting one important thing." He smirked as she looked up at him.
"What's that?"
"I'm the king of this Lion's den." He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear smiling as she leaned in to his touch. "They don't make a move unless I give the okay."
"Thank you." She whispered squeezing his hand tightly. Nothing else needed to be said as he walked her down the stairs. He knew she was thanking him for more than just his comforting words. He had done nothing but protect her since she arrived and Christian knew how much his men wanted her gone. There was nothing he could do about it. According to the Mafia he was going against everything. He was going against his family, his men and most importantly the rules. She was worth it and much more. There wasn't a woman alive that made him feel the way she did. Hell, he didn't even know it was possible for a man like him to get butterflies in his stomach, but every time he saw her bright blue eyes that's exactly what happened.
They rounded the corner and stepped into a living room full of obnoxious chatter.
Jack spotted them first and Christian subconsciously tightened his grip on Anastasia's hand. Out of all of his men Jack was the one he was worried about the most. He was the one who brought Anastasia back here and he wasn't sure what that meant in his eyes.
"Well, if it isn't the little spic I picked up on the street." Jack sneered. He felt his chest tighten as he moved to knock some sense into his skull, but Anastasia beat him to it.
"I guess that makes you the gorilla that attacked me?" Christian coughed, trying his damn hardest to hide his amusement as all eyes fell on his girl. This was exactly why he wasn't worried about her at all. She had a mouth on her and she wasn't afraid to use it. His men wouldn't know what hit them once they got her started. Plus, he was pretty sure a woman like Anastasia knew how to handle her own and could probably take down a couple of his guys on all by herself and the thought made him all the more attracted to her.
"Don't worry about him, he's just pissed that he got his ass kicked a couple nights ago for disrespecting Boss over here." Taylor stood from his seat on the couch and held his hand out smiling slightly as Anastasia hesitated. Christian relaxed momentarily as he nodded his gratitude towards Taylor. If there was one man he could count on it would always be him. Besides his own brother Taylor was the only one he would trust with his life. There wasn't a time where he wouldn't lay his life on the line for him and Christian would always consider him family.
"Seems he could use another ass kicking if that's how his momma taught him how to speak to a lady." Anastasia released his hand to shake Taylor's smiling as the taller man barked out a rough laugh. Christian leaned against the doorway, keeping his eyes alert as he watched his men interact with her.
"Nice to meet you I'm Taylor." He released her hand, sitting back on the couch.
"I'm Anastasia."
"We know who you are." Jack spat. "You ain't nothing but a good lay. I'm sure Jose's missing his bitch."
Christian had enough and before anyone could intervene he had Jack out of his seat as he bashed his against the white wall, leaving a smudge of blood from his now broken nose. Feeling fed up with his bullshit Christian grabbed him by the hair, smashing his nose into the wall a second time.
"Fuck!" Jack cried as he clutched his face in desperation. Christian pulled him by his hair as he dragged him to stand in front of Anastasia. Her eyes were wide and he instantly felt guilty for acting so violent in her presence. He kicked the back of Jack's knees, making him kneel in front of her.
"Let me make one thing clear to all of you fuck heads today." Christian's cold voice rang out as he addressed every person in his living room. "Anastasia is mine. Nobody touches, looks or even breathes around her without my consent. Do you all understand me?"
He looked around making eye contact with everyone as they slowly nodded their heads stealing glances at the silent girl in front of him. His grip on Jack's hair tightened as he stared down at him.
"As for you, you filthy piece of shit." He spat forcing him to look at Anastasia. "Apologize now and so help you God if you ever talk to her that way again, I'll blow your fucking brains out."
Jack struggled against his hold before giving up. "I'm sorry." He growled between his clenched teeth and struggled to his feet as Christian let him go. No one said a word as he stormed out of the house.
"Anyone else have a problem?" A collection of head shakes in the negative told him that for now all he had to worry about was Jack and it was becoming increasingly hard not to kill him.
