Mafia Underboss (Mafia Royalty Book 2)

by Cala Riley

  Chapter Eleven

  Mia

  That kiss. Holy shit. It was even better than the first one he gave me.

  It might be because he saved me.

  Fillipo wanted to know the truth, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. I confessed my sin to him. I told him the gritty details of how I killed his son. What I didn’t tell him about was the joy it filled me with. I didn’t tell him it turned me on knowing that I ended his life. I should be ashamed or freaked out, but instead I find joy and excitement in the kill.

  I was shut down and cold. I knew Fillipo would kill me, but I didn’t care. Maybe I deserved it for what I did. Then Lorenzo jumped on top of me and took multiple bullets for me. He likely gave up his life for me. I thought he was dead. I froze. My heart beating erratically. My mind breaking down. Then I heard him.

  Mia.

  The same way I heard him in my dreams each night. Calling out to me. Begging me to be okay. Next thing I know he’s yelling at me, then kissing me. I lose myself in the kiss. Thinking it’s a dream, I pull back and find him gazing into my eyes. Checking me. I can’t help the smile on my face.

  “Are you okay? Where are you hit?” My hands ghost over his back, feeling for the wounds.

  “I’m okay,” he wheezes.

  Dread fills my gut with each breath he struggles to take.

  “Turn over. Let me check you.”

  “I have a vest. Just hurts to breath.”

  He doesn’t sound any better, but my hands have yet to find blood. I hear a noise outside and decide that I can check him better once we are safe.

  “We need to go, Lo. Can you stand?”

  He nods and I move to help him up. Once he’s up, we start toward the door. He stops me with a hand on my chest. He takes out a phone then types something. Then he pulls out his gun and looks out the door.

  “Clear.”

  He pulls me behind him as he rushes to the front door. He opens it, and I shriek when several men dressed in black rush toward us. I jump behind Lo and clench the back of his shirt, making him yell out in pain.

  “Mia, mio piccolo angelo, they are with us. Come on.”

  He reaches back and grabs my hand as he takes several deep breaths. Moments later, I see two friendly faces pop up.

  “Mia, I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t think I could have handled Lo if something had happened to you,” Gio says as he sweeps me into a hug.

  Which is awkward because Lo doesn’t let go of my hand.

  “Lo? Shit, I don’t think I could handle Sof. She’s a force.” Bash chimes in.

  “Can we go now?” Lo says, obviously aggravated.

  “Yeah, yeah. Let’s get you out of here,” Bash says as he pats my shoulder.

  Minutes later, we’re sliding into the back of a black SUV. Lo throws his keys at Gio.

  “My car is down the street. Fetch it for me.”

  “Of course, your highness,” he quips as he struts off in the direction Lo gestured.

  After a few moments, Bash takes off. Lo pulls me closer to him, and I lean my head against his shoulder, soaking in the feeling while I can. This is just like last time. Something crazy happens and Lo thinks he wants me in the aftermath. I blame the adrenaline, but my heart is already too far gone to care. I’ll deal with the heartbreak later.

  ∞∞∞

  “We are going to debrief at the house. Then you can take her home, Lo,” Bash says it as a demand, but Lo leans and whispers into my ear.

  “Are you up for it?”

  “Yeah. I need to check your wounds.”

  Minutes later, Bash pulls into his gate. We move silently into the house, and he ushers us to the meeting room. A big ball of what I assume is Sofia crushes me.

  “Mia, I was so worried.”

  “Can’t breathe, Sofia.”

  She let’s go and steps back. “Are you hurt?”

  “No, but I need to check Lo. He got shot.”

  “What?” she screams as she turns to Lo.

  “Shirt off. Now,” I order.

  He smirks as he pulls his shirt off. He bites his lip, but I notice the wince of pain. Underneath his shirt is a bulletproof vest. I let the thankful tears flow freely from my eyes.

  “Mia. Don’t cry, baby.” He steps forward and cups my cheek.

  I turn into his touch. He presses his forehead to mine, but I see the pain in his eyes as he leans down to do it.

