Carlyle: A Dark Mafia Romance

by Raven Scott

  “Ugh!” My frustration echoed as I stomped down the concrete steps, and I rubbed the butts of my eyes into my eyes. That jerk had called us so late that I couldn’t even put on any makeup, and I felt as horrible as I must’ve looked after twenty minutes of being told how to wrongly do something.

  Leaning on the cold wall, I closed my eyes and shuffled to press my back against the blocks, but it did nothing to cool the frustration simmering in my blood. High above me, the stairwell rattled with the shuffling of feet, but I ignored it for the moment to breathe deep, stabilizing breaths.

  I apparently couldn’t get laid, and now, I was probably unemployed. This week sucked.

  “Valerie, wanna go eat your feelings? It’s on me.” Cracking open my eyes at my sister’s offer, I nodded as she and two other guys came waltzing down the stairs. Natasha smiled at me, but I couldn’t find the energy to return the gesture as she swung her arm over my shoulder. “It’s fine. Paul’s a jerk. It’s a shame because it wouldn’t be a bad job if he wasn’t there.”

  “Please, the job would still suck regardless. This wasn’t what I signed up for when I moved here. I found an ad for this place on Craigslist, and they made it seem like this was an app development company that made websites on the side.” Echoing Natasha’s idea from the other day, Marshal shook his head when I glanced over at him. “I wonder what Paul’s gonna tell the owners when he has to explain why three-fourths of his workforce quit.”

  “Who cares— let’s just get something to eat right now. Food makes me feel better.” For once, Natasha had a good idea, and we shuffled down the staircase to the ground floor side exit in relative silence. I’d been really angry when I broke my phone, and I hadn’t thought about the consequence, like the fact that I didn’t know Carlyle’s number and couldn’t reach him. We were supposed to go on a date tonight, but now, I had no idea what was going on with that.

  “I’m so screwed.” Leaning my head on Natasha’s shoulder, I groaned loudly, and she rubbed my back absently. “What the Hell are we gonna do?”

  “I really don’t care right at this moment, Val. I’m just hungry. I’ll feel better after I eat.” My sister nodded more to herself, and a low chuckle accompanied her words from behind us.

  “You know, we could always start an app development company ourselves. We’ve got the skills, and now we got the time.” Fred scoffed at that, and I glanced across the road as we hit a crosswalk. “What? It’s a good idea. Apps make a lot of money.”

  “You know damned well that we’ll be homeless before we see a single cent, Marshal. Besides, what kind of app would we develop, anyway?”

  “Let’s make a horror decisional game.” Groans of foreboding all around, I felt kinda out of the loop for liking that idea, and Fred rolled his eyes out of the corner of my eye. “What! It’s a good idea! It has a direct market—”

  “Halloween is in a month and a half, basically. There’s no way we’d get it out in time, and it be good, yo—” Fred’s chastising Marshal fell short when a car pulled up in front of the crosswalk, and confused silence thickened the air. The door popped open, and surprise nearly yanked my brows off my face when Carlyle stepped out. He looked a little haggard, but he still smiled warmly at me to dry my mouth.

  “What a coincidence. I was just scouring the city for you, Valerie.” His deep voice wrapped around me wonderfully, and goosebumps pocked my skin as he scanned the people beside me. “You all work together?”

  “We did. We just quit. Staged a mass walkout against stupidity and inflated ego.” Carlyle’s expression masked in quizzicality at Natasha’s reply, and my heart fluttered when he reached a strong arm to stroke his jaw. “What’s up with you?”

  “As I said, I’ve had a bit of a stressful day myself, and you’re not replying to my texts.” Turning his attention to me, his eyes narrowed as he frowned, and flames licked my cheeks as my heart raced against my sternum. “Do you have a moment?”

  “Um . . . yeah.” Taking Carlyle’s hand, I walked a little ways away from my sister and ex-coworkers, and his face drenched in expectation when I faced him. Opening my mouth, my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, and he squeezed my fingers as I searched for the right thing to say. “Okay . . . so, the basic explanation is my mom called me, and I got really mad and smashed my phone because she just makes me so pissed off. The only time she ever contacts me or Natasha is when she wants money, and this time she wanted a lot of money.”

