Bloodline: A DeLuca Family Novel (The DeLuca Family Book 4)

by K. A. Ware

  Angelo grimaced, and then smiled when he caught sight of Luis. “Hey we match,” he announced as he pointed at the other man’s similar wound, and then wincing at the pain the movement caused.

  Luis’ only response was a grunt.

  Carlo stood up and brushed the nonexistent dirt off his slacks. “That was a lot of gunfire for a neighborhood like this, we need to move.”

  “I already text Frankie for a diversion, she’s doing what she can to delay the cops,” Enzo announced, pocketing his phone.

  “Alright, Luis and Angelo can’t drive, so Enzo, you take Luis in his truck, I’ll drive Angelo, and Antonio can take Vic’s rig.”

  “I can drive my own fucking car,” Vic argued.

  I couldn’t help the smile that broke out on my face. She was just fine.

  Carlo tilted his head slightly, considering her for a moment before nodding his approval and turning to me. “Keep her.”

  I sat on the couch in Victoria’s living room enjoying my last cigarette before I quit again, hopefully for good. The past couple days had been hell, and I was ready to close the book on everything that had to do with Portland. Well, everything except one person in particular.

  We’d hooked up with the local doctor that had helped us when the Kashnikov’s had blown up the warehouse we were in a while back. He’d patched up Luis and Angelo, who indeed had matching gunshot wounds to the shoulder on opposite sides.

  “What are you doing down here all by yourself?”

  Startled out of my revere, I looked up to see Victoria standing by the stairs in a black lace bra and panties get-up, complete with garter belt.

  She was gorgeous, her tanned skin that I knew was as soft as silk called to me. I'd explored every part of her, but I wanted more. I wanted to get my hands on her and have her underneath me again. I wanted to run my hands over her tattooed skin and absorb the stories each of them had to tell.

  My eyes ate up every inch of her as she continued to stalk toward me, adding an extra swing to her hips on her approach. The black lace she wore clung to her curves, sheer enough for me to get a hint of what was underneath. Coming to a stop in front of where I sat on the couch she straddled me, knees bracketing my thighs.

  But she didn't rest her weight on me, keeping her pretty pussy from making any contact. My hands itched to grab hold of her ass and pull her closer, to feel her all along my body, but I kept still, letting her take the lead.

  A hint of a mischief winked in her eyes as she plucked the cigarette from my fingers and placed it between her plump red lips and fuck if my dick didn't twitch at the sight. Smoke billowed from her mouth, and she blew delicate smoke rings.

  The corners of her mouth drew down slightly. "So you go back to Seattle tomorrow, right?"

  "Yeah, in the morning."

  "I guess we better make the most of tonight." The coy smile that played on her lips didn't reach her eyes.

  "Hey," I said, tilting her chin up with my knuckle. "What are you doing next weekend?"

  She let out a throaty laugh. "You?"

  I leaned in and kissed her perfect mouth. "Good answer."

  Epilogue

  VIC

  SIX MONTHS LATER

  "Victoria!"

  "I'm almost ready!" I called out from the bathroom. I took another look at myself in the mirror, smoothing my hair and dress.

  It felt foreign for me to be dressing up for anything other than church. I hurried over to the small section of Antonio's closet where I kept a few of my things for such occasions. I pulled out the lone pair of pumps I kept there and slipped them on.

  Antonio had been harping on me to just move in for the past two months, but I wasn't ready to let go of my freedom quite yet, even though we spent nearly every night together. I'd been in Seattle for four months and was still getting used to how different things were.

  I'd finally used the exit strategy that I'd had planned for years. After his father's death, Luis agreed to take over. I'd felt sad about giving up all that I'd built, but I was confident in his ability to run things in my absence, and it was time for a change.

  I'd bought a house just outside the city, and started to expand my legitimate business. Since I already had the necessary licensing from my shops in Vancouver, I set to work scouting new locations. The only problem was that much like Portland; the Seattle market was heavily saturated with established dispensaries.

  I was in the process of researching the most profitable stores in the area and deciding on whether or not to make an offer to purchase them outright when Mia came to me and proposed a partnership. I was leery at first, not sure that I wanted to tie myself with the DeLuca name so fully.

  Mia shrugged off my inhibitions and made it clear that her husband and Antonio would have nothing to do with it. She was bored of real estate and had been looking for a new business venture to sink her teeth into, one that didn't involve her stabbing anyone. Frankie had overheard our conversation and wanted in, offering up her tech and suggesting an internet marketing campaign to take the business to the next level.

  It was quite literally, an offer I couldn't refuse. When I'd said as much, Mia had told me I watched too much TV, but I saw the glimmer of humor in her eyes. The agreement we'd come to was that I'd keep all of the dispensaries that I'd already established and the three of us would start an entirely new business.

