It was just as we said; something was here in Chicago. Something I didn’t know about, and they were trying to get to it without me knowing. And use me. Sneaky bastards.
“We need to focus on this, see what’s happening and decide what we’ll do with it.” That was important. Deciding what we’d do with the information we’d get. “I need you guys ready for trouble if there’s any.”
“Oh, we’re ready.” Dante pulled out his trademark Berettas. Twin guns with Japanese characters engraved on the handles. He swiveled them around cowboy style and laughed. “Those fuckers don’t know who they’re messing with.”
I needed to speak to Luc. I looked at my team as they looked more excited than they had been in a while, but I was reminded that there was someone here I couldn’t trust. Pa glanced at me and probably guessed what I was thinking. It was because of what I’d said back at Luc’s shop.
I was serious though. I wouldn’t allow anyone to get to Ava. Never again.
* * *
The next few days that followed saw me working hard with the guys to gather intel. We came up with nothing. By the following week, I was wiped out, but hell, I couldn’t completely blame it on working.
When I wasn’t searching the streets, I was with her.
Ava.
We were together all the time, lost in this bubble of erotic passion that trapped my damn mind, and I couldn’t see for shit.
No way was I complaining, not one damn bit. The angel was all mine day and night, and I indulged in her perfect body every day like it was my last.
Something sounded on one of the windows, and I opened my eyes. The force of the sun beaming through the long case windows forced my eyes shut again.
What day is it?
This part I didn’t like because it felt like I lost time somehow.
I was on the hardwood floor. That meant I was downstairs.
No, not I… we. I opened my eyes again and smiled at my Angel Doll cocooned in my arms.
Her hair was a sexy mess. A complete sexy mess of waves. It went wavy when it got wet. Last night—or it could have been in the early hours of the morning—I had her pressed up against the granite walls of the shower with her legs wrapped around me as I pounded into her.
I could have happily died claiming to have lived at that moment.
And still I wanted more.
I wanted more, and I knew there would come a point when reality would rear its ugly head and slap us both.
This train of passion would burn out and bring me back full circle to my fears. My fears hadn’t gone away just because we were like this. Not by a damn long shot. This was just me being selfish. Wanting her, having her, indulging in her, and getting lost in making her mine.
Ava shuffled next to me. The soft end of her fingertips fluttered over the planes of my stomach, and fuck, my dick started hardening. Again.
She moaned a slight hum that reached into me. She was between asleep and awake. I loved watching her like this.
“Claudius,” she purred with a little smile on her beautiful face. “I can feel you looking at me.” Those fingers ran over my skin again, heating my whole body up as she touched me.
“I can’t stop.” I kissed the top of her head, and her gorgeous eyes fluttered open. Her thick, dark lashes cast a shadow over the peaks of her high cheekbones.
Goddam, I swore I could get lost in this woman forever. Just looking at her.
“I want you,” she cooed. Seduction rippled in her tone, and I smoothed my hand up to her breasts to cup them. I moved the blanket back and lowered my mouth to suck the hard nipple of her right breast.
She moaned again and knit her fingers in my hair, pushing my head closer to the ample flesh.
Footsteps sounded across the floor. It made me jump, and Ava immediately grabbed the blanket to cover herself.
Someone was running around inside the house. Small feet.
“Uncle Claudius!” Came a sound I normally relished, but I couldn’t when my woman and I were naked on the sitting room floor.
Raphael was running somewhere in the corridor, and then came voices. Luc and Amelia.
Oh Jesus. I couldn’t even hide. Raphael ran into the room and dashed over to me when he saw me but froze and stopped short when he saw Ava.
His little face looked confused, and his mouth dropped.
Luc and Amelia came in next with Pa, who instantly cast me a look of disdain.
“What in the ever-living—” I started.
“Language,” Amelia interrupted and glowered at me. Raphael ran back to her, and she picked him up.
Damn Lucian had a smirk on his fucking face. I was certain there were many times I’d embarrassed him in some form of way, but this… it damn well made up for it.
“Hello, Ava,” Luc said, turning up his smile a notch.
“Hi,” poor Ava answered. I could actually feel her embarrassment.
“What are you guys doing here?” I snapped. And, why were they still in here just looking?
“You said come for dinner on Sunday?” Pa replied.
“Yeah, on Sunday.” I was sure it was Friday or something. “Come back then.”
I didn’t normally invite them for dinner, and I kind of didn’t think they’d take me seriously because last time I’d made dinner, I didn’t make dinner. I ordered in.
“It’s Sunday, dinner time.” Amelia smirked then started laughing.
“Fuck,” I hissed.
“Language.”
“Fine. Give me five minutes.” I wasn’t one for embarrassment. I didn’t tend to feel anything because I did what I wanted, but damn it hell, I’d landed myself in this one.
They left us, and Pa gave me the courtesy of closing the door.
“I’m so sorry. I should leave.” Ava moved to go. “I don’t remember where my clothes are.” She looked at me, horrified, her skin crimson.
I caught her arm. “Stay. Don’t go.”
