Top Dog_A Mafia Romance

by Rye Hart

  “Because he had come looking for my sister about a year after she left him and saw that she had baby that was only a few months old. He was never that smart, but he’d done the math and figured out Lanie was his. He still didn’t really care at the time, and when my sister died, he still didn’t step forward. I am my sister’s only living next of kin, so by law, she came to me as long as I wanted her. And I did. Now this asshole got a whiff of money, and he’s trying to play a game.”

  “So he’s only fighting you because he wants money?” I asked.

  Brian nodded curtly, and I could see the frustration and annoyance plain on his face. He didn’t like asking for help, or divulging too much information about himself, but he’d just done both. He grunted and huffed a sigh.

  I could tell he was done with the conversation, and I couldn’t blame him. The pain he must’ve been enduring and the loss he experienced while he was out here. I couldn’t imagine the sleepless nights he probably had. He lost his sister, and now he was faced with the possibility of losing his last connection to her

  “Look, can you watch her or not?” he asked again.

  “Of course, I can,” I said. “When do you want me over there?”

  “Could you come over Monday in the morning? Around breakfast?”

  “I’ll be there,” I said.

  “I’ll pay you for your time.”

  “Don’t worry about it. You go meet with your PI. It’ll be fine. Brian?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You know if you can prove that he’s on drugs and unfit, the courts will never award Lanie to him, right?” I asked.

  “That’s why I’m meeting with the PI,” he said.

  “No one in their right mind would that girl away from you,” I said.

  “This man knows how to cheat the system,” he said. “I’m isolated up here. And he knows he can use that against me in court. He can paint me as someone who abandoned my family when life got too hard and—”

  Brian bowed his head to his feet, and I started wondering what kind of life he’d led. What had happened to draw him to the mountains in the first place? Did he have a job? What did he do for money? What had happened to pull him away from his family? What was he so ashamed of?

  He was such a mystery, and I found myself drawn into his story.

  “He’s slimy, Amanda. But he knows how the system works. I have to be prepared, and I can’t assume anything,” he said.

  “Well, Lanie’s taken care of. So do what you have to do,” I said.

  “Thank you.”

  Even though our conversation had wrapped up, I could see his hands shaking. He was clinging to the edge of the island counter, and it was cracking underneath his grasp. He released it quickly and glanced over at me, his eyes curious but filled with fear. I walked over to him and took his hands in mine, then brought them to my lips to kiss.

  “Take a deep breath, Brian. You’re shaking.”

  I wanted him to calm down. I wanted him to be okay. The sight of someone so big and strong, so clearly struggling for control of his emotions unlocked something deep inside me. I held his hands in mine as I looked up into his eyes, and I found myself being swallowed by them. They were beautiful. The color of the sky on a bright summer’s day. I stepped into his body and released his hands, then threaded my arms around his neck and pulled him close to me.

  “It’s going to be okay,” I said. “No one’s taking Lanie away from you.”

  His hands wrapped me up, and I sighed into his neck. He turned his lips to my skin, and I could’ve sworn I felt their warmth. My skin puckered and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I pulled back to take in his eyes once more, giving myself one last chance to revel in their beauty.

  Then, without a word, he kissed me.

  It was hesitant at first. Light and non-committal. His lips were pillow soft, and his beard tickled my cheeks. His hands slid down my back before they cupped my ass, and immediately I found my nipples tightening to sharp peaks. Brian’s tongue swiped lightly at my lips, asking for entrance.

  I fisted his shirt and pulled him even closer, and it unleashed the madman inside.

  Picking me up off the floor, he settled me on the counter. Its rickety form creaked underneath my body weight, but Brian held me steady and close to him. His kisses trickled down my neck, sending shivers up my spine as his mouth cupped my clothed breasts.

  My hands were twirling into the tresses of his hair as he traveled down my body.

  His hands were everywhere. Cupping my tits and running down my side. They made quick work of my pants, pulling the heated material from my body. The cool mountain air streaming in from the open kitchen window hit my pussy, causing me to shiver as his eyes looked down upon me.

