by Tara Oakes
I stand up tall and straighten my tie, cracking my neck. “Jealousy looks good on you, old man. Maybe one day you can do enough oil changes and tune-ups to save up and buy your very own great American muscle car, but until then, don’t even think you’re touching mine. I only let real professionals work on my baby.”
He laughs. “And which one is that? The car or the girl you let distract you?”
All kidding and joking has just turned a corner with that last comment. Joe’s a married man with three kids running amuck and yet he still finds time to step out on his woman. He’s much older than I am, but I’ve seen the way he appreciates Theresa’s… assets.
“Both. I’ll put a bullet in any man who tries to touch either. Capisce?”
Joe stares at me hard. “Keep your cool, kid. They’re not my type. Either of them. I like imports… not domestics.”
I gag a little. I’ve seen some of the “imports” he’s talking about. Russian girls no older than a schoolgirl. It’s disgusting.
“Boss says you’ve got a package for him,” I change the subject before this escalates further and I have to explain why I beat the man bloody with a wrench.
He waves his hand for me to follow through the aisles of car parts. I carefully step over the puddles of motor oil, and narrowly miss getting my tailored jacket caught on a nail from one of the support columns.
This place is a walking disaster, and his office is no better.
“Take a seat,” he says, offering me the chair facing his piece of crap desk with about a dozen trees worth of piled paper on it.
I take one look at the rickety metal-framed chair with a torn cushioned seat and decline his offer of uncharacteristic hospitality.
“I’m good, thanks.”
He rolls his eyes. “You know what your problem is, kid?”
I’m intrigued. “Besides a hostile work environment?”
Joe sits back and reclines in the half-broken chair of his own. “You don’t know how to show respect.”
I laugh. “Oh, I know how to show respect. I just do it a little differently than you. I’ve got the scar to prove it. Not to mention the bullet fragments only inches away from my kidney. You show your respect by sitting on your ass and making phone calls. Believe me, the boss prefers my kind of respect over yours any day of the week.”
He stands abruptly. “You little shit! You have no idea what I do on my end to protect this organization.”
“And I don’t?” I spit.
“Let’s just say your loyalty’s been questionable at best. The boss says you’ve got what it takes, but I don’t see it. I think you’re nothing but a pansy-assed little wannabe who flips sides when it’s convenient for you… when the tides turn and the grass looks greener somewhere else, you jump ship.”
We stand on high alert, facing each other, both ready to throw down. We’ve been skating around this for months now. He doesn’t trust me. He never has. He never will.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about. Give me the damn package,” I say through gritted teeth.
His eyes don’t flinch as he tosses the heavy paper envelope at me. The corner hits my chest hard but I catch it effortlessly.
“I’ll be watching you,” he threatens.
I smile broadly. “Make sure it’s my left side. That’s my good side.”
He snarls his lip at my smartass comment. He’s too serious that guy. I tuck the envelope under my arm, straighten my suit, and turn to leave.
~*~
His comments eat away at me the entire drive back to the estate. The more I think of them, the angrier they make me. He has no idea how loyal I am.
I’ve already explained myself over and over to Dom. The second I regained consciousness and was able to speak after being shot, I thanked Dom for having enough faith in me to give me the chance to explain myself.
There wasn’t all that much to explain, other than the truth.
I had wanted this all my life. To be part of this. It was supposed to be for his family from day one, for his father. But timing wasn’t on my side and when I was ready and old enough to take the oaths, the DiBenedetto family had all but disbanded.
My only options were to give up on the dream, the one thing I was meant to be, or to affiliate myself with the nearest ally. Mr. Moretti had positioned himself as a friend to the DiBenedetto family. He agreed to take me on as a soldier and I worked my way up, handling everything from running protection, to chasing out the competition. I earned respect in that outfit.
I was able to live by the code I had seen all the old-timers live and die by. Then when Dom had called on us needing assistance, I had jumped at the opportunity to offer that help on behalf of Moretti.
Dom’s family had all but saved my own, generations ago, and the debt was owed in blood. If I wasn’t able to repay it through service the way I had wanted to from day one, at least I could repay it now as a friend.
In the beginning, it seemed I was able to maintain my position in the Moretti family and as a hired hand to Dom, with Moretti’s blessing. It became clear to me, though, not long in, that Moretti had placed one of his key men in that position for a reason.
He expected me to relay back to him everything Dom was doing, convinced Dom was going to make a power play for his organization. The more I looked into who was stalking and threatening Dom’s wife, V, the more I became convinced my former employer had something to do with it.
The hit on Dom that terrorized his family in the middle of the night and lead to the death of his grandmother was the last straw. It broke all the rules. The code we live by is firm, resolute, and isn’t broken without consequence.
Moretti chose to break it and not only put a hit on Dom without the commission’s approval, but he did it in a way that put innocent women and children at risk.
We don’t do that. We fight like men, face to face. Killing women and children is the most cowardly, spineless way to attack an opponent. It was then that I knew what I had to do.