  Well, that could be true or not— I hadn’t stayed on the phone long enough. I assumed that if the debt was enough to warrant calling ‘family,’ it had to be quite substantial. Carlyle didn’t bat an eyelash at my explanation, and embarrassment stained my cheeks at his steady gaze. The quiet became uncomfortable, and I raked my free hand through my hair to get rid of the tingles.

  “Okay.” Confusion knit my brows, and Carlyle nodded in acceptance despite the gravity dragging down his features. “So, you and your sister are out of a job now, correct?”

  “Yes.” Hanging my head in defeat, I rocked back on my heels to bluster a hot breath as memories of Paul’s stupid ass flooded my inner eye. “That jerk. If he thinks he can do my job better than me, then he should. I don’t like the job enough to put up with him anymore.”

  “I don’t suppose you’d be open to a proposal?” Carlyle practically purred the word, and my abdomen twisted as the sound banished all the horribleness of the past two days. Biting my bottom lip, I pulled his hand to my hip, and desire tightened his jaw when I pressed up against him.

  “Does it include a sexy maid outfit?”

  “I’ll add it to your contract, not your sister’s.” For the first time in a couple days, I smiled, and a breathless giggle escaped me as Carlyle’s fingers crept around my lower back. “Would you mind if I joined you for lunch?”

  “It depends on what you want to eat.” The appreciative glimmer in Carlyle’s darkening gaze ignited the fire that’d sparked at dinner the other night, and he rocked back on his heels to hum thoughtfully. “You can make it a light lunch, and you can come over for dinner tonight.”

  “I’ll take you up on that offer, Valerie.” Just before grabbing my ass, he pulled back, and I frowned when he stepped away from me to clear his throat roughly. Desire shimmered in his eyes, but he somehow managed to beat it down to open his mouth. “First, I have a proposition for you and Natasha.”

  15

  Carlyle

  My mind whirred along fast, processing this hastily prepared sale’s pitch, and I had to admit, Natasha was doing a pretty good job. I’d driven here, but the four of them opted to walk to get their shit together, and it showed. Leaning back in the circular booth, I cupped my chin as she concluded, and my thoughts pounded against the backs of my eyes.

  I didn’t care what they were selling— I was going to buy it anyway. I wanted the points with Valerie, but also . . . they actually had some good ideas for a plan concocted in about six minutes.

  “Sure. I’ll do it.” Muted enthusiasm and excitement thickened the atmosphere, and I exhaled through my nose as Natasha practically bounced in the booth. “I expected something like this, given your complaints about your boss at dinner the other night. However, I have one stipulation. You’re now out of a job, Natasha. Write the program for me before you do anything else.”

  “I’ll start when I get kicked out tonight.” Nodding at her slippery smirk, I ignored the underlying tone to hold out my hand, and she jumped to shake it. “Thank you for taking a punt on us, Carlyle.”

  “I may be paying for it, but whether you succeed or fail is your own decision. We’ll hash out a contract when you’re finished with my program.” Squeezing my palm, Natasha simply nodded again, her eyes sparkling a duller version of Valerie’s, and my gaze flickered to her. She’d had a slice of pizza and then nibbled on the crust for the duration of the lunch, and I pursed my lips against my smirk.

  “Okay, well, I better go let my boyfriend know I won’t be getting paid for a few weeks. Thank you for
lunch, sir.” Fred, I thought, shuffled out of the booth, and I tilted my head in acknowledgment before he left the restaurant. The other guy just got up and walked off, maybe sensing he was no longer wanted around, and I propped my elbow on the table to hold my chin on my fist.

  “Is your mom the reason you moved here?” Okay, so the issue was more complicated than dropping her phone in the toilet and less complicated than Valerie ignoring me for not sleeping with her. I got that. She slumped in her seat in reply, and I frowned under furrowed brows. “Where did you live before going to college? You two went to different ones, I remember.”

  “We grew up in Dallas. I swear, if I ever hear that stupid drawling twang again, I’ll explode. I hate the South. There’s nothing but bigots and racists and wannabe country music stars.” Hiding my alarm, I nodded as Valerie’s tone turned bitter and sharp. Fucking Texas . . . again? I haven’t even started interrogating Isobel yet. “She got in some trouble with a gang while she was in jail when we were in college. When she got out, the only reason she talked to either of us was for money. The call I got the other day, I don’t know, It just made me more angry than usual. She hasn’t called me in over a year.”

