Chapter 25 The Hands That Touched Her
Cole Ryder’s POV
In the mafia world, secrets sell better than popularity, so it made sense that the world didn’t know me as the heir to the Buenaventura Group of Companies. But having successfully completed my takeover of the true organization—the underbelly of the company—my unveiling was happening in a few days. I only had a few days before the sleazy bastard with the terrible haircut knew exactly who stood before him.
I didn’t have to wait or prove much because one look around the club told me he understood he couldn’t get away with what he did.
I watched him swallow the drink, his grasp around the glass trembling and shaky. I half‑expected it to crash to the floor.
The fool had drunk, and now he waited.
Cee hadn’t said a word. I spared her a quick glance before signaling to Jeffery, who came immediately.
“Take them home safely. Not a hair on their head out of place, do you hear me?”
Jeffery answered with a curt nod before swiveling on his feet and walking toward Cee and Maria perched on one corner of the bar.
Soon, I watched as Celene’s eyes lit up, suddenly recognizing Jeffery from the airport. After Jeffery spoke, she looked up at me before quickly dropping her eyes, holding onto her friend and following Jeffery out.
She really had good intuition, I thought. She knew when not to speak or argue.
Then I looked at the drowsy man kneeling before me and took it back. She had no intuition at all where it counted. Not where it mattered most. How did she not know something was up with these men? She had even taken the glass from him, smiling as he proposed a toast?
If I hadn’t stepped in, she would have drunk it and whatever the men had put in it. Just like the very first time I had met her... surrounded by vultures who had drugged her.
The thought sent hot, boiling rage coursing through me, sparking fire in my eyes again. Just thinking of what they had planned to do with my kitten …
Images of a molested Celene filled my mind. Her blood half‑dried in patches on her thighs and legs. Her face bruised and swollen from being attacked.
I closed my eyes to dispel the disturbing thoughts. She was alright and on her way to the safety of her house, where I had men ready and on duty to guard her.
Immediately I confirmed that Celene and her friend were away from the club and the rest of the clubbers had been sent home, I picked up the man by his collar and sent a punch straight into his nose, breaking it. I barely registered the pain on my own knuckles. I was way past feeling.
“You like it when they’re defenseless, no?” I sent another kick to his groin area.
“You like it when they can’t fight back? When they’re weak? Makes you feel like a man, huh?”
The man tried to free himself from my hands. He knelt down, guzzling blood from his mouth.
“You touched her…” I said with such raw pain and anger. With that, I dropped him. He fell limply to the floor, the drug taking full effect.
I turned to Bone, who was still holding onto the other man as he thrashed and cursed continuously while he watched his friend get hit.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, man? She’s just a fucking girl, mate. You’re going to beat up another man for a piece of pussy?” the friend said.
“I don’t even think she’s your bitch, mate. She was ready to leave with my friend and me. Your bitch is for the streets, mate.”
He kept talking while thrashing under Bone’s hold.
“Bring me your gun,” I ordered Bone.
I only bothered to check the safety before I aimed at the cursing man and fired. No one moved as he dropped dead beside his friend.
His limp, drugged friend lay on the floor, begging inaudibly.
I looked at the pleading man, the club lights glowing red, fanning the bloodlust I already felt.
“You… My girl is too pure to see what I planned to do to you. She’s a light, you see—a pretty little light that I will protect from evil like you.”
And myself, I subconsciously said to myself, but pushed the thought aside.
“Bring him to me.”
Bone picked the drugged man up like he weighed nothing and placed him on the bar top.
“These hands you used to touch her, to grab her without permission, hold her to yourself…”
I picked up both hands one by one, placing them neatly, palm down, with such care anyone looking would have thought I was prepping to give him a manicure.
“…Your hands that drugged her. You would do better without them, no? That’s the first step of repentance, don’t you think?”
With a growl, I banged on both fists with the hilt of the gun repeatedly until the hands were a bloody mess of bones and blood.
I handed the gun back to Bone and wiped at the splashed blood rolling down my face.
“Take him with you. I’m not done with him yet.”
I turned my back on everyone, fully facing the bar while they got to work cleaning up the mess.
Now, back down from my high, I knew I wouldn’t be seeing Celene for a while. I had other business to attend to. I sent a quick text to Jeffery, putting him on the job to look out for her.
For the next few days, I had to clean up and prepare to appear on the Forbes list in place of my father after taking over his business and, essentially, his net worth.
I was going to have my pictures taken for magazines and articles.
The Buenaventura Group of Companies was such a big name, and now I was the face of the grand company. Which meant I had to figure out ways to keep my privacy. Everyone would know who I was now. Including Celene.
Would this all be too much for her? She lived such a quiet life. I couldn’t help worrying she wouldn’t want to be with someone in my position.
The next day, I kept thinking. I was supposed to be on a trip in two days, which meant I wouldn’t be in New York with Celene when the news broke.
I sat at my polished desk, pondering the worst‑case scenario.
I never really cared to find someone who could understand me or even be with me, but now that I’d found her, I couldn’t let her go.
If I was this worried about her finding out my last name, what would happen if she found out what it truly signified?
As I thought and paced, Jeffery came in, an intercom in his ear.
“Boss, your flight is in an hour.”
I nodded.
An hour. I had enough time. Why have private jets if not for situations like this?
“Tell the pilot I might be a little late.”
I needed to see my little kitten, at least before I left.