by Cala Riley
What is she doing here?
Having her here in my favorite hangout is a nightmare. This isn’t the place for good girls. This is where the criminals and deviants hang out. My inner need to sweep her out of here and take her some place safe consumes me.
“I asked you a question.” I know I’m barking out orders at her now, but the anger I keep hidden is bubbling to the top.
“I’m on a date.”
I didn’t think my blood could boil any higher. I was wrong.
“He brought you here?” The fact that Matteo considered this place appropriate makes me sneer.
“No, I brought him here. I wanted to check the place out, experience what all the hype is about.”
She’s acting nonchalant, but there’s a look in her eyes I’m unable to place.
“This isn’t a safe place, Mia. You need to go.” I grab her arm to haul her out the back, but she pulls back, struggling against me.
“Matt will keep me safe. Plus, Angelo is outside. I think I’ll be just fine, but thank you for worrying.”
At the mention of his name, I want to hit something. I crowd into her space, backing her against the wall. My mind briefly flashes to the last time I had her in this position.
Not the time, Lo.
I take a deep breath as I lean into her, my lips brushing against her cheek. I feel her respond to me. Her tense body loosens as I breathe against her skin. “Are you trying to get that man killed?” I whisper it right in her ear.
The reaction is immediate. She brings her hands up and pushes at my chest. When I don’t move right away, she starts pounding on it. “Fuck you, Lorenzo. You can’t kill every man I decide to date. You decided you don’t want me, remember? Leave me alone.”
Her words hurt more than any physical hit she could give me. I step away from her and catch her eyes. She’s pissed, but I can’t blame her. She’s wrong though. I do want her, more than I should. She turns to huff off, but I grab her arm, and she glares at me.
“End it with him. Now. Or I will kill him.”
I mean it to. As close as Matteo has become to Bash and Sofia, I will kill him if he touches her again. It won’t even be me who does it necessarily. It will be the inner devil. The monster inside. He has claimed Mia, even if I keep telling him he can’t have her.
“Stop being an unreasonable asshole! I will not end it with him. It’s one date. You can get over your fucking self. Go find a hooker. I’m sure she would be willing to warm your bed.”
She tears her arm out of my grip and storms out of the hallway. I slowly follow behind and watch her regain her seat at the table. My fists clench with the need to go over and throttle the man, I take a couple deep breaths to calm myself as she reaches over and grabs his hand. Whatever she says makes him smile, and I barely stop myself from punching his teeth out.
Mia is playing a dangerous game. I hope she knows what she’s getting herself into.
I head back to the bar and order a drink. I settle back against the bar and blatantly stare at them. Her back is to me, but it’s tense. They continue to talk and smile, but it’s obvious she isn’t having a good time.
Good.
Then I scold myself. I shouldn’t care who she’s with, but all I can think about is her up against the building so willing to let me own her body. The image of Matteo replacing me makes me want to throw something.
Before I can stop myself, I pull out my phone and dial.
“Hello, Lo. What can I do for you?”
I hear Sofia in the background as he tells her to try and stay quiet. The soft moans tell me what I interrupted.
Good. If I can’t get laid, then he shouldn’t either.
“I need a favor.”
“Oh yeah? What kind of favor?”
“I need you to call Matteo. Right now.”
“For what reason, brother?”
I don’t miss the amusement in his tone. He must know where Matteo is tonight. It only irritates me further.
“Fuck if I care, but get him to leave.”
I hear him sigh and all noise stops in the background.
“What is going on, Lo?”
“He’s on a date with Mia. He isn’t good enough for her. Make him leave before I do.”
He chuckles. “I’m not going to call him because you want to ruin her date.”
“I’m serious, Bash. If you don’t call him, I have some brand-new shoes I think he will love.”
“Son of a bitch. Why don’t you claim her for your own, Lo? Then you wouldn’t have this issue.”