  “Right.” Shaking Isobel from my mind, I focused instead on Valerie’s cute, although genuinely upset, expression. Reaching to cup her cheek, I brushed my thumb along her smooth skin, and she gulped noticeably against the butt of my palm. “She doesn’t know what she’s missing out on.”

  “Is there any particular reason you lay it on so thick, and then don’t fool around with me?” The incredibly direct question rose my brows, and Natasha choked on her pizza from across the booth. Valerie’s beautiful, brown eyes glimmered with all seriousness, and I tapped my own cheek absently. “If you’re not gonna screw me, what’s the point?”

  “The point was to have you stone-cold sober, but I’m not going to ‘screw’ you.” Trailing my fingertips along her soft jawline, I gripped her chin hard, and she gasped as pink tinged her cheeks. My eyes narrowed on her as I drew her face to me, and she held her breath as her eyes melted into pools of liquid chocolate. “Don’t be bashful, Valerie. I’m going to fuck you, and you shouldn’t go on violent rides while drunk.”

  “Oh . . . ” Her eyelids popped open, her little sound caressing my ears as I sat back, and she sunk down to hold her cheek on her forearm on the table. “You have a point, I guess. Anyway, it wouldn’t be too bad an idea to keep you where I can see you until I get a new phone.”

  Chuckling at her husky grumble, I only shook my head as strange pleasantness flooded my chest. I almost felt, dare I say it, relaxed. Turning to Natasha as she stared decidedly at her plate, I reached for my drink to take a sip before speaking up.

  “Regardless . . . ” Clearing my throat roughly, I watched in amusement as Natasha glanced up warily. “I want this arrangement to work out for you two. If your mother or anyone on her behalf starts giving you trouble, let me know. I’ll deal with it.”

  “I have no idea what her debt is right now, but like fuck are you gonna pay it for us.” I cocked my head at Natasha’s snap, and she scrunched up her nose in disgust as she slopped her pizza onto her plate. “There’s no point in paying that off if we’re just gonna owe you.”

  “Why would you assume I would pay it off rather than pay those rats a visit myself?” Valerie lifted her head to cast me a questioning glance, but I held Natasha’s gaze as it widened in surprise. “You don’t honestly expect that one, you would owe me in the first place, or two, I wouldn’t protect my investments. If you’re afraid, you can’t do a proper job for me. I won’t allow that.”

  “What are you gonna do, bring the almighty wrath of your bodyguard’s scowl down on them?” For a second, my gaze flickered to Theo as he did just that— scowl nastily— and I shrugged as I sat back in the booth.

  “I’m not offering, Natasha. You work for me now, and I provide well for my employees. Under certain circumstances, that includes providing protection in whatever form it has to take.” Gesturing to Theo, I didn’t look away from her, and she didn’t drop her gaze, either. “I would never waste money when it’d cost less on airfare.”

  “If Mom does throw us under the bus, I’d rather be in debt to Carlyle than on the run for my life forever.”

  “That’s just because you wanna bone, Valerie. It doesn’t count.” I smirked at Natasha’s exasperated sigh, and Valerie stuck her tongue out childishly in response. Grabbing her purse, the elder of the two shimmied out of her seat with a huff. “I’ll go get my laptop and get started on your program. You two are suffocating, anyway.”

  “You’re suffocating . . . suffocatingly prudish.” Valerie had to get the last word in, and Natasha rolled her eyes before strutting out and not looking back. Almost immediately, she wiggled her juicy ass over to me, and I ground my teeth when she put her palm right on my crotch. “Seriously, you don’t have to go that far. We’ve dealt with it before, and we’ll deal with it again.”

  “Something you’ll find about me, Valerie, is that I don’t appreciate people that mess with my property.” That sultry look on her face shot straight to my cock, and I inhaled a deep, calming breath through my nose. She squeezed, put a little pressure on her arm, and I rolled my shoulders as her warm breath rolled down the collar of my shirt.

