“I won’t,” he promised, his hoarse voice barely recognizable to him. At this moment, he would rather serve another year in prison than pull out of this hot, wet haven. He pounded harder, slipping in and out of her milky wetness with ease. His frenzied motions rocked her curvy body back and forth. Ronnie bucked wildly against him, squeezing his erection by rhythmically contracting the muscles of her pussy.
Her slick walls gripped him.
Squeezed him.
Teased him.
Damn! How did she do that?
All too soon, Vic felt the first stirrings of an orgasm. He was quickly spiraling out of control. In an attempt to smother the hot embers igniting and popping inside him, he raised Ronnie’s arms above her head and pressed whisper-soft kisses along the column of her throat. He wasn’t ready for the ride to end. He wanted to feel her velvety flesh around his hard thickness. He wanted to keep pace with the rhythmic tempo he’d started. He wanted to caress every tantalizing curve of her body. But Ronnie had other plans. She lunged hard against him, repeatedly thrusting her hips against his.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” she called out.
Her vagina throbbed and pulsated against his penis. Within seconds, he heard the thunder of his own guttural groan. “Damn, Ronnie,” he moaned.
The inferno building inside him was too hot to withstand. With Ronnie bucking against him and her spasms clenching his dick, he didn’t stand a chance. An intense blaze gripped him; liquid heat coursed through his veins and lit fires that demanded to be quenched. When he felt Ronnie shudder against him and scream his name, he let the flames consume him. He followed her orgasm only moments later, a rapid-fire explosion erupting throughout his body. His sated roar penetrated the air as wave after wave of red-hot flames engulfed him.
Afterward, his ragged breathing filled the air. Ronnie clung to his sweat-soaked chest. As Vic held her in the crook of his arm, his racing heartbeat finally ebbed to a slow trot. He closed his eyes, languishing in the afterglow of hot, musky sex. He’d been truthful when he told Ronnie he admired strong women. What he didn’t tell her was that he found them more adventurous in bed. But he’d never experienced anything like this before. He couldn’t remember ever having mind-blowing sex like this.
Something was different.
Or maybe he was different.
He didn’t know what this meant. Couldn’t even begin to assign any significance to it. Maybe it was from a dry spell of being in prison. One thing was certain. Now, that he’d had a taste of Ronnie Jones, he damn sure wanted more.
ELEVEN
Allen stared at Toye’s shocked face.
“Are you sure about this?” Toye asked.
“Yes. Don’t you think I would have checked, and triple checked my facts?”
“Does Ronnie know?”
“That she hired a felon? Probably not.”
Toye shook her head, her dark curls bouncing to and fro. She’d inherited her cousin’s good looks, but that was where the resemblance ended. Ronnie had a flawless complexion, the color of a sweet potato. Toye was darker, with polished mocha skin. She’d been one of the few champions for Allen’s cause, helping him win the heart of Ronnie.
He sat across from her at a quiet diner in downtown Miami. Hours earlier, he’d learned that Vic Romano was an ex-con, released from prison three months ago. The first person he’d told was Toye.
“To think, he’s been in our midst all this time,” Toye murmured.
“I know. It’s damn scary.”
“How did you find this out?”
Allen drank from his glass of ice water. How much should he tell her? Toye was on his side now, but would she condone his actions if she knew he’d hired a private investigator to dig up dirt on Vic? Something about the man got under Allen’s skin. He didn’t mind spending a few hundred dollars to check the dude’s background. In fact, he considered it a worthwhile investment. It hadn’t taken long. Vic’s life was an open book—for anyone taking the time to read.
“When I was at Gabe’s party last week, I took pictures of everyone with my cell phone,” Allen said. “Later, I was showing the photos to some friends of mine. One of them used to be a guard at Cook County Prison. He recognized Vic. Can you believe it?”
Toye’s eyes grew wide. “Wow. That’s unbelievable.”
Yeah, probably because I made the whole thing up.
