The #2 GUY: A SALVATORE SYNDICATE NOVELLA

by Jax Hart

  I growl low against her throat before lifting my head to meet her eyes. “I’d kill for you. I’d die for you. Never betray my love again. You might not love me now, but I swear you will. I’m gonna plant my babies right here,” my thumb skims her flat tummy. My words make her wetter and my cock sinks deeper. I’m home and I am never leaving again. Blood roars in my head at the sight of my woman under me. I pound into her over and over until the beast inside me releases. “Mine!” I roar collapsing on top of her.

  She convulses in my arms and I kiss the top of her head. No one is taking her from me again. Love is love. And I’ll take hers anyway I can get it.

  7

  Christine

  He’s sated and limp in my arms. I don’t know how or why but being with me always grounded him. It made me feel powerful that I had something no other woman had, the power to tame the beast and make him beg. My heart cracks open wide. I always loved him and hated myself for it. I punished myself by turning him in. I always prided myself on the law. On being the good one but he’s made me see I’ve been stuck on my own sense of righteousness and we both paid for it.

  “You’re freezing.” His warm hands caress me as he moves to stand, cradling me in his arms.

  “No. Please. I don’t want to go inside yet. It’s been so long since I’ve seen sky. Since I’ve smelled clean air.”

  “Roque had you, but I thought you were dead all this time.”

  She seems startled by my revelation. “Roque let you believe I was dead?”

  He nods, looking away as his fingers pick grass. But the tell is his throat working. The damn stubborn pig-headed man really cares for me and I fucked both our lives up with this insane plan to avenge real evil people. My parents. I put my hand over his. “Can you tell me more… about my parents… about what they did. I do remember odd bits of pieces but it’s still a lot to take in.”

  “After. If that’s what you really want. I’ll bring you back outside later, but we need to get warm.”

  He hoists me up in his arms, skin to skin, he carries me over the threshold of grass and fallen leaves. I wrap my arms around his neck, “Johnny?”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “How is this going to work? I can’t live like this and we can’t go back to the real world…”

  “One day at a time. I still don’t trust you yet. That is going to take time. I mean… if you’re done fighting this thing between us…”

  I close my eyes, breathing in the scent of him on the fall morning. “I’m trying. I am. I’m only tired of the death… the dying. The violence.”

  “Me too. But I don’t know another way to live.”

  “I could show you…”

  He stops, puts me down in the grass and kisses me with tender passion. “Woman, I’m never letting you go. But I still haven’t forgiven you for breaking this,” he points to the middle of his chest.

  “I didn’t want to. When we were together, I didn’t want to believe it. That you were the one who killed my parents, but I knew even if you were innocent of that—you were still guilty of killing someone else.”

  “Look, babe. It’s the life I’m in. If you can’t accept that right here, right now. I’ll send you deep into the mountains in Peru. I have a cabin there. I’ll set you up with everything you need. But if I do that and you come back from the dead to take me or Roque down…”

  I shake my head. “One day at a time, like you said. I’m still processing everything. I do have feelings for you, but I’m still trying to sort out what they are. I’m angry that I’ve been kept prisoner. I know you killed Roque to set me free but what happens now? That’s one hell of a power vaccum. How can we ever be safe?”

  “We are safe. Look, babe, Roque… I didn’t kill him.”

  “I saw your shot. That hit was not survivable.”

  “It was faked. I was shooting blanks.”

  “What?”

  He shrugs, “I wanted you to go with me with less of a fight.”

  “That whole shoot-out was a hoax? Where is he? I want to see him. Right now?”

  “Roque? No.”

  “Not Roque. The sexy as fuck gentle giant who kept me sane. I have feelings for him, too. It’s fucked up but I do.”

  “Roger? The fuck?!” He yells. “Get over them. Now!”

  “You can’t just demand feelings to go away.”

  “He’s married. Besides, he’ll never want you. Fuck this.” He drags me into the house, grabs his gun and walks back out. Both of us are still stark naked. “I’m gonna kill him for real this time. I didn’t just get you back to lose you to Roger. Really? The silver fox? You fell for his shit? What does he have that I don’t?”

