Twisted Judgement Read online

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Wes

  Avé

  Giovanni

  Avé

  Wes

  Avé

  Giovanni

  Wes

  Avé

  Wes

  Giovanni

  Avé

  Wes

  Gio

  Avé

  Giovanni

  Wes

  Ave

  Wes

  Avé

  Wes

  Avé

  Notes

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2019 by K.D Clark

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address:

  First paperback edition October 2019

  https://kdclark.blog/

  Twisted Judgement

  K.D Clark

  Prologue

  “Why do you do this?” he asked as she pulled her tank top over her head, not bothering with a bra since she wasn’t planning on going anywhere.

  She could feel his eyes on her skin as she got dressed. When she turned to look at him, his naked body was slightly covered by the blanket that usually laid across the back of the sofa.

  “Do what?” she asked.

  “You know what. Every time I try to get close you pull away.”

  She avoided his eyes as she searched on the floor for her pants. “Well, maybe you should have told me you were involved a little bit sooner.”

  She didn’t want to have this conversation again. Wes always wanted to talk about things but sometimes she wished he would just let it go. She wasn’t going to change her mind. Their relationship would never turn into anything more than what it was now. Not when he was a soldier in the mafia.

  “So that’s it? You won’t be with me because I’m involved? The same way your whole family is associated in Cosa Nostra?” He stood up from the couch and snatched his pants off the floor. “Why does it matter? You know me, and you know who I am. I joined the mob so I could protect my family so I could get them out of the hood and kill my sister’s rapist. I’m not a bad guy,” he said.

  “I know you aren’t, Wes,” she said pulling her bottom lip in between her teeth to chew on. He didn’t need to convince her. She knew he had the biggest heart but she also knew the kind of things he had to do for the mob. She knew the risk that he put himself in every day. If he wasn’t in the mob maybe things would be different but she’d run away from Vegas to get away from that life.

  “But that doesn’t matter,” he said as he tucked his phone in his pocket and pulled the white t-shirt over his head. He stared at her for a moment as if studying her facial expression.

  “I have to keep an eye out for you because that’s my job. But I don’t know if I can do this anymore,” he said.

  She ignored the way her stomach dropped at his words. “I understand. I don’t want to hold you back but you have to know I’m never going to change my mind.”

  Wes

  His hand connected with a stack of DVDs, letting them fall to the floor as he strolled down the aisle.

  “How many times we gotta come out here, Diego?” James said, his voice echoing from the front of the store.

  Wes couldn’t see them over the shelves but he knew James was laying it on him thick. The movie store was failing. Of course it was, people didn’t go rent movies anymore when they could get all the movies they wanted right on their couch. If he thought about it hard enough he felt bad for Diego’s family. Two young girls who after a few months were probably going to be without a father. But that’s what happens when you make a bad deal with bad people who you can’t pay back. At the end of the aisle sat a large gumball machine. The red base held a spot where kids could insert two quarters. Some of the gumballs were chipped, showing the white inside. The machine and the candy inside were probably older than him. Wes pressed his hand against the glass and pushed it over. The movie shelves shook from the impact. The glass immediately shattered, leaving pieces all over the old carpeted floors. It was loud enough that he was sure that Diego's family, who lived above the movie store, would have heard.

  “I’ll get you your money…I…I…promise,” the man stuttered, trying to save his own life but even he had to know his days were numbered. This was the second time they’d been to the store. They hadn’t left with any money last time. Wes doubted they’d leave with any today. Tommy, his boss, was getting impatient with the old man. The glass crunched under Wes’ black shoes as he moved down another aisle knocking everything off the shelves. It was going to take days for the old man to clean up the store.

  “That's what you said last time now isn’t it?” James asked. The pictures on the wall shook as James must have slammed Diego against the wall. Wes rounded the corner. Diego had his eyes slammed shut as James fisted his t-shirt and held him against the yellowing wall.

  “Please…I mean it this time…no games,” the man begged.

  James looked over at Wes.

  “What do you think, Wes? You think we should whack him right here?”

  His question was all for show. They couldn’t very much whack him without getting the go-ahead from Tommy but Wes went along with it.

  He shrugged. “It would save us a third trip.”

  “Wait, wait. Here.” The man dug in his pocket. His wrinkled hand shook as he grabbed some crinkled bills and offered it to James. “Please, this is all I have.”

  James turned to Wes, and he nodded. James let go of the man’s shirt and snatched the money out of his hand.

  “It’s not going to be pretty next time we gotta come here, Diego,” James threatened as they walked out of the store and onto the busy New York street. The sun was out today but it didn’t keep away the chilly wind temperatures of the autumn air.

  “How many more we got?” James asked as they walked to Wes’ car. James was dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He was probably planning on going to the shop after they were done here.

  “Two more. The strip club on 8th and that old office building.”

