Detroit Mafia Box Set Books 1-3 (Detroit Mafia Romance)

by Tami Lund

  “Marge?” RJ looked to Antonio for, hopefully, a straight answer.

  “For God’s sake, Proctor, my name is Mar-go.” She stepped out of the shadows, one arm around Hillary’s shoulders, one around her daughter’s. She deliberately guided them away from Gino’s body.

  Fuck decorum. RJ was so damn happy to see his daughter unharmed, he rushed over to scoop her into his arms, squeezing her until she said, “Da-a-a-d, I can’t breathe.”

  “I think I just aged ten years, pumpkin. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  She shook her head. “No, just scared. And sad. I don’t want Nina to leave. Does this mean she doesn’t have to?”

  He glanced down at the little dark-haired girl clinging to her mother’s hand like she never intended to let go. They’d both been through so much, they deserved to finally have a nice, quiet life. And the one threat to that life was now dead, which meant they were free to do whatever they wanted. Hell, they could move back to Detroit if that’s what Margot wanted to do.

  Did she?

  Did it matter?

  Hell yeah, it did. RJ didn’t want her to go.

  Except she was right earlier, when she’d told him she hadn’t exactly operated on the right side of the law when she ran away from her ex-husband. How the hell did RJ get past that?

  “So you and the jogger and your ex sister-in-law? Damn.” The insinuation in Proctor’s voice drew RJ’s attention.

  “Jesus Christ, you really are a pig,” Antonio spat.

  With Hillary still in his arms, RJ headed back to try to diffuse the situation and figure out exactly what was going on. And to do it quick, before the boys in blue got here and realized there was a dead guy on school grounds—oh, and he was an infamous mafia boss from Detroit.

  “And you are a felon,” Proctor said, stabbing his finger at Antonio. “You’re the moneyman.”

  “Shit,” Antonio muttered.

  “Half the guys on the force can’t count as high as all that green you’ve been hiding.”

  “Are you still assigned to this case?” RJ interjected. “Is there even still an open case?”

  The way his gaze darted to the side told RJ the answer before Proctor started blustering.

  “There is no case,” RJ stated.

  “We still have seventy-seven open missing persons cases,” Proctor sputtered.

  “But nothing to link them to Sarvilli. Or, specifically, his brother.” Shit, what the hell was he doing? He should be on the other cop’s side in this situation. Shouldn’t he? “According to what I understand, your chief told you to stay the hell away from Sarvilli. Does he even know you’re out here in New Hampshire? Seven hundred miles outside of your jurisdiction? With a police-issue weapon on your person?”

  Proctor narrowed his eyes. “You’re a dirty cop.”

  “No, I’m not. But I can see a hell of a lot clearer than you obviously can. Your perp is dead. I shot him because I felt a civilian’s life was in danger. Given your allegations against him and my impeccable record, you know damn well that will hold up under internal investigation. So now what you have is seventy-seven missing persons cases that have gone cold, and your one lead is gonna be underground soon. The money isn’t the trail you should be following. It’s not going to lead to where you want it to.”

  He glanced at Antonio while continuing to address Proctor. “I’d be willing to bet your guy, no matter how good he is, isn’t going to be able to connect it to what you believe are years’ old murders.”

  Proctor crossed his arms and glared at RJ. “What are you saying?”

  RJ waved at the dead body. “The biggest threat to the would-be witnesses is gone. How many guys were in his organization? With the leader gone, they’re gonna be in disarray, and a bunch of them are going to be running scared. People talk when they’re scared.”

  “Even though I don’t know anything about that side of his business, I know one thing about my brother,” Antonio added. “He wasn’t the trigger man. He may have issued the hits, but he didn’t do the dirty work. The actual killers are still roaming around the Detroit area.”

  The sirens that had been drawing closer abruptly kicked off; the police cruiser had probably pulled into the school’s parking lot.

  I can’t believe I’m going to do this…

  RJ stared at Antonio. “According to everything I read about the case, the police haven’t connected you to Margot, and Phoebe isn’t even mentioned at all.” Then he pointed at the playground, the opposite direction from where his fellow officers would be coming, any second now.

  Antonio was a smart man, clearly. With a curt nod, he grabbed Phoebe’s hand and they both hurried around the corner of the building.

  “You’re impeding an investigation,” Proctor protested.

  “You don’t have an investigation. Yet.” RJ glanced at Margot. “Now that her life isn’t in danger, maybe Margot would be willing to testify. Certainly won’t hurt your case.”

  Margot stepped up next to RJ. “Only if you quit calling me Marge.”

  Proctor swore. Two uniformed officers came hustling up to them, guns drawn. RJ turned to the nearest one, to explain his version of what happened.

  But what the hell would happen between him and Margot when all the dust finally settled?

  10

  Six Months Later

  HOME SWEET HOME…HOPEFULLY

  Margot was home. Was it weird to think of Sleepyville, New Hampshire, as home?

  She was about to find out.

  Her first stop was to the house, where Nina greeted her with exactly the amount enthusiasm she needed at the moment. Hillary was with her, and the two of them dragged her out into the backyard to show her the snow family they’d made. A mommy, a daddy, and three little snow children.

