King of Hearts: An Arranged Marriage-Mafia Romance (Rake Forge University Series Book 2)

by Ashley Munoz

  “She’s starving.” Anna stilled her hands, raising her gaze until her brown eyes clashed with mine.

  “No, I’m okay.”

  She started yelling in Spanish toward the living room, until Juan entered. For some reason my face heated upon seeing him, especially as his eyes settled on me, gentle as always. Juan looked at me like he was stealing a glance he wasn’t allowed to have, a look he would be punished for taking. It made me burn in a way I had never experienced before.

  “Why is she hungry?” Anna held her hand out toward me in accusation.

  Juan gave me a little smirk as he moved forward. “She’s always hungry, Mama.”

  He wasn’t wrong.

  Anna clicked her tongue. “Get in here and cook her a proper meal.”

  I stood, scooting the stool behind me. It let out a horrible squeaking sound. “No, I can grab my own food. He’s busy—it’s completely fine.”

  “Nonsense. Juan, come make her eggs.”

  Juan’s hand landed on my lower back while his lips landed on my hairline. I melted into him instantly, threading my hands into the material of his shirt and finding harbor under his chin. He was like a fortress, always shielding me when he didn’t need to.

  “Let me help you at least,” I whispered, already knowing there was no way I was going to sway him.

  “Okay, grab the eggs.”

  We stood side by side with his mom and aunt while he made eggs, bacon, and toast. I grabbed one of my yogurts to pair with my meal then sat and ate my food while listening to Juan and his mother and a few other women milling about, laughing with one another about Juan’s stepdad, Leo. They seemed to joke about his surly demeanor and how he didn’t know how to season things properly. I was smiling, enjoying myself, this new version of Anna, and this little glimpse of the old Juan I used to know through Mallory, the goofy one always laughing and joking with her.

  It was sometimes difficult to remember that the man I was falling in love with was the same one I’d known the last four years as my sister’s silly, joking best friend. I was mulling over Juan’s character with a smile on my face until Anna asked Juan about hockey.

  “That man, Mr. Delgado, called me the other day. Told me to talk some sense into you.”

  I kept my head down so as not to let on that my ears had perked up.

  Juan didn’t reply, just silently chewed his breakfast while taking sips of his drink.

  “Says there’s a team from Chicago that wants you.”

  Was that true? I thought Juan had been interviewing for other teams—why would he suddenly turn them down? He hadn’t said anything about it…but then again, our entire focus had been on my situation with my father, and the baby…and orgasms. There wasn’t room for anything else.

  “So?” Juan remarked slowly, still acting as though this wasn’t news. His jaw tensed as he chewed, and I had the urge to shake him. Of course he should go after it. Hell, why wouldn’t he go after it?

  Because of me.

  “So, you should take it. From the sound of it, the team is from the NHL,” Anna explained, sounding increasingly agitated.

  Juan continued chewing his food in silence, only reaching for my thigh under the island to squeeze it. Then his stool made that sound as he stood and gripped my hand.

  “We need to get going.”

  I followed after him but gave one last look to his mother, who was giving me a lethal glare as we exited. Her whiskey eyes narrowed as she tossed a dish towel on the counter and began muttering in Spanish. By the way Maria winced, I had a feeling I wouldn’t like what she had to say. I didn’t like that Juan was doing this. I didn’t want to keep him from it either, but what was I supposed to do?

  A desperate burn began in my lungs, warning me to get some clarity around this entire situation. It hurt that Juan hadn’t told me about the offer, but I understood on some level…he was still keeping me at arm’s length.

  I needed a second to think and process all the feelings that were swirling in my chest, making it ache.

  Holding his hand, I walked with him toward the study. “He was supposed to give me until my birthday,” I said as Juan secured the door by locking it. I paced, bringing my hand to my forehead. “That’s still a month away. I want to leverage that, get a little bit of time so we can figure something out.”

  Juan’s head snapped up as he turned toward me.