I had to get close to Moretti and find out exactly what was going on in order to tip Dom off in time to save him, or anyone else caught in the crosshairs.
But, Dom was able to uncover Moretti’s dark truths first and came gunning for him with enough muscle to squash any kind of resistance - with the help of Joe.
They found me with Moretti and EJ Rizzo looking all chummy, like I might have been a part of what was going on. When the proverbial shit hit the fan and all hell broke loose in that small room, Moretti had his gun pointed at Dom’s chest and I knew what I needed to do.
I took the bullet for him and it earned me the chance to explain myself. I’ll always be grateful for that gunshot. In a weird, twisted, fucked-up way… it brought me to the place I was always meant to be. By Dom’s side. An enforcer for the family that I had always sought to protect, to repay for the kindness it had shown my own family when we were in real danger of starving.
Without the DiBenedettos, my family would never have been able to succeed in this country, would probably have been stamped out a long time ago.
The thought that anyone could question my loyalty to him, to them, enrages me. It’s time to put an end to that once and for all.
~*~
I can hear the yelling from the porch and hesitate walking into ground zero.
“What’s gotten into you lately? You knew how important this appointment was, Dom. I even reminded you last night!” I can hear V, angrier than I’ve ever heard her, through the exterior walls of the great house.
“I wouldn’t go in there, if I were you.”
Theresa walks up behind me.
“Hey baby,” I pull her close, convinced Dom’s got his hands full enough inside where we’ll have a moment or two to ourselves. “Where’d you come from?”
She looks around nervously before accepting a small kiss, and promptly pulls away to keep pretense up for anyone who might happen to walk by.
“I was giving them a few moments alone. V’s pissed…. Like sca
ry angry.”
I look over my shoulder as if I’ll be able to see through the protective walls and figure out what’s going on.
“Why?” I ask.
Theresa shakes her head. “Dom missed a doctor’s appointment today. According to V he’s been acting distant the last few days and been blowing things off. What’s this?”
She makes a move to grab the large envelope in my hand. I quickly swipe it away, out of her reach.
“Business,” I answer, although I can see she isn’t satisfied.
“Oh yeah?” she asks, stepping closer.
Her hand immediately settles between my legs and begins to stroke through the material.
“What kind of business?” she asks seductively.
I feel myself twitch under her hand, knowing she’s getting the exact reaction she’s trying like hell to solicit from my groin. I feel it double in size within a matter of seconds.
“The kind that’s none of yours,” I struggle to answer.
She licks her lips. “Well, it looks like those two are going to be at it for a while. Why don’t you take the time to show me something that actually is my business while we’re both waiting?”
“Oh yeah?” I ask.
She nods. “I’ll meet you in the guest house in ten.”
And then she leaves me, standing on the front porch with flushed skin, a full erection pressing painfully into my zipper, and a strong desire to smack her ass as I watch it saunter off toward my bedroom.
~*~
She’s already stripped down to nothing but her bra and panties by the time I let myself in. I watch her gorgeous curves as her skin prickles under my stare.
“So you want to know what your business is?” I ask deeply, taunting her.
She nods and I see her throat constrict, gulping.
I toss the envelope down on the nearby table, keeping it close incase Dom calls, and use all my effort to restrain from tearing my own clothes off to join her. Instead, I move slowly, casually slipping off the suit jacket and hanging it up on the back of a chair.
I stare at her skin, knowing that I plan to devour every inch of it, feasting on her to show her just how good a businessman I can be. But first things first.
I move achingly slow and methodically work my fingers to undo the silver cufflink from one sleeve and then the other. With both of the monogrammed charms in hand, I reach over to drop them in a decorative bowl.
One loud clank followed by another causes her to startle in the deafeningly silent room. The sleeve buttons are now worked on before finally removing the crisp dress shirt from my body.
She crosses her legs and I can see her muscles tighten, holding herself from spilling out the desire I know is building beneath the surface. I can smell her from here, I know how strong she’s fighting to control it.
I pull the tight black cotton tank top overhead and neatly and carefully lay it on top of my growing pile of clothes.
“Your business,” I begin to tell her while using my finger to signal exactly what I want her to do, having her walk closer.
I can see through the thin, sheer lace of her bra that she’s excited, her body no doubt suffering a crazy mixture of sensations right now. The hardened peaks of her scantily clad breasts directly contradict the red flush of her skin, the thin layer of glistening sweat on her brow.
She obeys, walking deliberately closer. I’m about to give her an in-depth lesson in Business 101.
I open the tailored closure of my pants and let them drop down past my hips.
Her eyes instantly snake down to the bulge that commands her attention. Her movements cease as she stands in shock at just how successful her earlier teasing was.
I reach under the elastic waistband and pull the aching, throbbing shaft free and clear of the boxers that held it captive. My eyes never leave her as I begin the lesson, stroking myself painstakingly slow.
“This,” I show her, “is your business. This,” I add, “is what you should be curious about, study, master, and become an expert on.”
I see her eyebrow arch in question and know she’s about a second away from a sarcastic remark, so I shut it down real quick.