  We were set to take over twenty of the most lucrative stores in the Seattle area by the end of the year and had plans to double that for the next year. While the business we were forming was essentially legitimate, the three of us didn't exactly play by the rules. Frankie had used her hacking skills to dig into the financials and personal life of every dispensary owner in the city, finding the chink and their armor that we could use against them. We'd already had offers excepted on five stores and were working on creating the brand.

  I made my way down the stairs to find Antonio playing on his phone while he waited for me. He looked up as I reached the bottom step and smiled crookedly at me. "Fucking gorgeous."

  When we arrived at the DeLuca estate, a half an hour later, we were greeted with a warm greeting. Antonio had awkwardly hugged Mia back when she'd wrapped her arms around him. I thought it was funny that he could be so loving with me, but still find it difficult to show any sort of affection towards anyone else.

  As we sat down for Sunday dinner, I looked around the table at the faces that just a few months ago were unfamiliar. They'd welcomed me into the fold the first time Antonio had brought me to dinner after I moved to town. With my new business venture and Antonio by my side, I had the sense of family and community that I'd been worried I would miss after I left Portland.

  Because of Mia's strictly enforced ‘No business at the dinner table' rule, the conversation naturally fell to our relationships.

  "So, when are you guys getting married?" Mia asked as she passed the bowl of garlic bread. The question would've usually taken me off guard, but it hadn't been the first time she'd asked, and I had a feeling it wouldn't be the last.

  "Mia," Carlo warned. "What have I told you about interfering in other people's relationships?"

  "That you think I'm a fabulous matchmaker and should continue doing what I'm good at?"

  "Very funny," he said dryly.

  "So, Antonio, when are you going to make our Victoria officially a part of the family?" I had to give it to her; Mia was like a dog with a bone, once she set her sights on something there was no stopping her until she got the answer she wanted. I glanced at Antonio next to me who looked decidedly uncomfortable.

  He stabbed at his salad with more force than necessary. "I can't even get her to move in with me."

  "She's Catholic, right?" Angelo asked as if I wasn't sitting across from him. "Maybe she's waiting for you to pop the question first? Some women are old fashioned like that."

  Antonio shot a quizzical look at me, but I wasn't about to have that conversation in front of a room full of people. While most of my life I'd never thought I w
anted a family, I'd come to realize that I just hadn't found the right person. Antonio was that person for me; I knew that at the center of all that I was, but I wasn't in a rush.

  "Mia, when are you and Carlo going to give Luciana a little brother or sister?" I asked, suddenly turning the tables on her. Two could play at that game.

  A huge smile broke out on her face, and she gave Carlo a sideways glance. "Actually, I'm due in August."

  The table erupted in congratulations, and we spent the rest of the meal discussing baby names.

  It was amazing how much my life had changed since I'd met Antonio and I was grateful for it. No matter how much I had planned and fantasized about it before, something would always need my attention, giving me the excuse to not follow through. He'd given me the push I'd need to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and make me finally leave the day to day grind of the streets.

  I still tried to make it to Portland a few times a month, but I was building a life in Seattle, one that I was proud of. I'd come a long way from the scared little girl in the ghetto, but I'd always be La Patrona.

  Acknowledgments

  Cora- Girl, you know you're the Thelma to my Louise. I wouldn't be able to do this without your daily infusion of encouragement and inappropriate humor. Thank you for never letting me give up. You my boo. #duckflu4lyfe

  J- I keep saying I don't know why you put up with me, but that's not true, I totally know why. Blow jobs. In all seriousness, thank you for taking my manic writing marathons and chaos-filled schedule in stride. You always know what to say to make me feel better and you're never short an encouraging word followed up by a smart-ass comment. Never change, babe! xoxo (Actually, please change, because I totally hate that thing you do when you lick my face. Lol!)

  Mamajamma- This series wouldn't be what it is without your love and support. You taught me what it meant to be a strong woman and to persevere through whatever life throws at you. You're my biggest fan and my hero. Love you bunches!

  Michelle & Charlie- You ladies have been with me from the beginning. Sharing and gushing over the DeLuca men the whole time. I am so lucky to have found such loyal readers. Thank you for not hunting me down when this book took so long. You guys are amazing.

  The Pimp Queens- Heather, Crystal, Trish, Nancy, Meagan, Misty, Jamie, Arien, Sara, THANK YOU! You guys have outdone yourselves! Your support means the world to me.

  Dianela- Thank you for double checking my Spanish translations and not making me feel like a moron. You're the best!

  About the AUTHOR

  K.A Ware is an indie author living in Portland, Oregon. Her days consist of working at her real-life job in the financial field and taking care of her young daughter. Writing is not her only passion, K.A. also serves on the Board of Directors for a local non-profit and spends way too much time reading. She believes in the power of words, alpha females, and that special escape you get when you hunker down into a good book.

  When she’s not busy mothering, working, writing, or reading she enjoys spending time with family and friends and embracing the weirdness that is Portland. K.A. loves music, so if you find yourself at a metal show in Portland —take a look around— she’s the crazy redhead head banging at the front.

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