A light chuckle escaped her lips. “I am so embarrassed. Oh my God. Your family just walked in on us naked.”
“Yes, they kind of did. But… I don’t want you to go.”
“They’re here though.”
“I know. What if you stayed and had dinner with us? You can meet my sister-in-law and my nephew, again.”
She thought for a moment then nodded.
“Okay. At least let me cook. This is my fault.”
“It’s not. It’s mine. I was the one who wanted to make love to you in here, in the moonlight.” I was crazy for her.
She cupped my face and smoothed her hand across my beard, which I knew needed a trim. Her smile was infectious.
“Make love in the moonlight,” she breathed with an air of reminiscence in her voice.
“Make love in the moonlight,” I repeated. “And we’ll both cook.”
“Uh uh. I’m the boss of the kitchen.” She smiled.
I leaned forward and kissed her.
“Whatever you say, boss.”
* * *
Ava made a meal fit for God himself and all his heavenly host.
I didn’t even know how she found some of the ingredients she’d found. My maid, Donna, had done the weekly shopping on Wednesday, but I was certain it was just basics because I was a grab-and-go kind of guy.
Ava made pan fried chicken and beef stir-fry with spring vegetables. For dessert she made a peach cobbler with this sweet creamy sauce.
Everyone enjoyed it, even Raphael, who was normally fussy with everything.
I’d sat next to Luc around the table. Raphael sat in my lap the whole time, playing with my hair and trying to guess what the tattoos on my arm were. I wore a tank top, and the little guy had taken to his usual fascination with me. I had more tattoos than Luc.
Our dolls sat at the opposite end of the table talking it up. Pa was in the kitchen getting more drinks.
I watched Ava with Amelia, and it was interesting to see the two hit it off, off the bat. The women Luc and I were normally into had never done that
. Talked to each other. Perhaps that was mostly my fault. After Marissa, I was never with anyone I would class as a girlfriend, and definitely not anyone I would bring to my house.
At least Luc and Pa would know the significance of me having Ava here, let alone asking her to stay for dinner.
Ava and Amelia had gone from talking about some recipe for lasagna to coconut oil.
“I use it in everything.” Ava smiled, nodding, and the ends of her blonde ponytail bobbled. “Trust me, it’s the secret to giving any recipe a kick. Something about the type of oils coconuts produce.”
“Really? I have the water after a long class.” Amelia straightened in her chair. Of course, she was talking about ballet.
I definitely didn’t care much for ballet or any form of dance. I hated anything like that, but she made it sound interesting. I’d never tell her that though. Then she’d think that was an invite to bore me to death with talk on choreography. The way she did with Luc and Maurice. Amelia had basically become my annoying little sister, the kind who could instill annoyance, but you loved them like family.
It was nice watching them. Her talking to Ava and making her feel welcome, despite the intro they’d had. And the two really did look like dolls.
I caught Luc looking at me. Cutting me a sideways stare.
I looked to him just as Raphael started wrapping the ends of my hair into some bun.
“What?” I asked.
The corners of his mouth turned down into a frown. “You know what.” He spoke in a low, even tone, keeping the conversation between us. Although I doubted the dolls would have been able to hear us above their chatter.
“I don’t.” That was a lie. I knew what he was talking about. He’d been watching me watching them, and I was pretty certain he was thinking the same thing as me.
“Liar. Just admit it. It’s nice to have them.” He returned his gaze to Amelia.
I think that I was always a little jealous of the love Luc had with Amelia because it was the kind most people fantasized about, while others like myself thought it was exceptional and believing love like theirs was for everyone was bullshit.
Most of all, it reminded me of the way I’d been with Ava when we met ten years ago. It reminded me of what I’d had and lost.
Today was the first time that I didn’t feel that envy as I watched my brother looking at his wife with that love. Because sitting next to his wife was my love.
I knew…
I knew I shouldn’t entertain such thoughts, but it was nice to dream a little.
“It’s nice to have them,” I said more to myself than in answer to Luc.
“Papa, can I have a tattoo for my birthday, like Uncle Claudius?” Raphael asked, drawing our attention back to him.
I shuffled him around, and he placed his little arms around my neck.
Luc chuckled. “Your Ma would kill me.”
“Hey, you weren’t specific though, little boss,” I intoned.
“What’s pacific?” He giggled in that seriously cute way kids did. “Is that an ocean?” The little man was nearly four, but damn did he have a brain on him.
“Yes, what I meant was you have to say which birthday. How about your Pa and I get you your first tattoo when you’re eighteen?”
Raphael frowned. “Eighteen? That’s so old I’ll need a walking stick.”
Luc and I burst out laughing.
Pa came back in with a tray of drinks. He stopped at Ava first and offered her a glass.
“Pet, your father showed me how to make this,” Pa said proudly. He looked like he was happy to have them here too.
“Really, oh wow. Is this his sangria?” Ava asked. Pa bowed his head in reverence. She took a sip and smiled wider. “That is amazing.”
“It’s as close as I could get.” Pa chuckled. “You know him, always blending cultures and flavors to create a masterpiece.”
“Thank you. I’ll tell him you said that.”