Toye was so easily misled. It was easy to fool her because she wanted to believe the worst. Most people did. The world loved a scandal, especially when it involved someone they knew.
Allen let out a long breath. “I can hardly believe it myself.”
“What was he in prison for?”
“He killed a man…” Allen paused for dramatic effect. “With his bare hands.”
Toye gasped. “Oh, my God!”
“Naturally, I’m concerned for Veronica, having a criminal right under her nose. I have to protect her. She doesn’t know it, but I love her.”
“Allen,” Toye gave him a bittersweet glance. “Have you told her how you feel?”
“I’ve tried in so many words. But Ronnie’s too busy working to notice me.”
“Well, I’m going to make it my mission to make sure she notices you from now on.”
“She’s turned down all of my invitations to take her out.”
“The only reason she came to Gabe’s party is because he’s family. And she brought Vic with her. That was a shock to everyone.”
Allen’s jaw clenched. He didn’t want to think about how much Ronnie liked that son-of-a-bitch. He could tell by the way she clung to his arm at the party there was more than friendship between them. Well, he was throwing a monkey wrench into Vic’s scheme. There was no way some Italian upstart was going to intrude on Allen’s master plan. He needed to enlist the help of Toye to expose the bastard.
“I worry about her being alone with him,” Allen warned. “He could have abusive behavior that we’re not aware of. Who knows what’s he’s doing to her behind closed doors?”
“Ronnie would never put up with that.”
He shook his head. “You’ve seen all the stuff in the news lately about domestic abuse. It happens more often than you think—any woman could be a hidden victim.”
Toye’s cell phone rang, interrupting Allen’s tirade. He listened to her end of the conversation with interest. Apparently, some sort of catastrophe was unfolding.
“That was Olivia,” she told him, when she hung up. “The project manager reported that a large amount of the copper is missing from the site.”
“What?”
Alarm etched across her features. “You heard me. The copper for the A/C units is missing. Olivia didn’t know who else to call. Candace and Gabe are at dinner. She didn’t want to disturb them. Marlowe is at the spa. She threatened Olivia not to bother her. Ronnie is not answering her phone.”
“Not answering? Ronnie always answers.”
“I know. Olivia said Ronnie left the office hours ago. She was on her way home.”
“Jesus.” Allen shook his head, driving the nail deeper into Vic’s coffin. “She could be with Vic right now. He could be holding her prisoner or something.”
Toye wrung her hands. “What should I do, Allen?”
“Call the police.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. Call the police and report that bastard. Only one person can be responsible for this theft.”
Toye’s mouth dropped open. “You think…Vic…did it?”
“I don’t think. I know. I just told you he’s a convicted felon. Who else could have done it?”
Allen held his breath as Toye reached for her cell phone again. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Reporting the theft to the police. I want a warrant issued for Vic’s arrest.”
TWELVE
Ronnie lounged in the bend of Vic’s elbow. Her head rested atop his bare chest. One hand was splayed across his rock-hard abs. They finally made it to her bedroom after the second round. The
man’s sexual appetite was voracious. And after years of celibacy, she found her hunger easily matched his. Now, as she lay sated and tangled with him in the sheets of her king-size bed, the enormity of what they’d done settled in. She hadn’t had her world rocked like that in a long time. In fact, she couldn’t ever remember having sex so satisfying. Her body felt like a knotted rope that had finally been unraveled.
She traced lazy circles on the muscles of his firm bronzed chest. There was still so much she didn’t know about him. Yes, he was confident and self-assured. Yes, he knew his way around a construction site. Yes, he was a damn good foreman. And hell yes, he was good in bed. But she wanted to know more. Who was Vic Romano?
“Tell me about you, Vic,” she inquired.
“Not much to tell.”
She snuggled against him. Maybe he would open up if she revealed a little bit of herself. “You know all about me. You’ve met my sisters. My mom died when I was a teenager. Her death didn’t really change anything. I was already taking care of Candace and Marlowe anyway. This may sound kind of harsh, but when she died, it was one less headache for me to worry about.”
