Page 6 of Rico

I nodded. He lifted me off his lap, then grabbed my hand in his, leading me from the room and down the stairs. When we entered the dining room, I clutched Rico’s hand even tighter. Three men were sitting at the table, which was heaped with eggs, bacon, sausage patties, pancakes, fresh fruit, a pitcher of juice, and a carafe of coffee.

Rico gently tugged me in front of him and wrapped his arm over my chest, which forced my hand to come up with his. “Anurak, you need to remember these men and their faces,” he told me, his voice gentle. “You’ll be seeing them quite often.” He pointed to the man in a black t-shirt that strained against his biceps and black cargo pants with scuffed-up boots. “That’s Alfonzo. He’s my second in command and one of the only men I trust with my life. I’ll be trusting him with yours, too. If you have any problems and I’m not around for whatever reason, you go directly to him, understand?”

I nodded, my body warming beneath all the protection he was placing around me. “I understand,” I said quietly.

He pointed to the man in a suit sipping at a cup of coffee. He was slim and clearly of Asian descent, like me. Straight, dark hair hung over onto his forehead, and dark eyes met mine, steady and calm. “Niran is my personal bodyguard. You’ll be seeing him quite often as well.” He gestured to the other man. His skin tone was a few shades darker than Rico’s, and his eyes were just as dark. Dark curls clung to his forehead and hung over his ears. “Bento will be your personal guard.”

“I need a guard?” I squeaked. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. On one hand, it made me feel safe. On the other hand, it terrified me. What could happen to me now that I needed an actual bodyguard?

Rico led me to the head of the table and sat down before tugging me down onto his lap. He grabbed a plate and began piling food onto it. “I won’t take chances with your safety,perrito. So yes, a guard is necessary, even if there’s not an immediate threat to your safety.” He set the plate down, then forked up some eggs, holding them up to my lips. “Open.”

I obediently did as he said, moaning and letting my eyes flutter closed when I closed my lips around the fork. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had something other than tasteless corn flakes for breakfast.

Rico’s hand tightened on my thigh, and when I snapped my eyes open to look at him, a hungry, dark look had entered his eyes. I quickly swallowed the food, my cheeks flushing under his intense, burning gaze.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

Rico just smiled, though that predatory, hungry look didn’t leave his eyes. “There’s no reason to apologize,perrito.” He grabbed more eggs. “Open. You need nutrients and protein.”

“And pancakes?” I asked hopefully. It was the only thing he hadn’t grabbed and put onto my plate.

He chuckled. “And pancakes. But onlyafteryou eat your protein.”

I eagerly nodded, letting him feed me. And when I finished all my food and that first bite of syrupy, sugary, buttery pancake hit my tongue, I could’ve cried. I think Rico sensed how I was feeling because he cradled the side of my head and pressed a kiss to my temple, letting his lips linger.

If Rico didn’t stop being so kind to me, I was going to fall in love with him. Hard.

But even if he never loved me back, I didn’t think loving him would be a terrible thing.

CHAPTER FIVE

Rico

Anurak was bundled up in a throw blanket and curled up on his side, my personal phone clutched in his grip as he watchedSpongeBob SquarePants. Little giggles erupted from his sweet mouth every once in a while, distracting me from my futile search for my wallet—not that I minded, really. He was clearly content. His belly was full, and he wassafe. And in a bit, I’d be taking him shopping for his own clothes, shoes, personal items, and maybe see if he had an interest in reading or video games. Find him some things that would give him hobbies.

I wanted my boy to gain a sense of independence. To learn who he was and what he liked.

If I could just find my fucking wallet, we could go.

My burner phone vibrated in my pocket. Grunting in annoyance and giving up on my search for my wallet for a second, I tugged it free and flipped it open. “Rico,” I grunted.

“You got time to meet up?” Jax asked. Jax was the Sergeant at Arms for the Ghost Born MC. I’d known him since he was a kid needing some extra cash to support his foster brothers, who were now his brothers in adulthood. They’d formed a motorcycle club when Jax got out of prison a couple of years ago, and they’d been stuck together like glue ever since.

I’d always worried about Jax, even if I never let it show. And had I had the pull I did now back then, I would’ve gotten Jax out of prison and all of his charges dropped so he never had to spend time behind bars. Because that time had changed him. Jax had never been all “human”, but his time inside had hardened him into a cold-blooded monster.

A psychiatrist would probably label him as a psychopath.

“What do you need?” I asked, finally finding my wallet on the floor beneath my desk. I had no fucking clue how it’d gotten there, but I didn’t think too hard about it. I just stuffed it into my pocket and turned to look at Anurak, who was still engrossed in his show.

“Club needs a favor,” he told me.

I hummed. “You mean Konrad and Shaw are actually going to work with me for once?” That was something new. Shaw, the president of the Ghost Born MC, and Konrad, the Vice President, hated me with a passion. To them, I was a loose cannon. Something they couldn’t control. And they were right to be wary of me. I ran by my own book and didn’t give a fuck whose toes I stepped all over.

Jax grunted. “No. But they’ll be alright. We need the help. I’ll take the heat for it and pay whatever price you name.”

I shook my head, though he couldn’t see me. “Nah. I’ll do it because you’re family, Jax.” Once upon a time, I would’ve collected, but not now. Jax had proven his loyalty to me time and time again. I didn’t need more payment than that. “Meet me at the river in thirty?”

“I’ll be there.”