He’s starting to sound frustrated. I should be worried, but I don’t care about the consequences of upsetting him. Hell, he should kill me. This ache in my chest might go away then.
“Just do it, goddamn it.” My teeth clench as I heave out the order.
“Fine. I hope you know what you’re doing, Lo.”
“I do.” I hang up the phone and watch as Matteo gets the call. He stands and helps Mia up, but I have no plans of letting her go with him. I swoop in.
“What’s the rush? Why not stay and have a couple of drinks? Didn’t you want to check this place out?” I aim the last question at Mia.
“Can’t. Bash called. He needs me at the house,” Matteo answers.
“What an asshole. He couldn’t get any other goon to do whatever it is he needs you to do?” Mia narrows her eyes at me with suspicion.
“I can take Mia home if you need to get there sooner,” I offer, being the gentleman that I am. Matteo gives me a long look before turning to look at Mia. Some unspoken communication goes on before Mia shrugs.
“Thanks, man. It would be a big help. I’ll let Angelo know what’s going on.” He leans down and kisses Mia on the cheek, and I growl. Mia throws me a “stop” look as he heads out the door. Once he is gone, I take his seat at the table.
“Well, how unexpected,” Mia muses.
“Want to stay and have another drink or do you want to go home?”
I’m not even sure what I hope she says. The sane part of me says I should take her home, but the other part wants her to stay all night then end up in bed with me. That part can’t win. I won’t let it.
“I wouldn’t mind another drink if you pick up the tab.”
“Of course, I’m paying.” I scoff at her. I would never let her pay for anything when she is with me.
I flag the waitress down, and she has no problem trying to flirt with me. She does every time she works. Usually, I entertain it, but not tonight.
“What can I get for you, hun?”
“I’ll take a coke, and she will have a vodka and cranberry.”
As she walks away, the surprise in Mia’s eyes is evident.
“You once told me this is your favorite thing to drink. Is it not?”
“No. It is. I didn’t realize you paid attention.”
“I pay attention to everything about you, Mia.”
I watch as she shivers. “You can’t be saying those things, Lo.”
I smirk at her use of my nickname. Back to Lo. Good.
“Why not? It’s true.”
“Because this hot-and-cold act is getting old. I don’t know what way is up with you.”
I sigh. She’s right. It isn’t fair to her. I am hot and cold. I have an angel on my right shoulder and the devil on the left. The angel is trying like hell to save one of its own, while the devil says I should bring her to the dark side. I have never warred with myself so much before.
“Sorry. I don’t mean to be.”
“I know, Lo. I know.”
The waitress returns with our drinks, and we sit in silence, neither one of us knowing what to say. She turns to the stage where someone is up singing karaoke. I missed when it changed from only music to karaoke.
While she stares at the stage, I stare at her. She doesn’t bother to look my way. She sits, sipping her drink slowly. After what seems like forever, Mia finally speaks up.
“Can you take me home? I’m tired.” She gulps down the rest of her
drink and places the glass on the table.
I nod and hand some bills to the waitress before escorting her to my car.
Silence engulfs the car as I heard toward her house.
“Why don’t you like me?” she asks so softly I almost miss it.
Her question comes out of left field.
“What?”
“You heard me. Why don’t you like me?”
My hands grip the wheel tighter. “I do like you, Mia. Way more than I should,” I admit quietly.
“Then why do you keep rejecting me?”
She’s on a roll with these questions I don’t want to answer tonight.
“I don’t want to talk about this.”
“I do, Lo. Please?”
I look over and notice the pleading in her eyes, and I know I’m done.
“I’m not rejecting you. I’m saving you.”
“From what?”
“From me, mio piccolo angelo. I’m far from a good man. You’re innocent and pure. You deserve better than me.”
“What if I want you?”
“It can’t happen. I’m sorry, Mia. I wish I could give you your every desire.”
She’s silent for a couple of moments.
“So, you can’t give a relationship. What can you give?”