  “I’m just a thing you own?” Her tongue snuck out to flick my jaw, and a shock rippled down my neck. I’d almost forgot what it was like to have to work for it, and the satisfaction of that work paying off. Soft breasts pressed insistently against my bicep, and she parted her thick lips in a slight sigh. “When was that decided?”

  “About half an hour from now.” My murmur floated between us as Valerie stroked my cock outside my pants, and I reached to boop the tip of her nose. “And you say I’m the one who lays it on thick.”

  “Since we’re gonna do this, I’m clean, and I’m on birth control.” She squeezed a little tighter, put on a little more pressure, and pressed against me a little more while I hummed in acknowledgment.

  “Well, I guess that makes two of us.” Her brows wiggled in surprise, and I grabbed her hand to pull her knuckles to my lips. “I got snipped. No kids for me, ever.”

  “Oh, man, you can’t get more perfect, can you?” The eye contact we’d shamelessly been maintaining this entire time intensified, and I was almost disappointed she didn’t climb in my lap. Valerie puffed a sigh, her lips brushing against my chin, and a hard shiver lodged between my shoulder blades.

  16

  Valerie

  Carlyle kicked the door shut, and the sexual tension that’d been building up the past few days started eating away at me. Gasping when he grabbed me to whip me around, I melted into hard, hot muscle as my fingers fumbled with his belt. Fire climbed up my torso from deep in my abdomen, and he stomped forward to force me back. The first flat surface we hit was the kitchen table, and I let out a yelp when he picked me up to sit me on it.

  Harsh pants dried my mouth, and Carlyle gripped my button-down in white-knuckle fists to pop the buttons. Cool air rushed up my sternum, and I pushed down his pants to palm his glorious, fat cock. His hot breaths tickled between my breasts, and he ducked to lather my neck in scalding, open-mouthed kisses.

  “Ah . . . fuck.” Hissing when I squeezed his shaft, Carlyle pushed my skirt up around my hips, and my thighs quivered with expectation. His teeth scraped my pulse point, and I moaned in wanton desire as he throbbed in my palm. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I unbuttoned his shirt with hasty, trembling fingers tingling with the need to touch his smooth skin. Easily shirking the fabric with a heave of his broad shoulders, he pushed me back onto the table before reaching behind him to pull off my heels.

  “Oh, my God.” Carlyle was covered in tattoos. Okay, not entirely covered, but there were more than I could count at that moment. My eyes widened to soak up the glorious sight, and I reached to palm his rigid pectoral muscle and the expert tiger face snarling back at me. “Wow.”

  Sleeves of tattoos wrapped
around toned arms almost to his wrists, but everything was so easily covered by a shirt. For a second, I forgot our compromising position, and I sat up to trace the 3-D Black Widow spider perched on his shoulder.

  “Like it?” He sounded so smug, and I nodded dumbly as big, warm hands grappled my thighs. “Where’s your room?”

  “What? Oh . . . ” Pointing absently without taking my eyes off his beautiful, rippling ink, I had to force myself to not blink or I’d miss something. “Second door on the left. I do like it . . . a lot.”

  “Good. You’ll be seeing a lot of it.” Huffing a small laugh, I craned my neck to bury my nose in Carlyle’s shoulder, and he grumbled deeply in satisfaction. Grinding against him, the friction buzzed between my thighs like electricity, and I licked his taut skin hungrily. He shouldered through the door and kicked it shut, and neither of us thought to turn on a light before falling onto my bed.

  My bra strained when I arched, and he nibbled down my neck and the swell of my breast. Delicious shivers raked my spine, and my heels dug into the small of his back as eagerness flushed my body. Unfastening the front hook of my bra, he grabbed my hands to pin them on either side of my head, and a breathless moan escaped me. The coarse hairs on his chest tickled my skin, and he nestled between my legs to grind his hard, hot cock against my panties.

  “If I knew I’d be seeing you, I wouldn’t have worn panties at all.” Shadows played on his face when he smirked, and Carlyle squeezed his fingers between mine. Sweat beaded down my neck, my insides churning for relief, and a lump of expectations formed in my throat. His palm left mine, and a low, golden light illuminated his flushed face despite the shadows of his sharp features.