She smoothed her hands down her dress.
“What’s that smile and blush for?” her mom asked.
“Nothing, if we’re finished up, I’ll get the bill so I can take you both home. I have an appointment in an hour, and then some plans later.”
“What plans?” her mom asked.
“Just some plans with friends.”
“Not a man, right?” her mom asked in an accusatory tone instead of a happy tone. What did her mom want her to do, spend life alone and never fall in love, or be with a man?
“I hope not another date. You’re no good at them, obviously,” Aunt Stella said, and took another sip from her drink.
“I’m fine with dates, but the guys are the problem. Were the problem,” she added.
“You’re seeing someone?” her mom asked.
Marianna paid the bill since neither her mom nor aunt took out any money. She stood up so they did, too, and on the way out Marianna said hello and thank you to Brooklyn, the owner, and then to Cesar, the sheriff.
“Sheriff, I’d like you to meet my mom, Delores, and my Aunt Stella.” Her mom and aunt were drooling over Cesar and flirting and giggling as he shook their hands hello and welcomed them to Repose.
They talked about the spring fair and upcoming events and then Cesar asked Mariana about work and then if she needed to discuss anything with him, that he would be around and she could find him. She knew he hinted about the relationship she started with Flame and his team. There were rules around town, and of course SOJ had theirs, too. She wasn’t surprised by Cesar’s question; the man knew everything that was going on in his town and then some.
“Thanks, Sheriff, I’ll talk to you soon,” she said, and he nodded his head and wished them a good day. Her mom grabbed onto her arm.
“You should snag a man like him, all law enforcement and military-like.”
“He’s taken. Him and his three brothers are dating Antonia,” Marianna explained, and both women looked shocked.
“The good ones go fast,” Aunt Delores said.
As they drove back to her mom’s house. Her mom asked a bunch of questions, and then asked about who Marianna was dating.
“It’s new and complicated, Mom.”
“Son of a bitch. You’re involved in a ménage? How many men Marianna?” she questioned. Her aunt gave her the once over like suddenly Marianna was a slut and screwing multiple men.
“I’m not, Mom. I have friends, guys I’ve known or are getting to know,” she told her, and oh how she wished her mom and she were close and their relationship normal, but it wasn’t normal at all. Her mom couldn’t even raise her kids because she was so hurt by her husband. Kids should come first. As a mother you sacrifice everything for your children to protect them and give them a better life. You want them to be smarter than you, more successful than you, and happier than you. Not her mom, and certainly not her aunt.
“It isn’t smart if you’re sleeping with multiple men. When it doesn’t work out, you’ll be used goods and a whore to all other men. Mark my words, you’ll be finished and your chances for one great man to care for you will be gone,” her mom said to her.
Of course that was a fear in engaging in any intimate relationship, and add in multiple men and hell yeah, it was scary. Things could go sour quickly, but it was too late to turn back now. She prayed she hadn’t made a mistake, and then wondered about the men leaving and how long they might be gone and what could happen. They didn’t claim guardianship of her or Cesar would have said something. That rocky gut sensation began to form in her belly.
“You’re not even listening to me. Men are pigs who want a woman’s body and nothing more. Don’t fall for their charms or for this ménage thing some of your friends are in. It won’t work out for you. Love is not real. It’s a fantasy that little girls think are real, and then wind up used and abused and eventually all alone,” her mom told her.
“Think about it. When it doesn’t work out, you’re the one left used, and with multiple men, forget about ever gaining any good man to care about you or at minimum support you. They’ll want nothing to do with you. Don’t be stupid, Marianna. For someone so bright, I thought you would have been listening to your mom and I all these years,” her aunt added.
Marianna wanted to cry. She felt sick, unsure, confused, and now she worried about whether or not she made a mistake sleeping with the four soldiers who had yet to claim her.
“Just because a relationship didn’t work out for you, doesn’t mean one won’t work out for me,” she said to her mother on the defensive.
“Mine didn’t either. Men use women for their bodies. If you gave up the cake then it was meaningless. You’ll see as the man puts other things first, even if he said he couldn’t live without you,” Aunt Stella chimed in.
