I narrow my eyes. “Maybe. Do you make appearances at all of the shows down here, or just the really sick and twisted ones?”
He leans forward, his lips grazing mine. “I think the more pressing question is why haven’t I seen that dress before?”
“Well, I was saving it for you. But since we never spend the night together anymore, I figured if I wanted you to see it, I needed to bring it to you at your ‘home away from home.’”
Nico pulls away, a conflicted expression shadowing his face. Even the strobe lights can’t eclipse that look. It’s the same look I’d seen that night he killed Cappodamo, the same look I see every now and then when he thinks I’m not paying attention.
But I am. Always.
“Come with me.” He pulls me out into the hallway of harems, sidestepping the crowd of gaping voyeurs and their entertainment. I try to keep up with his pace, but the heels make it impossible. Luckily, he turns a corner and pulls out a key from his pocket. He glances around, sticks the key into the door, and pushes it open.
A few candles are scattered around the room, so I can make out some key shapes, the most impressive being the large bed in the center of the space. But Nico doesn’t pull me over to it. He rests his hands on my shoulders and leans his forehead against mine.
“Why did you come here tonight, Shaye? It’s dangerous for you to be here. I told you to stay away.”
I shake my head. “I couldn’t,” I mutter. “Not anymore. Everything that’s happened…it’s taken a toll on you. On us. I just wanted…” I run my fingers through my hair. “Look, I need you, Nico. I want things to be the way they were before. I feel like I’m losing you, and I thought if I came here, we could…” I shrug and avert my eyes. “I don’t know. Find ourselves again? I know that probably sounds stupid, but I—”
His lips are plastered against mine before the rest of the jumbled thought can tumble from my lips. They’re hungry, passionate…almost desperate. His tongue plunders my eager mouth, coiling with mine. A lust-infused flame rages throughout my body, tingles shooting out to every extremity.
“God, I’ve missed this,” I murmur against his mouth, running my fingers through his thick hair. I press myself against him, taunting him with the fact that there is still a hell of a lot of fabric separating us. He must get my silent plea because I can feel his fingers toy with the zipper in the back of my dress. He lowers it slowly, exposing every inch of bare skin begging to be touched.
Like he means it, not like he’s doing it as an escape from everything plaguing him.
I know the difference, and tonight, I want the real thing.
He slides the shoulder straps off, pulling down the top so that my breasts are exposed, beckoning him to taste. “You’re fucking beautiful, Shaye,” he whispers. “Inside and out.” He dips his head, kneading one breast and taking the other into his mouth. I squeal as his tongue and teeth nibble at my nipple. They could slice through glass right now, they’re so hard. I lean my head back as he continues to feast, showing no signs of stopping. I fumble with his belt buckle and yank it open, attacking his pants next. I pull them open and slide them down to his feet, along with his boxers. His cock is long, thick, and hard in my grasp. My knees buckle at the thought of him inside of me and the sudden image of him fucking me in the den of sin in front of all of his ‘guests’ has me so fucking wet. I stroke him a few times and rub the head of his cock over my panties.
Nico lets out a loud groan. “No teasing. Those panties need to come off now.” He loops his fingers into the sides and slides them to my ankles. “And keep those shoes on. They’re hot as fuck.”
I manage to shimmy out of the dress and kick off the panties without losing my balance in these shoes, a pretty big accomplishment if I say so myself.
Nico stares at me, the glow emitted by the candles casting the dimmest light on his face. It’s enough for me to see the hunger in his gaze. He unbuttons his shirt, never averting his eyes. He strips off every inch of clothing, his movements slow and methodical, as they are with everything he does. He always has a purpose, a plan, and a strategy. I hope his strategy for tonight is to keep me coming because, Lord, do I ever need it after drinking in that whole erotic circus outside his door.
