by Bella J
Reluctantly I pulled back and turned toward Lorenzo, tightening my hold around Karina’s waist. “I know this is all real complicated, but I’m not letting your daughter go. There is nothing I won’t do to be with her.”
Now I won’t lie, but Lorenzo’s hard expression scared the bejesus out of me. But luckily I still had my balls intact and never took my eyes off him once. Like two male lion’s Lorenzo and I had what I would call the stare-off from hell.
Then he glanced at Antonio, who nodded—then he glanced at Dante, who nodded—then at Anderson, who also nodded.
What the fuck are they doing?
“Well then,” Lorenzo focused his gaze on me. “Since you say there’s nothing you won’t do for my daughter, I think we can come to some sort of an arrangement.”
Chapter 24
KARINA
Two months later.
I’m so fucking nervous. I can’t remember ever being this nervous. What if he did this, then regretted it a year from now, or five years from now—or twenty years from now? What if he woke up one morning realizing the price he paid to be with me was just too much? My stomach was twisted into a thousand tiny little knots, my lungs constricted to a point where it was hard to breathe. For the last few weeks he kept on reassuring me that there was nothing to worry about, that this was what he wanted to do. Apparently he had a huge change of heart after hearing Anderson’s story about his little niece’s murder and the justice my father had given him. I had to admit, hearing that story also gave me a new perspective over my family’s doings. Sure they had their questionable operations, but I realized that in the end they helped the people who needed it the most.
I glanced at the clock against my dad’s study wall. It’s been over an hour, and my nerves were hanging on a damn thread. Even though I begged him to reconsider, told him that he didn’t have to this for me, that I would be with him no matter what, he still wanted to go through with this. Yes, there was a part of me that was flooded with relief when he told me he wanted to do this. It would make my life so much easier. But it was his life I was worried about.
“Princess.”
I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes, letting his voice rush over me. We’ve been together for two months now and it feels like our connection keeps intensifying with every passing day. He stepped up behind me, his chest against my back. I’ll never get used to the amazing electricity that always crackled around us whenever we were this close.
I don’t turn around. “Is it done?”
“It’s done.” He leaned down placing his cheek against the side of my neck. The warmth of his breath sends shivers throughout my body, all the way straight to my toes. I don’t think I will ever get used to feeling this way about him. My body would never tire of all the amazing sensations he so expertly stirred within me whenever he was near.
“I meant it when I said there’s nothing I won’t do for you.”
“That’s how you feel now. What if you change your mind later?” Doubt was my worst enemy.
He swept my hair over my shoulder. “I won’t. I’ll never regret my decision as long as I have you in my life,” he presses his lips lightly against my ear, “and in my heart,” his lips found the crook of my neck, “and in my bed.”
He gripped my hips and pulled me back against him, letting me feel how much he desires me. My own desire flared up between my legs and my body instantly became electrified. I was sure it would never fade, this flame burning between us. It was just too strong, burned too bright for it to ever sizzle down to anything less than magnificent.
I leaned my head to the side granting him more access to my skin. “I’ll always be with you, Lorik.”
“And I’ll never regret choosing you, princess.” His tongue lapped over the bare skin of my shoulder. During the last few weeks the amount of sleeveless dresses in my wardrobe had quadrupled since Lorik insisted that it was his favorite kind of dress on me.
His arms circled my waist, and I looked down to his hands. “Did it hurt?”
“I told you, you can’t hurt steel, baby.”
I snickered. “That’s what I love most about you, Lorik—your modesty.”
“And here I thought it was my bubbly personality and giant sized cock.”
“Oh yeah, it’s definitely because of your giant sized cock,” I teased, loving the way his kisses warmed my skin.
Abruptly he turned me around and I looked up at him. “Then I will continue to remind you why you love me by giving you my giant sized cock every goddamn day.”
“And I’ll make sure you never forget to remind me.”
I lifted myself on my toes, my taste buds tingling with the need to taste his mouth. My body was already primed to take him, to let him remind me. With his arms around me he pulled me against his chest causing me to clench my thighs for some relief from the ache he so expertly ignited in me. God, this man knew how to test the limits of my self-control. He knew it was probably the most difficult thing for me to do, to not always act on my desire and need for him. I mean, to start humping each other in the store or on your way to see a damn movie could get you arrested. But right here, right now I was willing to risk it since my body was screaming at me to give it the release and the ecstasy only Lorik could give.
“Ah hem.”
I freeze and glance over Lorik’s shoulder. “Antonio.”
Lorik dropped his hold around my waist, and I give a step back.
“Did I interrupt anything?”
“No—”
“Yes,” Lorik sneered. “Antonio, how many times do I have to tell you, you have to work on your timing, bro?”