  He paces, butt naked with a Glock in his hand. A giggle escapes me. I can’t help it. As fucked up as my life is after all those days held in a dungeon; my heart feels light.

  “You think this is funny? After all I went through—I grieved for you… only to find out you were alive, and he snuck in and stole you? Fuck no. I ain’t having it. Wait…,” his face turns red. “Did he touch you?” The last question was a snarl.

  “No. He was a perfect gentle giant.”

  “Yeah, that’s Rog. All cuddly as fuck.”

  He taps a few times on his cell, holding it up to his ear. I wrap my arms around myself, finally feeling the chill. “Dev? It’s Johnny… where’s that dickwad husband of yours… Yes! I said dickwad. He is one… he made a move on my girl…” I hear the woman shrieking on the other end… not believing Johnny. She’s defending her man but cursing at him at the same time. “You tell him to call me the fuck back or we’re gonna have problems.”

  He hangs up, finally staring at me. “You think this is funny? My lips turn up. “That’s it. I’m punishing you the way I’ve dreamed about.” The veins on his neck pop as he stalks toward me with eyes full of fiery passion and lust. I stumble backwards. Shrieking as he gives chase after me and into the house. I’m confused, tripping over thick oriental rugs as I dart from room to room. But he knows the layout and before I know it, he’s in front of me.

  “What? How?”

  “I took a shortcut. You ready to pay up doll?”

  “Johnny!” I scream as he spins me around, pinning me against the wall. His breath is hot on my neck, seconds later the sweet sting from his bite sears through me as his hands move down to my ass. He spreads my hips apart, takes a finger and rubs between my folds.

  “You like that, baby?”

  “You know I do.”

  “Too bad.” He moves back, removes his hand only to smack my ass hard.

  “The fuck?” I try to spin around but he pins both my wrists.

  “That was for telling me you caught feelings for Roger. This one is for my blue balls last night.” Another smart slap lands.

  “Fuck this. I’m not your sub. I’m not some club skank you can torture sexually.”

  “No. You aren’t. You’re the woman who ripped my heart out of my chest knowing your endgame would make me a dead man.” This time I take the hard slap. But soon the stinging pain mixes with the need for him to fuck me as he alternated between slapping me and rubbing my slick folds. The dueling sensations have me on edge. My hips move back trying to fuck his hand. “No. You don’t get to come, until I say you can. Today is about me. Got that?” He spins me around only to land a hard kiss against my mouth. His cell rings interrupting his next move. “Rog? I’m kind of busy punishing my girl for falling for you. What? No, you can’t fucking talk to her. She’s mine. You wanna talk to someone? Go talk to your wife.”

  He hangs up and I’m transfixed. Angry Johnny is hot. Territorial Johnny is a turn on. How could I ever momentarily want someone other than the big, dumb guy standing right in front of me? He’s not my second choice, he’s my first. I’m simply scared shitless to tell him. I’ll make him sweat a bit more. Besides, I’d die before admitting that I actually crave his punishment. I’ll be a bad girl all day long if this is how I’m “rewarded.”

  “He’s okay?”r />
  “You dare ask about him? To me? He’s dead when Dev figures out how he hid you for Roque…”

  I swallow hard at the gleam in his eyes as they travel down my body. I know what he’s thinking… he’s gonna fuck me hard. Probably all day. A shiver rolls through me.

  “Cold?”

  I didn’t respond, letting him misread my body signs. He throws me over his broad shoulders resting a meaty palm across my angry ass. I’m taken down halls, out to the back of the building before he finally puts me down. He punches a code into a keypad and a door unlocks.

  “Welcome to the spa, babe. You ready for your treatments?”

  It’s dim inside the hall. He opens a door and I’m dazed as I scan the Turkish bath. Colorful mosaic tiles cover the ground and pool area. “Get in. If you dare.”