He inches closer to me, wrapping his arms around my quivering body, cupping my ass. His mouth crushes mine, his teeth nipping at my bottom lip. I let my legs fall open, my pussy screaming for attention. He grips his cock, teasing my slit with the swollen head. He slides it up and down my slick opening, and after a few seconds, I’m ready to scream out in the most delicious agony imaginable. How is he so controlled? How can he not just throw me down on the bed and fuck me into oblivion? Isn’t he a guy, for Pete’s sake?
I grab his hand and press it against me so his cock hits my clit. A gasp escapes my lips, followed by a loud moan. “Please, Nico. Don’t make me wait. I need this. I need you.”
“Always so impatient,” he whispers, his lips caressing the side of my neck, the exact area where my pulse is about to explode out of if he makes me wait another millisecond. He backs me toward the bed, reaching down to grab a condom from the drawer of a nearby table. I fall onto the mattress, sinking into the softest of furs. I run my hands over the smooth, glossy pelts covering the bed. The luxurious texture coupled with the hard body angling over me is enough to launch my senses into overdrive. He pushes my legs apart and runs his hands down the front of my chest before looping his arms around my knees and diving into the pool of lust and desire between my legs.
I thrust my hips into his greedy mouth as his tongue works my folds, teasing my clit before plunging in and out of my wet heat. God, the things this man can do with that deliciously devious tongue…
It swirls and swivels, the coiling heat igniting my core. His fingers dig into my flesh, pulling me closer until my lower body is off the mattress. I fist the furs, whimpers morphing into full-fledged cries for God. His thumb and forefinger work my clit, flicking and pressing until the explosion blasts out to every limb, paralyzing them with a euphoria so powerful, it renders me motionless. I don’t even want to blink because any movement might make this amazing sensation end.
And it can’t. Ever.
I won’t let it. I’ll do whatever I need to make sure I never lose it.
Never lose him.
Nico’s hot, wet lips drag across my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. His stubble-peppered face tickles the insides of my thighs and a jolt zips through me, making me giggle. “You are amazing. What you can do with that dirty mouth is so fucking amazing.”
He crawls up my body, his dark eyes boring into my soul. “Dirty mouth, huh?”
I nod, heat creeping up the sides of my face. “So dirty.”
“And you love it, so what does that say about you?”
“That I’m a very bad girl.” I wrap my arms around his neck. “Who needs to be punished in the best possible way. What do you think about that?”
A mischievous smirk lifts the corners of his mouth. “I think we need to get started. If you’ve been that bad, I need to teach you a lesson. A very fucking long lesson.”
My heart thuds against my chest as he pulls away, tearing open the foil package and rolling on the condom. I bite my lower lip, digging my fingers into his hips. “You’d better get started. I feel like the bad girl is ready to come out and play again. Are you gonna put her in her place or what?”
Nico leans into me, inhaling as his nose grazes my bare skin. He fingers one of my fake dark waves splayed across the fur. I shudder against his hard body, a smile teasing my lips. He’s totally with me in this moment, not even inside of me and yet I feel closer to him right now than I have in months. The heat of his gaze singes my insides, the way it always has. Electricity crackles between us, pure energy hovering in the space between our lips. “I love you, Shaye. I always will, no matter what happens.”
And just like that, the spell is broken. Reality bitch slaps me, and my gut clenches.
That’s the one thing ab
out our life. You feel, you feel, and you feel…until you feel no more.
You can prepare and plan and strategize, but in the end, there are no guarantees. Nico’s life is a very dangerous game, but he’s not the only competitor. And sometimes, even the strongest players will be crushed like cockroaches.
And there go all the feels.
He strokes the side of my face, studying me as if he wants to memorize each and every detail. He traces the slope of my nose, the arch of my brows, the apple of my cheeks. I blink fast to hold the tears at bay because I don’t want anything else to ruin this night.
He’s here with me now, and there’s nowhere else I’d ever want to be. These moments may be few and far between, but I’ll gather them and bury them deep in my heart where this love…our love…will live forever.
“Make love to me, Nico,” I whisper. “Please.”
