Shared Secrets

Chapter 8

Warning: Language, violence, mentions of alcohol 

Tom's POV

Of course, I fucking remember this place, Grace. I remember everything when it comes to you. I wanted to scream at her. I bought the restaurant the minute I turned eighteen with the sole intention of bringing her here on the many fucking dates I had planned out in my head. My father scoffed at first, but the business wasn't bad and it actually turned out to be a fucking good investment. And I have Grace to thank for that. If she hadn't been so goddam obsessed with this place when we were kids I never would've paid it any mind.

I had every single one of my men on duty tonight. I'm not taking any fucking chances tonight, especially not since the Tap House bullshit that went down. Harrison was fucking pissed, but he couldn't fucking stop me. Harrison thought that I shouldn't be distracted from my work especially since my father has only been dead for three months. And Grace was a distraction. A fucking perfect, beautiful goddamn distraction.

Fucking hell. I can't understand how someone can be so utterly goddamn perfect in every way. I can't concentrate on anything she's saying because I'm too enraptured by her beauty. She's too much. All I want to do is run my hands through her hair, taking in every inch of her skin as she moans out my name. I want her. I need her to be mine. Watching her smile at me makes me weak. I would do whatever it fucking takes to keep that smile on her face to keep her eyes locked on mine.

Time goes by way too fucking quickly and suddenly I'm back in the car driving Grace home. She's telling me about the crazy patients she attends to at work. Even her voice is fucking beautiful. I never want her to stop fucking talking. I want so badly to just fucking pull her mouth towards mine and kiss her. But, she's too lost in her own world. oblivious to the fact that I'm going fucking crazy over every small flawless feature of her being.

After way too short a drive I pull up in front of Grace's townhouse putting the car into park. Grace grows quiet looking down at her lap. God, why is she still so fucking shy around me? Doesn't she fucking realize that she can do absolutely fucking anything to me and it would never change the way I feel about her? I jump out of the car and walk around to open the passenger door. We walk towards her front porch, but right before the stairs Grace stops and turns towards me. "Thank you for the dinner, Tom. I had a lovely time." She smiles politely at me, a small blush creeping into her cheeks.

"The pleasure was all mine, love." And god was it. I've spent fucking years fantasizing about taking Grace out. How she'd fall madly in love with me, opening up to me completely. How I would finally fucking make her mine.

She gives me another shy smile. Fuck. If she was any other fucking girl I've been with she would be pulling me into her room right fucking now, undressing all the while. But no, of fucking course that's not who Grace is. She's probably thinking of all the thousand different ways the night could end, analyzing each and every fucking one to gauge the outcome. Grace clears her throat softly looking down. "Well, um, goodnight Tom."

Shit. I guess she's decided to go with the "proper" fucking way to end a first date. What is she only going to kiss me when she's intoxicated? I'm not letting that fucking happen. I grab her arm as she's turning towards her steps and kiss her. She's surprised at first but I feel her quickly melt into the kiss, melt into me. Fuck. She feels amazing. I deepen the kiss, lust taking over my body. I need her. I need her right fucking now I've waited so goddamn long for this.

I start to move us closer towards her porch. My whole body lit with anticipation. I start to move my hands down to her waist when all of a sudden my fucking phone starts to go off. Goddamn it. Grace jumps a little at the sudden noise, breaking the kiss. Fuck. I know it's Harrison who's calling me because he's the only person who's call can go through when my phone is on do not disturb. I quickly fumble into the breast pocket of my suit to pull out my phone. Grace takes a small step back blushing madly and looking around. I hit decline instantly killing the annoying fucking ringtone.

"Tom..I..." Grace begins, but the goddamn ringtone starts up again. This is the second fucking time Grace and I were interrupted. The first time at the Tap House she was just about to say something after our kiss when the fucking lights went out. And now it's fucking happening again. I need to fucking know what she was going to say. God, I am going to fucking murder Harrison. "You should take that," she says quietly. "It may be urgent." Fuck no. This is not the outcome I had in mind when I initiated that kiss with her.

"I'm sorry. I should only be a minute." Grace nods shyly, backing up towards her porch to give me privacy. I hit the answer button on the phone getting ready to curse Harrison out softly so Grace doesn't overhear, "Harrison-" but he cuts me off.

"Get your ass over to the Tap House Bar immediately Tom. Code red." Harrison barks into the phone and immediately hangs up before I can even get out a damn question. Shit. This isn't fucking good. Not only do I have to deal whatever fucking thing is going on at the fucking Tap House, but I also have to fucking leave Grace, again. Once again right in the fucking middle of something, someone has to fucking ruin it.

I turn back to Grace. Goddamn it. I needed her. I was so fucking close to having her. She looks heartbreakingly beautiful standing in the dark with just the dim porch light illuminating her body, her perfect hair, her perfect lips. The lips I was just kissing not only two fucking seconds ago. Fuck. "Grace, I'm so sorry. That was Harrison, I have to go. Family emergency." She looks down clearly trying to hide her disappointment. Fucking hell. Did she want me as much as I fucking want her?

"Of course Tom, go. Thank you again for an amazing night." She smiles at me and my heart breaks. I'm about to walk away from the most beautiful girl I've been in love with for my entire fucking life. Fuck.

"I'll call you ok? I want to do this again, Grace." I say as I make my way towards my car. She nods smiling softly at me. Fuck. What's she thinking? God, I fucking promise I will make it up to you, Grace.

I get into the car and take off towards the Tap House not even waiting to make sure Grace gets into her house alright. What the fuck could possibly be happening at the Tap House Bar that I need to be there right fucking now. I swear to God if this is some sort of test bullshit Harrison set up I'm going to rip his fucking face off and put him down into the fucking cell. As I round the corner I spot the Tap House in front of me -on fire.

Shit. I park the car in a tow zone and jump out running towards the flames. The fire department is already there attempting to control the blaze and calm the panicking crowd. What the fuck is happening? I spot Harrison standing away from the crowd talking on his cell phone surrounded by my men. "What the fuck is going on Harrison?" I spit at him.

"Get in the car, Tom," Harrison tells me gesturing to the unfamiliar car parked in the alleyway. He immediately gets back on the phone barking orders into it.

"I'll drive in my own fucking car, Harrison." He needs to put down that fucking phone and tell me what the fuck is happening before I take it out of his hands and crush it in my fucking fists.

"No, Tom, seriously this is a code red get in Rocco's car." I knew that the phrase "code red" was only invoked in serious emergencies, but I had never actually been a part of one. I never had any reason to fucking be. My father handled serious emergencies. Fuck. I hopped into the back of Rocco's beat up town car. Harrison slid in next to me putting his phone away. "It's Moriarty. He set the fire to the Tap House Bar. Luckily it wasn't as crowded as it would've been on a Friday or Saturday night, but there are still a lot of injuries. There may even be some casualties." Harrison states.

Damn. This is going to cost me a fuck ton of money. "Fuck." I breathe out.

"That's not all though Tom." Harrison looks at me concerned. "Moran was able to get a hold of one of Moriarty's guys and get some information out of him... They found out about your father's passing. They know you're the leader now, Tom and you can be damn sure that they will be spreading that information to every fucking mob in the western hemisphere."

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