We finished up just as the limo glided to a stop in front of our building. Opening the door, I climbed out, then reached down to take Carly’s hand and help her from the car. Keeping it firmly grasped in mine I turned towards the door and scowled, seeing McKinnon lingering there.
I tucked Carly securely into my side, with my arm tightly around her as we approached. “What the fuck are you doing here, McKinnon?”
He returned my dark expression then shifted his eyes to Carly and they softened. I didn’t like the way he looked at my woman, not in the least. My hand on her waist tightened, my fingers biting into the skin when she tried to wiggle out of my embrace.
“You okay?” he asked her softly.
“She’s fine,” I bit out. “Now answer me, why are you here?”
Carly’s arm snaked around my back and she pinched my ass, hard. I couldn’t help grinning, earning a confused look from Tommy, and an irritated huff from my kitten.
“I’m really, okay, Tommy. You don’t have to worry about me being with Brandon.”
He looked skeptical, and I weighed the repercussions with Carly if I was to break his jaw and maybe a rib or two. Considering her acquiescence in the car, I decided he got a pass this time.
“Can we go inside?” he asked, and before I could tell him fuck no, Carly agreed and gave me another firm pinch on the ass.
I really couldn’t deny her anything, she was too fucking adorable. We shuffled into the apartment and I dragged Carly with me over to the couch, not willing to let her go yet. It probably wasn’t necessary to be so obviously staking my claim, but I didn’t give a fuck.
She sighed and settled back into my embrace, mollifying me a bit. Tommy sat across from us on another black, leather couch. He folded his arms across his chest and looked directly at me when he spoke. “Trouble’s already brewing. Sean’s been running the trafficking side of the business for a while now and he’s got them convinced he’s in charge now, spreading the word of his engagement to the O’Reilly heir.”
I practically snarled at Tommy, but Carly put a hand on my thigh, slowly rubbing it, soothing my ire. She was there, in my arms, and she was mine.
“Stall the ball, for feck’s sake,” he condescended, rolling his eyes. He looked to Carly then. “As for the drugs, the word of your backing from the DeLucas has gotten out. But, I still think you’re going to run into some trouble shutting things down. You can’t be hidin’ out, but I suggest you get some major security in place until things calm down.” He paused and his eyes bounced between Carly and me a couple of times. “What do you plan on doing about the gun running?” he asked warily.
Carly waved a hand dismissively. “We’ll leave it to the DeLucas.” We hadn’t fully discussed what sides of the business she wanted to hang onto, but I wasn’t surprised. She was smart enough to know it was the best solution. “I want to stick with the antiquities and stones.” Again, not a surprise to me. Carly was a talented thief and if there was any area where she would truly excel, it was dealing in high-priced, stolen merchandise. “As far as our legitimate enterprises,” she continued, “I want the drugs out of the pubs and we’re going to expand. I want three more pubs opened in the next two years.” She kept talking, explaining her plans, and not only was I unbelievably impressed, it was turning me the fuck on.
Tommy listened intently and I could see he also had great respect for my woman. There wasn’t an ounce of lust in his gaze and it very slightly appeased me at knowing they would be working together. But, I was still going to make him go through me. Anyone who needed to get to Carly would be going through me. It’s why Nic and I had already started the transition of replacing me as his number two.
Finally, our talk of business concluded and I was ready to show McKinnon the door. I was so hard it was painful and I was desperate to be buried deep inside my woman. But, Tommy seemed to have something else on his mind.
“What is it, McKinnon? Spit it out.”
“What do you intend ta do about Sean?”
My eyes narrowed and my voice was deadly when I responded, “What do you think I’m going to do, Tommy? He’s a threat to my fiancée”—Tommy flinched at the word and I inwardly smiled with glee, even though Carly stiffened beside me—“and anyone who becomes a threat to her will find themselves taking a dirt nap.”
Chapter 3
Carly
“You’re a strong man,” I murmured as soon as Tommy left Brandon and I alone. “Powerful in your own right.”
“I am.”
