by B. B. Hamel
But soon the pancakes were gone and reality set back in. Rafa leaned back on the bench and sipped his coffee.
I turned toward him, raising an eyebrow. “Okay,” I said. “Talk.”
“There’s something you got to know about the mob,” he said. “We’re real family oriented. I know that sounds fucking dumb, but it’s true. Family still means something to us.”
“Violent thugs care about their mommy. I get it.”
“Something like that.” He shrugged. “They fucking wanted you, Cassidy. Hell, some of them still do. I didn’t know how else to stop it.”
“What did you do? Tell them I’m your sister?”
“No. I told them you were pregnant with my kid.”
That hit me like a hammer to my chest. I blinked at him, not sure what to say.
“Seems crazy, but it worked. They backed off for now.” He shrugged. “So that’s the deal. You’re supposed to be pregnant with my kid.”
“That is crazy,” I said softly. “I’m not pregnant though.”
“I know,” he said. “But we’re going to have to do something about that.”
I nearly dropped my coffee. There was no way he was actually suggesting what I thought he might be suggesting. That was just too wild, too insane.
Flashes of his body pressing against mine. I glanced around the park, and for a second I thought I could see the man under all that violence.
But the solution, I couldn’t really imagine he meant that. It was just too insane, even for this situation.
There was no way he was going to get me pregnant.
14
Rafa
I had no fucking clue why I thought bringing her to my old neighborhood would help. Maybe I wanted her to know me, even a little bit, before I told her that I needed to knock her up to save both our lives.
When I said the words, the look on her face told me everything. She was shocked and maybe a little scared, but she wasn’t laughing. She wasn’t walking away.
Because she wanted me. I knew she did from the moment we met, and the feeling was fucking mutual. I wanted her just as much, wanted her body, but wanted to know her, too. I admired a woman who would go so far for her passion, even if she was misguided and in over her head.
But did I admire her enough to get her pregnant?
Apparently I fucking did, which was the insane part.
“You want to actually get me pregnant?” she finally said.
“I want to keep both of us alive, and they’re going to need proof.”
“We can’t bring a baby into this world just to save our own lives.”
He shrugged. “I don’t agree with that. We can give the child up for adoption, find people who want a baby but don’t have one.”
“This is insane,” she said softly.
“It is fucking insane,” I agreed. “But right now, it’s our only option. I need to get you pregnant to keep you alive.”
“Adoption,” she said softly, shaking her head. “Rafa, no way. I’m not getting pregnant. I don’t even know you.”
“I get it. I hear what you’re saying. But so far, have I steered you wrong?”
“No,” she admitted. “But you’re still a stranger. This is crazy.”
“You got yourself into this, and I lied to the fucking head of the Barone family for you. If you want us both to survive, you need to give me what I want.”
“I never asked you to lie,” she said. I could tell she was on the verge of freaking out.
I stood up. “Come on. Let’s get you back home.”
“No. No way. I’m not getting pregnant. This is so insane.”
“Listen to me,” I said, crouching down in front of her. I put my hands on her legs and stared into her eyes. “This isn’t a fucking game, Cassidy. I don’t want to die, and I don’t want to see you die. You don’t have to decide now, but you have to choose eventually.” I paused, staring into her pretty eyes. “Besides, we both know you’ll like the act of getting pregnant. We both know you want my thick cock between your legs.”
She shook her head and I stood up. I took a few steps away and she followed, tossing her container into a trashcan. I tossed mine and then we headed back toward the car. She walked in a stunned silence, and I let that sink in.
I knew what she was thinking about. She was imagining what it would be like to give in to me, to spread her legs wide and let me fuck her tight pussy until she screamed.
We got back into my car. I started the engine and began to drive back to her apartment. We drove in silence, and I could practically hear the gears turning in her brain.
This wasn’t exactly something I really wanted, either. I didn’t want a baby. I figured we could put the kid up for adoption, but I didn’t know what she really wanted. Maybe she’d want to keep it, and then I’d have to do the right thing.
Or maybe she’d refuse all of this and try running. I couldn’t really tell exactly what was going on in her head, but I knew I couldn’t push it.
Either way, whatever she chose, I’d do my best to keep her alive. I felt something there, something I couldn’t explain. I wanted her to know me for some reason, which was why I took her to my old hood. Maybe I just wanted her to know the man who wanted to get her pregnant.
I wasn’t used to feeling this way. Normally I fucked a girl and then forgot about her, but Cassidy just kept lingering in my mind. I hadn’t even felt what it was like to be inside her yet.
“I grew up in Ohio,” she said suddenly as we got closer to her apartment building.
“Midwestern girl,” I said.
“Yeah.” She nodded, looking out the window. “My parents are both still alive and married. My dad is a dentist and my mom teaches first grade.”
“Sounds nice. How’d you end up in Chicago?”
“I went to school here. I got a journalism degree from the University of Chicago.”
“Good school.”
“That’s how I got into all of this. I wanted to make my mark.”
“You’re sure as hell making one now.”