  “Time for what?”

  His eyes narrowed in a way that had me questioning whether or not this was a good idea. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I also couldn’t allow him to give up his life for mine.

  “Time to think of a way out of this fake deal…so you can go back to living your life, and I can move on with mine.”

  Hurt flashed across his features briskly. He lowered his gaze once more before I could fully process how he would feel about my comment…but even if he was attracted to me, there was no way he felt the same way for me that I did for him. Memories of his pointed words about how he wished I would just disappear came rolling back into my mind. It wasn’t like he hadn’t meant those words; he’d merely felt it his duty to step in and help me, regardless of how he felt about me.

  “So, you want to figure out how to get out of this?” He raised his eyebrow, walking around the room until he drew closer to me.

  I scoffed. “This?” I moved to the desk, sitting on the ledge. “Juan, you were forced into this, and I couldn’t be more grateful, but I can’t ask you—”

  “You didn’t fucking ask me.” Juan pushed his left hand angrily through his hair.

  The muscle in his firm jaw jumped, making his face look deadly. The light from outside poured in, invading his study, casting a glow along the wooden desk and soft oak-colored floors.

  I cleared my throat, barely speaking above a whisper. “I want to go home, see my mom…talk to Mal about everything. I just need some time.”

  “You can’t talk about my family with Mallory.”

  That muscle in his jaw jumped again while his eyes stayed on the carpet.

  My breathing slowed, unsure why that would matter to him. I told Mal everything…we were overdue for a conversation, so me not explaining this to her wasn’t going to work.

  “She won’t tell anyone…you know that.”

  He shook his head. “This is part of my life I share with no one.”

  “Juan, she—”

  His gaze burned through me as he turned his head to the side. “Don’t test me on this, Taylor. I won’t put my family at risk just because she’s curious and has a noble sense of justice.”

  “She’s my sister,” I explained.

  “And you’re my home, yet you’re leaving to go find something from that family I can’t provide you here. So, I’m asking you to just leave my family out of it.” He stepped closer to me, gently holding my chin in his massive hand. “But Taylor…” he whispered, tipping my head back until I was staring into whiskey and sunshine. Home. “This isn’t fake…we’re not fake.”

  I opened my mouth to argue merely for the sake of his own future, but his lips crashed against mine in a way that promised destructive and toxic methods of punishment, methods that involved red handprints across my ass and rope burns on my wrists.

  His tongue delved into my mouth; his hand went to my hip, holding me in place. Warm fingers brushed across my neck and through the open collar of my shirt until he was palming my breast through my bra.

  I let out a moan as he deepened the kiss, moving the hand at my hip up under the hem of my shirt and around my back. The cadence of him marking me was a song I wanted to dance to in the dark. It was beauty and pain, everything we both wanted but could never have. I wrapped my arms around his neck to keep him closer. The thought of losing him was too much to bear, regardless of how impractical and useless it was. Juan would be ripped from me regardless, this much I knew.

  Juan broke the kiss, moving his lips to the shell of my ear, muttering, “I want to fuck you. Do you have any idea how many times I have pictured you
bent over this desk?” He added pressure in the form of a tight squeeze to my breast, but the space between my legs was where I needed the weight. “I know I can’t yet, but hear me, Taylor: I will fuck you on it at some point.”

  God, I was on fire. Clawing at his shirt, I lifted my hips as much as my stomach would allow and removed the space between us. Finally, one of his hands fell away from my chest and moved lower until he was flicking the button on my denim.

  “Again with these fucking shorts.” He lowered himself until his face was even with the molten space between my thighs. I stayed perched against the desk while he worked the button and slid the fabric down.

  His face tipped back, locking eyes with me while I stepped out of the material and kicked it across the room.

  The man kneeling before me didn’t waste time. My leg was gently lifted, going over his shoulder as my palms landed behind me for balance. His hot tongue pushed through my folds and he emitted a low groan.

