“You look ravishing this evening, Agapi mou,” I said, placing a kiss on the soft skin of her hand.
A pink hue rose on her cheeks as I trailed my thumb over her pouty lips. Her breath hitched at the contact. God, the things this woman did to me. I was under her spell. My father’s words flowed in the forefront of my mind, whispering to me.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “You look very handsome yourself.”
Taking her hand in mine, needing the contact with her skin more than air, I laced our fingers together. I had worried she would pull away and was happy when she didn’t. “I made reservations for dinner at my favorite restaurant… but before we go, I have a gift for you.” Reaching in my pocket, I pulled out a long slim velvety box and her eyes lit up like diamonds. Damn! She was gorgeous.
“Oh, Sebastian. You really shouldn’t have.”
I flipped the box open and her eyes went wide in disbelief. Hesitantly, she reached out her hand, stroking her fingers over the pale yellow heart-shaped diamond pendant surrounded in diamonds.
“It’s so... so very beautiful. Thank you.”
“Let’s see how it looks on you, shall we? Raise your hair, Agapi mou.”
Stepping in front of the mirror near the front door, she placed her small shaking hand over the large stone and smiled so damn big my heart fluttered. So this was what my father meant. This was what it felt like to want someone more than anything else. She was worth... hell, she was worth everything; anything.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you, Sebastian.”
Hell, she deserved more than just a necklace. She deserved much more and I wanted to be the man that gave it to her. I wanted to be the man that gave her everything she ever wanted or needed. I promised myself that I would be that man.
An hour later, we arrived at Dominick’s, my favorite Italian restaurant. It wasn’t a fancy place, and to be quite honest, we were really dressed up too much for it. I had only wanted to see Haven dressed up in the yellow gown I had seen in a shop window last week. One look at it and I could imagine it on her, as well as what it would look like pooled at her feet in my bedroom. I was right about the dress. It was as perfect as she was.
The hostess seated us in a private room, alone as requested. I wanted so much to show Haven that I was more than a mafia boss, more than a killer. I wanted to show her I was capable of living a normal life, and regardless of my wealth, still able to enjoy normalcy. The simple things still mattered to me. The stunned look on her face told me she saw that. Was she impressed? I so wanted her to see me as just a man, a man that was interested in her above all things.
“Are we are over-dressed for this place?” Haven asked. “Everyone is staring at us.”
“Forget about them. Tonight is about the two of us. I want to get to know you; the woman, not the lawyer.”
Her brow arched up, a sweet little smile following closely behind it. “I’m not that interesting. Sebastian. Really. I just graduated Harvard. I volunteer my services to help those that can’t help themselves.”
“And that, my dear, makes you interesting. Tell me why do you not have your own law firm? You are obviously very good at your profession.”
“It’s not about the money for me. It’s about the people. So many are lost in a system that rarely works. Like you, convicted of crimes they didn’t commit, but these people are helpless to fight the system that has stolen their lives.”
“What do you see yourself doing with your career or your life after my case is wrapped up?”
“I don’t know. Well, that’s not true I do know. I do want to start my own firm, one that will align with The Innocence Project, reaching state-wide. What about you? What will you do when this is over?”
“My plans are simple. I want to have a family with a lovely woman. Do you like to travel, Haven?”
“Family, huh? I don’t see myself starting a family for a long while. I hope your plan works out for you. And I love to travel. Haven’t had a chance to, what with school and all, but I’ve always dreamed of going to Paris. Someday I will.”
“It’s a magical place. You’d love it there.”
“You’ve been?” She chuckled. “Of course you have. You could go anywhere what with the things you... crap. Never mind.”
“What? Because I’m a mafia boss I travel extensively? I do, but my travels are not related to that. I enjoy seeing the world. Maybe when this is all over, you will join me in Paris.”
“Sebastian, please. You and I don’t stand a chance,” she said softly. “We’re different; too different. What has happened between us won’t last. You’ll grow bored with me.”
