by Sarah Bailey
“Of course I fucking care about her. I love her.”
You could have heard a penny drop in the room with the silence greeting me after my admission. Then Xav’s expression morphed from irritation into amusement. He cracked a smile before he laughed, the sound ringing through the room.
“Oh boy, it’s about fucking time you admitted it.”
I scowled.
“Fuck off.”
“What? It’s been obvious to the rest of us forever. Did you tell her yet?”
“Leave him be,” Eric said, giving him a hard look. “You can’t talk.”
Xav looked over at him, surprise crossing his features.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You can’t give Quinn shit when you’ve not even told her how you feel.”
“And how the fuck do you know that?”
He rolled his eyes.
“You’re not the only person Ash confides in.”
“Are you going to continue to bicker like children over who loves Ash and who doesn’t or are we going to talk about tonight?” Rory asked, making all of us turn to him.
“They’re going to shut up and listen,” I said, straightening and crossing my arms over my chest. “We’re going to take Ash to the Syndicate and that’s final. Now, take a fucking seat.”
Xav and Eric teetered on the edge of saying something but both of them sat down in chairs in front of my desk. It was high time we showed Russo we weren’t going to be fucked with.
There was no way I was really giving him his daughter back.
He could wait for hell to freeze over before that happened.
Ash was ours.
And ours alone.
Chapter 34
I don’t know why I had to go to the Syndicate again tonight. It’s not like I had anything against their casino, but I hadn’t exactly been allowed to roam free in it. Even though I spent a lot of time with the boys, I still got bored. At least when I was living with Nate, I was also working for Papa. I helped him with suppliers and sat in on his meetings when he insisted I needed to learn how our family operated, much to Uncle Gianni’s disapproval. He would never agree with having a woman at the helm of the Russo family.
Maybe I could speak to Quinn about it. He’d been accommodating with my relationship needs, but this boredom was killing me. If I was going to stay with them, I couldn’t just sit around all day indefinitely.
I applied the finishing touches to my makeup, having been told by Quinn I needed to dress up. Even though I’d not been able to leave the house much, I had given him a list of items I needed, though I think he sent Xav on an errand to get them rather than go himself. Some days when one of them came back after being out all day, I’d find a bunch of shopping bags on my bed. At least the guest room was meant to be mine. I kept my clothes in here, but I never actually used it to sleep in. Honestly, I hated sleeping without a warm body next to me. It didn’t feel right not to be with either Xav or Quinn at night. And who knew if I’d ever get to include Eric and Rory in the equation. That felt like a pipe dream right now with the way things were going between us.
I sighed and adjusted my hair having spent an hour doing a fishtail braid. Then I stood and slipped into my heels.
“Well, don’t you look pretty,” came a deep voice from behind me making me jump.
I glanced back.
“Do you not know how to knock?”
Xav grinned and walked in before curling himself around my back and placing a kiss on my bare shoulder.
“Nope.”
“What if I’d still been doing my makeup, huh? I could’ve stabbed myself in the eye.”
“Then I would’ve kissed you until you stopped crying.”
“I wouldn’t be crying,” I muttered, running my fingers across his big hands encircling me.
His chest rumbled with his amusement.
“No, you’d be slapping me on the chest and telling me to get the fuck out.”
“Accurate.”
I spun in his arms and looked up at him. His eyes were sad but he had a smile on his face. I knew the whole thing with Julian being sick was still weighing him down. I straightened his bowtie. Xav looked mighty fine in a tux.
“Going all out tonight, are we?”
He rolled his eyes.
“Quinn insisted.”
I ran my hands down his chest.
“I’m definitely not complaining. What girl wouldn’t want four very sexy men in tuxes escorting her to a high-class casino?”
His hand curled around the back of my neck and he leant down.
“Sexy, huh?”
“Very.”
He captured my mouth, kissing me almost lazily as if he wanted to draw it out.
“You’re going to ruin my lipstick.”
“Too bad, you’ll just have to reapply it.”
He kissed me deeper, his hand curling around my behind, pulling me flush with his body. I rubbed myself against him a little wantonly making him growl into my mouth.
“Are you deliberately teasing me so I’ll pin you down on the bed and slip my head between your legs?”
“Maybe.”
“Naughty girl.”
He backed me towards the bed and shoved me down on it. I laughed as he dived under my dress, pulling my legs open and kissing up my thigh. His low groan when he realised I hadn’t put any underwear on made me shiver.
“No knickers? I’m going to have to inform Quinn about your bad behaviour, angel.”
I squirmed, gripping the sheets below me as Xav’s tongue followed his kisses.
“Oh yeah? I think you just want to watch him punish me.”
“Damn right I do. When you rub yourself all over him just begging to be fucked hard… it’s so fucking sexy.”
His tongue delved between my folds and I moaned, all suitable retorts to his statement flying out of my head. He latched onto my clit and sucked. My hips bucked and I gripped the covers tighter. He wrapped his hands around my thighs and held my legs open, alternating between sucking and running his tongue over my clit before dipping lower.