I was glad he didn’t deny it since there was no point. He’d worked hard to gain the reputation he’d built within the DeLuca family. Earned the fear he instilled in others. He was unapologetic about who and what he was. It was part of what drew me towards him, the edge of danger he exuded while still managing to make me feel safe. It was quite the heady combination. Well, that, and the insane amount of chemistry which sizzled between us, even when we’d first met and he was acting like a complete bastard. But, his strength and reputation were also one of the things that concerned me most when I thought about our future together.
“Taking over my da’s role as the head of the O’Reillys is going to be tough as hell. There will be some who will balk at following a woman, even if she’s the only one of them who had the balls to off big, bad Pat O’Reilly.” Sarcasm was thick in my tone since we both knew I wasn’t the one who’d killed my da. Then again, neither of us were in doubt that I would’ve, if given the chance, regardless of the regret it might have caused me in the future. It didn’t matter either way, because as far as my family and the rest of the dark world we inhabited knew, I was a bitch enough to have killed my own father.
“They can balk all they want. It’s not going to change a damn thing. Not with Nic behind you and me at your side,” he grumbled, pulling me onto his lap.
His confidence was astounding. I wished I had some of it. “And how’s that going to work exactly? If we get married right away, while I’m still finding my place, don’t you think it will make me look weak? Like I need to stand behind a man to lead my family?”
His fingers tightened on my hips as he turned me until I straddled his lap, my knees resting on the couch cushions on either side of his thighs. Once he had me exactly where he wanted me, he lowered his head until our noses were almost touching each other. When he spoke, I felt his lips move against mine. “First of all, there’s no need for you to find your place. You’re the boss of the O’Reillys. It’s over and done with, your place is already secured.”
“It’s not that simple,” I argued, my words swallowed by his mouth as he claimed mine in a punishing kiss. By the time he lifted his head, both our chests were heaving.
“I wasn’t done,” he rumbled, not giving me time to chime in before he continued. “Secondly, there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You are marrying me. You’ll be saying your ‘I do’s’ this week, just like you agreed to in the back of the limo.”
“You mean what you seduced me into saying while you tortured me by not letting me come,” I mumbled irritably.
“And you enjoyed every damn second of my torture,” he answered smugly.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I wouldn’t say enjoy exactly.”
“You’re right, it’s not a strong enough word to describe the way your pussy squeezed my cock when you climaxed all over me.”
I wanted to stomp my foot in frustration, but since I was perched on his lap it wasn’t exactly an option. I lifted my left hand and pointed at my ring finger. “You seem to have skipped a step, Mr. Smartypants.”
“You’ll do well to never underestimate me, kitten,” he growled, dumping me onto my back on the couch cushions before stalking over to the suit jacket he’d tossed onto the chair. When he pulled a tiny black box from the inside pocket, my jaw dropped open.
“Where the hell did that come from?” I gasped, scrambling onto my feet, only to have Brandon tug me back down to a sitting position as he kneeled at my feet.
“The je
welry store,” he deadpanned. Using his thumb, he flipped open the lid of the box and I was struck silent in awe at the ring nestled inside.
“You got me a Claddagh?”
“I stumbled across them while I was searching for rings online,” he explained. “When I read about the meaning behind them, I knew it was exactly what I wanted.”
“Love,” I whispered, running my fingertip over the huge heart-shaped emerald nestled in the center of the ring. “Friendship,” I continued, staring at the hands on either side of the stone.
“And loyalty,” Brandon finished, referring to the crown. “Because you’ll have mine. Unconditionally, just like my love for you.”
“Oh, Brandon,” I cried, tears streaming down my cheeks at his beautiful declaration. “I wish it were different, but your first loyalty has to be with Nic and the DeLucas. You’re his second. His enforcer. Even with the alliance, there’s bound to be times when you’ll be torn between what I want and what he needs.”
His thumb swept over my face, brushing the tears away. “And that brings me to my third point. You won’t be standing behind the DeLuca enforcer; you’ll be standing beside your husband. But, behind your protector. Your enforcer. In order to get to you, everyone will go through me.”