  I tip a toe into the water. It’s hot. Like, hot tub hot. I keep one eye on Johnny as I sink down into the water. He opens a louvered closet, taking out a floating mat and a bottle of… oil? I shake my head. Johnny is a kinky fuck and being the center of his sexual attention is a reward like no other. He puts the mat down in the pool, dousing it with baby oil. Then he crooks a finger at me. “Get on, ass up.”

  I shake my head.

  “I won’t ask again.” I shake my head, knowing by refusing him it’ll make my punishment that much better. I expect him to grab me. Dominate me. Try to bend me to his will. Instead he squirts oil all over his chest and gets on the mat himself. I bit my lip to stifle my groan at all his hard, bronzed slicked skin waiting for me. His thick cock sticks up, inviting me to give it a ride.

  “See anything you like, little FBI?”

  “Nope. Not a thing.” I smirk back, hiding my clenched fists under the water.

  He responds by giving his cock a long stroke, giving special attention to the bulbous tip. I want to ride that pony so bad. Instead, I float on my back, letting the tips of my breasts skim the waterline. My nipples pebble, Johnny’s groan echoes across the tiled walls. This sexual need is going both ways.

  “I still hate you. I refuse to live the rest of my life as your captive lover.”

  “You could’ve been my wife. I had the diamond ring.” His raw confession hurts more than I thought it would.

  “Doesn’t matter,” I shrug. “We can’t go back and then… I still would’ve seen it through and turned you in.”

  He hisses, as he gets off the float, stalking toward me. “I lost everything because of you. Roque took over the Lamatti Crime Syndicate. My throne is in the ashes. My own family wanted me dead, the only way to stop it was for Roque to step in. Blood was spilled. Some of my cousins were hit in the crossfire. I’m Roque’s number two now. I’ll never be number one.” He reaches me, wraps the ends of my wet hair around his wrist. “See little FBI, how much damage your misguided plot caused? When you were the first domino to fall.”

  “No,” I respond huskily. “You were the first domino to fall, when you fell for me. He curses, yanking my head to his. The bruising kiss hurts. Our teeth scrape and bite. Hands molding skin. Why did it have to be this man? He abruptly hoists me in his arms, backs me up to the ledge.

  He takes himself in hand, watching the pulsing tip as he presses it against me. “Say you want me. Only me.” I shake my head. The tip of him works against my clit in dizzying circles. “Say it, Christine. Now.” He continues his ministrations pressing the head of his cock against my clit. My head falls back as a million darts of pleasure explode. His silky head moves against my breasts. “You torture me, witch. You put the curse of love on me and I can’t break your spell.”

  The tip of him enters me. I need more. I need him deep, filling me like only he can. “You bewitched me. Made me crave this… I almost didn’t turn over what I had on you…”

  “But you did,” he growls biting a nipple as his huge cock surges all the way in.

  “We can’t move forward unless we forget the past,” I pant.

  “Later. We’ll talk later…”

  Words are lost between us as we climb higher and soon, I’m soaring in my bad angel’s arms again. Just like I used to.

  8

  Johnny

  My arm cradles her head against my chest. In order to get her to stay, I need to convince her I’m not the ruthless killer she thinks I am. “As much as I’d like to stay naked with you all day, we need to get up.”

  She murmurs something intelligible. I smack her on the ass, rolling out of bed. “We need to talk. We can’t stay here much longer and it’s time we finally get all this shit between us sorted, babe.”

  She’s sated and languid. I went to town on that ass, fucking her good and hard, letting her know just exactly who owns her. But I don’t want her as my prisoner, my stupid-ass heart wants her to be my wife. I want her to pick me. Believe in me. Choose me, to be her number one guy. “Go shower, I have fresh jeans and boots for you. It’ll feel good to hike out in the sun.”

  “My eyes are fine. Thanks to Roger. He made sure I had a UV light.”

  “Fucking Rog. Playing the caring hero. I have polarized lenses for you either way. We can picnic past the orchard by a creek.” I try not to sound eager. I never overtly romanced her in the past, we just kind of fell into bed and stayed there. We had some romantic moments for sure, but I never orchestrated them. Being out here in Springdale, Oregon is a romantic setting all in itself.

