Savage Christmas Read online

  Also by J.L. Beck

  Breaking the Rules

  Kissing & Telling

  Babies & Promises

  Roommates & Thieves

  Instalovers

  His Gift

  Taking What's His

  North Woods University

  The Nerd

  Standalone

  Convict Me

  Stolen Bride

  Breaking the Rules

  Bought & Owned

  Savage Christmas

  Also by C. Hallman

  Breaking the Rules

  Kissing & Telling

  Babies & Promises

  Roommates & Thieves

  Instalovers

  His Gift

  On the Run

  North Woods University

  The Nerd

  Standalone

  Convict Me

  Stolen Bride

  Breaking the Rules

  Bought & Owned

  Savage Christmas

  Blurb

  I’m married to a man who bought me.

  He caged me and forced me to marry him.

  It’s hard to believe that I’m happier now than I’ve ever been in my life.

  I love my husband more than anything, and he loves me just the same.

  * * *

  So when I ask him to take me to a fundraiser on Christmas Eve,

  he’s more than happy to oblige.

  * * *

  It was supposed to be a fun night out, the first without our daughter.

  One second is all it takes for things to go from perfect to dreadful.

  * * *

  We’ve overcome so much.

  I only hope we can survive this night as well.

  1

  Julian

  Christmas. The lights are hung, the tree is up, and there is more love in this house than there has been in years, and it’s all thanks to the two most important women in my life. My wife and daughter.

  Sitting behind my desk, I swirl whiskey around in my crystal glass as I watch a few of my men filter into my office. Their eyes are trained on me as they wait for me to speak.

  Ever since Lucca’s betrayal, I’ve been harsher on my men, and at times, downright degrading. The betrayal hurt, got me right in the Achilles, and taught me that no one can protect my family. Not like I can.

  “Do we have any new leads on where Lucca may be hiding?”

  “No, boss,” Nate pipes up. He stepped into place after everything happened. He is good at what he does, but I’ll never be able to trust again.

  Of course not. Lucca isn’t dumb. He knows I’m looking for him, and when I find him, I’ll break every bone in his body. Make him beg for mercy and wish he never crossed me.

  “Some of the men have heard rumors, though. People are talking, boss.”

  “People will talk.” I shrug.

  “There are rumors that some members of the Volcove family are still out for blood. Apparently, they have been trying to gather other people you’ve wronged to join forces. They plan to retaliate against you soon.” The words make my blood boil. War. They want a war between mafia families. They have no idea what they’re asking for.

  I grit my teeth. “And that’s where you step in and do your fucking jobs. It’s simple, really. Keep your ears to the ground. Make sure no one gets too close. I don’t care for rumors. I need solid leads. Above all, protect my wife and daughter at all costs, understand?”

  “Of course, that is our number one priority.” Nate nods.

  The thought of anything happening to Elena or our daughter… It makes me want to paint the city red. To rip and destroy until there is nothing left, nothing and no one to hurt them.

  “If we hear anything, we will let you know right away.”

  “Great.” I bring the glass to my lips and take a gulp of the liquid, letting it burn through me like a blazing inferno. “I want all of you to stay here and man the house while we’re gone for the evening. Make sure the place is protected, and if anything out of the ordinary happens, no matter how small, you get Layla to the bunker.” The men nod again, but that’s not enough for me. I need their words. I need to know they’ll protect my daughter. Slamming my glass down on the desk, their gazes widen a bit, but they don’t flinch.

  “Yes, sir,” they say at the same time.

  Curling my lip, I say, “Good. Now get out of my face.”

  Like little army soldiers, they scurry from my office.

  After our home was attacked and I was almost killed, I had a bunker built. It’s accessible from the basement. Once locked, nothing will get inside short of an atomic bomb.

  I briefly play with the thought of having Marie and Celeste take Layla there while we’re gone, but I know Elena wouldn’t have it. She thinks all these precautions are overboard. She still can’t fathom my obsession with her and the need to keep our family safe at all costs.

  Checking the time on my watch, I realize I have only a few minutes before I need to meet Elena at the bottom of the stairs. Standing, I shake off the paranoia and fear of the unknown and exhale it out in a single breath.

  I’d never known real fear until the day my daughter was born. That was the day I realized my heart was now living outside my body. She is holding it in the tiny palm of her hand wherever she goes.

  Pausing in the doorway of my office, I peer out into the hallway. The sides of my mouth lift with a smile as I consider sneaking into our bedroom to get a special peek at my wife. Then I remember how she scolded me and told me how much this event means to her. Our first night out, and by ourselves without Layla.

  Patience isn’t my strong suit, but I’ll use it tonight.

  Turning in the opposite direction of where I’m being drawn, I descend the stairs. I’m only standing there for a few seconds when I hear the sound of laughter from behind me. Marie and Celeste approach. Marie is holding a giddy and smiling Layla in her arms.

  She’s the spitting image of her mother, with dark hair and emerald-green eyes that glitter like two gems in the sunlight. So innocent, protected, and perfect. Nothing that I do, no blood that I shed, or crime I commit will ever touch her.