“Mine?” What he was suggesting was unheard of. He wasn’t Irish, wasn’t part of the O’Reilly family, and was part of a family we’d been at war with for years. The alliance changed things, and so would our marriage, but it wasn’t going to alter the way our world worked overnight. “What does Nic have to say about this?”
“He supports it one-hundred-percent. So much so that he’s already selected my replacement.” His answer stunned me. My shock must have been evident because Brandon smiled down at me before he continued. “How could he not understand when he has Anna in his life? He’d make the same decision as me if our roles were reversed, and he’d have my full support. We’re family and he wants me to be happy.”
“But will you be happy? It means you’ll follow my lead, at least when it comes to business, and you’ll do it surrounded by men who won’t trust you because of you are.”
“I know I have what it takes to be the boss.” My heart fell at his answer, only to quickly leap again when he continued. “But it’s not what I want for myself. I’ll be your first line of defense, but the final word will be yours or ours. You’re the brains, kitten. I’m the brawn.” He winked and warmth infused me. “I was raised to be an enforcer, and I’m damn good at my job. I never once resented Nic for the role he was born to play in the DeLuca organization. He’s my family, and I love him. Supporting him, protecting him, and doing the things he couldn’t do himself made me happy. But you, Carly O’Reilly soon-to-be DeLuca, mean more to me than my cousin ever could. You’re my heart. My future. My everything. I’ll be damn proud to offer you my support and protection. To make sure you never come to harm. And to fucking do whatever needs to be done to make sure you and the family we build together thrives.”
“What in the hell did I ever do to deserve you?” I cried.
“You survived so I could find you.”
I knew he meant more than just surviving the last month or so while I was on the run and he searched for me, but my childhood was a place I never wanted to visit again. “It’s a damn shame the men underneath me won’t trust you.”
“No other man will ever be underneath you,” he growled.
“You know what I meant,” I huffed.
“It’s only fair they don’t trust me because I don’t trust them, especially not when it comes to your safety. There’s only one man I trust with you, and that’s me. So the decision’s a simple one. I need you safe, and you need to lead the O’Reillys. The only way we’ll accomplish both is as a team, with me by your side.”
When he put it that way, it was impossible to argue, even if this decision might get us both killed.
He lifted the ring from the box, and the diamonds lining the band glinted in the light. “I’ve never seen a Claddagh that was quite so fancy before.”
“You know us Italian mafia types. We like our flashy things,” he joked as he slid the ring onto my finger. “Plus, I want you to have the absolute best of everything.”
“I already have the best,” I whispered, leaning down to rest my lips against his. “I have you.”
“Then you’ll marry me this week?”
It was crazy, but I wanted be his wife. To live out my years by his side, raising a family together, even if we were stuck doing it in a world I’d desperately wanted to escape for so long. And I didn’t want to wait. Didn’t want to waste a single minute of the time we had together. “I don’t know, maybe you should try convincing me again,” I teased, pulling on his tie so he tumbled onto the couch with me, where he proved to be thoroughly persuasive. Twice.
Chapter 4
Brandon
“Relax, kitten,” I soothed as I put my hand on the back of her neck and gently kissed her temple. “They’re going to love you.”
I steered Carly towards the door of an apartment building in the heart of Little Italy. She walked stiffly beside me, her body strung tighter than a drum.
“This is crazy, Bran. I shot you, how can you think they’ll love me?”
I stopped when I reached the door and faced her, placing both hands on her neck and using my thumbs to lift her head so our eyes met. “First of all, my mother doesn’t know and it’s probably best if we keep it that way until she’s had a chance to get to know my gorgeous fiancée.” She looked skeptical, but I pushed on. “Second, my brothers will probably hand you a gun and ask if they can watch this time,” I finished dryly.
Carly giggled and the sound filled me with contentment. I loved the sound of her joy. Her face took on a thoughtful expression, “Bran, how come your name isn’t Italian?”