“Oh god, Xavier!”
“Fuck, I love it when you call me that.”
I wasn’t sure why I always seemed to. It came out that way when we were having sex.
His tongue grew more insistent, driving me closer to the edge of oblivion. One of my hands left the bed and clutched his head through my dress. That’s when I noticed movement in my peripheral vision. I turned my head, finding Quinn leaning up against the doorframe with a smirk on his face.
“Enjoying the show?”
His smirk got wider and his eyes darkened.
“Very much so, little girl.”
I lifted my free hand and curled my finger. He shoved off the doorframe and closed the distance in a few long strides. He looked delicious in a tux too. It moulded to his athletic frame, highlighting his broad shoulders and tapered waist. Quinn leant down and captured my mouth, his tongue sliding along the seam of my lips. His hand went to my breast, his fingers squeezing my nipple and making me crazy.
Xav’s tongue latched onto my clit once more and his fingers slid inside me, thrusting deep and hard. The extra sensation pushed me over the edge. I cried into Quinn’s mouth, my body shaking and my fingers digging into Xav’s head. I came hard, quite possibly drenching Xav’s face with the intensity of my climax. He didn’t seem to mind, content to lap me up when I stopped bucking against him.
Quinn let me go and straightened, his smirk remaining on his lips. Xav kissed my pussy before digging his way out and sitting back on his hands. I could see my arousal glistening on his face and felt my own heating up. Xav looked up at Quinn with a grin.
“You’re going to make us late.”
Xav shrugged.
“Blame our girl, she was rubbing herself on my cock and not wearing any knickers. What’s a guy to do?”
Quinn shook his head and rolled his eyes
.
“Wash your fucking face before you come down…” he pointed at me “…and you need to learn to behave, little girl.”
I bit my lip.
“You like it when I’m bad, sir.”
He reached out, wrapped his hand around my arm and tugged me to my feet. His fingers tucked under my chin and forced my face up towards his.
“As much as the thought of you wearing nothing under that dress all evening sounds very appealing, go put something on. Can’t have this one putting his head between your legs at every available opportunity.”
He waved at Xav then let me go. I winked before striding over to the chest of drawers and pulling out a pair of the flimsiest lingerie I owned. It was pretty much a little scrap of red lace. I walked back over to him and held it out.
“Care to help me into them if you’re so insistent?”
His eyes darkened further, but he took them from me.
“These aren’t very appropriate.”
“Too bad.”
He’d bought this shit for me so he couldn’t complain.
Still, Quinn squatted down in front of me and held them out. I rested my hand on his shoulder and stepped into them. He watched me as he pulled them up my legs, the heat in his eyes making me squirm a little. When he settled them on my hips, he removed his hands from me and allowed my dress to settle back down before rising to his full height. I was burning up all over, wishing we didn’t have to go to the casino tonight. I’d much rather spend the evening being devoured by my two drop-dead gorgeous men.
“You look beautiful, little girl,” he murmured as he leant down and kissed me again.
I had no idea which one of them picked this dress out originally, but it was black, floor-length with a deep plunging neckline, exposing a vast amount of cleavage. No wonder they liked me in it so much.
When Quinn pulled away, Xav had got to his feet and was wandering out the door, presumably to clean his face up. He winked at me over his shoulder before he disappeared. I quickly went over to the dressing table and stuffed a few bits into a little purse before returning to Quinn’s side.
“Ready, little girl?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
He smiled and took my hand, but it didn’t quite meet his eyes. If anything, he looked tense and it set me on edge a little. Whatever the reason we were going to the Syndicate tonight, I wasn’t sure it was a good one. In fact, I had a sinking feeling as if something very bad was about to happen. And that put a huge damper on my mood as we walked downstairs.
Why do I get the sense I’m about to walk into a shitstorm?
Rory and Eric were waiting in the hall, also dressed in tuxes. I tried not to drool at the sight of them. Then I remembered we weren’t on good terms and my heart sank all over again. Rory wouldn’t meet my eyes but Eric gave me a smile. Then his eyes drifted to my tits and his face flushed a little, his pupils dilating. I hadn’t been mistaken about his attraction and I almost kicked myself for being so stupid. Yet… how could this ever work when he was in love with Xav? I didn’t feel good about keeping that secret.
“Okay, you have to tell me who exactly chose this dress?”
I wanted to break the weird atmosphere between the four of us.
“Xav did,” Quinn supplied. “Apparently he wanted something which would show off your assets.”
“You mean he wanted my tits spilling out of my top.”
Eric choked on his own breath, Rory looked uncomfortable and Quinn smirked as his eyes landed on my chest.
“Clearly it had the intended effect.”
“You were just complaining about me not wearing any underwear yet here you are staring.”
“They’re on display.”
“Too bad for you that means other men will be staring too.”
His eyes narrowed.
“No one is allowed to look at you except us.”
I patted his arm. Having him get all possessive over me no longer irritated me. In fact, it made my heart flutter and butterflies swirled in my stomach.
“Aww, jealous?”
“Don’t test me, little girl.”