I let out a gasp as he pushes into me, his thick cock stretching me like a glove. His thrusts are slow and deep, his hips rocking against me. I lock my ankles around him, urging him closer. My fingers press into his hips, keeping him cocooned inside of me. He swivels his hips, in the way that always drives me over the brink of sanity. He trails his hands down the side of my torso, caressing every inch of my overly stimulated body. Then he puts one finger in his mouth, reaches around and grasps my ass, squeezing one cheek and then the other before he grazes the tight ring of muscle between them. I let out a yelp as he inserts the finger. My pussy clenches immediately, and my body rockets to that place where only he can take me.
Sparks of euphoria ignite in my core. “Harder! Oh my God, Nico, fuck me harder!”
Nico pumps his cock deeper and harder, growling through his own orgasm. Rays of blinding white light flicker behind my eyelids and I can no longer see. Or think. Or hear. I can only feel. And it’s amazing.
Somewhere in the depths of my mind, I register a muffled creak and low voices. My eyes fly open and I gasp, clutching Nico’s waist.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Nico! What the hell…who in the motherfuck is that?” Max’s voice pierces the otherwise blissful sounds of our marathon sex session. He flips on the light switch and narrows his eyes. “You fucking bastard! I knew you could never keep your dick in your pants, you sonofabitch! What the fuck about my sister? I said I’d kill you if you fucked around on her!” He grabs a lamp from another table and, like a possessed and rabid predator, he lunges for Nico, lamp in hand and ready to strike.
“Max, stop!” I scream. “It’s me!”
He lands on top of Nico, the lamp about an inch away from bludgeoning the man I love.
I yank off my wig, bobby pins flying in all directions. “See? It’s me!”
Max’s eyes widen, and he covers his mouth as he gags. “Christ Almighty, not again. I don’t know what’s fucking worse. Seeing you fuck some random chick or seeing you nail my sister wearing a wig and fuck-me heels. The last time that shit gave me nightmares for months, you assholes!” He throws the lamp to the floor and rakes a hand through his hair. A quick glance at the door confirms that we have an audience. A tall blonde model-type is twisting her hands around, not sure where to look or what to say.
I crack a smile at her. “He’s not actually a complete lunatic.”
She grins and gives a little shrug. “We can’t all be perfect, right?”
“Dude, will you get the fuck off of me now?” Nico pushes Max away with his foot.
“I’m tired of seeing your ass, man.” Max jumps off the bed and grabs the girl by the wrist. “Let’s try to forget we ever saw any of that, okay?”
“I love you!” I call out.
He flips us off and slams the door shut.
My jaw drops. “Holy shit, can you believe he almost took you out for the second time?”
Nico scrubs a hand down his face and collapses on the bed next to me. “Your brother has some pretty fucking serious rage issues, you know that?”
I nod and lie on his chest, tucked under his neck. It’s the most comfortable spot in the entire world. “I guess I never have to worry about you cheating on me as long as good ol’ Max is around.”
“I know things have been strained lately, babe.” He cups my face with his hand. “But you never have to worry about anything with our relationship.”
I let out a sigh and trace the outline of his pec. “I worry about everything, Nico. I want you to be honest with me. I can handle it.”
“Is that why you came down here? To talk?”
“Well, yeah. But then I kind of got sidetracked with…” I wave my hand around. “…all of the action out there. I got caught up, and we never actually got to the talking part.” I roll off of him and lean on my elbows. “This place is unreal. We have to come back here again together. I really want to…you know, try some stuff.” Her cheeks turn pink and she flashes a devious smile at me. “Like, in public.”
“Really?” My cock thickens at the mere thought of her being turned on by this place.
“Yes. And soon.” She winks at me. “Hey, how did you find me down here, anyway?”
He smirks. “You really think you were just gonna waltz in here and fly under the radar?”
“So you really did spot me in the crowd?”
“Nah, I knew you were in here because I have a GPS tracker installed in that watch on your wrist.”
I stare down at my brand-new, diamond-encrusted Tag Heuer. “You put a tracker on me?”
His expression darkens again. “I can’t take the risk that you’ll be taken again. It’s my way of protecting you.”