  He acted like I was the sweetest-tasting thing on earth, especially as he sucked my clit into his mouth and brought his other hand up to work two fingers into me.

  “God, yes.” I tossed my head back, moaning while grinding against his face.

  It was when he slowed down, removing his face but keeping his fingers there that I nearly burst apart.

  “Look how wet you are for me,” he mumbled, watching my sex while his fingers pushed apart my pussy lips. One finger went in, and then out, then two went to my clit and began rubbing in slow circles. “I’m going to ruin your cunt, baby. When I can, I’m going to fucking ruin you.”

  He continued to play with me, watching while his fingers moved up and down my slit, separating my folds, rubbing my clit. Every now and then he’d bring his fingers to his mouth and suck before returning them.

  My hips bucked, begging for pressure and friction, all while I moaned and begged him to fill me. Subconsciously I knew the men could hear us, knew his mother was somewhere outside those doors, but I didn’t care.

  “Juan, I need you to stop playing and fuck me.”

  He leaned forward and pulled my clit with his teeth, pinching it with just the smallest amount of pressure before sliding his wet tongue through my arousal once more.

  I begged him, tears lining my eyes with how badly I needed him. “Please, Juan.”

  Suddenly, he stood, laying a kiss on my mouth, moving that same tongue that was in my most private place through my mouth, devouring me, owning me.

  “Come here.” He pulled my hand until I was stumbling away from the desk. He moved the chair positioned behind us until it was spun and placed with the back against the desk. “Put one leg on the floor and your knee on the cushion here while your hands hold on to the back.”

  I did as he said on trembling legs, leaning forward, using the cushion of the chair to support my weight. I couldn’t see Juan, so I had no idea what he was doing, but suddenly he was there behind me, touching my ass, running his hands over the bared skin.

  “So fucking perfect for me,” he whispered.

  I didn’t have time to respond. He was moving the leg I had on the floor back, and I felt the tip of his cock pushing at my entrance. I wanted to see him fill me, see the throbbing veins on his impressive length disappear inside me. I closed my eyes as he slid further, moving so slowly I almost screamed.

  Once he was seated inside me fully, he groaned while applying a punishing grip on my hips. I rocked backward, desperate for friction, even though I knew he was pausing to help me adjust and to be sure I was comfortable.

  Finally, he pulled out entirely only to push back in with more force. I bit my lip while I watched the sun pour in the windows through little gaps in the curtains and fall along the floor. I wished for a second that we had the house to ourselves, without anyone demanding anything from us. I half expected Hector to knock and interrupt us like he had every other time.

  Juan pumped in and out of me, moving his hand to my arm so he had more leverage to thrust. I was desperate to have a rough fuck from him. I needed him to push my face against the desk, slap my ass, and ride me so hard I couldn’t see straight. I wanted my legs to be so wobbly I couldn’t stand any more, but I knew we had to be careful. I knew it, yet still I was desperate for more.

  I pushed backward, which only made him pull my leg further, granting him deeper access. A grunt left him as his pace quickened.

  “I need more, Juan…” I forced the words out through gritted teeth, imagining how he must look with his balls slapping my ass with every push of his hips.

  “You need this, baby girl? You need me to fuck you harder?”

  His cock slammed in firmer than before, still careful enough that I wasn’t worried, but it made me cry out. His hand came around my hips until his fingers were buried in my pussy, fucking me while he pushed in from behind.

  Just when I thought he’d increase his speed, he slowed down, making more measured movements with additional powerful thrusts. That paired with how slowly he rubbed my clit had me nearly coming. I finally combusted when he added pressure to my clit and thrust inside me, bringing his fingers with my arousal on them to my lips.

  “Come for me baby.”

  It was filthy and so erotic that I came with a moan while his digits slid across my tongue and he emptied himself inside me.

  He groaned his own obscenities into my neck while he finished pumping into me. He’d spent himself, but he hadn’t softened, so he kept going at a dizzying pace, pushing harder and harder, fucking me ruthlessly while my hair was wrapped around his fist. A pinching sensation pricked at the back of my head as he tightened his hold and thrust.