I stepped into him and ran my fingers down his chest.
“Why? Will you bend me over your knee right here if I do?”
He leant down and his breath fluttered across my ear.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
My fingers dragged lower along his stomach before I remembered Eric and Rory were right there. I stepped back, my face hot and my body thrumming. Thankfully Xav appeared at that moment saving me from responding to Quinn.
“Let’s go.” Xav slapped Quinn on the back before opening the front door and walking out.
I guess it was time to find out what tonight had in store for me. And I was pretty sure it was nothing good. Nothing good at all.
Chapter 35
Ash was sandwiched between Quinn and Xav in the back. I couldn’t help my eyes wandering to her ample cleavage on show in the rearview mirror. There was something weird going on between her and Rory. He refused to even look at her and her eyes were full of pain when they landed on him. Quinn was busy on his phone whereas Xav had his hand on Ash’s thigh whilst he whispered things in her ear, making her giggle and blush. A sharp wave of jealousy tore through me.
Stop it. You can’t get like this over their relationship, it’s not fair on them.
Didn’t stop me wishing it was me who was sat next to her, touching her in the carefree way he did. Or even between them whilst they both… what the fuck, stop it!
I still felt awkward after what he said in the kitchen this morning. He might’ve been winding me up, but it hit far too close to home. I hated how he read me so well. Of course, I knew his preferences since he wasn’t exactly shy about discussing what he did and didn’t do in bed, but me? I never spoke about it. I didn’t feel ashamed or anything. Sex was sex regardless of whether it was with a man or woman, but broadcasting what I liked to the world? Yeah, that made me feel awkward.
Why’d he have to hit the nail on the head though? Why couldn’t I get the thought of him pinning me down out of my head? He wouldn’t be gentle. It’d be rough and raw. And I was pretty sure I’d love every minute of it. It wasn’t as though I preferred being with men over women. I adored soft, feminine bodies and the way their curves felt in my hands whilst I made love to them, but with men, I loved their hard edges and the aggressiveness that came with it.
I clenched the steering wheel harder, irritated by my wayward thoughts. I tried not to think about Xav in a sexual manner despite my feelings towards him. It only led to a case of blue balls since I outright refused to touch myself to thoughts of him. It felt like a betrayal of our friendship.
I had stroked myself to thoughts of Ash though. Alone at night when I was sure I wouldn’t get disturbed. The way she’d felt under my hands tortured me. I wanted it again. Except this time I wanted her wrapped around me, her body pressed against my skin and to feel her tightness surrounding my cock rather than my fingers.
You’re going to get hard if you don’t stop these thoughts.
I shifted in my seat a little, trying to distract myself with something else. Tonight was a huge gamble. I had no idea how this shit would go. Russo was a dangerous man and wouldn’t take kindly to us refusing to hand over Ash. I hoped Quinn knew what the fuck he was doing. And I was in no doubt Ash would end up surprising us. She had a knack for that.
My heart wrenched at thought of the way she’d looked at me yesterday after I’d admitted my feelings towards Xav. It’s almost as if she felt betrayed by it. And I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell she’d wanted to tell me in the bathroom. Her dismissal of it bothered me as if everything which transpired between us meant nothing anymore now she knew I loved the man she was with. I wished I could take it back so she’d look at me with affection rather than pain. I hated being responsible for hurting her. I never meant to. Protecting her had always been my primary
goal since she’d arrived here.
I parked up in our usual spot behind the building and everyone piled out. Ash hung onto Xav’s arm and didn’t even look at me. Last time we were all here together, she clung to me like she never wanted to let go. How times had changed in a few short weeks. The gap between us never seemed wider than it was now. I didn’t know how to fix it and I really wanted to.
The ride up to the top floor was silent as if we were all lost in our own thoughts. Ash had no idea why we were here. As much as I wanted to tell her, getting into a fight with Quinn over it wasn’t worth it. He said Ash would just have to deal with it and it was better if she didn’t know. She would be finding out very soon that her father was here.
Xav kept Ash busy in the corner whilst Quinn and Rory looked over the monitors to check if the Russo party had arrived. I dropped myself into the desk chair and pulled up the entry logs. Everyone had to sign in on arrival with a specific pin code. We liked to keep tabs on our members’ comings and goings. Plus, it benefited us in situations like this.
“He should be here,” Quinn muttered.
It was already seven forty-five and we had an eight o’clock deadline.
“The room is clear,” Rory said, nodding up to one of the monitors.
It was one of the VIP lounges with a bar and several low tables with sofas surrounding them. There were two occupants. A bartender and a waitress. We’d send them out once everyone had arrived. The handover of Russo’s daughter didn’t need an audience. We trusted our staff, but this was a personal matter. We didn’t need it getting out that we’d kidnapped a girl against her will. That wouldn’t go down well. We were just fucking lucky Russo hadn’t gone to the police over her disappearance, but he didn’t want the law involved in any of his activities. Their scrutiny was bad for business.
“He’s just signed in,” I told them, glancing over at Ash and Xav.