by Chelle Bliss
“Will you sleep up here with me? I mean, there isn’t much room, but I want you to hold me tonight. I need you.”
How could I say no to anything she asked? I’d stand on my head all night if it made her fucking happy. “Anything you want, sugar.” I kicked off my shoes, climbing in the small twin bed before lying on my side, pulling her face to my chest. “Try to sleep. I’m not going anywhere.”
The tiny bed was perfect as I cradled her in my arms. She gripped my shirt, resting her face against my shoulder. I enveloped her in my arms, I wanted her to feel safe, and I needed to know that she was okay.
Listening to her breath as she slept, I smelled her hair, but it had the scent of the cigarette smoke from the bar, and dirt. Her body twitched as she whimpered in her sleep. I wanted to crawl inside her dream and rescue her.
I flexed my hands; the stiffness from the bruises and small cuts made me wince. It wasn’t anything I hadn’t felt before, but I couldn’t work for a couple of days until they healed. After pulling my phone from my pocket, I adjusted her body without waking her then sent Anthony a message. My other siblings would be in a panic and the entire crew would be here, but Anthony I could count on to keep the information low key—at least for tonight.
Me: Won’t be in tomorrow. Tell Mikey to reschedule my appointments. Thanks, bro.
Anthony had a gig in Clearwater, and he was a sure bet to get the information.
Anthony: I told him, he’s with me.
Fuck. Might as well have put it on the evening news or taken out a fucking billboard. Mikey would have a million questions and would want details.
Anthony: What the fuck happened? Not like you to not work.
I didn’t want to give them the details, but I had to give enough to get them off my back. I didn’t have a fucking choice in the matter. I’d have to cancel dinner with the family. My mother would want to know why—no one got out of dinner without a legitimate excuse. I wanted to stay with Suzy for the weekend and make sure she was okay before I let her be alone.
Me: Situation at the bar tonight. I need to stay with Suzy. Tell Mom I can’t make it and clear my schedule for a couple days at least.
Anthony: WTF happened? You okay?
Suzy didn’t move as I typed with one hand, trying not to break the embrace.
Me: Beat the shit out of some fucker that attacked her. She’s in the hospital for the night and I want to stay with her after she’s released. Don’t tell anyone. I don’t want them to flip out.
Anthony: Gotcha, but Mom is going to want details. Which hospital?
Me: County Hospital, but we’re okay. My hands are just swollen. I’ll be fine.
Anthony: Gotcha. Mum’s the word.
Nothing stayed a secret in my family. It was like the mafia party line. I knew Mikey had probably read over Anthony’s shoulder, and soon the entire brigade would be on high alert. I set the phone above my pillow and closed my eyes, wrapping Suzy in my arms.
I tried to think about happy things, Suzy’s laugh or how she kissed me, but all I could think of was her limp body and bloodied face in my arms. I kept opening my eyes to remind myself that she was okay. I waited for exhaustion to take me and wipe that vision from my mind.
The sound of plastic squeaking against the tile floor woke me early in the morning. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” a nurse said as she moved to the IV stand.
I grunted and waited for her to leave before closing my eyes again. Hospitals aren’t the place for rest. The movement outside the room is constant, alarms and announcements echo through the halls, and people talk loud enough to wake the dead. I felt like a Mack truck had hit me. My back was stiff, my eyes burned, and my hands throbbed. I wanted to get the fuck out of here and crawl in a real bed with her.
A quiet knock caused Suzy to stir, and my mother stood in the doorway. Fucking brothers—always mama’s boys.
“Hey,” she said, smiling.
I held put my finger to my lips, hoping not to wake Suzy as my ma entered the room. “It’s early, Ma. What are you doing here?” I whispered.
“Your brother told me something happened and that you were here with Suzy. You know I can’t sleep good when I worry about my children.” She stood next to the bed, looking at Suzy’s face against my chest.
“I’m fine, Ma. I couldn’t leave her and I want to stay with her when she gets out for a couple days. I didn’t think Mikey would put out an all-points bulletin.”