  “I’m fine. Just bruised.”

  I lean up and capture his lips with mine. He kisses me gently. A cleared throat pulls me back.

  “Well, this is a new development. Guess I missed a lot.” Izzy sinks into a chair as she watches us with curiosity.

  “Izzy, I’m so glad you’re okay.” I rush over and give her a hug before going back to Lo. “I still want to look at your bruises.”

  He nods as he starts to take his vest off. I push his arms away and unstrap the vest for him. Once I have it undone, I carefully pull it over his head, standing on my tiptoes so he doesn’t have to bend too far. Once it’s off, I look at his stomach. There are no bruises there. He turns, and I see two bruises on his back. One up by his shoulder, while the other one is in his lower back. The sight of the bruises only reminds me he had been shot. He could have died. The tears start up again.

  I lean forward and carefully kiss each bruise. He turns and wraps me in his arms. “I’m okay. You can check me out later. Let’s get this debrief done.”

  I nod as he leads me to a seat. He sits down and pulls me into his lap. I try to move, but he whispers in my ear, “Stay still. Moving hurts.”

  I stop struggling then. I don’t want to hurt him any more than he already is. I already feel guilty enough. He took two bullets because I was stupid enough to leave his home unprotected and jump into a car with someone I didn’t know.

  “What happened?”

  ∞∞∞

  “What are we doing here?”

  I spent two hours discussing everything that happened with the group. Bash was especially upset. Someone who bore his family tattoo betrayed him. He demanded his name but seemed disappointed when I told him the kid was already dead.

  I also told him what the kid told me and everything Fillipo said. After two hours, he finally relented and let us leave. I guess Sofia and he had some business of their own to take care of. They caught Gina before she could escape with Fillipo. From what one of the men said, he actually tripped her as they ran. Guess he got what he needed from her.

  Lo was supposed to take me home, but instead we’re now sitting in his SUV outside of his Brooklyn home.

  “I don’t think I can let you out of my sight yet. I would take you to Manhattan, but it’s too far and I’m far too tired. Stay with me?”

  I take a deep breath. Can I do this? My mind is too tired to fight.

  “Okay.”

  He gets out and comes to my side before leading me into the house. Sofia lent me a pair of slippers to wear home since I couldn’t fit into her shoes. Thank goodness too. I’m still upset about my lost heels, but I can always buy a new pair.

  Once inside, Lo leads me to his room. He hands me a T-shirt from the drawer before he pulls his pants off, leaving him in a pair of boxers.

  I swallow hard.

  “Don’t look at me like that, mio piccolo angelo. I want to. I really do, but I’m in too much pain tonight. We both need sleep. We can talk about everything tomorrow. I promise.”

  I nod and turn so he can unzip my dress. I shiver as I feel his hands trail down my back as he peels the dress off me. He unhooks my strapless bra then takes a step back.

  “Put the shirt on, Mia.” His husky voice tells me he wants otherwise, but he’s right.

  We need sleep.

  I put the shirt on and walk over to the bed. He draws back the covers before sliding in. He pats the spot next to him, and I happily oblige. I almost died tonight—hell, Lo almost died tonight. I will deal with the consequences tomorrow. Tonight, I’m going to accept the comfort he’s willing to give
.

  He lies on his back and pulls me to his chest. I lie my head over his heart and take comfort in each beat. He’s alive. It’s a miracle, but he’s here with me. Breathing.

  I send a quick prayer up, thanking God for all my blessings before I allow the pitter-patter of his heart to lull me into a deep sleep.

  ∞∞∞

  I’m hot. Like sweaty hot.

  My eyes fly open as I peel my face off Lo’s chest. He’s lying still, but his eyes are open, staring at the ceiling as his hand plays with my hair.

  “Good morning, Lo.”

  He smiles down at me. “Good morning, mio piccolo angelo. How are you feeling?”

  “As good as can be expected, I suppose. I should be asking you that though. You took two bullets.”

  “I’m sore. I’ll be okay though. You got hit in the face.” He reaches and cups my face. I can still feel some pain, but it’s dull.