I laughed and grinned. “Actually, it is. My mother is half English and wanted to name us more traditional names”—I winked at her—“Like you, she can be very persuasive. In the end, they compromised. My father chose Italian names, but they are all spelled the English way.”
She giggled again and I couldn’t help pulling her in close. I kissed her deeply, hoping to melt away some of her nervousness. When I pulled back, she looked dazed and I grinned.
Her hand came up to touch her lips and as her eyes cleared of passion, she began to frown. “Brandon!” she hissed. “I can’t meet your mother looking like I’ve just had my tongue in her son’s mouth!”
I laughed and winked as I slung my arm around her shoulders. “She had six boys, kitten. She knows how babies are made.”
Carly’s jaw dropped and she sputtered, “We weren’t—she wouldn’t think we just—” I kissed her again, effectively shutting her up and led her into my mother’s home.
“Ma!” I called out as we walked into the first apartment door on the right. All five of my brothers were lounging in the front room, watching a Sunday football game. Every head turned in our direction and a wicked gleam slowly entered all of their eyes. If it were anyone but Carly under my arm, I might not have allowed my brothers to meet my woman all at once. They could be overwhelming and they were always a group of annoying bastards, but I knew she was strong enough to handle them.
“Fratelli,” I said in a low voice, my eyes narrowed in a warning for them to behave. “This is my fiancée, Carly. Try not to be your normal jackass selves and scare her off.”
Five rascally grins were their response and I groaned inside, knowing the stupidity they were capable of. Carly smiled and waved, chuckling at their terrible attempts to appear innocent.
I sighed and pointed as I introduced the group. “My oldest brother, Christian, I’m next in the lineup, then Luca, the twins Tristan and Gavin, and the baby, Adam.”
Each one stood and scooped her up into a big bear hug, forcing me to growl, “Get away from my woman, dipshits.”
“Brandon!” A gravelly, yet feminine voice brought my head around and my mouth turned up as I spied my mother walkin
g into the room from the kitchen. Maria DeLuca was a petite woman, with dark hair and whiskey-colored eyes, which were currently dancing with joy.
I grabbed Carly’s hand and dragged her over to meet the second most important woman in my life. “Mamma,” I greeted warmly, letting go of Carly’s hand to kiss my mamma’s cheek and gently hug her. “Where is Dad?”
Mamma rolled her eyes and patted my cheeks, as though I were still her baby. “Working, but he’ll be here for dinner. He’s as anxious to meet your lady as the rest of us.”
Twisting, I took hold of Carly’s hand and tugged her over to stand in front of me, wrapping my arms around her waist. “This is Carly, my fiancée.”
Carly stuck her hand out but my mother was having none of that. She pinched my arm, forcing me to open my arms, and embraced my beautiful girl. My ma was quite a bit shorter than Carly and she had to bend over slightly to return the hug, her sexy ass pushing back into my groin. Shit. It was one thing to show off my woman’s thoroughly kissed lips, but I wasn’t very keen of spending an afternoon with my mother and brothers, sporting a hard on.
“Welcome to the family, my dear.” Standing back, my mother scowled at me and I squirmed uncomfortably under her stare, my erection quickly deflating. “While I’m beyond excited to be getting a daughter, I don’t understand the rush.”
“It’s family business, Ma.” The stress on my word making it clear which business I was referring to. Then, Carly took the love I felt for her and made it grow so big, I felt as though I would either burst or simply float away.
She took my mamma’s hands and said quietly, “I promise the haste is necessary, Mrs. DeLuca. But, I was hoping you would be willing to do me a favor. My mother passed away when I was very young. And honestly, this girly stuff is kind of lost on me. Would you help me? I don’t think I could get a wedding together in a year on my own, much less a few days. I would be so grateful.”
Mamma clasped a hand over her mouth and a few tears escaped her eyes. I understood they were tears of happiness, but fuck, I hated it when she or Carly cried.
Power (Mafia Ties: Brandon & Carly Book 2) Page 2