  “God, what the fuck is this…I can’t get enough of you.” He rotated his hips, going deeper and harder than before.

  I had no words as another orgasm ripped through me with a throaty scream.

  “Fuck, fuck…shit, baby,” he snapped, breathing heavily behind me, finally slowing and going slack against my back.

  We stayed pinned together like two pieces of Velcro for long minutes until he was finally pulling away.

  Juan turned from me, buttoning his slacks. Once he returned, he had my shorts in his hand. My chest heaved, and there was the slightest cramping sensation in my lower abdomen, not enough to panic…but it was slightly freaking me out.

  “Do you want anyone to go with you to your mom’s?”

  I watched as he moved around the room as if we were just getting back to business, so unlike it was in the pool house when he cared for me then lay next to me. The pinching sensation moved to my heart. Even though I understood why he was doing it, it still hurt to experience his own walls coming in to protect him.

  “No, I’ll be fine…thank you.” I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me.

  “Just be sure to come home tonight.”

  I watched the door, feeling like a hole had been opened in my chest.

  He sounded like he was in pain when he added, “Please.”

  He cared if I came home… he’d called me his home.

  “I will,” I muttered in response before exiting.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  I’d called Mallory and found out she was staying in Pinehurst with Decker, but I wasn’t lying about wanting to go back home. I drove to Mom’s, but neither she nor Charlie were home. So, after a shower and changing my clothes, I headed toward Pinehurst, ignoring the low ache radiating in my lower belly every now and then.

  It was probably just in my head anyway, but to be safe I called the on-call doctor and told her what I was feeling. She dismissed it, saying they were Braxton-Hicks contractions.

  Veering into the gravel driveway of my brother-in-law’s house, I pulled in behind Decker’s dark truck and put the car in park.

  Grabbing my purse and water cup, I managed to half walk, half waddle to the door with a bit of a wince. The Braxton-Hicks were kicking my ass, and if they were any indication of what the labor was going to be like, I was going to pass out.

  “Oh my gosh, yo
u’re huge!” Mallory exclaimed, opening the front door.

  I flushed red, loving that her rounded eyes went to my belly but also feeling a strange sense of panic that I was bigger than normal or something.

  “Not that big.”

  My sister’s arms wrapped around me in a tight hug, and I nearly broke. She was my rock, my person when the world sucked, and it had been sucking so much lately, but I hadn’t told her about any of it.

  Disconnecting, I tried to take solace in her calm green eyes and wild russet hair. She had on red lipstick and wore a pair of ripped jeans with a loose tank top.

  Crinkling my brows together, I moved into the entryway with her. “Why are you dressed so informal?”

  “I don’t know, because I want to…” She laughed, walking toward the back yard.

  “Not once over the summer did I find you wearing anything remotely informal…so what is going on?”

  “I’m spending less and less time at the office, and we’re training someone new—which means I’m writing more for Kline Global!”

  I pulled her into a hug. “Oh my god, that’s incredible!”

  “I know…Dad promised it wouldn’t be that permanent, so I’m excited.”

  She walked toward a new area that looked recently renovated. There was a small cooler and fridge space, and she pulled out two cold bottles of water. My gaze flicked toward the middle of the massive yard, where my sister’s husband walked in a straight line, pushing a red mower. Bare skin glistened under the sun and bounced off the dark bill of his hat. He certainly wasn’t hard on the eyes, but he wasn’t Juan.

  I looked down, feeling my chest pinch tight and an ache that went so deep tears began lining my eyes.

  “Hey, you okay?”

  I grabbed the water bottle she extended and shook my head. “Just hormones…and some other stuff. I actually need to catch you up on several things.”

  “Okay, yeah…I don’t like how pale you just got. Not at all.” She leaned forward, putting her hand to my forehead.

  Was I pale? I felt a little nauseous and weak, but I probably just needed a snack.