“So that’s why you told me to wear it all the time?”
He nods. “Be pissed off at me if you want, but it’s only because I’m worried about your safety. If anything ever happened to you, I don’t know what I’d fucking do, Shaye. I’m desperate, okay? I need to keep you safe.”
I swallow hard and look down at my watch.
A loud ping makes me jump as I consider my next words.
Nico grabs his phone from the table. “Fuck,” he mutters.
“What is it?”
He looks up from the phone. “It’s Carlo Batta, one of my security guys. He’s dead.”
Nico
I stab Max’s phone number into the keypad of my phone then pull Shaye close while I wait for him to answer. I stroke the back of her head, biting back expletives that I will let fly as soon as she’s safe.
Somewhere. Anywhere but here.
“Yeah?”
“Max,” I growl. “Get in here now.”
“Dude, I’m balls deep in this chick. What the hell is so urgent?”
“Carlo is dead. Duke just found him out back. Get the fuck over here now.”
“Oh, shit.” I hear him mumble something to the girl he’s with, and a second later, he responds. “Give me five. I’ll be right there.”
Shaye’s shoulders quiver against me, and I wrap my arms around her, tossing the phone onto the bed. Her tears soak through my half-buttoned shirt, her hands clutching at my back. “Nico, I’m so scared. Who did this? Are they inside the club? Are they…are they…?”
I know the words she wants to ask, but doesn’t dare.
And the answer is…yes, they are coming for me.
But I keep that to myself. She already knows too much, has seen too much.
Where the fuck can I even send her? To my house? To her parents’ house? To my new place here in the city which less than a handful of people know about? I bought the place after everything happened because it’s off the radar, but I can’t hide it forever. And who the fuck knows how many guys Luca has in his back pocket? They could be camped out all over the tri-state area for all we know, ready to pounce.
Even though deep down, I know they aren’t. He wants me.
But he’ll take out whomever he can to send me a message just in case I missed his point with Carlo. And that would be fucking impossible to ignore. The image in Duke’s text made my gut clench. I knew Luca had been overseas doing some half-cocked MMA tour since he wa
s kicked out of the World Fighting Alliance for illegal drug use, but what he did to Carlo…Jesus Christ. And I sure as hell know he didn’t use a weapon other than his fists.
MMA regulations in Southeast Asia, where he had been touring, are pretty lax, and from what I hear, they don’t do drug testing. So Luca spends most of his time in the ring hopped up on PCP, or whatever else he uses, so he can’t feel any pain.
He can only inflict it in the most brutal possible way.
I’ve also heard about his own personal mortality rate. If you climb into the ring with him, be prepared to stay there. Indefinitely. Or, if you’re lucky, you’ll only get wheeled out on a gurney and hooked up to a respirator.
That image was bad enough. It tells me exactly what I want to know…confirms exactly what I’ve been fearing.
Because I’m not a trained killer. I’m not a murderer. I’m not a fucking assassin.
I’m a guy who was trying to save his girlfriend from certain death. I killed Luca’s father. I did what I had to do to save the woman I love.
And now Luca is out for blood.
Sometimes I don’t even think he gives a shit that his dad is dead. He loves the kill, and he’ll take any excuse he can get to add another notch to his belt.
I don’t want to be a killer. I don’t want this life.
Sonofabitch.
There is no way out, Nico.
You have responsibilities.
Shaye squeezes her arms around my hips, sobbing like the world is about to end. And I can’t even fucking reassure her that when we step outside of this door, we’ll be safe.
Because the truth is, I just don’t know.
A loud knock makes me jump. “Yeah?” I call out.
“It’s me.” Max. Thank fuck.
“Only you?”
A second passes. “Yeah. Duke is waiting outside your office.”
I bend down and cup Shaye’s chin in my hand. “Babe, try to calm down a little. We’re fine.”
“But what if they’re out there? What if they’re just hiding until you open the door? What if—?”
“Shaye,” I whisper. “I promise, we’re fine.”
Screwing the Mob Page 21