“It’s all about supply and demand, baby,” the lesson continues, “as long as that hot body of yours demands it, I’m more than happy to supply. Now why don’t you crawl on over here and start negotiating?”
Like any business-minded person eager to seal a deal, she does what’s needed and gracefully lowers herself down to the ground, balancing on stretched fingertips and knees, swaying those sinful hips that swallow her thong as she inches closer.
When she’s close enough to touch, her lips settle on the thin skin of the inner side of my leg.
“So when do I list my demands?” she asks, tightening her lips and sucking gently on another patch of skin higher to the prize.
I continue to work the shaft, the friction creating a blistering heat that burns my hands. I feel the tip of her tongue tease the base, her mouth dipping low to catch the hanging bulges.
She takes one of the cool spheres into her waiting mouth and the spike in temperature is almost as euphoric as the massaging of her hand on the matching orb.
I fight against myself to open my closed eyes, knowing that the second I do, they’re going to immediately cast down to where she’s flawlessly managing the less popular area of my package.
Tiny slurping noises are made as she struggles to encapsulate the entire orb in her mouth while stroking its twin. Her tongue manipulates the tiny valley between the two mounds and I quiver.
I finally give in and watch her as she puts on a show for me. Her cheeks and chin glisten and shine with residual moisture from her task. Her hands abandon their bracing, one wrapped around clasping my backside and the other that was kneading my sack, to move my own hands out of the way and take over the methodic instrumenting of every inch of the thickness she now focuses on.
I slip my hands into her loose hair, gliding my hands back to grasp the nape of her neck. The warm breath that escapes her lips, tickles the fragile skin of the erection.
Her tongue extends and curls at the end, landing directly beneath and accepting the tiny droplet of lust that escapes my tip.
She takes the pear-shaped tear and uses her tongue to spread it over her lips before proceeding to lick them clean. I feel a wave of excitement. That’s probably the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do.
“Forget the negotiating,” I lift her under her arms and practically toss her up high to catch her under her legs. “I’ll give you whatever you want.”
She laughs and reaches around back unclasping the hooks of her bra. Her perfect breasts spill out and I bury myself in them as I blindly carry us to the bed.
“I guess that makes me a business ingénue?” She giggles as I set her down on the plush mattress.
“Tre,” I speak breathlessly to her as I push the rest of my pants down to the floor beneath, stepping out of them anxiously and crawling up the bed toward her.
I use my knee to nudge her thighs wide but she lets her knees drop the rest of the way on their own.
“You’ve always had a mind for business.” I thrust deep, filling her to the hilt, my tip pressing into the soft cushioned wall of her most sensitive spot.
She yelps as the contact is made. And I watch her eyes roll back as I deliver to her just what she’s won. Then, I watch as she gives into the pleasure, keeping myself still as she contracts around me, not wanting to prematurely lose myself.
I know my lady has enough stamina to go at least two more rounds and I need to reserve myself to take her all the way.
~*~
“Mmm…” I roll over, stretching, recovering.
The half-hour or so of sleep has helped, but I’m officially tapped out. I sit up and see Theresa’s back facing me, the sheet held loosely around her shoulders falling to reveal her bare skin.
“You are not going to believe what’s in these documents,” she says, having heard me stir.
I look over at her and see the collection of printed and photocopied papers spread over the table. The reports that were meant for Dom, and Dom only. She broke the seal, read them and now I have to explain to my boss why his sister has even gotten ahold of them.
“Look,” she shoves the paper in her hand up to my eyes.
I read only the top few lines.
“Holy shit….”
CHAPTER SIX
DOM
“I’m not doing this Dom, I mean it.”
She’s serious. As serious as I’ve ever seen.
“There’s only so much a person can take. You know the crap I went through losing my dad. You saw it firsthand! You saw what it did to me when I found out who he really was. I’d already fallen for you by then and thought it would be different for us. But here you are… you’re turning into one of them!”
She’s screaming at this point and beyond all reason, but she’s making some valid points. I did see her after everything went down with her dad. I can’t let her know that my family could have been behind it.
“First, you take off for Chicago for some business meeting and don’t even tell me what it was about. Then, you come home but might as well not even be here because you’re only half-assing it. You’re distant, avoiding everyone who’s trying to reach out to you. You’re missing doctor’s appointments, commitments, Dom!”
She’s not finished. I sit and take it, knowing I deserve every ounce of it and beating myself up that I can’t give her the answers that would make her understand.
“What’s it going to be like in five years when Jr.’s asking where daddy is? What am I supposed to do? Tell him business is more important? Because you’re already setting the tone for it.
“In the beginning I understood… the family was being threatened, hell, I was being threatened and you did what you had to do to protect us. But it’s something else now… leaving ATH. I-I, I’m going to leave this room before I say something I can’t take back. But you better think long and hard, Dom. Because I’m running out of patience. I did not sign up for this. I married you! Not the boss of a fucking crime family! You better make up your mind really quick which one of those people you are.”