  As soon as Layla notices me, her eyes light up, and she starts to squirm in Marie’s arms.

  “Dadadada…” Layla babbles, flailing her little arms around like a little bird about to fly out of the nest.

  “All right, all right.” Marie laughs as she hands my daughter to me.

  Christmas might be tomorrow, but I swear I got the best gift of all a little over a year ago. Cradling Layla’s body against my chest, she melts like butter and snuggles against me. Setting her head on my shoulder, she clings to me like her life depends on it. My heart clenches in my chest, and I hold her a little tighter, listening as she sighs softly.

  Rubbing my hand up and down her back gingerly, I almost miss the moment her mother appears at the top of the steps. The air in my lungs stills, and the world beneath my feet seems to shift. Dragging my gaze up her body, I see she is wearing a bright-red sparkly formfitting dress with a neckline so low I can see her stomach. The fabric hugs her curves like it was made for her.

  She’s breathtakingly beautiful…but she’s also showing way too much fucking skin, and I’m probably going to shoot someone tonight.

  Her dark hair falls in gentle waves down her back and over her shoulders, curling slightly at the edges. Some sparkly pins are artfully arranged on one side of her head, pulling her hair away from her face.

  Gorgeous. Perfection. And all fucking mine.

  “Beautiful!” Marie cheers beside me.

  “You look wonderful, dear,” Celeste says next.

  I still can’t say anything. It’s like
my brain and mouth aren’t connected anymore. It isn’t until she starts to descend the stairs that I can get my mouth to work.

  “I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman in my life,” I growl, wanting to take her upstairs and tie her to the bed. Forget the fundraiser. I’d rather spend the evening between my wife’s thighs.

  Elena’s cheeks redden a bit at my compliment, but I know she believes me.

  “Are you ready to go?” she asks when she reaches us.

  I lean into her ear. “Yes, but are you? Where the hell do you think you’re going in that?” I grit out. I’m going to have to kill someone tonight, no doubt about it.

  Elena rolls her pretty green eyes and takes our daughter from my arms. Giving her a kiss and hug, she whispers something in Layla’s ear before handing her off to Marie.

  “Do not worry, we’ll take good care of Ms. Layla tonight. Enjoy yourselves and have fun,” Marie says gleefully while practically shoving us out the door.

  Paranoia skates down my spine, and for one brief second, I consider calling the entire night off, but then Elena’s small hand connects with mine, and the warmth of her skin brings me back to reality. No matter how afraid I am, I can’t keep her trapped in this cage forever. No matter how much I want to.

  We have to get out and enjoy time together. I have to allow her to go places and do things, or I risk losing her, and if I lost her, I might as well be shot through the heart with a gun. Tugging me forward, Elena drags me toward the door, which makes me laugh.

  “You think you can push me around?”

  “Push you around? No. Tug you out the door before you cancel tonight because you’re worried about something happening, yes. Let’s go before Layla realizes we’re leaving and you change your mind.”

  At her words, we head out the front door to where the car is waiting. Opening the door for her, I help her inside and stare at her backside, wanting so badly to strip her out of that dress and taste all the silky flesh beneath it.

  Climbing inside the SUV, I take her hand in mine, tugging her into my side. Like a man possessed, I lean into her neck and inhale deeply, letting her sweet scent coat the inside of my nostrils. She is my own personal drug, the antidote to the mayhem that’s barely contained inside me.

  The drive to the fundraiser takes less than thirty minutes. The event is held at a ritzy hotel two towns over. When we arrive, Nick—my driver—pulls up to the entrance. He moves slowly, mainly because of his age, as he exits the SUV and walks around to open our door a moment later.

  Climbing out, I adjust my suit and reach inside for Elena’s hand. Her slender fingers wrap around mine as I help her out of the back seat while making sure she is not showing too much skin.

  “Don’t worry, this dress is going to stay where it is, covering everything it needs to.” She giggles.

  “I really hope so.” For every attending man’s sake.

  As soon as she steps out of the car, all eyes seem to gravitate toward us. I both love and despise it. There are already people here, some lingering outside the building, talking. I grasp on to Elena’s hand tightly and tug her into my side. She looks up at me, smiling before averting her attention ahead.

  We walk into the building and pass the security guard. They simply give us a slight nod, knowing exactly who we are. I had my men pre-check everything and announce our arrival.

  “This place is gorgeous,” Elena whispers, her green eyes dazzling with bliss. “Look at the huge Christmas tree and all the decorations, Julian.” She ends the sentence with a soft squeal, and I can’t help but smile. Often, I try not to show any emotion toward her, especially out in public. I don’t want others to know how important she is to me, but I think it’s obvious by now.

  My eyes move through the crowd, over the tables on the left side of the room, and then the bar area, which is also brimming with people. My fear spikes, threatening to overtake me when I spot two of my enemies sitting together at the bar. My entire body clamps up, my muscles tighten, and I want so badly to toss Elena over my shoulder and walk out of here.