“Always so quick to blame Michael, aren’t you, Joseph? It was Anthony that texted me. I just wanted to stop and see if you two were okay.” She shook her head at me.
When did my mother learn how to text?
“We will be as soon as we get out of this shithole.”
“What happened, son?” My mom pulled up a chair and waited for my answer.
“Someone assaulted her. When I found her, I kicked his ass.” I didn’t want to meet my mother’s eyes. She was the only person in the world I never wanted to disappoint. I wasn’t a mama’s boy, but in an Italian family a mother is the queen bee, top dog, and wore the pants. Even my father bowed down to her and cherished the ground she walked on. He wasn’t a pussy, and could kick ass in his youth, but Mrs. Gallo wasn’t a person any of us wanted to piss off. “Trust me, Ma, he looks worse than me.”
She wrinkled her nose; she never liked to think of any of her children fighting, even Mikey. “Where were you?”
“Neon Cowboy, and we were on our way out after having a couple drinks.” I definitely didn’t want to share that I’d planned to kidnap my girlfriend. Sex wasn’t something I talked to my mother about, and usually not even my father.
“I told you I hate that damn bar. There’s nothing but trouble in those types of places. Haven’t you learned anything from Thomas?” She wasn’t mad, but I could see the fear in her eyes.
“Yes, Ma. I have friends there, clients even, and I like it there. I’m not going to stop hanging out there because of the what-ifs.”
“Is she okay, son?” She peeked over my shoulder, her eyes growing wide as she took in the sight of Suzy’s face.
“Yeah, she’ll heal. Just waiting for the doctor to come and release her. I won’t be there Sunday, but I promise to be there next week.”
“Sure, baby. Can I drop off food, at least? That way you can spend time taking care of her without having to cook.”
How could I say no to my mother? When she offered food it was the highest honor. She lived to cook and take care of her family. If I said no, it would be an enormous insult and there would be hell to pay.
“Sure, Ma. I’d love if you’d stop by with some food.” I didn’t entirely mean that statement, but I knew it would make her happy.
“I’m going to go and let you two rest. I don’t want to wake her. I’ll call you later, Joseph.” She stood up and kissed my forehead. She was the only person in the world that I’d let treat me like a child. No matter how many times I told her I wasn’t, she just made it all the more unbearable, smothering me with her love.
“Okay, Ma. Thanks.”
“I love you, Joseph. Take care of that one.”
“Love you too, Ma.”
She walked out of the room and I ran my fingers over the bruises on Suzy’s face. They were brighter in color and more visible than they had been the night before. She began to stir at my touch, and her eyes opened. The side crinkled from the smile on her face.
“You stayed?”
“Where else would I go, sugar?”
She closed her eyes and made a sound like “I don’t know” as she smashed her face in my chest and inhaled. “Can we get out of here?”
“I’ll go see if I can get the doctor to discharge you. Let me get up.”
She winced as I helped her move out of my arms and climbed off the bed. “You’re going to spend all day in bed when I get you out of here.”
“Oooh, that sounds so sexy.” She laughed and held her side.
“Bad girl, you’re injured—rest only.”
I was happy to see that her spirit hadn’t vanished with the attack. “Be right back or I’ll break you out of this joint.”
I found a nurse sitting at a desk and pleaded with her to process the paperwork quicker than normal. “You can help her get dressed to speed up the process if you’d like, sir,” the nurse said as she typed.
“Sure, we’ll be waiting, ma’am.” I returned to the room to find Suzy trying to climb out of bed. “What the hell are you doing?” I said, rushing to her side.
“I needed to pee.” She looked up at me with a shy, embarrassed smile.
“I’ll help you, sugar. Then we got to get you dressed.”
“Fine. I hate having to need help to walk, City. This is a little ridiculous.”
“It’s what I’m here for. You’re mine and I’m going to take care of you this weekend. No arguments. Got it?” I waited for her reply before taking her hand.