  “I’m fine, Lo.” I stare up at him as he examines my face.

  He nods; then he leans down and kisses my lips.

  “Lo,” I whisper.

  “What is it?” I close my eyes as he holds his forehead to mine. “What are we doing?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? We’re kissing.”

  “No. I mean what are we doing? A couple of weeks ago you fucked another woman. Just last night, you told me you couldn’t be with me. What’s changed?”

  He leans back and looks at the ceiling again. “Everything. I almost lost you, Mia. I couldn’t live with myself if I had lost you and you didn’t know how I really feel about you.”

  “How do you feel?”

  He sits up and leans against the headboard. I sit cross-legged in front of him.

  “I’m scared, Mia. I care about you so much, but I wasn’t wrong. I’m a bad man. I just don’t think I can stay away anymore. You’ve been driving me crazy. “

  I smile. “You drive me crazy too, Lo.”

  “I didn’t sleep with the waitress.”

  “Oh, Scarlett?”

  He chuckles. “I don’t even know if that’s really her name. I made it up. After you left, she threatened you, and I slammed her against the wall. You make me feel out of control.”

  “You do the same for me, Lo. I don’t feel like I can think straight around you. I don’t care though. I want to be with you.”

  He shakes his head. “I have a bad past. I can’t tell you all about it. I won’t. Will you be able to live with the fact that there are parts about my life I’m unwilling to tell you about?”

  “I can. There are things about my past I would rather not relive as well.”

  “I never cared about my past before you. You make me ashamed of it. I’m ashamed that I wasn’t better for you.”

  “You didn’t even know me, Lo. How could you have been better for someone you didn’t even know existed?”

  “You’re right, but it doesn’t change it. I’m scared I’m too set in my ways. What if I can’t be a better man for you?”

  I reach out and take his hand. “If you don’t like your story, Lo, then change it. Only you can make a change. You’re the author of your own story. While we cannot rewrite our pasts, we can write our future. Our future, Lo. Together.”

  “I don’t deserve you, mio piccolo angelo.” He pulls me into his side and kisses the top of my head.

  “Maybe you don’t, Lo, but it doesn’t matter. You know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I deserve you.”

  ∞∞∞

  Lorenzo

  Hearing her say those words makes my heart beat faster. I knew she cared about me, but I didn’t know she really felt so strongly. When she speaks, I can almost see what she’s saying. I can feel her belief in it. Fuck if I don’t want to believe it myself.

  I mean what I told her though. I don’t think I can stay away from her anymore. I have fallen off the deep end, and I don’t even want to find my way out.

  “I will do my best every day to be a better man for you. To be someone you can be proud of,” I whisper.

  She doesn’t know my past. She will know some of it though.

  “You already are, Lo. I love you just the way you are.”

  Those three little words change everything. No one in my life who I have ever cared about has ever said those words to me. She doesn’t even know what they mean to me.

  “I love you too, Mia. So much.”

  She looks up at me, and I take her face in my hands. I lean in and gently kiss her. She deepens the kiss as she attempts to get closer to me. I don’t hesitate. I lift her so she’s straddling my hips. As soon as she’s seated, she grinds her hips into mine. I can feel her heat through the thin layer of my boxers and her underwear.

  “Fuck, Mia. You’re so gorgeous.”

  I begin to kiss down her neck.

  “Lo, I love you. Please.”

  I slide my hands up her sides and pull my T-shirt off her. She’s sexy as fuck with it on but looks much better with it off.

  I kiss her lips again and pull back.

  “We don’t have to do anything today. We can wait. I would wait forever for you.”

  She smiles before leaning in and biting my lip. “I have waited long enough. I have saved this for you. I want you to fuck me, Lo.”

  I chuckle. “No fucking right now. I will make love to you. Like you deserve for your first time.”

  “Kiss me.”

  I lean up and kiss her as she starts to grind down on me. I let her have her fun for a couple of moments, then I flip her over so she’s under me.

  “Let me worship you.”