She thought about them leaving for a mission. Yes, it was their jobs, yes, Flame’s cousin and other soldiers were ambushed and murdered, but did they all really have to go? Was it necessary for them to leave her, and not claim guardianship? What was holding them to her, keeping them loyal to her? Not likely they would be hanging out at a bar in another country while on a mission, but she suddenly felt untrusting. What had they given her to show a commitment? She gave her body, her virginity. She had anal sex. That wasn’t something to take lightly. Now they were going to leave her and who knew for how long. Maybe she made a mistake. Maybe she should have waited a little longer and thought through the whole ménage thing? Hell, being romantically involved with soldiers thing and all the negatives to it, instead of the positives. Like their bodies, their capabilities, their protectiveness and possessiveness, and God damn it, the feel of their arms around her at night and how she brought out a vulnerability they whispered to her about, as if fearing someone else might hear or know the effect this bond had on all of them. She swallowed hard. She didn’t know what she was going to do. One step at a time. One situation at a time. How long could she handle uncertainty, and what could possibly be a love affair, instead of her happy ending?
Marianna was grateful to be out of their house, and away from their negative comments and their verbal displeasure in her engaging in some sort of relationship with multiple men.
“Oh well, nothing I can do about it now,” she thought and then headed into Ausberry to the building to fill out paperwork.
* * * *
“What the fuck do you mean shit is missing?” Press asked Dom.
“I mean shit has been stolen from my warehouse. Your shit, Press,” Dom told him as Dom paced in his office, held the phone to his ear, and prayed that Press didn’t come to the club and kill him. This was a fucking mess.
“I don’t fucking understand this. My men were doing walkthroughs making sure that each shipment was in place in the right location for loading, when Curtis noticed some scraping on the flooring that hadn’t been there. You know I keep my warehouses spotless.”
“Just fucking get to it. What was taken?” Press barked at him.
“The money and paintings. Boxes were shifted and made to look like nothing was missing at first glance, but Curtis noticed. Curtis found out.”
“How the fuck can something like this happen? Where was your security?”
“Maddy didn’t show up to work. Curtis called in Troy and he had worked two days earlier.”
“So you don’t even know how long it’s been missing? What about cameras?”
“All deactivated. We got nothing but the shadows of two to three men in black, their backs as they used a hand trolley to load the paintings and money,” Dom told him.
“Mother fucker, sounds like an inside job to me, Dom. I want heads for this. Every fucking person, you understand me? I’m sending Luccon, Bet, and Fray. Leo will find that guard Maddy. Tell Curtis they’re on their way.”
“I got it, Press. I don’t know how this happened. I’ll do whatever you want. Anything you need. I just don’t understand how this could happen.”
“We’ve known one another for a long time, Dom. Be r
eady if I make a request.”
Dome swallowed hard. “Understood,” Dom said, and then ended the call. He swallowed hard. Last time Press made a request, Dom had to arrange for Press to disappear out of the country for several months. He had an idea about what happened. It hadn’t been the first time Press killed a woman he had a relationship with. Or killed a man a woman was dating in order to have her for himself. He was a sick fuck, a wealthy man who owned and operated small businesses, but was heavy for even more influential men. All Dom knew was that he didn’t want Press on his bad side, and this situation was about to get crazy. Whoever stole those items were as good as dead.
* * * *
Press had a meeting with Truman and the last thing he needed was a call like this from Dom. This was a fucking situation in a half. He explained everything to Mexa, who immediately got the men in motion to finding out who was responsible. Press was fuming mad as he walked through the main lobby of the business offices and then rounded the corner where the Humanities office was and the elevator. He saw the back of a woman. Long brown hair, slim fitting dress, cowgirl boots, tanned legs and the dress was short, pretty, and as he heard the laughter and then the woman behind the counter tell her everything was great and welcome to the company, the woman said thank you and turned around as he recognized her voice. When she did, his heart felt as if it stopped a moment and she blinked, smiled and then looked scared. Press was in a dead stare at her, his mind filled with anger.
“What are you doing here?” he questioned her, and she squinted her eyes at him, looked away and at Mexa, who gave him a tap on his shoulder in warning of his tone, and perhaps that he was scaring the gorgeous Marianna Cord.
“Excuse me?” she asked, and eyed him over, but the woman behind the counter said she forgot to give her the i.d.
Marianna took the envelope of items, said thank you and then started to walk forward when he snagged her wrist.
“What are you doing here? Are you working here?”