I cringed when I heard Lorik call Antonio ‘bro.’ Antonio wasn’t as laidback as Dante, and he still needed to wrap his head around everything that’s happened, and that Lorik was now a permanent part of my life. My entire family had made a sacrifice by bending one of their own rules, rules that had been passed down from generation to generation. They were willing to accept him as the man I chose to spend the rest of my life with, but they had their own terms and conditions which Lorik had to accept if he wanted to be a part of my life. I tried to convince him that no matter what my family said, that if they didn’t accept him I was willing to give them up for him. My love and my need for him were too strong for me to even attempt to live without it. But he kept on saying that there was no sacrifice too big for him to have me, to be able to lay claim on me. He didn’t want me to choose between him and my family, he wanted to give me everything he had in his power to give me. And that’s what my family did, they gave him the power to give me the best of both worlds—my family…and him. Which was why we were here today, to solidify Lorik’s place in our family. His choice had been made…and his choice was me. He had even given up his old life, decided to adapt and embrace everything that a life with a Mafia princess entailed, and I don’t think I would ever be able to repay him. The only way I would ever be able to come even remotely close to thanking him was by loving him as intensely as I did now, for as long as we both shall live.
Antonio glanced in my direction. “You’re up.”
I looked at Lorik, nerves suddenly replacing the ache I had for him just a few seconds ago.
He noticed. He always noticed. It’s like the man had a direct line to every emotion I ever felt.
“Don’t worry, princess. It will be over before you know it.”
There was a time in my life that I was certain I’d never do this. To me, doing this meant my freedom, and I wasn’t willing to give up the little freedom I did have. But now, with Lorik by my side, I knew that I had all the freedom I needed just by being able to love him, and to be loved by him. There was nothing in this world that would ever make me hesitate when it came to proving my love for him, to make sure that nothing ever tore us apart. But I have to admit, thinking about what was about to happen had my insides balled into tight little bundles of nerves. I never did well with needles.
Lorik lifted his arm and I stared at the plastic wrappi
ng around his hand. The freshly tattooed wolf symbol on his upper hand was only partly visible under the protective wrapping. But it was there, and it was not only the symbol of our family, it now became the symbol of the commitment Lorik and I shared.
He lifted his finger and showed me where it had been pricked. “This hurt more than the tattoo, believe me.”
I shuddered, thinking about the pain and secretly thanked God that I didn’t have to go through the entire initiation process. From what I heard it was quite intense…and painful.
“I still can’t believe you did this for me,” I whispered, feeling a lump form in the back of my throat.
“It wasn’t that bad. I expected worse from the initiation actually. The horror stories one hears about initiation ceremonies within the Mafia gave me the cold fucking sweats.” He smiled down at me. “But your dad was gentle.”
I let out a laugh thinking about Lorenzo Valenti being gentle. He wasn’t the gentle type, but somehow I suspected he was only gentle because of me, because he knew I would have brought down the wrath of hell on all of them like only an Italian woman can if they hurt my man. My man. It all felt so surreal, us being able to be together. The fact that Lorik quit the force to be with me, that he gave up everything he believed in to join my family was something I would never be able to fully repay him for. And the fact that my father and brothers were willing to bend the rules they upheld with an iron fist to accept an ex-cop into their circle was the best gift they could ever have given me. Like I said—surreal.
“Karina, are you ready?” Antonio asked, shifting impatiently from one side to the other. Okay, it’s still going to take Antonio a while to get used to all the changes, but I’m patient, and luckily Lorik is too stubborn for it to bother him.
I rubbed my wrist. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
Lorik grabs me around my waist and lifted me up, planting a hard, desperate, passionate kiss against my lips. I instantly melted into him, my heart no longer beating, but racing like crazy. I pray that the fire burning between us never fades, never dies. But judging by the way it keeps on strengthening every time we’re together, I doubt it ever will.
He peeled his lips from mine, cupping my cheek and rubbing his thumb gently over my bottom lip.
“Now get inked, princess, so that we can get out of here. I have a very pressing need to do some reminding.”
“Now that’s enough motivation for me.” I’d probably get twenty fucking tattoos if it meant I could get home and spread my legs for the man I love with all my heart.
I turned and walked toward Antonio. A life I never thought I wanted was now the life I was about to embrace. I’m about to accept the wolf, to permanently commit myself to my family all the while I had a future with Lorik to look forward to. That alone was worth everything.
Just as I got to the door, I turned back and smiled at Lorik. “I love you.”
His lips curved up at the sides. “I love you too…my Mafia Princess.”
***
LORIK
I watched as Karina left with Antonio. She was nervous. It was written all over her face as she glanced back at me just as she walked out the door. I knew it bothered her, the decision I made. During the last two months she kept on trying to convince me to reconsider. Not because she didn’t want me to do this, but because she was afraid that I would one day regret it. And the truth was, I won’t. I would never regret choosing her, choosing a life with her above my old life. She was my life now, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. She was mine now, and that was all that mattered.
Lifting my hand I stare at the new tattoo on my skin. It hurt like a motherfucker, but I couldn’t tell her that. She was about to get the same symbol tattooed on her wrist and I didn’t want to make her even more nervous.