  They were hungry, and I knew exactly what he was hungry for.

  He grabbed a chair from the other side of the island and sat down. His hands pressed my legs open, folding them back up to me as he eyed my dripping pussy. I was exposed to him, shivering on top of the creaking countertop as I looked down at him.

  His eyes hooked on mine one last time before his lips descended to my folds.

  He kissed them repeatedly, making me jump and whimper. His beard tickled the insides of my thighs as I slowly wrapped my legs around his head. My fingers ran through his hair as his tongue pierced my folds, sliding right into my entrance. I arched into him as my nails raked across his scalp, and his hands wrapped around my thighs so he could pull me closer to him.

  His tongue felt like fire as he teased electricity up and down my legs. His tongue licked thick stripes up my slit, then swallowed down my juices as he hummed into me. His voice rattled my ribcage, and his hands held me down, pinning my movements to the countertop as his tongue worked my clit.

  I could feel myself dripping into his beard. I could feel my legs trembling against his back. His lips wrapped around my clit and pulled it into his mouth, his tongue flicking at lightning speed. I was breathless and at his mercy as my eyes watered with want. I gripped onto his hair as I tried to buck into him, wanting to chase my high on the tip of his tongue.

  But his hands held me down as he teased me generously, turning me into a moaning mess.

  “Please, Brian. Oh, please. I can’t. I can’t wait. You’re driving me crazy.”

  I felt him smile into me as my back arched again. I wanted to be so close to him. I wanted to come at the ministrations of his tongue. If he would let me come, I could give him what he wanted. If he could release me, my name would tumble from his lips.

  If he could just send me over the edge, I would give him something in return.

  Finally, his hands gave way. They slid down my thighs and parted my knees once again. I rocked into him as much as I could as he pinned my knees toward my chest. His entire body was hovering over me as his eyes hooked onto my face. I could feel sweat gathering at the nape of my neck. I could feel my body flushing with orgasmic delight. His tongue flattened out over my clit as juices dripped down my ass crack.

  I was so close I could taste it.

  “Come for me,” he said. “Show me how much you want it.”

  My back bowed like an overstrung violin as my orgasm exploded through me. My legs shook and my abs contracted. My tits bounced, and my eyes screwed shut. Stars burst in the darkness of my vision as my hands gripped his hair, pulling him closer and closer as my pussy throbbed for more. His tongue worked me expertly, throwing me quickly into a second orgasm that peeled his name from my throat.

  “Brian! Holy shit! Oh, Brian.”

  I collapsed onto the kitchen counter with a thud as it creaked and wobbled. Brian lapped at me one last time, cleaning my pussy with his tongue before he gathered me into his arms. He sat us in the chair as I straddled his lap, my face panting into the crook of his neck. Every cell of my body was buzzing with electricity, and it took me a lifetime to find my voice again.

  “Give me a second, and I’ll be ready,” I said breathlessly.

  But all he did was place a c
haste kiss on the top of my head before he picked me up.

  He carried me over to the couch and laid me down. He pulled a blanket over my half-naked body, then tucked me in as he knelt down next to me. I could see my arousal glistening in his beard as a flush crossed my cheeks, and for the first time since I’d met Brian, I saw him smile.

  “I have to go,” he said. “Tanya will be leaving soon, and I have some things to do around the house.”

  “Oh,” I said, nodding. “Okay.”

  His chuckle was low and resounding, filling the corners of the room as his smile dwindled into a smirk.

  “I’ll see you Monday after breakfast,” he said.

  “Please stay,” I said in a whisper.

  His grin fell from his cheeks, and his eyes began to darken. He stood up from the edge of the couch and slowly made his way to the door. He wiped my essence off his face with the sleeve of his shirt, then grasped the doorknob before he turned to look back at me. I hated that he had to leave. I hated that I couldn’t reciprocate anything. He was the sexiest man I’d ever come into contact with, and he was going through hell right now. I wanted to give him a distraction. He had devoured my body as if it had been his first meal in days, and I was about to pass out right here on this couch.