“Dirty, kinky, press-the-boundaries sex. Such sex will leave you so sore to the point that you can’t walk straight in the morning. Sex others would consider wrong. Sex that’s not fit for an angel such as yourself.”
“Why do you call me angel all the time? I’m not so innocent, you know.”
I pull up to her house and put the car in park before turning to look at her.
“You’re a virgin. Untouched. Pure. Just like the angels in heaven. That’s innocence.”
She thinks on it for a moment, muttering something to herself before turning to meet my eyes. “Can we go back to being friends?”
I let out a long sigh. I know I’m going to regret this, but there isn’t much I can deny this woman. She already owns a part of me I didn’t think I had. A part I will never get back. “Yes. We can.”
“Good.”
She goes to climb out of the car, and I jump out to walk her to the door. Once she has it open, I walk in and search the place before meeting her back at the door.
“Izzy is in her room sleeping. Don’t tell her I spied on her.”
She chuckles. “I can keep a secret.”
I smile. “See you tomorrow, mio piccolo angelo.”
“Good night, Lo. Sweet dreams.”
Only dreams I’ll have tonight will be about you.
Chapter Three
Mia
My plan backfired spectacularly. I thought watching me with Matt would drive him crazy and make him tear my clothes off. Instead, it resolved him to whatever torture he keeps putting himself through—us both through.
At least he agreed to be friends again.
That was the only saving grace from last night. Well, that and the way he made me feel when he told me exactly what he could offer me.
A shiver runs down my spine now as I think about it.
“Mia, are you okay?”
I look up and find Izzy standing at the end of the couch looking down at me.
“Yeah. Why?”
“Well, observing you sitting there staring at a blank TV while touching your lips and shivering is mildly concerning.”
I am?
I look back to the TV and find it’s indeed turned off.
“I’m lost in my thoughts, I guess.”
“Want to talk about it?”
She leans against the edge of the couch as she eats the bowl of cereal in her hands.
I think about it. Do I want to tell her about my messed-up thoughts? Probably not, but she’s my best friend.
“It’s about Lo. You sure you want to hear it?”
She has never been shy about telling me how she felt about him in the past. She used to handle me with kid gloves but has been better about it since I confronted her.
She sets her bowl on the coffee table then sinks into the couch next to me.
“If you want to talk about him, then I’ll listen. I know I’ve been rough on him in the past, but that’s on me. I have been biased against him and everyone involved in the organization. Watching Bash with Sofia, as much as I hate to admit it, I guess I realize I might be wrong.”
She pats my hand as she looks at me. A twinge of pain is still in her eyes, but it’s much less than before. She has a turbulent history with Giovanni, one of Lorenzo’s friends and member of the mafia.
“He rejected me, Iz. He says I’m too innocent.”
I look to gauge her reaction. Her view of my innocence has been a problem in the past.
“Did you tell him not to treat you like a child?”
Humor dances in her eyes, and I’m sure she’s thinking back to when I yelled at her for the same thing. It wasn’t my best moment considering I rarely ever lose my temper.
“No reason to. He obviously doesn’t want me. He seriously mentioned my virginity. Obviously, he wants someone more experienced.”
She chuckles. “If he wants a played-out pussy, then he isn’t the man for you anyways. I mean, who chooses a tire with no tread over a brand-new one?”
“I guess.” I’m not convinced.
“I mean, no guy wants the feeling of throwing a hotdog down a hallway. Trust me, babe, I know these things.”
I chuckle at her. “Seriously, Iz?”
“I’m dead serious. Here, want proof? Let’s ask an expert.” Before I know what she’s doing, she has the phone on speaker.
“Hello, Izzy. Sofia’s already at work. I’m not giving you a ride.”
Matt’s amused voice filters through the phone. I cringe when I realize what she’s planning to do. Matt’s like my brother; we solidified that last night. I don’t want him thinking about my vagina.