She shrugged and looked at me. “I guess so.”
“What would your parents say about your choice of men?” I asked, smirking at her.
“They’d probably disown me, or maybe try to get you arrested.”
I laughed. “Sorry to hear it. I guess they won’t get a baby announcement.”
“Probably not. I think that would kill my dad.”
“Are they religious?”
“I guess so. They’re just old fashioned, really. My dad thinks I should have become a nurse or a vet or something like that.”
“Then he’d love it if you became my stay-at-home mob wife.”
She cracked a smile. “Yeah. Maybe.”
“You can raise the kids. Do yoga all day.”
“Sounds nice.”
“You’d love it. I’ll go crack skulls, you stay home and change diapers.”
“Great. We’d make an amazing team.”
“Raising babies and kicking ass.”
She laughed as I slowly came up toward her building. Instead of parking, I cruised slowly past.
She cocked her head, confused. “That was my building back there.”
“I know,” I murmured.
There were two thugs standing near the front entrance, two guys I recognized. Both of them were Ernesto’s boys.
What the fuck were they doing? He was supposed to stay away from Cassidy for the time being. He had no reason to post guys right outside her apartment building.
Unless he was going against orders.
I went around the block and parked a few buildings down from her place.
“Stay here,” I said.
“Why?”
“I have to do something.” I looked at her seriously. “Just stay here.”
She nodded. “Okay. Fine.”
I got out of the car and shut the door. I strode over toward her apartment building, fingering the gun I had tucked into my waistband. I didn’t
know what these guys wanted, but I wasn’t messing around.
They didn’t see me coming. The first one was named Leo, and he had his back turned to me. He was thin with curly dark hair. The other guy was Ollie, and he was too busy talking into his cell phone to see me.
I went right up to Leo and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, his face angry. Ollie looked up and gaped as I punched Leo in the nose, sending him sprawling.
I felt bone break as Leo toppled to the ground. Blood spurted from his wound. Ollie dropped his phone and came at me, roaring like an idiot. I easily stepped back and dropped an elbow into the back of his neck, sending him straight to the ground.
Leo was back on his feet, and he was pissed. He threw a few punches at me, but I danced away, grinning to myself. My heart was pounding, and I was loving this shit. People on the other side of the street were staring, but that didn’t matter to me.
The only thing for me right in that moment was the fight. I fucking lived for the fight.
Leo came at me hard, and I blocked his right hook. I stepped close to him and dropped my shoulder, pivoting my hips. Using his momentum, I threw him over my hip.
I grunted as Ollie tackled me from behind. I hit the ground hard and saw stars for a second before managing to roll onto my back. Ollie reared to hit me, but I was too fast. I slammed my elbow into the side of his face. I twisted again, shoving him off me, and scrambled to my feet.
Leo came at me, yelling. This time, I was going to end it. He punched at me wildly, and I easily dodged him. I caught his right wrist and pulled him close to me. Then I slammed my forehead into his nose. He grunted, and I did it again and again until he fell to the ground, unconscious.
I could feel a smear of blood on my face, but I didn’t care. Ollie backed off, his eyes wide with terror. I walked calmly up to him and punched him three times in the face until he finally dropped to the ground, groaning and bleeding.
I spit next to him. “Tell your boss to fuck off, or else I’ll do worse.”
“Fuck you, Rafa.”
“Get your fucking friend out of here.”
Ollie slowly got to his feed, unsteady. He managed to revive Leo, and both men limped off as I headed back toward the car.
Cassidy was staring at me as I approached.
“What?” I asked her.
She climbed out of the car. “You have blood on your face.”
“Oh.” I took a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped it off. “Better?”
“No. And what the fuck was that?”
“Those were Ernesto’s men. I suspect they were here to harm you.”
“You suspect?”
“I don’t take chances.”
She gaped at me. “That was scary, Rafa.”
“You’re fine now.” I tossed the handkerchief aside. I didn’t even know why I carried one. I guess it felt right to have one when I was wearing a suit. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“Okay,” she said softly, and followed me toward the building.
The crowd had dispersed already. I didn’t know if someone had called the cops or what, so I was in a hurry to get inside. It was a bad idea to be standing out on the sidewalk when the cops showed up after a fight.
We stopped in the foyer of her building. She turned to me, a strange look on her face. “You should come upstairs,” she said. “I should make sure you’re okay.”
“Fine,” I said, “but I’m okay.”
“Let me make sure.”
I smirked at her and nodded.
I knew what she really wanted. I could see it in her eyes.
She was starting to see the merit of my plan.
15
Cassidy
Watching Rafa beat the shit out of two guys was both terrifying and exciting, like pretty much everything involving him.
I’d had no clue what he was doing, so I’d had to get a closer look. As soon as he strode down the block toward my building, I got out of the car and moved a little closer.
Then the fight started. Rafa moved so fast, so gracefully, that it was possible to almost forget he was smashing the faces of two men out of nowhere. They hadn’t done anything to provoke the fight, but he seemed to think it was necessary.