“I disagree. Give me a chance to show you who I am. Can you do that, Agapi mou?” My heart thudded like the hoofbeats of a million stallions racing across an open field to avoid capture. I feared she would say no. My heart was seconds away from plummeting into my stomach when she nodded. She didn’t smile, however, but she had actually agreed. At least there was some chance of winning her love. Love? Was I really in love with her? Yes. Yes, I was. I’d go to the ends of the Earth to make her mine and I would remove any doubts she had about me.
During the next two weeks, I set up more dinner dates and dancing. Anything that would allow us to be together and alone, far away from the prying eyes of my men and that damnable Agent Dooley. I hadn’t forgotten the problem of my brother… but I cared little about that. Eventually, we would catch his ass and the problem would be solved. Now, this very moment, I focused myself on Haven and proving to her I could be the man she needed in her life.
While she let me have her body each night and sought out my kisses, my touch, she had a wall of safety wrapped snuggly around her. If only I could penetrate that wall, break down her defenses and get to the heart of this enchanting woman, I’d finally have her where I wanted her. I could see she had feelings for me. The passion between us was growing stronger every day. I loved her with every part of myself every moment I could, dove into her life with questions, pilfering and prying my way through her words, memories, and dreams to find the key to her heart.
So far I had not found my way in, but I would, damn it. I had to. Only four more weeks, and I’d find myself in prison whites again. If that happened, any chance I had at winning her love would blow away on a breeze, scattering to the four corners of the Earth forever. I couldn’t ask her to be with me, to be mine and only mine, if I was locked away like an animal. It wouldn’t be fair. But I couldn’t give up fighting yet.
Chapter Eighteen - Haven
“It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dream of meeting your heart’s longing.”
- Oriah
Two weeks ago, I had told Sebastian there was no way we would work. I had almost believed the lie as it swept across my lips, tainting the lovely romantic meal and our time together. I had only wanted to guard my heart against the devastating heartbreak that was sure to come when he walked away from me. Four more weeks remained before Agent Dooley would be forced to return Sebastian to the prison in Huntsville. Theron had yet to make a move, any move that we knew of anyway, and I was beginning to fear that Theron would beat us again. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth and I loathed it.
Sebastian and I had been all over Austin day and night for weeks now. Each date brought Sebastian and I closer to one another. We shared our secrets, our past, all of our hopes and dreams for the future. When he spoke of family and the future, I knew he was speaking to me. His eyes were like windows to his heart and soul, hiding nothing from me. I loved his honesty and the words he spoke melted my heart. The protective barriers surrounding my heart were slowly crumbling, and he fucking knew it. I knew it, too, and it scared me to death.
But still he trudged on, doing everything he could to pull me closer to him, and I found myself helpless to stop it from happening. He was filling the holes in my heart effortlessly with his love and affection. It felt good. It felt right. But I couldn’t shake my fear of
losing him to the dark mafia world he had grown up in. I was a lawyer, after all, and the ramifications of being tied to the mafia couldn’t possibly bode well for me. All of my dreams would go up in smoke. That was a terrifying thought, and I couldn’t push it away. My career meant too much to me… but so did Sebastian.
Crawling out of bed, I looked over at him, his thick muscles and gorgeous Adonis body sprawled naked across the bed. The man was sex on a fucking stick. I was a lucky damn woman. Padding across the room, naked as the day I was born, I twisted my hair into a bun and headed for the shower. The cascading warmth of the water coated my body, waking me up as I soaped up. Humming a light-hearted tune, I began to rinse off.
“Good morning, Agapi mou,” Sebastian rumbled in a sleep-coated voice, stepping the shower. Fuck he sounded sexy all of the time. I mean, really, did the man ever lose his sex appeal. Not a chance.
“I didn’t want to wake you. You looked so peaceful.”
“Am I too late to join you?” His warm voice wisped across my neck as his warm body pressed against mine.