“She was that bad?”
“Let’s just say she wouldn’t win any Mother of the Year awards.”
“What about your dad?”
“We never knew for sure who he was. Mom had a lot of boyfriends that came and went.”
“Musta been tough growing up with no dependable parents.” He stroked her shoulder. The rough pads of his thumbs felt good against her skin.
“Sometimes.”
“But you and your sisters turned out fine. You did a great job raising them.”
Ronnie thought about her absentee mother. After seventeen years, the memory of her mother no longer saddened her. “There are times when I miss her, but I don’t miss the drama that went along with her.”
“My dad died last year,” Vic volunteered.
“Were you two close?”
“We used to be. Until my mom screwed around on him.”
“What? What did that have to do with you?”
“Dad took his anger out on everyone. He forced us to move out. Life was never the same after that.”
“That’s terrible.”
“Yep. For a long time, I blamed my mom. Then, I realized my dad made his own choices too—some of them were very wrong.”
“At least your mom is still alive. You have a chance to reconcile with her.”
“Maria is still too self-absorbed to reconcile with anyone. She’s just that type of woman. She likes to sweep things under the rug and pretend they didn’t happen.”
“What about you?” Ronnie asked. “Are you the forgiving type?”
Vic’s soft chuckle floated over her. “I’m easy-going,” he said. “But I do face problems head-on. Life’s too short to go tip-toeing around afraid of hurting people’s feelings.”
“I forgot who I was talking to—Mr. Blunt. With your direct attitude, you should have been a debater.”
In one swift movement, Vic switched positions and flipped her over and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “And with this smooth skin, you shoulda been a model. A model with great legs. And a great ass.”
Ronnie giggled as Vic wedged himself between her legs and lay as though he belonged there. She felt his erection harden against her. “Damn. You want more?” she teased.
He nodded. The heat in his green gaze was hot enough to melt steel.
“You’re insatiable,” she told him.
“When there’s something I can’t get enough of, why deny myself?” He trailed a finger down her chin, past her cleavage and to her abdomen, where his big hand splayed across her stomach. She quivered in response. “I may not be the richest man,” he said. “Or the smartest. Or the handsomest. But there is one thing I’m damn good at.” His eyes met hers. She felt her sharp intake of breath as he devoured her with one look.
“What?” she asked breathlessly.
“Giving you pleasure.”
His lips claimed hers, searing her with a hot kiss that turned her insides to jelly. His tongue battled hers into submission, making her whimper in delight. When his hand dipped toward the sweet spot between her legs, she thrust her pelvis up, ready to feel his long fingers inside her once again.
The doorbell chime made her jump. Her heart slammed against her ribcage. “Shit! That must be Tina.”
She pushed Vic off and rolled to the edge of her bed, searching frantically for her discarded clothes. Then she remembered Vic had disrobed her downstairs in the living room.
“Who’s Tina?” he asked.
“Jovan’s best friend’s mother. I was supposed to pick him and Jovan up from the library at six-thirty.”
Ronnie glanced at the clock near her bed. She was an hour late. She’d gotten so caught up with Vic, she’d forgotten. Now, the boy’s mother was here to pick her son up.
“Hurry,” she told Vic, who seemed perfectly content to lounge in her bed. “Get dressed!”
She flew down the stairs, picking up her clothing along the way.
The frantic ringing of the doorbell and loud banging on the door fueled her movements.
Okay, Tina was definitely trippin’.
Ronnie tucked her shirt into her pants and made sure she was presentable before jerking the door open.
Two police officers stood outside. The blue and red lights from their cruiser flashed in the background.
“I’m Officer Burns,” the one with a fat mustache announced. “We’re looking for Victor Romano.”
Ronnie shook her head. “What is this all about—?”
Vic stepped forward. “I’m Vic. How can I help you?”
The officer withdrew his cuffs from behind his back. The second one shoved forward, pushing Ronnie to the side. His gun was trained on Vic.