“I need some.” Amelia went to take some, but Pa pulled the tray back and gave her a different glass. She pouted and folded her arms.
“Your turn to drive.” Pa wagged his pointer at her, and he kind of reminded me of her father, Raphael. He’d had a habit of doing that too. “You and Luc aren’t going to do this to me again. Have me chauffeuring you two while you’re wasted, then babysitting.”
“Come on, Pa. She can have a little, right?” Luc argued with a guilty smirk on his face.
“No, she can have fruit juice.”
“Fine.” Amelia took the fruit juice.
Ava laughed and glanced across at me. From the look in her eyes I could tell that she was enjoying this, all of it. Hanging out with my family.
Her green eyes sparkled, and the slight rose color that filled her cheeks added to the vision of her.
Luc leaned closer when she looked away.
“We should do this more often.” Luc spoke in that low voice again. “Something to consider, right? You can’t tell me this doesn’t feel like it should always be like this.”
I looked to him and wished that I could lie and say that he was wrong. I couldn’t though.
I just couldn’t.
I wouldn’t be a fool and agree either.
This setting felt like we could be like this forever, but there were too many demons waiting to burst out of my closet.
This setting was a dream a man like me could only dream of. Especially when he was still wading through the nightmares of the past.
Someone had followed me the other week, and ghosts from the past were resurfacing.
I wouldn’t rest until I knew what was happening. Until then, all I could do was dream.
Chapter 17
Claudius
* * *
Lights bounced across the room, changing colors. Pink, green, blue.
Bright but still dark. The Glass House was heaving with people. It was a trendy sort of club on the backstreets. Typical place for the underworld to hang.
Perfect to hide in plain sight but not always a good thing when it was too packed. Like tonight. Too many people around meant too much panic if shit happened and too many witnesses. Although really, I wasn’t concerned with that.
The minute The Four and I’d entered the doors, we got the respect we didn’t need to demand. People looked at us, then just as quickly looked away.
We sat around one of the booths on the second floor. Waiting.
We finally got a lead last night. All we had to do was search the heavens and the outer planes of hell to find it.
Tonight, we were here for Corey Manello. Joe’s cousin.
The fact that we’d been able to find someone within the immediate family line was significant though. Meant they really were back in town.
Luc had seen a grunt the first time. Seeing someone like a cousin meant the rats were beginning to drift toward the surface.
Back in the day, they’d worked the streets just like most of the other crime families. We knew each other’s territories. That had changed substantially after the accident that killed Marissa.
It was the secret squad that had picked him up on the radar in a brothel. Him and another grunt. An associate. A former cop who was dirty as a cop, dirtier on the street. This one not only did drugs, but he was a supplier too.
The squad told me he and Corey had business set up for tonight at the Glass House.
We got here at eight. Number two from the squad said they’d be here at eight thirty.
Jude leaned forward and tapped my elbow.
“Boss, there’s too many people,” he cautioned, eyes darting around the room.
Although the music volume where we were was turned down low enough to carry a conversation, it was still quite loud, and I’d had to get close to hear him.
“I know, but we stay,” I answered.
“The back, there.” Alex pointed to the staff door behind the stage where some girls were dancing. “We can head there if we need more privacy. There’s a room.”
Sounded p
erfect.
A waitress with very low cleavage approached us with a notepad and pen.
She looked like she had far too much surgery done on her face and her tits. Not appealing in the least. However, Dante took to her.
“Can I get you guys anything?” she smiled, looking at each of us.
“Yes.” Dante nodded with enthusiasm.
She got her pen ready to write and pushed out her already full lips. I didn’t get how women thought that look was good. She looked like a duck from whatever shit she’d puffed her lips up with, and whatever she’d injected in her forehead made her face stiff and rigid.
I held up my hand, pretty certain Dante wasn’t going to actually place an order.
“No. We don’t need anything,” I told her and cut Dante a sharp glance.
“Are you sure? We have all sorts of new drinks in.” She beamed, then looked over at Dante. “And all kinds of fun in the back.”
Gio chuckled.
“No thanks.” I intensified my stare, and she pressed her lips together. Thank fuck she knew well enough to drop it and move away without questioning us further.
“Claudius, you could have at least let me get her number,” Dante chided.
I cocked my head to the side and glared at him. He knew well enough too to know his place.
“Or I could get it another time.” He smirked.
That’s right. I didn’t need to say anything.
We were here for business. Not damn pleasure. If I wanted pleasure, I wouldn’t be here with them. I’d be with Ava, who I’d told I was working.
Working this late. She wasn’t stupid. She knew I was going on some mission to do something less than savory. She didn’t question me though. She just gave me a worried look and told me to be careful.
It was the life of a mafia boss that I’d never quite thought into before. Walking on eggshells with your woman, never telling her too much. Just enough so she knew where you were. It meant asking her to go above the remits of trust with few answers to her questions.
“Boss. Look.” Gio motioned below us.
Corey and another guy walked up to the bar. They were talking. That had to be the associate.
Dirty Hearts: A Bad Bod Mafia Romance Page 14