“No. You’re right on time.” Twisting around, I wrapped my arms around his thick neck. His gaze met mine and that familiar heat and passion dominated me once again. Already I could feel the slickness coating my pussy, that slow aching vibration of my core calling out to his steel erection pressing into my soft stomach.
“I need you, Haven. Now.” And just like that, he pulled my arms over my head and pinned me to the wall in one swift motion. I could feel my body submitting to him instantly. I loved the way he took control, as he had since the very beginning. His lips crashed against mine, a harsh growl rumbling deep in his chest as he deepened the kiss.
Our tongues thrashed wildly, dancing, fighting for control. I gave in, as usual, letting him lead me where ever he wished. Time stood still as our bodies became one, his strong hand wrapping my leg around his hip before slowly slipping to my ass again. “Don’t move,” he whispered harshly.
I whimpered at his words, immediately understanding what he wanted but wondering what he would do if I didn’t obey. Before I could decide to move or not, he hoisted me into his arms, pressing me firmly against the cool tile, his cock kissing my liquor-coated slit. “Please, Sebastian, I need you.” I had never begged a man before him. I was too shy to utter the words rattling around in my head, but with Sebastian, I felt free. Spirited. Wild. Wanton.
Sebastian thrust his cock deep to the hilt, his balls slapping my ass. I groaned as he filled me, stretching my tender aching cunt. “Oh! Oh, Sebastian. Harder,” I cried out as he began slamming mercilessly into me.
He eased me to the ground, holding me against him. I whimpered as his cock slipped from my body, but the loss didn’t last. He turned me around, pressing down on my back, pulling my ass to him. And just like that, his cock was buried inside me again. “Fuck me,” I screamed and he did. Boy, did he ever. He pounded my pussy over and over again until my legs felt like Jell-O, my pussy clenching his cock tight as my walls fluttered. I screamed as my orgasm rocked through my body, wave after earth-shattering wave consuming my senses. Seconds later, Sebastian growled like an animal, driving deep, falling into utter bliss alongside me.
Several hours later, Sebastian and I were dressed in jeans and t-shirts. I had never seen him in anything other than his fancy suits. The denim jeans hugged his insanely hot ass, leaving nothing to the imagination, and the skin-tight shirt hugged every fucking muscle. I had asked him where we were going, but he refused to tell me, only saying that it was a secret and that I’d love it. I didn’t push. There was no point. Each date was more exciting than the last so I was happy to go along for the ride. At first, I had thought the dates were just part of the plan to lure Theron out, but I quickly realized that Sebastian had something else in mind altogether. I liked it more now than I did in the beginning, but I wasn’t ready to let him know that yet. Soon, maybe. Time would tell.
Sebastian and I were on our own today. Not having a driver was actually kind of nice. Out in the middle of God’s nowhere, we pulled into a small parking lot. The sign by the road read Deke’s Paintball Park. “You can’t be serious. Paintball? I don’t stand a chance against you.”
“How about we make it interesting then?”
“A bet?” Raising an eyebrow, I let the question roll off my tongue. “What exactly do you have in mind?” I couldn’t help but ask. I knew betting against Sebastian could be dangerous, but what the hell, it could be fun, too.
“Winner gets to ask the loser to do whatever they want and the loser can’t refuse. I’d give you a head start, of course.”
I didn’t miss the wicked smile or the hungry look in his eyes. He had something on his mind and I wasn’t certain I’d like it. But on the other hand, I wasn’t one to back down from a bet either. He had me where he wanted me, and he damn well knew it. I’d shared too much and gave him a way in. If I lost, he’d have me in his clutches. Was that really so bad? Maybe. Maybe not.
Dressed in protective gear and goggles to safeguard our eyes, we headed to the field. Sebastian handed me a gun, loaded and ready. I had a pocket full of extra paintballs just in case, and I was certain from the look in his eyes that I’d need every dang one of them. Who was I kidding? I didn’t stand a chance at winning this bet.