“Victor Romano, place your hands behind your back!” the officer ordered. “You’re under arrest.”
Vic stared at the two cops. For months he’d flinched every time he heard the sirens. Dreaded the sight of those blues and reds. He’d only recently learned to control the impulse of a tightening sphincter every time he saw a cop uniform. He’d tried to convince himself it was all in his mind. Now, his nightmare had come true.
“What are the charges?” Ronnie demanded.
“Theft,” the shorter cop with the thick mustache answered.
“That’s ridiculous. What kind of theft?”
“Copper stolen from the construction site on Main and Cherry.”
Vic felt the cold, hard metal click against his wrists as he stood barefoot on Ronnie’s porch. He hadn’t even had time to put his shoes on. He gritted through his teeth, “I didn’t steal nothin’.”
“You’re making a mistake,” Ronnie shouted to the officer. “This man is my foreman.”
She made quite a sight, defending him against the police. She looked so professional in her silk blouse and tailored slacks. The only thing out of place was the wild hair all over her head. Less than an hour ago, he’d pulled the thick strands loose from their structured bun. Run his fingers through her hair. Tugged on the hair at the nape of the neck to get better access to her mouth. How his world had changed in the span of sixty minutes.
Out of nowhere, Ronnie’s cousin, Toye and Allen came rushing up the sidewalk.
“Oh, Lord!” Toye ran to Ronnie’s side. “Are you okay?”
“Did this man hurt you?” Allen demanded, glaring in Vic’s direction.
Vic growled as the man wrapped a comforting arm around Ronnie’s shoulder. To her credit, Ronnie shrugged away from Allen’s embrace.
“What the hell is wrong with all of you?” Ronnie screeched. “Of course, I’m fine!”
She stepped forward and patiently addressed the men in blue. “Please, remove those handcuffs,” she instructed. “And put your gun down. You’ve got the wrong man.”
The officer with the gun drawn hesitated. “We got a complaint that this man is the prime suspect in a robbery. A signifi
cant amount of copper was stolen from the Three Sisters Construction site.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I’m Veronica Jones, one of the owners of Three Sisters. I can assure you I never reported any copper stolen.”
Toye spoke up. “I called the complaint in.”
Ronnie’s jaw dropped. “Why?” It came out more like a yell than a question.
“I’m sorry.” Toye’s bottom lip trembled. “Allen told me…”
Vic glowered at Allen. What kind of explanation was this asshole going to come up with?
Ronnie saved the man from a serious beat down when she interjected, “That doesn’t matter right now.” She turned to the officers again. “No crime has been committed. Vic needs to be released immediately.”
“Then, you’re not pressing charges?” the cop asked.
“Definitely not, officer. And neither is anyone else here.”
If looks could kill, Toye and Allen would be dead. Ronnie glared at them with eyes so narrowed, they were almost slits.
Vic breathed easier when the handcuffs were removed and the cops made their way back to the patrol car.
Before they could drive off, Ronnie lit into Toye and Allen. “What the hell were you two thinking?”
Vic rubbed his wrists where the cuffs had been. His skin itched from the contact with the metal. It was more psychological than painful. And he had Allen to blame. He wanted to punch that motherfucker in the face.
He fought the rage boiling inside him. “Why did you call the cops on me, you son-of-a-bitch?”
Allen took a step back. “Don’t you threaten me,” he warned.
Vic’s fists balled at his sides. “I could snap your neck like a fucking twig.”
Ronnie stepped between Vic and Allen. Her back was to him, but Vic could still see the quivering mass of wimp standing in front of her. It was just like the night she ripped her dress and he’d stood in back of her to protect him. Now, she was trying to protect him. Or maybe she was protecting Allen from him. No matter. Ronnie couldn’t protect Allen. No one could. If Vic wanted, he could stomp Allen’s ass in the ground right now. With his anger at the melting point, and the police cruiser already gone, the man should consider himself lucky he was still breathing.
Blueprint for Love Page 10