by Anna Widzisz
She saw in his eyes that he would gladly change his plans right then and there and she would be free of being a pole dancer. However, she had a sense of responsibility, so she wouldn’t agree on quitting the job. The Famiglia was hers to care for and that’s what she was going to do. If providing the information on Gastone would help, then so be it.
"I just wish I hadn’t changed for the worse because of it," she whispered.
Noah frowned. "You should be proud of who you’ve become."
Inéz turned her head, meeting Noah’s intense gaze. "Are you proud of who you are?"
"This life doesn’t take hostages, nor does it allow anyone to be soft and gentle. It’s brutal, dangerous and dark. I’ve always been taught to fight for what I want with bloody knuckles and to stomp on broken pieces of glass at the same time if I need to. People grew to respect me because of this. They still do. And I need them to be afraid of me, too. Enough not to go against me," he explained. "The mafia makes warriors out of children, cara. Flavio and I are living, breathing proof. And I am proud of it. Your childhood made you the same. Shaped you into the woman you are today. But all you do is fight against it, instead of embracing your nature. Just because society doesn’t approve, it doesn’t mean that you have to hide or lurk in the shadows. I built a new, improved society and believe me when I say this - you are free to show your true colors without fear of rejection. It’s better to be real no matter how harsh the truth can seem, Inéz."
"Would you say the same to your sister if she was here?" the girl asked.
So many times she wanted to bring up this topic, but it was never the right time. It went without saying that the Falcone brothers were hurting because of losing Sienna. She was family, so of course, they missed her and would probably prefer not talking about her. It was the only thing that could get to them.
Noah sighed. "I would," he said without hesitation. "I made the best out of each situation, just like you had to. Just like Sienna probably would have. She was extremely smart for her age. I truly believed that once I was to become a Capo, she would have more to say in the matters than me because I would go to her and ask for advice all the time."
Inéz laughed. "Somehow I doubt you’d let anyone, let alone a woman, rule over you."
"Yes, well, I won’t give anyone the satisfaction of finding that out, but my sister wouldn’t ask for permission. She would just be there whenever I needed her."
"Because if there’s a woman you appreciated and loved, it was Sienna."
The Capo nodded. "She deserved to live," he whispered.
For the first time, there was vulnerability in his eyes. Sadness over the death of his younger sister. But most importantly - love. Something Inéz wouldn’t have imagined to ever see. The big, bad mobster did have a heart. And it had been bleeding ever since he lost one of his siblings. It momentarily made the girl think of a life without her brother and it made her sick to the stomach. She wouldn’t survive it, that much was certain. So, when she looked at Noah once again, she reached out for his hand, entwining their fingers. He’d suffered through such horrible pain and had still kept on living in spite of the million broken pieces of his heart. For some reason, this broken evil man, who firmly believed no-one could ever love him, became her favorite person in a matter of minutes.
CHAPTER 27
His hand found its way to the edge of her long shirt, playing with it. There was no indication that he wanted to take it off. His fingertips were sliding slightly over her naked thigh, barely touching it. Goosebumps appeared on her skin. She moaned feeling his caresses. The softest gesture was enough to make her react, and she tried to hold back a little. Comparing to Noah, the girl wasn’t as experienced, making it twice as hard to control herself. Every sensation was heightened.
Inéz deepened the kiss without hesitation and hoisted her leg over his pelvis. She situated herself in front of him, pressing her body closer to his. Almost in a palpable way, she could feel the budge that was growing harder each second. It made her greedy. She wanted more.
Noah had decided to take the lead as he usually did. However, he wanted the girl to feel in charge, at least for the first few minutes. She was clearly tense and it wasn’t his intention to make her feel that way. But at the same time, Noah was used to dominating. And it wouldn’t change in the long run.
He pushed his hips forward, holding Inéz tightly. They were still sitting on the patio, not caring about the breezy wind. He grabbed her head and pulled her closer, weaving his fingers into her long dark hair. His other hand slid down to her ass, squeezing it.
Another moan escaped her lips.
