Crave Me (The Good Ol' Boys #4)(81)

It was like I was reliving the best parts of my childhood all over again. Except the love of my life was right there with me. The way it was always supposed to be.

I was paying for it though. By the time we got back to the hotel my back was f*cking killing me. I took down two more Oxy’s and smoked a joint with Briggs on the balcony. How the girl found a drug dealer in Oak Island while I was out surfing was beyond me.

We landed back in New York the next evening.

“It’s good to be home. I miss my bed,” Briggs said, putting the key into the lock of her apartment.

“I miss f*cking you in your bed.”

She grinned, turning to face me.

“Our bed,” she simply stated with a huge smile on her face.

I leaned in and kissed her lips.

“Our bed,” I repeated, pushing her back against the door, kissing her hard and deep as she fumbled to get the door open.

I heard the lock release. I walked forward not breaking our connection as she walked backwards into the apartment. My hand immediately went to her panties, reaching inside to touch her *.

“Jesus Christ, you can't even keep your fingers off my niece’s * long enough to walk through the goddamn door!”

“Uncle!” Briggs shrieked, shoving me away to pull down her dress.

“You’re lucky it was my fingers and not my tongue. Knock on the f*cking door next time before you make yourself at home in our apartment,” I spewed, pissed that he was there unannounced and uninvited.

He cocked his head to the side, arching an eyebrow. “Our?”

“Did I stutter?”

“Austin…” Briggs coaxed, gently placing her hand on my chest, trying to get me to back down.

Martinez didn't scare me.

“This isn’t even her apartment. It’s mine. I pay for it. Briggs, how about the next time you ask someone to move in, they are aware of who f*cking owns it first.”

“There won’t be a next time. I’ll start paying for it. Just tell me who to make the check out to," I said, not cowering down.

I really hated this f*cker and everything he stood for, including all the shit Briggs told me she went through because of him. How the man couldn’t f*cking hug her or console her as a child. Why he couldn't tell her that he loved her was beyond me. I couldn't imagine being a child raised in the middle of this lifestyle.

It was something I couldn’t f*cking fathom.

He grinned, narrowing his eyes at me. Contemplating what he was about to say. He looked back and forth between us before his stare settled on Briggs.

“I’ve decided to make some changes. You want him involved in every aspect of your life, peladita? I can’t stop you… but I’m personally over the fact that you’re spreading your legs for the goddamn help again.”

I stepped toward him, and Briggs held me back.

He scoffed, standing. Placing his hands in the pockets of his slack. He rounded the corner of the island unfazed. Stopping about a foot away from us. Briggs stood right in the middle, waiting to intervene if needed.

“Since you’re so f*cking involved in my business and what’s mine," he paused, looking at Briggs, "including this apartment, I’ve decided to promote you.”

“No!” Briggs yelled, stepping toward him between us. “You can’t f*cking do this, Uncle! I won’t let you. He’s not—”

“Baby, I don’t need you to answer for me,” I sneered, pulling her aside to stand in front of Martinez.

Man to f*cking man.

His eyes glazed over. It was quick, but I saw it.

“What you did in Colombia took some f*cking balls. I can appreciate a man that protects what he thinks is his. You would have shot Hector in the f*cking face had Briggs not stopped you. Without even batting an eye, I know you would have pulled the f*cking trigger. I was ten when I had my first taste of blood. I murdered a man point blank, protecting what I thought was also mine.”

“Uncle, please… don’t do this,” Briggs whispered, her head bowed with an expression I couldn’t see.

“I don’t need both of you. Austin here,” he nodded toward me, “is now in charge.”

“What?” I replied, confused.

“You want to be boss man? Well then here’s your f*cking chance.”





<>Briggs<>


I knew my uncle was going to do this.

The second he told me that he was done playing it my way…

From the moment Austin put the goddamn gun to Hector’s head, I f*cking knew my uncle’s dark cold eyes would dilate. He would see an investment, something of value to him.

Something that was mine.

He would see a different side of the man that I had been trying so desperately not to change. Not to let this life take over. The man that would do anything to protect me, the man that if given the chance would thrive on the power, the respect, the goddamn lifestyle that I hated with everything inside of me.

The man that he could control.

I would have never brought him into this life if I’d known he had a home to go back to. I should have left him back in Oak Island where he belonged. I should have saved him from my uncle. Protected him like he protected me.

But leaving him wasn’t an option.

I love him.