  He got into his black Nissan Maxima. He’d left his motorcycle at home today since he’d known James would be riding along with him. His phone vibrated with a text.

  Are you still coming by tonight?

  “I know what that look means,” James said, his eyes trained on Wes.

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Wes said as he started the car and pulled into the street.

  “Yeah ok.”

  Avé was a part of his life that he preferred to keep secret. She didn’t want to be a part of this life so he tried his best not to drag her name into it. Plus the fewer people who knew about her the better. The world he lived in was dangerous and if people found your weak spots that was the first thing they went for. It was the reason he’d moved his mom and sisters out to Oregon in a small town. It was far enough away from the Cosa Nostra life that no one could find them. He had failed at protecting Willow, his youngest sister, once and he’d vowed to never let anyone in his family down again. He hadn’t joined Cosa Nostra for the money or recognition, although those things were nice, he’d joined to protect his family. He’d grown up in a tough neighborhood and joining Cosa Nostra meant protection.

  “You ready?” Wes asked James as he parked in front of the strip club.

  James reached for the door handle. “Always.”

  *****

  Wes maneuvered his motorcycle
to the parking space next to Avé’s silver Lexus. The drive from his home to Avé’s apartment in the city wasn’t too long but with New York traffic on a Friday evening, it had taken him longer than anticipated. He unhooked one leg from the bike to stand on the black asphalt, removed his helmet then set it on the seat. He looked up at her brownstone apartment building. Her father must have paid a fortune for the place considering that it had its own small parking lot around back. He walked to the front door and typed in the door code on the metal pad. She’d just recently given him the code since he’d been coming by more often. When Tommy had told him he needed to keep an eye on a new girl in the city several months ago he’d thought it was a joke. But Avé’s father was a legend in Cosa Nostra and he wanted to make sure his daughter was safe. Tommy assigned the job to Wes and the first time he’d laid eyes on her he couldn’t have been more grateful. The door didn’t so much as creak as he opened it even though the building had to be at least a hundred years old. It had been completely renovated at one point. The door opened up to a hallway with black shiny tile and crisp white wall. There were only two apartments on this level and two more on the floor above. The windy staircase was at the end of the hallway. His footsteps echoed as he approached her door and knocked. A moment later the door swung open.

  She stood in front of him dressed in a tight purple skirt that hugged her hips. The skirt traveled all the way up to her small waist. She’d tucked in a white t-shirt that complimented her tanned skin. The V-neck of the shirt gave him the perfect view of the mounds of her breasts. Her nude colored lips twisted into a smile having caught him staring. This woman was the most beautiful thing he’d ever set eyes on. He’d known the minute he’d seen her that he couldn’t look at other women the same. Nobody could compare. It was her doe eyes that really sucked him in. They made her look innocent like a baby deer. Her face was perfectly proportional and not a hair was out of place. Even her toes were perfectly pained as she stood barefoot in the doorway.

  “Are you going to come in or do you prefer the hallway?” she joked.

  He smiled and walked into her apartment. Her bare feet patted against the hardwood floor as she walked into the kitchen.

  “Do you want a drink?” she asked, opening the fridge.

  “No, I still have to work tonight.”

  He walked into the living room and kicked off his shoes before sitting down on the large sofa. Her living room itself was the size of a lot of New Yorkers’ entire apartments. The place was exactly her personality. Beautiful furniture and expensive decor. Nothing was out of place. Every time he’d come over, it was spotless. She stepped around the corner with a glass of wine in hand and came to sit by him on the couch. She turned sideways so she could lay her perfectly smooth legs over his lap.

  “You have plans tonight?” he asked as he trailed a hand over her leg. He wanted to stay here as long as she’d allow him to. He was so pathetic. She’d made it clear she had no interest in getting involved in something serious with a man connected to the mob. He didn’t blame her but every time they spent time together he found himself wanting to stay longer and longer.

  “Going out with a few co-workers,” she said.

  “And you’re pre-gaming with wine? Lame.”

  She playfully shoved his shoulder. “Shut up. I like wine.”

  She set the glass down and removed her legs from his lap so she could straddle him. His dick was instantly hard. He held on tight to her hips, loving the feel of her curves under his rough hands. He moved his hands down to her exposed thighs and pushed her skirt up her body. His eyes widened when he laid his eyes on her bare pussy. He imagined her at work all day in this tight skirt completely nude underneath.

  “Fuck,” he moaned, his dick straining against his jeans.

  She lifted her t-shirt over her head and quickly unclasped her bra. Her breasts fell out hitting against her body. He ran his hands up from her thighs, to her waist, and then finally to cup both of her breasts.

  “You are so beautiful,” he said. She wasn’t one of those women that needed to hear those words but he told her anyways because it was the truth.

  She smiled at him. “You aren’t so bad yourself.”