“You ready or what?” I chirped, acting more certain of myself than I was. With any luck, he didn’t catch the scent of nervousness on me. His predatory eyes swept over me in quick fashion. I was so screwed.
“As I said before, you get a head start. Find a nice comfortable spot to hide, Agapi mou. I’ll be right behind you. You have five minutes.”
I didn’t miss the dark chuckle as I scuttled into the woods, eyes darting here and there, looking for the best spot to hide. Twigs snapped under my feet as I ran deep into the wooded area, looking for thick bushes to crawl behind. I didn’t know how long I’d been running, but the sound of Sebastian’s voice alerting me that my time was up sent a chill down my spine. Ducking behind a large tree, I stood frozen. The spot sucked, but with any luck I’d get a shot at him before he got one on me.
Silence reverberated through the woods, every little sound sending me into a panic. Taking a chance, I snuck a peek from behind the tree and saw Sebastian easing down the hill. Lifting my gun, I aimed just as he’d shown me and pulled the trigger. My aim sucked. The paintball exploded on a tree damn near five feet away from him. His eyes darted to the tree and then straight at me. Game over. Sebastian lifted his gun, firing off a shot and hitting me in the thigh before I could move behind the tree. He’d moved so fast I had no time to register how fucked I was until it was too late.
“Shit! That hurt,” I wailed, crouching behind the tree, rubbing the sore spot on my leg.
Seconds later, Sebastian was by my side. “Are you alright? Damn. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. All in good fun, right?”
“Yes. All in good fun,” he chuckled, helping me to my feet and pulling me to his side, kissing me silly.
Breaking the kiss, panting like a cat in heat, I forced myself to ask the burning question in my mind. “Are you going to tell me or not?”
“Tell you what?”
“You won, so what is it I can’t refuse?”
“Not now. When the time is right, I will let you know. But not today.”
“That’s not fair, you know.”
Chapter Nineteen - Sebastian
“If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience.”
- Robert Fulghum
Haven had literally consumed every facet of my life. Never had a woman been capable of weaving her way so deep under my skin that I could feel her every breath, every beat of her heart, as if it were my own. Everything about her spoke to me on a level I had no idea existed. She made me want to be a better man. I could envision a life with her by my side, years filled with the pitter-patter of little feet echoing through our home. This beautif
ul talented woman had changed my focus, sending me careening onto a different route, where things would never be the same as they were before she walked into my life.
Thanking her would not be enough. Offering her the world would come close, but making her mine forever would do the trick. But like all things in life, I knew she wouldn’t make it that easy. Hell, if it was that easy, it might not be worth fighting so damn hard for. She was, though. That I could never deny. I loved Haven. Fully. Completely. Unconditionally. But could she love me the same? That was the question I found myself asking as our time together was now numbered to a few short days.
I had set up a romantic dinner, taking us back to our first official date. There was nothing better than great Italian food and wine to smooth the nerves and set the perfect mood. As I stood in my bedroom, fingering the tickets to Paris that I might never have a chance to use, I felt an unsettled. It wasn’t something I cared to admit but it made me feel weak. Scared. Had my time really run out? Had I lost my chance? Should I have run instead of spending my time trying to woo a woman? It was too late now. Leaving her was not an option at this point.
Slipping the tickets inside my jacket pocket, I headed for the bathroom. Mercy. I’d never seen a more enchanting woman in my entire life. And I’ve seen plenty. Haven was leaning into the mirror, barefoot and absolutely stunning. Her black dress fitted her amazing curves like a glove. I almost had half the mind to toss her over my shoulder and throw her on the bed. But I couldn’t.
Standing behind her, grasping her hips, I kissed her softly on the neck just below the ear. “Haven, I’ll be waiting downstairs. Don’t be long or we’ll be late.”
Convicted: A Mafia Romance Page 10