Uncontrollable Temptations (Tempted #3)(9)

I flinched, I know his words didn’t mean to sting, but they did.

“So, I went in search of her. She’s like a goddamn phantom,” he hissed, scratching at his jaw. “She was rushed to the hospital that night because she had been badly burned but she was a Jane Doe. No ID on her and if she had anything in the house it had been destroyed. The hospital was a dead end, they just told me she had been there for a few weeks. Fucking patient confidentiality bullshit. The only reason I was able to get her address was because your brother had a second driver listed on his car insurance policy. I followed up on the name, and got the address listed with the DMV. I guess I expected a house, maybe a two-family with a side apartment, didn’t expect the broad to live in the fucking projects.”

I shook my head instantly. “This is a big fucking waste of time, Bianci. Danny wasn’t the type to date some hood rat from the projects,” I gritted.

“You want to let me finish?” He asked, leveling me with a stare. “It was easy to put a face to the phantom. She sticks out like a sore thumb in that neighborhood, radiating innocence with that pale skin and blonde hair. Your brother’s girl is no hood rat,” he said.

I snapped my mouth shut and stared at him.

“She works at some diner on Court Street,” he continued. “I only followed her a handful of times but from what I can tell she’s a loner,” he added.

“So what? She’s not my problem, Bianci,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “If she meant something to him then he should’ve taken care of her. He should’ve set her up in case something happened to him.”

“Look, we don’t know the details of their relationship. It’s possible they just met before he passed. What I do know is that she didn’t bury him. Last I checked, they still hadn’t released his body. Not to her, not to anyone,” he said.

I stared at him for a moment, taking in his words, trying to decide what the fuck to do with them or if I should do anything at all. I meant it when I said she wasn’t my problem. I had enough people to take care of in my life. I did my part looking out for all the lost souls I’ve encountered, didn’t see the need to take in a stray.

“That all?” I asked, pushing off the counter and straightening my stance.

“Dee’s,” he stated.

I squinted, deciphering the name. “The little hole in the wall diner under the overpass?”

He nodded.

“What about it?” I huffed, not in the mood for riddles. Fuck, I wasn’t in the mood for much of anything.

“She works overnight, goes in around eleven, leaves about ten the next morning,” he added.

I glanced down at my boots for a beat before lifting my eyes to Anthony, staring at him silently. There were no words left between us. He said his peace and now it was up to me to decide what to do with it. I gave him a nod, my version of thank you, and turned to leave.

Dee’s Diner.

I knew the joint, back in the day it used to be the place Satan’s Knights congregated at after a run. Used to have the best fucking coffee in downtown Brooklyn.

I wonder if they still did.

On the open road, my mind drifted back to the night Danny’s house went up in flames. I didn’t remember much, just the amber flames before the house crumbled with my brother trapped inside. I sure as hell didn’t remember there being a woman. I didn’t give a fuck then and I shouldn’t give a fuck now.

I didn’t know what the purpose of me going to Dee’s Diner was. But I knew that’s where I’d park my bike. I wasn’t going to make nice with some broad that my brother dipped his dick inside. But maybe I’d ask her why the hell he was still sitting with a toe tag in the fucking morgue.

Hell, I didn’t even know what she fucking looked like.

Radiating innocence with that pale skin and blonde hair.

I turned my bike onto Court Street, riding straight toward Dee’s Diner. I could see the dated diner in the distance, the first letter on the sign flickering.

I’d order a killer cup of coffee and maybe a slice of pie.

Cherry pie.





Chapter Four


Present Day





“Settle down,” I demanded, pounding the gavel viciously against the wood, trying to reign my boys in so we could hold church. I lifted my eyes to glance at the clock and shook my head. I was already fucking late.

“Goddamn it, settle down boys,” I growled, their boisterous voices lowering as their eyes settled on me.

“For fuck’s sake you’re like a bunch of bitches at a beauty parlor,” I hissed, throwing the gavel down and leaning back against my chair. “Now, let’s get down to business,” I said, diverting my eyes to our treasurer, Pipe. “How’d we do this week?”

Pipe leaned forward, glancing around the table at the brothers before cracking a grin. “We did good this week,” he declared, sliding envelopes across the table to the men. “Cain’s old man got his hands on some impressive guns. We need to move them quick though, before we get any heat from ATF.”

I glanced at Blackie. “Get on that, see if Gold has any use for them,” I said, watching as he lifted his eyes to mine.

“That’s not going to get Jimmy Gold’s attention these days,” he ground out, leveling me with a steady glare. “I’m working on it.”