“Yes, sir. I’m yours for the weekend. I thought it would be a bit different, but…” She shrugged.
“Makes two of us. Come on, sweetheart.” I helped her to the bathroom and then grabbed her clothes. I hit them a couple times to get the dirt off before she dressed.
“I need a shower,” she said as she hobbled out of the bathroom.
“I’ll help you as soon as we get you home.”
“You’re the boss.”
I liked the sound of those words coming out of her mouth. I wouldn’t take any lip from her this weekend. She was mine.
23
Mouth-Watering Goodness
Suzy
I settled in my bed, thankful to be home, and watched City as he undressed. I’d never been with a man that I couldn’t stop staring at. I wanted the image etched in my brain. His muscular build flexed as he took off his pants. The tattoos on his torso and arms moved, and I was mesmerized as if watching a movie. I ached to tug on the bar that hung from his nipple, salivated to taste his flesh, and shivered at the thought of him inside me.
He kicked his pants in the air and caught them. “Don’t look at me like that, sugar.” His shaft bobbed, catching my attention; my mouth suddenly felt dry.
I blinked and looked at his face. “Like what? I was just thinking about how skilled you are at catching your pants.” I giggled.
“You just looked at my dick in a way that makes me want to jam it down your throat.” He grinned at me, and even though my face hurt, I wanted nothing more than for him to do that to me. “Not today, sugar.”
“Tomorrow?” I raised my eyebrows, hoping that I could entice him, or at least get a promise of something before the weekend ended.
“We’ll see. I decide when and how. What can I get you?”
“Your cock.” I knew when I said dirty words that he couldn’t resist me. If he continued to deny me, I sure as hell wouldn’t make it easy on him.
He rubbed his face and muttered something I couldn’t quite make out. “Want something to drink or eat?”
He stood there, buck-naked and mouth-wateringly delicious, and waited for my answer. How could I think of water when his beautiful body was on full display? I shook my head and patted the mattress with a crooked smile.
“Tomorrow, sugar.”
A pout hung on my lips, but inside I was happy to at least get a concession. “Good enough. I don’t have anything in the fridge, City. I didn’t think I’d be here much this weekend.” Admitting to an Italian man that you lacked even the staples in your pantry wasn’t easy.
“My mother wants to drop off food later. Are you okay with that?”
“Really?” My mother had never brought me food, even when I had the flu. I always fended for myself, even if it meant crawling to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. His mother, a woman I’d never met, would bring me food, and I had a twinge of jealousy. What would it have been like to grow up in a house like his?
“I can call her anytime and she’ll drop something off. You just say the word.”
“Word, word, word! Does your mom use Ragu like mine?” My mother never cooked from scratch. As a child I thought Chef Boyardee was the bee’s knees, until I grew up and realized it was closer to vomit in a can.
City laughed, and his smile made my chest ache. “Don’t even mention the word Ragu to her. She’ll have a mental breakdown.”
“Good to know,” I said. “Remind me to never cook for her, okay?”
City grabbed his phone as he crawled in bed. “Hey, Ma. Suzy’s going to rest for a bit, but we’d love for you to drop by with some food.” I could hear her talking on the phone, and it reminded me of Charlie Brown’s teacher. I couldn’t make out the words, but I heard a garbled voice as I put my head on his chest. I played with the piercing, which earned me a stern look. “I’ll text you her address. Thanks, Ma.”
He put the phone down and stared at me, but I just smiled. “What?” I asked innocently.
“You must’ve hit your head harder than I thought.”
“Maybe.” I kissed his nipple, tugging on the hoop with my lips. He inhaled sharply as I bit down.
“Sugar, not now. I’m trying to be real good here, and you’re not in any shape right now to do the things to you I want. Later, when you’ve rested and had something to eat, I’ll give you more than you can handle…if I feel you’re up to it.”
“Party killer,” I said, as I laid my head back down in the crook of his arm.
“Be a good girl and sleep.” His fingertips trailed down my back, leaving a wake of warmth against my skin. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of his hands on me, even if it wasn’t the way I wanted.