  I didn’t want to wake up alone.

  “Goodbye, Amanda,” he said.

  Then, Brian took his leave.

  I curled up on the couch as I listened to his steps retreat. No matter how badly I wanted him, I knew I had to take it slow. He did go through a marriage he regretted and a divorce that probably drove him to these mountains in the first place. He was probably still nursing a broken heart and had plenty on his plate with Lanie. No matter how quickly I wanted to have him, I knew I had to take it slow with him. For all his muscles and calluses on his hands from hard work, he was in a very delicate place.

  And I needed to understand that, no matter how much him leaving hurt.

  CHAPTER 10

  BRIAN

  I rolled over and woke up to the smell of Amanda still tucked away in my beard. It was an intoxicating smell. One I’d lost myself in yesterday. I laid there and closed my eyes, remembering the smooth movements her body made. She had practically begged for me. Her body had trembled underneath my fingertips. It had been years since I’d felt that powerful. The way she came against my lips not once, but twice, swelled me with a pride I hadn’t allowed myself to enjoy in almost a decade.

  Ever since I’d first gotten married.

  A knock at the cabin door pulled me from my thoughts. My feet hit the floor as I pulled a shirt on over my head. Lanie was still sleeping, and I was thankful for that because if Lanie’s father was at my front door again, I was going to beat the shit out of him.

  But instead, I opened the door and found Amanda.

  She was standing there in a sexy little number. Tight jeans, ballet flats, and a sweater that was hanging off her shoulder. Her hair was tossed up into a bun and earrings dangled from her ears, and her cheeks and nose were rosy from the cold morning mountain air.

  “I brought cinnamon rolls,” she said.

  I looked down at the pan of piping hot rolls and grinned. The looked delicious and I knew the sugary smell would wake Lanie up soon. I stepped to the side and allowed her to come in, my eyes studying the sway of her hips.

  I didn’t even think she was trying to be seductive; she just naturally was.

  “Where do you want me to put them?” she asked.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” I said, motioning toward the counter.

  “It’s not a problem, really. I figured after what you told me yesterday, you could use a break from making breakfast.”

  Her eyes fell on mine, and I could feel the tension growing between us.

  “Would you like me to get us some milk with these?” she asked.

  “I can get that,” I said. “You stay put.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Because I hear Lanie stirring.”

  “Cimmamom?” Lanie asked.

  “Lanie?” Amanda asked.

  I watched as Lanie’s face lit up as she came around the corner. My niece threw herself at Amanda, wrapping her small little arms around her neck. The smile that grew on Amanda’s cheeks warmed my gut. The way she cradled Lanie in her arms, delicately but protectively, struck a chord deep in my soul.

  “Good morning, beautiful,” Amanda said. “How did you sleep?”

  “Good. You want cimmamom?” Lanie asked, pronouncing it only as her three-year-old self could.

  “I most certainly do. Would you like a cinnamon roll?”

  “Two!” Lanie said.

  “Two cinnamon rolls? I don’t know, we might want to ask Uncle Brian,” Amanda said.

  “Pleeeeeeease?” Lanie asked.

  “You can have one to start, and if you want another afterward you can have it,” I said.

  “Yes! Sit by me, Amana.”

  I watched the girls sit at the table as I poured Lanie a glass of milk. I started coffee brewing for both Amanda and me, knowing I sure as hell could use it. I put a plate in front of both Amanda and Lanie, then I watched as my niece quickly grabbed a cinnamon roll and shoved it into her mouth.

  “Brian?” Amanda said.

  “Yeah?” I asked.

  “Could I bother you for a fork and a knife?”

  Furrowing my brow, I pulled out the silverware Amanda asked for. I handed it to her across the table, watching her as the scent of coffee filled the room. She speared a cinnamon roll and put it on her plate, then proceeded to cut it up with her knife. I watched her curiously as she took bites of it with her fork, her lips wrapping around the silverware effortlessly.