Noah smirked in-between the kisses, hearing the satisfaction with which Inéz was greeting him. She relaxed, wholeheartedly giving into the motion.
His tongue conquered hers, sliding roughly over her swollen lips from time to time. He groaned when the girl bit it lightly and chuckled.
As she was left breathless, she pushed away for a second, panting heavily. She looked at the man with desire but also uncertainty. Her body and heart were all in. It was her mind that still put up barriers.
Should she trust him? Was that really such a good idea? He was the Capo dei capi for heaven’s sake! One of the most dangerous people in the world. And she acted as if he was just another ordinary man. Drew warned her more than once. But she couldn’t help it. She had feelings for him. Yes, the first step was to be able to admit it. It was high time she did just that. No one had ever made her feel so important and needed. Noah could have many flaws, but he treated her well. Or at least as well as he was able to.
She wanted him, and there was no denying it. Not even to herself. "Are you sure?" asked Noah, surprising himself.
He had never cared enough to make sure that the girl was willing. They always were, and he knew that. Could feel it without a problem.
Inéz nodded. Words would certainly fail her right now.
He sat her down by his side and stood. Taking her hands, he pulled her up, examining her face. She was flustered and shy, barely fighting the urge to lower her gaze. He brushed her hair away to see her eyes. They were deep brown and perfect. It was the first time he ever paid attention to such details. Never before had it mattered. And he didn’t give a fuck that it wasn’t his usual style. If he did, he wouldn’t have even gone after the girl in the first place.
But once she looked at him without second-guessing her decision, that was it. With all the information Inéz had, she still didn’t care enough to stay clear. It was everything he needed to continue.
After a few minutes, they found themselves in Noah’s bedroom. He guided her toward the bed and laid her down gently. They were still kissing fiercely. He climbed on the bed and moved between her legs, pushing them apart and lowered his body on top of hers. His cock was pressing against her inner thigh, dangerously close to her opening. Only their clothes posed any resistance.
Inéz moaned loudly as Noah moved his kisses on her neck, going lower each time. They were leaving wet marks. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and roughly pulled it over her head. Then he unclipped her bra and threw it to the floor. She moved her hand, raking it through his hair, pulling slightly. Noah groaned. If there was something that could get him undone rather quickly, it was hair pulling. There was nothing that felt better as far as innocent moves were concerned.
"Now’s the time, Inéz," he wanted to punch himself for dwelling on whether it was a good idea or not. There was hardly anything that could make him stop. Unless Inéz resisted him, which he hoped wouldn’t happen.
Since when was he such a gentleman?
Inéz tucked her hand into his pants, stroking his cock over his briefs. That was her answer.
She. Didn’t. Fucking. Care.
Noah pulled his pants down, along with his briefs, granting Inéz better access. His t-shirt was flung across the room as well, leaving him naked. He lowered his mouth to her pussy, dragging her panties off. With a quiet chuckle, she blushed from the surprising move Noah pulle
d. Her lips parted in a soft moan as he dipped his tongue between her folds. There was nothing controlled in what he was doing. He sucked on her clit without hesitation.
The girl opened her legs wider, inviting him in. She was just as aroused as Noah was. His moves were deep and considerate. He enjoyed it along with her.
He carefully pushed a finger inside of her. She might not be a virgin, but most likely it had been a while since she had sex last.
Hopefully.
Her walls closed in on him, heightening the overwhelming sensation. Inéz cried out with pleasure as he put his second finger in, licking her at the same time. Her hips went up. Soon, she shuddered, making him even hornier and ready to be inside her.
"Are you on birth control?" he asked.
She nodded as Noah pulled himself up to face her. Their eyes met. Both filled with desire. Something they had found themselves thinking of ever since they’d met four years ago.
With another long kiss, Noah pushed forward, sliding his tip in, and soon he was all in. He groaned, feeling her closing in on his cock. It was such a fucking amazing feeling that he didn’t want it to end. Ever. He pulled out and got deeper and harder. Every thrust was more powerful, making Inéz moan. Still holding back her screams of pleasure.