The symbol on the top of my hand proved that I was a wolf now. I vowed to be loyal to the Valenti family, to uphold their laws and to do what was expected of me. And even though Karina was the most important reason for me making this decision, she wasn’t the only reason. After hearing Anderson’s story about how our justice system failed his niece and how Lorenzo gave Anderson and his family the justice they needed to be able to move on, I realized that not everything in life was black and white. For years I chased after the Valentis believing that they were the scum of the earth who didn’t give a fuck about any laws but their own. But I was wrong, I know that now.
My decision to become a part of the Valenti family didn’t mean that I was now blinded to all the questionable businesses they ran, but it meant that my eyes had opened to all the good they had brought to the people of Boston over the years. The Valentis took care of the people who needed it the most, brought justice to those who deserved it. Everything they did, they did it for the greater good, and I was willing to live with that—to be a part of that.
I rub the finger Lorenzo had pricked earlier. Watching my blood drip on a card bearing the image of St. Francis while Lorenzo said, ‘This drop of blood symbolizes your birth into our family, we are one until death,’ then witnessing him setting that card on fire was real powerful shit. I’ve heard about the Mafia initiation, and I always found the notion of it absurd and just creepy. But while I stood there watching the card with my blood on burn into nothing but ash, solidifying my place in their family, it gave me a real strong sense of belonging. By doing this I didn’t just vow to be loyal to the Valentis, I also showed the depth of my commitment to Karina—to the daughter of the man who had now become my Boss.
Like I said, powerful shit.
I inhaled and roughed my hand through my hair before deciding to pour myself a drink while I waited for my woman to get branded as well. My woman. God it felt good thinking of her in that way.
I flopped down on the very expensive looking leather couch and let my mind drift to thoughts of the future. Thoughts of how Karina was now mine and how I was going to enjoy every goddamn minute of it. For a while there her pussy had forbidden written all over it, but now because of a symbol marked on my skin and because of my vow to put her and her family first I had every fucking right to claim that sweet Heaven between her legs every time I wanted to—and no one could do shit about it.
“With that look on your face I shudder to think what the hell is going on in that dirty mind of yours.”
I look up and spot Dante standing in the doorway. “Oh you have no idea how dirty this mind of mine really is.”
“Oh God, stop.” Dante held his hands up. “If those dirty thoughts have anything to do with my little sister I’m going to be forced to put a bullet in your spine.”
I grinned like a fucking idiot. “Then you better load that gun of yours…brother.”
“Good God, you’re an asshole.”
I laughed as Dante took a seat on the couch across from me. Dante was the brother I liked the most. He didn’t go around acting like someone who had a stick up his ass like Antonio did. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that Dante and I had some sort of friendship brewing. We might end up being drinking partners very soon—which was a big fucking deal in the world of manly friendships.
“For the life of me I don’t know what my sister sees in you.”
“Oh that’s easy it’s because of my big—”
“For the love of Christ do not finish that sentence.”
I burst out laughing, and Dante snickered.
I nod toward the door. “She done?”
“Yeah. The tattoo she got isn’t as detailed as ours.”
“Where is she?”
Dante got up and walked to the table and poured himself a drink. “I think she’s having a little father-daughter bonding time.”
“Ah.” I nodded.
When Dante took his seat again, I noticed the hard look on his face and immediately knew something was up.
“What is it?”
Dante glanced up at me while twirling the tumbler glass in his hand. “You’re officially a part of this family now, Stone. That means you’re gonna have a lot of catching up
to do, starting with the Mancusos.”
I leaned forward placing my elbows on my knees. “What’s going on?”
“This war between us and the Mancusos is far from over. In fact, I suspect it’s only just begun.”
“What makes you think that?”
When he looked away like he was unable to look me in the eye anymore, I knew what it was.
“It’s me, isn’t it?”
He gulped back his entire drink and slammed the glass down on the table in front of him. “You killed Enzio Mancuso, the heir to the Mancuso throne, so to speak. So I’m pretty sure all hell is about to break lose.”
I jerk out of my seat. “That fucker kidnapped Karina and tried to force her to marry him. God knows what he would have done to her if we didn’t find her in time.”
“I know. I know that. But the fact remains you killed him which means that the war that lies ahead would make the past battles seem like child’s play.”
With anger pulsing through my veins, my vision nothing but shades of red I start pacing up and down, the itch to take care of those fuckers once and for all crawling all over my skin. “They won’t get near her, Dante. I will tear anyone who dares to come near her the fuck apart. She belongs to me and no one will take her from me.”
Dante’s expression settled into a somber look when his eyes finally met mine. “It’s not my sister they want anymore, Stone.”
The prickle of warning in the back of my skull travelled all the way down my spine as the realization dawned on me. Of course they don’t want Karina anymore. The only reason she had been the target was because of Enzio’s sick obsession with her. But he’s dead, killed by my hand, and that means…
“They want me.”
Dante didn’t move. “Not all of you.”
“What does that mean?” I stared at him with confusion.
“What they want is revenge for what has been taken away from them—their blood. They want payment for the wrong that has been done to them.”