  Matters aren’t helped when it seems like everyone is staring at us.

  Elena’s dress is eye-catching, and her deep neckline is drawing male attention.

  It’s making me insane with jealousy and worry.

  “Hey, you okay?” Elena asks, stopping dead in her tracks beside me when she realizes I’m no longer walking.

  Like a lunatic, my eyes dart around the room, seeking out my next target.

  This is what fear feels like, being in a room with your enemies and knowing that anything could happen. I open my mouth to speak, but it feels like my tongue is fifty pounds.

  What if my biggest fears are brought to life tonight?

  What if someone takes her? What if having all this attention ends up being the reason something bad happens.

  “Julian, everything is going to be okay.” Elena once again tries to reassure me, but she doesn’t understand. Her knowledge of this world is merely the tip of the iceberg, and I want to keep it that way, keep her hidden in the shadows for the rest of her life.

  “I don’t know about that. If I see one more person staring at you or even look your way, I’m going to murder someone,” I grit out through my teeth.

  2

  Elena

  I want to roll my eyes at Julian. He is being unreasonable and paranoid, like always. I wore this dress for him, only him. I couldn’t care less if a hundred other eyes are on me, I only care about him.

  My outfit is not even that revealing. Looking around the room, I see more than half of the women here showing more skin than me.

  My mind briefly flashes to the time Julian took me to that godforsaken auction. I had been almost naked then. I shudder thinking about that time. We weren’t always as happy as we are now, and the first few weeks I spent with him, I’d much rather forget altogether.

  I used to be scared of my husband, terrified, actually. Now, I’m only terrified of losing him.

  “You’re in a bad mood,” I say softly, leaning in.

  “I’d feel better after killing a few people in here,” he growls, glaring at every person that dares to look our way.

  I almost roll my eyes at him again. “That’s not very Christmas-like of you.”

  “You didn’t expect me to be jolly, did you?” Julian grunts in response. It would never cross my mind to use the word jolly to describe Julian. Brooding, dangerous, and unreasonable are much more likely.

  “No, maybe not that far, but I did think you might have a little bit of fun. You do know that word, right?”

  Julian snorts. “My kind of fun and your kind of fun look very different. What’s important is that you enjoy yourself.”

  “Oh, Julian,” a female voice suddenly interrupts. I look up to see a beautiful blond woman wearing a bright-red dress approaching us. She is tall, much taller than me. Her long slender legs peeking out from a slit up her thigh with each step she takes.

  Her lips are painted the same canary red as her dress, and her bright-blue eyes are framed by thick midnight-black fake lash extensions.

  “Chelsey,” Julian greets the women sternly. She takes the hand Julian is holding out, but then leans in and kisses him on his cheek, shocking us both. Julian actually pushes her away slightly, looking equally pissed and annoyed.

  Unfortunately, this Chelsey person does not take the hint. Instead of taking a hike, she keeps going on and on about how she hasn’t seen Julian in forever and that they should have dinner to catch up soon.

  “Chelsey, have you met my wife, Elena?” Julian interrupts her rambling.

  “Oh, I don’t think I have. Is this her?” she asks, pronouncing it like she is surprised by his choice. I have the urge to grab a handful of her blond curls and rip it from her scalp. “She is so short.” She giggles.

  Forcing a smile, I glance at Julian. His anger and annoyance have turned into amusement. His lips are pulled up into a grin, and his eyes turn mischievous.

  “Well, i
t was great running into you. Best regards to your father. Maybe we’ll find some time to catch up soon.” Julian smiles, throwing hot coals into the raging fire inside of me.

  “I’m sure we will,” she chirps shamelessly. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Ignoring my presence completely, she turns around and walks away, swaying her hips seductively. I turn my attention to Julian, who is still looking at me, amused.

  “What the hell was that?” I snap.

  “Do you have any idea how sexy you look when you’re jealous?” Julian smirks, dragging his fingers over my bare back. My body instantly responds, heat creeps up my neck, and warmth fills my lower belly.

  No, no, no! He is not so easily off the hook. All night, he has acted jealous of guys simply looking at me, and now he is patronizing me for being upset when he flirts with someone. I don’t even want to know how exactly he knows her.

  “Explain, mister, or so help me…” I’m not sure what the hell I’ll do, but the threat passes my lips before I can fully think of a response.

  “Chelsey’s father and I used to be business partners. As long as I’ve known her, she’s had a little crush on me, but I’ve never touched her if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Relief floods my veins. I’m well aware that Julian has been with other women prior to meeting me, but knowing of them and seeing one of them in the flesh are two different things.

  Even without him touching her in the past, my mood is souring by the second simply thinking about the whole interaction. Trying to banish those thoughts from my mind, I look around the room. I need to find something else to think about.

  “Jealousy looks good on you, but pouting does not.” Julian leans into me with his minty breath fanning over my cheek. “You know I was just teasing you. I would never discard a queen like you for trash like her.”