As I watched, it slowly dawned on me. The Spiders said they’d protect me, but Rafa was actually doing it. He was willing to put himself on the line for me. He was willing to fight for me, draw blood for me.
The thrill was starting to win over the terror as he beat the two men down.
I quickly got back in the car, breathing deeply, trying to calm myself down before he got back. I was feeling something pretty complicated, something that rolled along my spine and made my toes want to curl.
It was lust, pure and simple. I’d wanted him before, but watching him defend me like that made me only want him more.
But I also felt like I knew him a little bit. He’d taken me to his home block and bought me breakfast, mostly just because he wanted me to know him.
Also because he wanted to get me pregnant. I couldn’t forget about that.
I bit my lip, looking out the window. He wanted to get me pregnant. He had said it was the only way to save both of our lives, but that just seemed crazy.
What if he was right? Maybe he really did need to get me pregnant to prove to the mob I wasn’t a threat. If I was his girl, or at least if I seemed that way to them, maybe they’d leave me alone. They had to trust him, even if they didn’t trust me.
But getting pregnant by a stranger, even a stranger I wanted, was just too crazy.
When he got back to the car, I followed him back into the lobby. As we stood there, I had an insane idea.
I wanted him to come up. I wanted him to come up and I wanted him to have me. I knew that he knew it. I could see it in his eyes. We both knew what I was thinking.
After I gave him my bullshit excuse of wanting to look at his injuries, we got into the elevator together. He stood close to me as we rode up in silence.
We stepped out and walked down my hallway together. I paused at my door and looked at him.
“Rafa,” I started, but I didn’t get another word out.
He pressed me against the door and kissed me.
I felt his hands on my hips, his lips against mine, and I gave in. I knew I should have said no, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to. I wanted this to happen with every single fiber of my being, ever since we’d first met.
I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing myself against him.
His hands felt right as they ran down my hips, pressing me closer to him. He was so damn big and muscular, I felt like he was swallowing me with his body. His lips and tongue felt right against mine, his taste flooding my mouth and blinding me to anything else.
After a second, I turned from him, quickly breaking away, and opened my apartment door. He practically pushed me inside, grabbing my body and pulling me against him. He shut the door behind us and pushed me up against it, pinning me there. He held my arms up above my head as he kissed my neck and lips.
I gasped as his lips grazed my ear. “This is what you’ve been thinking about, isn’t it?”
“No,” I said, gasping.
He held my wrists tighter. “Liar. You’re a fucking dirty girl, and you want me to come deep inside that little pussy.”
“I don’t want to get pregnant.”
“No,” he said, kissing my neck. One of his hands released my wrists, but he was still holding them with the other. His hand slowly moved down my body and pressed down the front of my shorts. I gasped as he found my soaking wet panties and slowly began to rub my clit.
“But you do want me to fuck this tight cunt,” he said. “You want me to make you come while you scream my name.”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Good girl.” He kissed my lips as his hand moved under my soaking panties to find my slippery clit. He began to rub me in circles as he kissed me hard, and pleasure exploded through my mind.
All of
the fear melted away as he worked my pussy. All of the worry and the pain was gone. Rafa’s fingers and mouth took that from me, and the only thing I could see was Rafa pressed against me, working my body.
His fingers slipped deep inside me, and I let out a low, deep moan. He grinned and kissed my neck as his fingers fucked me.
“I think what you’re thinking about,” he said softly. “I know you’re thinking about my proposition.”
“We can’t,” I said, and then moaned as his fingers slid in and out of me.
“Maybe not. I won’t force you to do anything. But I am going to make you take this cock, and I’ll have you begging for more.”
“Rafa,” I gasped. “Please.”
“Exactly.” He pulled his fingers back and let my arms drop. He quickly pulled my shirt off and unhooked my bra, tossing my clothes aside. He kissed my chest and felt my breasts, teasing my nipples with his tongue.
He dropped to his knees and unbuttoned my shorts. I bit my lip as he pulled them off and then slid my panties down my skin, sending tingles running all over my body.
He looked up at me with those incredible, gorgeous eyes, a cocky and hungry expression on his face.
“Beg me,” he said.
“For what?”
He fingers pressed inside me, and I spread my legs wider. I grabbed his hair and moaned.
“Beg me to suck this clit until you can’t stand it anymore.”
“Rafa,” I gasped. He was so dirty, but I couldn’t act like I didn’t love it.
“Beg me to lick this little pussy, you dirty fucking girl.” His fingers worked me.
“Please, Rafa,” I moaned. “Oh my god, please. I want to feel your tongue on me.”
“Where?”
“Don’t make me say it.”
“Tell me where.”
“My pussy. Please, lick my pussy.”
And then he pressed his lips against my clit and began to work me. His fingers stayed deep inside me, and I spread my legs even wider as his free hand supported my ass. His tongue and teeth and lips worked my click, sucking and licking as his fingers kept fucking me, and it was all I could do to stay on my feet as I grabbed his hair and pressed him against me.