Inéz sucked in her breath, trying to hold on. For the first time, she was closer than a man was. Never before had she had an orgasm as far as sex was concerned. Foreplay, yes. Noah knew what he was doing. There was no doubt about it. He knew exactly how to make a girl feel wonderful. And as their bodies moved against each other, they were both certain that it was exactly what they wanted.
His fingers tangled in hers as he put her hands above her head, dominating her even further. Her knuckles pressed in the sheets. She smiled with eagerness and lust. Her eyes flashed with hunger.
How did it come to this? As much as Noah hated the whole idea of getting married to Lynette, he didn’t regret it. He would’ve never met Inéz otherwise and that was something he didn’t want to imagine. For some reason, the girl had become important to him. No other woman ever had. Just her and his sister before. But in a completely different way.
He held her close as he came. Their breaths were deep and fast as they tried to get ahold of themselves. His lips moved toward hers and crushed them with another wave of desire. He didn’t pull out yet, wanting the moment to last just a little bit longer.
A soft moan sounded once again as she pushed him off and moved to lay against him. Within a couple of minutes, her hand slid down, dangerously close to his cock. She started teasing him. Something no girl had ever tried before. Simply because he was not a fan of it. But as Inèz smirked, he chuckled, guiding his hips toward her, so that her fingers closed around his cock. Noah sucked in a deep breath, lying flat on the bed. She stroked lightly along his length.
After a moment she pushed from her position and bent over, taking him into her mouth. Noah’s hand immediately gripped the back of her head. A string of Sicilian curses escaped his lips, mixing with a low groan that assured Inéz to continue exploring. She licked from the base to the top, sucking harder.
"Fuck," Noah breathed out, pulling her hair a little.
She trailed her tongue over his cock over and over again, making him moan in pleasure. With a last deep lick, he came. Inéz pulled back, swallowing the cum without hesitation.
Instead of untangling his hand from her hair, he used this leverage to haul her up lightly and kissed her. He didn’t mind tasting himself on her.
A few Sicilian words rolled down his tongue with a smirk. Even though Inéz didn't understand him, it couldn’t be anything clean. That was for damn sure. And with a breathless sigh, she lied down, closing her eyes. She was exhausted after the whole day. But for the first time, her birthday wasn’t just another regretful day in her life.
CHAPTER 28
Mornings were usually a quick routine consisting of getting up early, putting on clothes, drinking black coffee and heading out to wherever it was necessary on that particular day. Noah liked it that way since there were many things to take care of. After all, he was the Capo and had to show that he gave a fuck about the Famiglia and his soldiers. Even though the latter was a little stretched and didn’t apply to everyone. However, as soon as he opened his eyes blinded by bright light seeping through his huge glass walls, he knew that it wouldn’t be one of those days.
He propped himself up on his elbows, feeling a slight pressure on the lower part of his stomach. Turning his head left, he spotted Inéz snoring quietly, her hair spread out on the pillow. Her body was completely naked and the sheets didn’t even reach her thighs. She looked so peaceful sleeping next to him, which was a surprise by itself. Judging by the girl’s past, she should be additionally careful and cautious around men. Especially men like Noah. But for some reason she trusted him. Way too much, probably. Yes, he expected her to respect him, maybe even admire at one point. But never fully trust. Not like this; to lay in his bed, beside his strong, muscled and scarred body without a care in the world.
Reaching for a strand of her dark hair, he brushed it off to see her beautiful face in full glow. Inéz was more than simply gorgeous. There was something in the girl that pulled him closer with each encounter. And after last night, her confession, his recollection of Sienna, all of which had climaxed with hot, steamy sex, it was even more powerful. It had taken over every ounce of the rationality still remaining regarding the situation he had put her in. She was already struggling to carry out the task, and now Noah was adding fuel to the fire, waiting for it to blow up in his face and make him regret it. Make her regret it all.
Noah had to stop this madness before it got the best of him. The Famiglia was his priority and she had become one of his subjects ever since she swore omertà. That was the only relation the two of them should have.