“Asshole. I don’t need a ride. I have a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“Would you prefer a woman who has a well-used and flappy pussy or a brand spanking new virgin?” She gives me a pointed look, and I feel my face turning red.
“You twisted fucking bitch. I’m not playing these sick games with you, Izzy. This game turns bad for me quickly no matter what I say.”
“It’s not a game… This time. Just answer please. It’s a serious question.”
“If it’s up to me, I would say I wouldn’t want the flappy one, but it’s a big deal to sleep with a virgin. They often become attached. Besides, you know me, Iz. I don’t jump into bed with anyone.”
Matt is right. Who wants to sleep with a virgin? I zone out of their conversation as I think on his words. Could Lo not want me because of my virginity? It’s not as if I kept it on purpose. I’m selective in the men I’m around. The ones I have tried to date always disappeared on me after a couple of dates. At least the ones I have dated recently. I have a nagging suspicion it’s related to a certain tall, dark, and deadly man.
“Mia.”
I jerk when I feel Izzy touch my arm.
“Huh? Sorry.”
“Matt is talking to you.”
“Oh. Matt?”
I look to the phone.
“Listen, Mia. You’re a beautiful and gorgeous woman. If you had wanted to date me for real, I would have jumped at the chance, virgin or not.”
I feel my face heat.
“With that being said, the man you lust after is a complex beast. I don’t know him well enough, but I do know he hasn’t been out with other women for a while. I know that if one of the men even looks at you wrong, he puts them in their place. The man might not tell you how he feels, but I want you to pay attention to his actions. You might learn more than you think you know.”
My heart warms at his admission. Could he be right? Am I missing something?
“Thanks, Matt. I don’t know how you got roped into this, but I appreciate your advice. I love you like a brother, but if I didn’t, yo
u would be one hell of a catch. One day some girl is going to be very happy.”
He chuckles. “You went mushy on me. I think it’s my cue to go. Goodbye, girls.” He hangs up before we can respond.
“Why did you call him? He’s now thinking about my vagina.” I drop my head in my hands.
“First, you went out on a date with him last night, so it’s weird hearing you calling him your brother now. Second, I’m making a point, Mia. You think Lo doesn’t want you because you’re a virgin. It’s not true. Want my honest opinion?”
“As if I can stop you,” I mumble.
“I’m going to ignore that comment. I think he does want you, but it scares him. Think about it. Lorenzo’s a twenty-nine-year-old man who has never had a serious relationship. Then you walk into his life. This gorgeous twenty-one-year-old vixen who has somehow wormed her way under his skin.”
I think on her words. I am much younger than him. Could that be why? Why the hell do I care again? Then I think about his smile. About all the times we sat and had conversations while on my protection detail. It’s why I care. He crawled under my skin as well.
“Well, what am I supposed to do then, Iz?”
A slow smile fills her face. “Do you want him? Irrevocably want him? You have to be sure.”
I don’t even need to think about it. Lo has been the number-one star in my dream since the day I met him. “Yes.”
“Then we have some plans to make.”
The smile she throws me spells trouble, but for once, I’m excited about it. Bring on the trouble.
∞∞∞
What am I thinking?
I run my hands down my bare legs. The weather in Brooklyn in October is bipolar. Sometimes it’s warm, but more often than not, it’s cooler. For example, tonight it’s around fifty degrees outside.
Why am I here?
I stop and let Izzy and Sofia walk ahead. They each dressed much more conservatively than me. I look down at my outfit. Izzy’s bright idea was to “sex” me up and send me into the lion’s den. Her words not mine.
They stop and let me catch up.
“You can do this, Mia,” Izzy encourages me.
“I don’t know, Iz. Are you sure you want to go through with this, Mia?” Sofia’s eyes hold concern. She doesn’t approve of our plan, but she doesn’t understand. Things with Bash progressed fairly quickly for her. He never once hid his desire for her.