  After a cool shower and putting on some jeans, I head to the kitchen finding what I need to pack a picnic. She’s not eating enough. Telling me her food in captivity was better than what I’m serving her. Sassy Wench. Women always went nuts for Rog being a former enforcer for an MC, but I never thought Christine would catch feelings for her jailer. I’m hoping our reunion is squashing that shit. If not, I’ll have to call his wife and spill the details on just what and who he’s been hiding right under her feet. Beneath Rog’s bar and tavern is where he kept my girl for a year. Giving her small pleasures, feeding her his coveted recipes… Dev will flip the fuck out for sure.

  “Babe? You ready?” I rap my knuckles on the door to her room twice. She answers and I’m almost knocked back on my feet at the sight of her freshly showered with her hair still wet and curling at the ends. I want to take her straight back to bed. Fuck the picnic.

  “Don’t look at me like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “You know what?” She smacks a hand into my chest, pushing me back so she can walk by. “Besides, I’m famished. I need food and coffee.”

  “Bossy, thing.” I murmur, swatting her ass as I follow behind. I don’t quite trust this easy truce. As much as I want these moments to be real, I know we can’t just fall back in time because even when I thought I had her, I didn’t.

  I grab the basket of goodies and pull her hand, holding it tightly in mine. I might not say it in words, but it’s clear I’m not letting go.

  “Is there any coffee in there?” Her brow lifts.

  “A thermos full.”

  “Good. Because you have some explaining to do.”

  “Me?”

  “I was left in the cellar of a pub for a year.”

  “Better than where they wanted to put you.”

  She shudders and I pull her in close. “Never. I’ll never let that happen.”

  “Where do we go from here?”

  “I don’t know. Let’s start with a walk. We can do that can’t we?”

  She nods, as I lead her to the mudroom where she slips into a pair of new boots. We both breathe in deeply when we step outside. I hand her a pair of tinted shades. “Just in case your eyes are still sensitive.” She nods, putting them on. I still have her hand tucked in mine and together we walk down the lane toward the orchard and pond. The leaves crunch under our feet, the sun shines high and just for a moment I feel peace. The kind you wait your whole life to find.

  “This is beautiful. After being locked in the dark for so long, I’d forgotten how vibrant the leaves in fall can be. Everything seems crisper. Even the smells of wet leaves and curling
chimney smoke.” A tear slips beneath her sunglasses. The single tear crushing my heart. Shit.

  Pausing, I pull her in tight. “I was locked up with you. My heart and soul; caged.”

  She sobs into my chest. She’s a strong woman. Not being afraid to be vulnerable with me makes me want her even more. “My brother. He’s all I have left. He must have grieved for me. Held a memorial service…,”

  “He never gave up looking for you.”

  “You did?” She lifts her head off my chest.

  “Babe. You need to understand. I know the mob. The players… the price for betrayal. I believed Roque when he said my family had it done. He hid the truth for me because he knew I wasn’t ready to face you. I went berserk when shit blew up. I lost my title as Don. My own crew turned against me. Roque stepped in and The Lamatti Crime family was folded into his. I’m the second now. I’ll never be at the top; his cousins are blood. I’m not. But I’ll be his second—until the day I die.”

  “I-I’m not sure what you want from me. Or what I want for myself. My former life is gone. All my friends and colleagues think I’m dead. I can’t go back and can’t move forward. Not with a price on my head.”

  “If I could… if you could change things. Where would you go? Who would you be?”

  She shrugs, reaching down to examine a brightly colored maple leaf. “I’ve always been interested in science. But I never pursued it since my brother made me vow to find you and avenge our parent’s murders.”

  “You’d be a kick ass forensic expert, I’ll bet. Especially with your FBI background.”

  “But I can’t ever be. I’d have to start all over. It’d take too long.”

  I feel the smirk on my lips. “Nothing is impossible with us. Don’t you see that yet?” A spark ignites. I’m taking a page straight from Roque’s book. I’ll give her back everything. Her whole life. All she has to do is fork her whole heart over to get it. “We are watching a special movie tonight. Did I tell you I happen to be an international film star?”