  Three? She pressed her hand to her flat belly. Was this some sort of premonition? Heck, she didn’t even know if RJ was still interested in her. They’d barely spoken in the last six months. She’d been going back and forth to Detroit, being the ever-cooperative witness, mostly to ensure Proctor didn’t try to drag Antonio into the mess. Especially now, because just before she’d left for this last trip, he and Phoebe had announced she was pregnant. Margot didn’t want that baby to grow up without a daddy. Especially one who would be as loving and doting as she knew Antonio would be.

  And RJ, well, he’d had his own demons to deal with. When a cop shot someone, regardless of whether it was warranted, it meant an internal investigation, a forced vacation from the force, and quality time with a psychologist. Which was all a cakewalk compared to dealing with his ex-wife once she found out their daughter had been in a life-threatening situation.

  It looked as though neither Nina nor Hillary were suffering any ill effects from the experience, thankfully. They were both seeing a therapist, though, just to be safe. All reports from the woman were that they were both complete joys, although slightly terrified they might be forced to part ways one of these days.

  Well, Margot would soon find out. This trip was the last, at least for a while, and she was done avoiding her feelings, avoiding the man she loved. She’d shied away from talking to RJ directly mostly because she was afraid that he’d reject her thanks to her stupid lies and her past, but she couldn’t take it anymore.

  She needed him. God, did she ever.

  And she needed to know if he still wanted her.

  “Is your dad home, Hill?” she asked after they’d explained the snow family dynamics—a stepmom, a stepdad, two stepsisters and one baby half-brother. Yeah, the girls were definitely trying to send her a message. And it was time for her to answer it.

  “Yep. And I’m spending the night here tonight.”

  Margot chuckled as she shook her head and went inside in search of Phoebe and Antonio. Phoebe was asleep on the couch, a plate of half-eaten toast on the coffee table. She found Antonio in his office.

  “Hey,” she said after knocking and opening the door.

  “Saw you outside with the girls,” he sa
id in greeting. “Welcome home. Am I still a free man?”

  She nodded. “Your name never came up. And they’ve now accounted for all seventy-seven missing persons cases. All that’s left are the trials. Thankfully, I shouldn’t have to go back for the rest of them.”

  “Good. Thank you. I appreciate all you’ve done for me.”

  “I couldn’t save the money, though. The police department will keep it once all the trials are done.”

  He shrugged. “Seems fitting, in a way. And we’re fine. We have our own capital, remember?”

  “The inheritance from my parents.” She’d told Antonio and Phoebe about her past, handed her latest bank statement to Antonio, and told him to have fun growing it, because that was what they were all going to live on moving forward.

  “Here’s what I did with my salary, which I had kept separate from Gino’s funds,” Antonio said. He handed her a receipt for a rather hefty donation in Margot’s parents’ name to an organization that supported health care for underdeveloped countries.

  She blinked away the onslaught of tears. “That’s so perfect,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

  “Of course.” He stood and pulled her into a hug. “We officially have zero ties to Gino’s organization anymore.” He then shoved her away. “Now, go talk to your cop. Tell him you want him to join this screwed up family of ours.”

  “You’re okay with that?”

  “All I want is for you to be happy. And he makes you happy.”

  “He really does.”

  “Now go, get out of here. I’m going to go check on my probably sleeping pregnant wife, and then I’m going outside and start a snowball fight with my little adversaries. They’re currently ahead, three wars to one. I gotta redeem myself.”

  Margot chuckled as she headed out the door and drove the few miles to RJ’s apartment. But as she stood on the threshold, fear seized her again. She couldn’t even lift her hand to knock.

  What if he rejects me?

  The door opened, and RJ stood there, holding a box of Christmas lights in his arms. “Oh,” he said, his gaze sweeping over the knit hat on her head, her blue wool coat, her leggings and brown boots. Was that hunger she saw in his eyes?

  “You’re home,” he said.

  She nodded. “Hopefully for good this time.”

  “Everything’s settled down?”

  She nodded again.

  “Nobody’s going to jail?”

  “Nobody who doesn’t deserve it.”

  “Good.” This time he nodded. “Um, you want to come in?”

  “You look like you were about to go somewhere.”

  He glanced at the box. “Was just going to put up some lights. Hillary loves them, so I figured it would be a nice surprise when she comes home tomorrow.”

  “I’ll help. If you want.”

  He stepped into his apartment and held the door open. “How about you come inside and help me finish decorating in here instead? It’s not nearly as cold.”

  She obligingly did as he suggested and then shed her boots and coat and hat. “It’s two weeks before Christmas and you’re just now decorating?”

  He shrugged and placed the box on the coffee table. “Jessica gets Hill on Thanksgiving Day and I get her for the weekend afterward. On Friday, we get together with my family—they miss you, by the way. After that, normally Hill and I spend the rest of the time decorating. But I haven’t really gotten into it this year.”

  “How come?”

  Cupping the back of his neck, he muttered, “I was lonely.”

  Her heart rate accelerated and her breathing became shallow. That was good. He was lonely because he missed her. Right?