  She leaned forward and pressed her plump lips against his. He’d have lipstick all over him after this encounter but he didn’t care. As the kiss deepened, she started to move her hips against his hard cock. It wasn’t long before he couldn’t take it anymore and he lifted her up slightly so he could unbutton his pants. Once his jeans and boxers were slid down to his knees, he placed his hands back at her hips, guiding her down until he had completely filled her up. The warm sensation as her walls closed around him made his toes curl. Avé moaned and grabbed his shoulders to hold onto for balance, taking a moment to adjust to his size before she started to move. He grabbed her ass with both hands and squeezed. Each time she came down on him she’d grind herself against his groin. He’d had sex with a fair amount of women but none could compare to Avé. She wasn’t shy or self-conscious about her body. She knew what she wanted and he was happy to give it to her. Her walls started to tighten around his dick and he knew it was only a matter of time before she came. As he glided his hands from her ass to her thighs, her legs started to shake. He thrusted up to increase their pace. His balls tightened but he held back, making sure she’d come before he did. Her breathing became shallow, he knew she was close. He let go, finding his own release just as she collapsed against his chest. He took a moment to catch his breath as Avé laid against his chest. Their sweaty bodies stuck together. Once he’d come down from the high, he realized his mistake. He was falling for a woman that would never love him back.

  Avé

  “I’ll see you around?” Wes asked, standing just outside the door of her apartment. His curly black hair was slightly ruffed from their encounter. Women would pay good money to have long eyelashes like them. They sat perfectly above and below his icy blue eyes. He was always clean shaven. His dark skin was the perfect contrast to her slight olive tone. He was lean with defined muscle cut in his arms. It was impossible not to be wildly attracted to this man.

  She smiled at him. “Yeah, Wes, I’ll see you around.”

  He leaned forward and landed a soft kiss on her lips. Her heartbeat quickened at the small gesture. He pulled back before turning and walking down the hallway. She stood with the door open until she’d heard the familiar sound of his motorcycle startup.

  She closed the door and pulled out her phone to see the stream of text messages from Liam. Just like that, her good mood was ruined. Her hands felt cold and clammy as she held the phone. All the messages were threats from him. He’d called her a bitch and a whore and told her she was worthless. Liam was a terrible man but she was holding out hope that he’d get bored and move on to someone else.

  She should have told Wes while he was here. She knew he’d take care of it but she didn’t want that to change their relationship. She and Wes were friends. Real good friends who for the last few months had started to sleep together but that was it. She’d managed to keep her emotions at bay when he was around because she knew the kind of man Wes was. It was the same kind of man her father was and apparently everybody else in New York City. She thought she had escaped the mob world by leaving Vegas, but apparently New York was worse for mob life so she should have known she’d end up meeting people who were involved. Her hand shook as she swiped away the stream of text messages and instead sent a text to her friend Aubrey.

  I’ll be ready in an hour

  It was a Saturday night and she wasn’t going to be stuck in the house while she got bombarded with text messages from a man who didn’t understand what a break-up was. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves and forget about Liam and his stalking tendencies. The fear she felt since ending it with Liam was constant. It followed her around while she was at work, at home, or even in a room full of people. She’d been looking over her shoulders for months and the fear was starting to weigh on her. Her body ach
ed from her constantly tense muscles and sleeping was nearly impossible.

  She walked barefoot across the spacious apartment to her closet room. She loved being in this room. The smell of leather boots filled her nose. It was a white room with a couple of windows that looked out over the courtyard of the apartment. Two of the walls were completely filled with clothes organized by color and season. The other wall was filled with shoes. A big mirror leaned against the wall of shoes giving her a full body view of herself. She’d chosen a two-bedroom apartment for the purpose of this room alone. She slipped off the robe she’d wrapped around herself and threw it into the laundry basket. The air had a bit of a chill to it tonight so she walked over to her warmer clothes. It took 15 minutes before she decided on a long sleeve black dress that stretched perfectly over her ass, and black leather boots. She took a bath then spent a good amount of time doing her hair and makeup. She put on the dress and was changing into her shoes when there was a knock on her door. Her hand paused on the zipper of her boots. He wouldn’t come here, would he? She’d never taken him back to her place. They hadn’t even slept together. But she wasn’t a fool, men like Liam could get any information they wanted. She squared her shoulder then walked out of her closet room to the front door. She looked out of the peephole and sighed in relief when she saw Aubrey on the other side. She opened the door to see Aubrey wearing a mini skirt and tank top.

  “You’re going to freeze to death,” Avé said.

  Aubrey tossed her long red hair over her shoulder and walked into the apartment. “It will be worth it if I get a guy’s number. I’ve been going through a dry spell.”

  Avé closed the door and turned around. “Let me just grab my purse.”

  “At least one of us is getting laid,” Aubrey said, her eyes moving to the condom wrapper and blanket covering the couch.

  Avé quickly picked the wrapper up and threw it in the trashcan. She didn’t want to talk to Aubrey about her relationship with Wes.