He noticed that Taylor, Jack and Elliot were the only ones who showed up. He wouldn't question it now knowing it had to do with Jose and he didn't want to bring any of that up with Anastasia in the room.
"I could've handled that on my own you know." Her soft voice broke his thoughts and he turned to stare at her still form. He frowned as she rose her chin defiantly narrowing her eyes. He had just defended her and she was pissed at him?
"I never said you couldn't Bambina."
"Like you would know what to do with a man like Jack." Elliot's voice cut her off and Christian groaned shaking his head. It would be his brother of all people to set her off. He wasn't sure if she could protect herself, but he had a strong feeling that living on the streets for as long as she had installed some survival instincts in her. He watched as she balled her fist and walked up to Elliot squaring her shoulders.
"I could take that coward down in a second." She jerked her head towards the front door and Christian sighed, taking a seat next to Taylor who was watching with an amused expression on his face.
"What would you know about fighting?"
"I grew up with a crack head daddy and lived with one of the most dangerous men in New York." She smirked shaking her head. "Fighting is what I do and what I've always done."
Christian chuckled at the look on Taylor's face. He shrugged as he gave him a questioning stare. He knew he could stop this all if he wanted to but Elliot seemed to have a thing for knocking Anastasia down and if she was confident that she could handle her own then he wouldn't step in until he saw otherwise.
"She sure has some spirit Boss." Taylor murmured as he turned away from the ever growing argument in front of them.
"Yeah, she does." Christian smirked, watching the angry flush spread across his woman's cheeks.
"Prove it." Christian sat up quickly as Elliot shot him a sarcastic smile. "Christian's got a whole gym down stairs even a ring."
"Elliot I don-" Anastasia cut him off with a sharp glare. He sighed in resignation and throw his brother a warning look.
"Deal. I'll fight you, but if I'm as good as I say you gotta stop being such a prick." Taylor laughed as he jumped out of his seat and threw his arm over Anastasia's shoulders leading her to the gym downstairs.
Christian watched as Taylor descending down the staircase before rounding on his brother. He pursed his lips in agitation while thinking about Anastasia words. Fighting is what I do and what I've always done. He wanted to make sure that she'd never have to fight another day in her life.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Christian growled, pushing him until his back hit the sofa. He'd never seen his brother get so worked up over a woman before and the fact that he knew he'd be expected to pick his blood over her didn't make the situation sit right with him.
"What's my problem?" Elliot's voice was sharp as ice as he shoved him back his eyes heated with his anger. "My problem is that you got your dick doing the thinking and we haven't even found Johnny yet! If that girl wasn't involved, we would already know if he was at least dead or alive."
Christian looked away, his sudden anger dissolving at his brother's words. He was right. Any other time that they've ever been in this situation, it was handled quicker than expected. Now he had Anastasia clouding his every senses and Johnny was still out there and they didn't even know if he was dead or not. Still, Anastasia wasn't the problem. If anything he was the damn problem and that still didn't get his brother off the hook for wanting to fight his girl.
"You know I've got that covered." He turned towards the basement door before looking back one more time. "If she gets hurt, I won't hesitate." He didn't need to explain anything more than that. They both understood the underlying threat loud and clear and Elliot grunted before brushing past him and heading down. He sighed, running his hands through his hair. The thought of Johnny's dead body rotting away while he stayed cooped up in his house made his stomach churn. He would have to get a move on and quick.
Reader questions: What do you guys think about Jack? How about Christian with Ana? Elliot is fiercely protective of his brother so he's pretty rough but he does warm up to her after the second half of this chapter lol.
Ana has had a rough life so she's a bit tougher in this story. You have to understand she lived on the streets dealt with a drug addict father, mother and Jose. Fighting for her life is the main things she's good at. She's not some beast brawler but she can hold her own you'll see next half. Thank you all for reading and reviewing I love reading them!