  “I…” She sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry I lied to you. I’m sorry I was too scared to trust that you’d protect me. Us.”

  He nodded without looking at her. “It’s taken me some time to come to terms with it, but I get it. You had a decade to cement your fear of your ex, and only a month with me. No way you could have convinced yourself to trust me in such a short period of time. Not with all that history.”

  “I wish I had though.”

  “I’m just glad everyone’s safe now.”

  Silence fell, muting everything but the accelerated beat of Margot’s heart. She twisted her fingers together and then pulled them apart and fisted her hands at her sides. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

  “I’ve missed you. So much.”

  He glanced up, caught her eye, held it. But he didn’t move, didn’t reach for her. He just stared.

  So she took a chance. She slipped closer and wrapped her arms around his back and rested her cheek against his chest. His heart was beating as fast as hers was. That was good, wasn’t it?

  Finally, finally, his arms came around her and hugged her to him. She lifted her face and he kissed her, tentatively at first, and then with a hunger that left her breathless.

  “Oh my,” she said, gasping.

  He swept her into his arms and carried her through the apartment at a clipped pace. “I haven’t carried condoms around for the last six months,” he said before standing her up next to the bed. “So we have to come in here, because I need to be naked with you. Like, right now.”

  He grabbed the hem of her sweater and flipped it over her head. Caught up in the frenzy, she shoved his coat over his shoulders and then snagged his T-shirt and tugged it off him before attacking his belt buckle. Seemed like only seconds had passed before they were both buck naked.

  He rolled onto the bed, pulling her down with him, and then he nestled himself between her legs and cupped her face while he made love to her mouth until she whimpered.

  “More. I need you.”

  “I got you,” he promised, and he grabbed a condom from the drawer in the bedside table.

  Once he was sheathed, he reached down between them and ran his fingers through the wetness that had gathered between her legs. She spread her thighs wider and arched into his touch. He kept it up while suckling her breast, until she was on the edge of ecstasy. But instead of taking her all the way with his fingers, he shifted and replaced them with his shaft, thrusting until he was so deep they were practically one person.

  With his hands tangled in her hair, he worked her, staring into her eyes while he took her higher and higher, until she bit her lip and almost forgot to breathe.

  “I love you, Margot.”

  Her climax slammed into her like a freight train. He grabbed her ass as he began pistoning into her with wild abandon until he chased her over the edge. With a gusty sigh, he rolled onto his back, taking her with him, so that she was snuggled against his chest.

  “Well, I guess now I know the trick to making you come.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, an unexpected proclamation of love is certainly an aphrodisiac.”

  “Unexpected? Really?”

  She lifted her head so she could look him in the face. “Well, to be honest, I wasn’t sure if you still wanted to be with me.”

  He stroked her hair and blew out a breath. “To be honest, I’ve been warring with myself since that day everything went down.”

  She winced and he wrapped his arm around her, like he was afraid she was about to climb out of bed.

  “I am a cop, after all. I swore an oath to protect the innocent. And to fight to put the guilty behind bars.”

  “And you believe I’m guilty.”

  “I believe you felt you had no choice. All of you. Although Antonio knew what he was doing when he was handling his brother’s money.”

  “He was stuck. And even when we thought we got out, Gino ended up finding us anyway.”

  “I know. Which is where the war came in. I’ve always tried to make everything black and white in my mind, but it isn’t. Nothing about life is black and white. There’s always going to be gray area, and the trick is to determine how dirty that gray really is.”

  “And what did you decide?”

  “Well, since we’re laying here naked and I just told you t
hat I love you, I’d say that’s obvious. But yes, I believe Antonio is more good than bad. I think you’re right; he felt trapped. It was easier to do what his brother expected than to risk his own life by turning on him. I know I wouldn’t want to have to make a choice like that. He could have disappeared in the middle of the night, gone to Mexico like half the force believed he had. But he didn’t. He made a choice to protect you and Nina and Phoebe. I have a lot of respect for someone who makes that sort of decision.”

  “Oh my,” Margot whispered, blinking at the tears flooding her eyes.

  “What?”

  “I was already madly in love with you. But I think I just fell ten times harder. Which is crazy, because I didn’t think it was possible to love you more.”

  He placed his hand on the back of her head and held her there while he kissed her. When they came up for air, he said, “I have a feeling this love fest is going to get pretty disgusting to the outside world here fairly quickly.”

  She laughed. He rolled her onto her back again and hovered over her. “So I guess this means I don’t have to decorate this place now, huh?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I assume I’m moving in with you, right?”

  She grinned and wrapped her arms around his back. “I love that plan. Oh, and I should tell you, Hillary and Nina think we should get married and have a baby.”

  “Oh yeah? What do you think?”

  “I think it’s a marvelous idea.”

  “Good. It’s settled. Although, if we have a boy, we’re not naming him Randolph Jeremiah.”

  She laughed.

  “Now, let’s continue celebrating your return home.”

  She wiggled her hips and gave him an impish smile. “I love that idea, too.”

  THE END

  So…What’s next?

  BORN INTO THE MOB, BOOK 4