  She sighs as I pull her panties off her body. I reach down and strum her clit, feeling how wet she already is.

  “Fuck, Mia. You’re so fucking wet for me. Are you always this wet for me?”

  “All the time. Even when we were a part. Anytime I would think of you, I would be wet.”

  “I touched myself every night thinking about you, mio piccolo angelo. Thinking about those luscious lips. Those hauntingly beautiful eyes. You were inside my head all the time.”

  “Me too, Lo. Me too.” She moans loudly. “Inside. Now. I need you inside now.”

  Hearing how desperate she is, I cannot deny her. She owns my heart and soul, and now she will own my body.

  I pull off my boxers before I lie back over her.

  “This might hurt a little, baby. I will take it slow though. I know we’ve used toys, but I’m a little bigger than those toys you use.”

  “I can handle it. I just need you inside me. Now, Lo.”

  I nod before rubbing my cock up and down her slit. Her moans cause me to shiver.

  I slowly press against her, sliding in inch by inch, enjoying the feel of her skin against mine. Somewhere in the back of my mind I know I should put a condom on, but I push into her anyway. Right now, all I care about is the feel of her against me bare.

  Mia wraps her legs around my waist and locks her feet behind my back, causing me to push in even further. A couple more pushes in, and I’m buried to the hilt in what I can only describe as heaven.

  “Loooo,” she moans out. “You feel so amazing. Fuck, I feel so full.”

  I lean in and kiss her neck, then her ear, before kissing her lips.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. Move, Lo. I need movement.”

  I push into her. She moans with each drive, which spurs me on. Within minutes, we have a rhythm going. I rock into her harder, and she responds by digging her nails into my back.

  “I’m close, Lo. So close.”

  At her words, I piston faster. I reach down between us and rub her clit as I feel a tingling in my spine, letting me know I, too, am close. She clenches around me as she calls out her pleasure. It sounds something like my name mixed with an oh god and some gibberish. I slow my pace but keep thrusting as she comes down.

  “Keep going, Lo. I want to feel you come.”

  “I’m not wearing a condom, baby. I need to pull out.”

  She nod
s before leaning up and kissing and biting my neck. I move faster as she continues her assault on my neck. Within minutes, I attempt to pull out, ready to spill my cum all over her, but she clenches me between her legs, holding me within her. Her pussy tightening against me sends me over the edge. I feel myself jerk inside her as I fill her. She moans long and loud before finally letting her legs relax.

  I lean down and kiss her. “Why did you do that?” I look into her eyes.

  “Are you mad?”

  I chuckle. “Of course not. I wasn’t wearing protection though.”

  “I know. I just wanted to feel you. All of you. Inside me.”

  I lean in and nuzzle her neck before rolling over and tucking her into my arms. I claimed her. By spilling my seed inside her, I claimed her as mine.

  She’s mine.

  The amount of pride filling me surprises me.

  “I love you, mio piccolo angelo. More than anything.”

  “I love you too, Lo.”

  ∞∞∞

  “Tell me something.”

  I smile as Mia continues to draw circles on my chest. We spent most of the night learning each other’s bodies. I thought she wanted to sleep, but instead she cuddled up next to me, completely content.

  “You need sleep, mio piccolo angelo.”

  “I can survive on less. Come on. Tell me something. You’re always so secretive.”

  I know she’s teasing, but she isn’t wrong. I don’t open up to people. Very few people know about my past. The people who do? Well, they were there for it.

  “What do you want to know?” I take a deep breath, anticipating something deep.

  “What’s your favorite color?”

  I let out the breath I was holding on a laugh. “I would have said black, but I’m quite partial to this purple in your hair. Makes you look badass.”

  “Hey!” She swats my chest. “I’ve always been badass; you just didn’t know it.”

  I chuckle as I grab her hand. “Yes, you were. You just didn’t look the part. Now your outside matches the badassness that’s inside you, babe.”

  “Such a sweet talker.”

  “Only for you.” I lean down and capture her lips. I pull back before we can go further. “What’s your favorite color?”