  I could feel all the blood rushing to my cock at the sight of it.

  “Do you eat everything with a fork and a knife?” I asked.

  “Yeah. Just a habit from my childhood,” she said. “My grandmother was a stickler for manners.”

  “Ah. Old school.”

  “You have no idea,” she said, giggling.

  Her laughter was nice, and I felt a lightness spread through my chest at the sound of it.

  “Do you like hiking?” I asked as I poured us coffee.

  “I do. I hiked around here all the time as a kid.”

  “Would you want to come with Lanie and I on a hike, then? We could use a familiar perspective.”

  “Well, I haven’t hiked around here in years, but I’d still love to go,” she said.

  “Yay! Hike!” Lanie said. “Amana come, too!”

  “Yes, I am,” Amanda said, smiling. “Are you excited?”

  I slid her mug of coffee to her across the table before I sat down.

  “I like bugs,” Lanie declared happily.

  “Bugs? You like bugs? I don’t like bugs, but I do like coming across creeks and rivers,” Amanda said. “What about you, Brian?”

  The girls were focused on me as my coffee cup paused in mid-air.

  “I enjoy how nature clears my head,” I said.

  “. You should like bugs,” Lanie said.

  Amanda snickered and tried to bite back her laughter as Lanie grabbed for another cinnamon roll.

  The three of us ate most of the cinnamon rolls before we left for our hike. Lanie kept running out in front of us, and Amanda was chasing her down. I watched the two of them interact before Lanie got tired. So I lifted her up and put her on my shoulders.

  The hike was beautiful. The sun was streaming through the trees, casting shadows and small rainbows on the foliage underneath our feet. Animals darted in and out of our path. Squirrels and does with their fawns, scampered across the tail. A buck crossed our path with a massive rack of horns and Lanie about came out of her skin. I watched as Amanda’s eyes darted around, taking in her surroundings with a gigantic smile on her face.

  I could tell her memories were pulling her back into a time when she was younger. A time when life was easier, and she felt freer than now.

  “I got lost back her
e once,” Amanda said.

  “Really?” I asked.

  “Yep. My grandmother had to come find me. She was so angry with me,” she said, giggling.

  “Did you ever come back out here after that?”

  “All the time. But I only ever got lost that once. I learned how to navigate these woods very well as a child.”

  “I take it everything looks familiar?” I asked.

  “The one thing you learn about the woods, Brian, is that they never look the same way twice. But, some features always stand out. Like the brook trickling water up the way to our left a little bit. Or that old abandoned treehouse we passed not too long ago.”

  “Was it your treehouse?” I asked.

  “I wish,” she said. “If you keep hiking three more miles straight, there’s another house. It’s been abandoned for a long time now, but there were boys there once. They built the treehouse.”

  “What happened to them?” I asked.

  “Eh, families grow up and get bigger. Having three boys requires a lot of space. They moved, and the house never sold.”

  I enjoyed listening to her stories. She talked about her childhood as if it was still happening. We weaved in and out of the trees, and she told me every story of every rock she ever came across. She told me about the first time she ever climbed a tree to the top. She showed me the first tree she ever fell out of. She described the view from the top of the tree as she looked over the whole of the mountain she lived on.

  “It was the first time I was aware of something greater than myself. I ran all the way back to my grandmother’s and tried to draw the picture for her,” Amanda said.

  “Let me guess. That was what hooked you on art.”

  “Most definitely,” she said, smiling.

  The hike was a success. We walked around for so long that we bypassed lunch altogether. When we finally made it back to the cabin, Lanie was ready to eat the kitchen table. I pulled out the soup Amanda brought us a few days ago and warmed it up, and we all ate together in a comfortable silence. It was easy and familiar.

  I never thought I’d ever experience that feeling again.

  “You okay there, sweetheart?” Amanda asked.