***
I didn’t know how long I slept, but when I woke up, I was alone in the bed. His side was still warm. My muscles rebelled and ached as I stretched. “Damn,” I whispered, wanting to move without pain.
The doorbell rang and my heart started to pound—his mother. I didn’t look presentable, and my face had to be a mess. I’d stared at it in horror this morning at the hospital. This wasn’t the way I wanted to meet his mom.
I could hear them talking in the kitchen. The door cracked open and I turned my head, praying it was City. “Hey, sugar, ma’s here. Do you want to meet her?”
“I look like crap, City. I can’t have her see me like this.”
He sat down next to me. “Sugar, she was at the hospital this morning. She’s seen your face. She’s not going to stare at you.”
I sighed. “You didn’t tell me.”
“Sorry. Come on, just a quick hello. She made you lasagna.” He brushed the hair away from my face, following the curve of my cheek.
I’d do anything this man asked me to. A smile, touch, or kiss and I was totally and utterly his. “Let me get dressed and I’ll come out.”
Meeting parents always scared me to death, and it meant a step deeper into a relationship. His mother obviously loved her son enough to bring us food, and I wanted to at least thank her for her kindness.
I looked into the mirror, touched the stitching on my lip with my tongue, noticing the coppery taste of blood. There was no need to bother with makeup. I couldn’t look any worse than I did, and if she liked me now then I’d knock her socks off when she saw me at my best. Dressed in my favorite hoodie and sweats, I walked out to meet Mrs. Gallo.
“There she is,” City said, standing from the couch with a smile plastered on his face.
Mrs. Gallo stood up and turned around. Her face was lit up and she looked like the mom I always wanted. She had long, wavy brown hair, big brown eyes, and a kind smile. “Suzy, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” she said as she wrapped her arms around me. “I’m sorry for how we’re meeting, sweetheart. How are you feeling?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Gallo, I’m feeling much better.” I moved to sit next to City, and grabbed his hand. “Thank you for making me lasagna. It’s one of my favorites.”
“My pleasure. Food always helps make everything better,” she said.
“Italian motto,” City muttered, and I laughed.
“I’m going to get
going now and leave you two kids to enjoy your food. I just wanted to say hello. Is there anything else I can do before I leave?”
“No, ma’am, you’ve done more than I can ask for.”
“Mrs. G or Maria, please. You need anything, just have Joseph call me.”
“Joseph.” I laughed. It sounded so serious, and fit him well.
“Watch it,” he said in a playful tone, and squeezed my hand.
We all stood and hugged his mother goodbye. We walked to the door and watched her leave. I pictured her climbing into a minivan, even though she didn’t have small children. I never pegged her for a woman that drove a Mercedes. I dreamed of a new Honda and knew it would be a budget killer…maybe someday.
“Your mom is great,” I said as I wrapped my arm around his waist.
“She can be, but she’s a pit bull when you cross her—just ask my father,” he said. “Want some lasagna?”
“What’s for dessert?” I asked as he closed the door.
“Anything you want, sugar.”
“You know what I want,” I said.
“Are you up to it?”
“Question is, big boy, are you up to it?” I wanted him, and I figured that if I challenged his manhood, he’d finally cave. All men are the same in that regard.
He laughed. “Don’t ask questions if you can’t handle hearing the answer. Eat your food and I’ll show you how up to it I am, sugar.”
He placed a giant piece of lasagna with cheese oozing out in front of me. My stomach growled at the smell, and the feeling of hunger finally registered. I cut into the slice and watched all the insides squish onto my plate. The hot lasagna spread across my tongue, and I wanted to moan from the taste.
“That good, huh?” City asked as he scooped a chunk in his mouth.
“What? Did I?”
“Yep, you moaned, sugar.”
My face became heated. “Well, I’m used to Stouffer’s lasagna. This is amazing, City. You don’t know how lucky you were to grow up on this type of home cooking.” I slid the fork across my tongue and slowly chewed, letting all the flavors dance on my tongue.