ROGAN
Lucius, take Bonnie and Ray back to the car while Ethan and I talk,”
Rogan said.
He didn’t need them sitting out here in the cold. He also didn’t
need them to listen to everything. What if Ethan said something and upset Bonnie? He didn’t want that.
“No, Daddy,” Bonnie replied. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He turned around and glared at Lucius. “Take them, now.”
“Daddy!” Bonnie whined. “Stop! I’m not going anywhere. What if something goes wrong?”
Rogan cupped her face with his hands. “Bon. Nothing is going to happen. I promise. I need you safe in the car where you are warm.” He saw her gaze past him, no doubt at her brother.
“Ethan?” she whispered.
“I promise. Nothing bad will happen. We’re just going to have a talk,”
Ethan said. “You have my word.”
Bonnie sighed. “I don’t like it.”
Rogan chuckled. “I know you don’t, baby, but I don’t need you catching a cold or jumping in front of me again. Daddy Ray and Lucius are going to keep you company.”
“Can I please stay here with you? I just don’t want to leave you,” she whispered, giving him the best puppy-dog eyes ever.
He closed his eyes. He was tempted to say yes, but Rogan needed to be firm. He needed to show Ethan he was capable of taking care of Bonnie and not giving her everything she wanted.
“Bonnie,” he gently said as he opened his eyes. “Daddy said you were going to the car to sit with Daddy Ray and Lucius. That is what you’re going to do. I know you want to stay out here with me, but it’s getting colder, and you don’t need to get sick. Not after everything.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but Rogan gently placed his finger against her lips.
“No arguing about this. It’s my job to keep you healthy and safe. This is one of those instances you need to listen to me,” he said.
Bonnie looked down and nodded her head.
“Come on, Bonalicious,” Lucius said. “Let’s go get you in the nice warm car.”
Rogan turned around and looked at Ethan. His face was emotionless and Rogan knew it wasn’t going to change. He was a very serious man. Rogan could hear Bonnie, Ray, and Lucius walking back to the car. They were going to be safe there and he could focus on this.
“I’m glad to see someone else calls her a ridiculous nickname. She needs that more in her life,” one of Ethan’s guards said.
“Shut up, Clinton,” the very serious one said.
“It’s true and you can’t tell me otherwise. I called her Bunny Bonnet when she was living with Ethan.”
Rogan almost cracked a smile at that. As much as he didn’t like someone else calling her a nickname, especially Bonalicious, he couldn’t say no. The way her eyes danced whenever someone called her Bonalicious made him happy. He wasn’t going to take that away.
“Now, let’s discuss business,” Ethan said. “What is this supposed misunderstanding?”
“Your men went after some women who belong in my group, kidnapped them and abused them,” Rogan replied.
“That’s a big allegation. None of my men kidnap or hurt innocent women.”
Rogan shook his head. “Your men did. Jared and Richard. Jared abused one of my men’s sisters for years, and Richard kidnapped another one. They were your men. Claimed your name several times.”
“Not my men. There is a difference between my men and the people I have in my pockets. They knew not to hurt innocent people. Are you sure the women were innocent?”
He growled and glared. “Did you just fucking ask me that?”
Ethan tilted his head. “Yes, I did.”
Rogan took a deep breath in, trying not to blow up. He was trying for Bonnie, but Ethan was testing his patience.
“Yes, they were fucking innocent. Richard almost kidnapped a girl twice before he got killed,” Rogan said, purposefully leaving out Hedda’s name. He didn’t want anything to get back to her. She didn’t need that in her life, not when she was finally accepting and working through what she’d done and living happily.
“I knew they were no good,” another one of his men said. “Seemed sketchy.”
“So you killed them because of that?” Ethan asked.
“Yes, that was the only reason we killed them. They went after our innocent women and something had to be done.”
“Very well.”
They both stared at each other. Ethan was such an odd guy.
“That’s all?” Ethan asked.
“Do you deal in human trafficking?” Rogan asked. He needed to know what they were getting into.
“I don’t fucking hurt innocent people.”
Rogan took a deep breath in. He so badly wanted to push for more answers, but he knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere. That was Ethan’s way of telling him to stop asking questions.
“Don’t fucking ask me questions about my operations. We aren’t pals,” Ethan spat out.
“Of course, I fucking know that. But I don’t deal in human trafficking,” Rogan replied.
“So?”
Rogan sighed. “Are we good then? Peace between us?”
“Yeah, only because of my sister,” he replied. “No other fucking reason. I don’t like the fact that my sister jumped in front of you. And I really don’t like that she chose you, of all people.”
“Tough shit.”
“But the fact that she jumped in front of you means she truly loves you. If I find out you fucking hurt her, you’re dead. You won’t even know what came.” Ethan’s voice was calm and deep. He meant business.
“Was that a threat?”
“A fucking promise. You two don’t keep her happy and I’ll gladly take you both out and keep her with me.” Ethan cocked his head to the side.
“You won’t be able to fucking do anything about it.”
“You won’t be able to find her.”
“You wanna bet?”
“Stop with the pissing contest,” Clinton said. “Boss, you’ve got to go. Almost time to deliver.”
Ethan took a step back from Rogan. “I’ll be in contact with my sister whenever I want. If you withhold that from her, it won’t be good. And I get to see her whenever I want.”
“I’m not going to make her fucking pick between us. But if you do something I think will harm her, mentally or physically, I’m pulling her back and you won’t see her for a while. I don’t fucking care if that brings on war. She is precious and if you hurt her or even attempt to, you won’t see her again.”
Ethan nodded his head and for a second Rogan thought he saw approval flash in his eyes.
“Two men?” Ethan asked. “Why?”
“Yes, two men. If you have a fucking problem with it, well… then you can just fucking get over it. Shove it up your ass.” He didn’t have to explain himself to Ethan.
“I’ll be in touch with her,” Ethan said before he turned and walked away.
Rogan let out the breath he was holding and walked back to the car.
Time to go home. He walked over to his side of the car and climbed in.
“Daddy?” Bonnie whispered.
He turned around and gave her a smile. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“He doesn’t hate me?”
“No, baby. He doesn’t hate you. He’s gonna call you soon and hopefully you two can meet up and hang out.”
Bonnie let out a sigh. Rogan pushed himself to where he was partially out of his seat and closer to Bonnie.
“Come here,” he gently said.
She pushed herself forward and Rogan kissed her lips. “I love you, too.”
“I love you more,” she replied.
“What about me?” Raynar whined. “You guys don’t love me?”
Rogan leaned his head closer to Raynar and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “I love you, as well.”
“I love you, too,” Bonnie whispered as she kissed his lips.
“Stop with all the fucking kissing and mushiness,” Lucius said.
“Then get the fuck out. I don’t need you here. Go with the other men,” Rogan growled.
“I love you two, as well,” Raynar replied.