Untangling himself from Inéz’s grip, he got up and put on the sweatpants that were lying on the chair by the door. He strapped his holster over his naked chest and moved towards the door, but stopped in his tracks as he saw from the corner of his eyes slight movements of the sheets. His eyes moved to the bed, meeting a tired pair of big brown ones.
Inéz smiled at him warmly. "Good morning," she rasped.
At this point, Noah’s plan to stay away got pushed back to the furthest part of his mind. He was never huge on spending the night with any girl and usually left right after fucking. What’s more, none of them had received access to his penthouse. It was his home, his personal space that was supposed to stay intact, unsoiled. But he didn’t mind making an exception for Inéz. A feeling of excitement and some kind of unexplainable peace overruled his decision.
"Buongiorno, cara."
Inéz sat up slowly, looking out the window. "What time is it?" she asked.
"Few minutes after seven. You can sleep if you want. I am going downstairs to make myself a coffee, and then I need to head out to take care of business," he said, surprising himself.
Since when was he explaining himself to anyone? Let alone a woman?
The girl seemed to catch up on his thoughts and chuckled. "I’m famished, so rather than going back to sleep, I’d prefer to eat breakfast. And I have to get to practice in a few hours," she said with a snort of displeasure.
The Capo nodded and opened his door, waiting for her to grab her clothes from yesterday so that they could go to the kitchen. As they were coming down the stairs, they heard the sound of glass clinking. Noah drew his gun, knowing immediately that it couldn’t possibly be Isaac or Drew making the noise. They like sleeping in and, most importantly, they don’t cook.
"Stay here," Noah whispered and carefully moved forward. As he was halfway down, he lowered his hand, a loud groan escaping his lips. He motioned for Inéz to join him. "Has no one warned you not to appear out of thin air in my house?" he asked as the both of them walked towards the kitchen counter.
There was an older, short woman with curly, white hair and a warm expression covering her face. With a dismissing
wave of her hand, she returned to cooking, not even looking towards Noah. She started mumbling something in Sicilian under her nose.
Falcone rolled his eyes in annoyance. And responded to her, which made the woman look up. Her gaze rested on Inéz. She smiled and moved to them, enveloping the girl in an embrace out of blue. Another torrent of words rolled out.
"Inéz doesn’t understand you, Noni. She’s Spanish," Noah explained.
The woman waved the man off once again. "The girl can speak for herself, boy."
"Clearly you don’t wait for anyone to talk. There’s just so much you have to say, isn’t there?"
"How can you survive more than an hour with him?" the woman asked, looking at Inéz expectantly. "And since my grandson isn’t gentleman enough to introduce me, I’m Luisa Falcone. The only woman in this goddamn family who tried more than once to give Noah away. No one would have him, unfortunately."
The girl nodded, an embarrassed smile on her face. "I can see why."
Luisa hummed. "I like her." She tapped the Capo’s arm appreciatively and turned to Inéz. "I made you pancakes. Help yourself, picciotta."
Breakfast went pretty smoothly. Noah could see how uncomfortable Inéz had looked at the beginning. She didn't expect to meet a member of his family, especially in such an awkward situation. It didn’t take a genius to realize that they had slept together. Besides, Luisa Falcone was a very perceptive woman. Thankfully, she was also the kindest person who would never even think of making anyone feel bad. Throughout the meal, she made many jokes and told Inéz all about her life in Sicily, and now in Las Vegas, as her grandsons had decided to bring her to the States to keep an eye on her and make sure she was healthy and doing well.
Sicilians were people of great appreciation for traditions, and especially the Sicilian mafia was built of conservatives, who didn’t see fit changing something that had worked through generations. Women were supposed to protect their reputations by not meeting with men outside of their family without anyone supervising them. Marriage was considered a sacred ceremony, binding a woman and a man in holy matrimony, and there was no greater honor than when you cherished and nursed the connection between spouses. More importantly, they usually marry Italians, not outsiders. So naturally, the most traditional members of the Sicilian mafia would be against Inéz spending time with Noah, as they would believe it would lead to marriage.