“Let go of my wrist,” she said to him, and he didn’t want to. He felt so much. Such a need, a possessive need, that he would love to grab her right now, bring her into a room, hell, the fucking elevator and fuck her until he could get rid of the sensations he felt. He was pissed off, but this woman interested him like no other. Young, sexy, sweet, and everything a man like him didn’t deserve to have yet lusted for. He released her wrist, knowing with a woman so inexperienced that he needed to go slow.
“I’m sorry. I’m having a bad fucking day. Really bad,” he said, and then closed his eyes and exhaled.
“That’s okay. It happens,” she said softly, and he looked at her. Eyed over her attire and she pulled the jean jacket, but it wasn’t meant to close. She looked good. Really good and was showing a bit more cleavage than he had seen her show.
“What are you doing here?” he asked her.
“Well, I start work here on Monday.”
“You do?” he asked, and she looked at Mexa and gave a soft smile.
“Yes, Truman offered me a job. He had invited me to come check the place out after we met last week. I interviewed with two of his main employees and they offered me a job.”
“Doing what?” he asked.
“Well, I’m not sure yet. I’m going to be working alongside the CFO and the CEO. We’ll take it from there.”
“You sound excited. How did this all happen? You just met Truman the other night, correct?” he asked, squinting his eyes at her.
Was Truman going to make a move on Marianna? He’d nip that in the bud quickly. He knew Truman’s routine. Hire some pretty young woman or college student starting out, and then work on getting her into bed, then when things got boring or complicated, he gave them a severance package and sent them on their way. Sometimes with letters of recommendation and new job offers that usually landed those women with other men like Truman, out for a piece of ass in the work place. Some went on as regular office fuck toys and others disappeared from embarrassment. He wasn’t going to allow Truman to do that to Marianna, though something told him Marianna wouldn’t accept such a relationship. He felt protective and jealous and didn’t know why.
“I would be careful around Truman. Sometimes he has ulterior motives for his female employees.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’s like that with me at all. I do have my MBA and I’m quite capable of handling this type of work. If you’ll excuse me, I’m meeting someone within the hour and need to head out. I hope your day improves.”
He stopped her from moving, placing his hand on her hip. “Not another man, I hope. I have my eyes on you, Marianna,” he said to her.
She looked shocked. “I’m seeing someone.”
He instantly was pissed off. “New relationship?”
“Very, but thank you for the compliment. Have a good day. Bye, Mexa.”
Mexa nodded and gave her a small smile and they watched her walk away.
Press watched her go, watched that sexy ass sway and the bottom of her dress tap against her tan thighs. He licked his lips and then they got into the elevator.
“She’s so fucking sweet. Do you think Truman is trying to make a move, and set her up?” Mexa asked.
“Not going to happen. I’ll make sure of it.”
Chapter Ten
Marianna arrived at the guys’ house and before she even got out of the car, Slova and Yani were there. Holy God did they look good. Slova in a tight-fitting navy blue shirt that showed off his muscles, and that beard, that made him look rugged, older, and sexy. Then Yani, oh Boy, Yani was wearing camo pants and a black t-shirt, and when he got out of her car, his eyes zeroed in on her breasts and then narrowed.
Slova pulled her into his arms and hugged her, inhaling against her neck, his hand immediately went to her ass and squeezed her to him.
“You wore this out today?” Yani asked, and Slova pulled back slowly, gave her a wink and then licked his lips. Slova released her to Yani.
“What’s wrong with this? Don’t you like it?” she asked, with her arms out to the sides and she went to twirl, but he snagged her wrist and pulled her into his arms. His hand went to her ass and the other around her waist.
“These are ours. You look too fucking sexy to be out without one of us.” She blushed and tapped his chest.
“Stop, and just kiss me already,” she said to him, but he looked seriously upset before he pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her.
When he pulled back, Yani still looked concerned and she had a feeling something was wrong. He slid his hand from around her waist to her hand as Slova placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Let’s get inside before I strip you right here in the driveway,” Slova said, and she was shocked, hell aroused. It was like they couldn’t wait to make love to her. To be close to her, and possess her.
They got into the house and Slova helped her remove her jean jacket as Flame and Cast walked into the room, looking just as edible as Slova and Yani. Both men looked her over. Cast reached out and stroked her jaw then along her breast on the side.
“What is this?” he asked.
She looked down. “What?”
“She wore that out alone at the fair,” Slova said, and she didn’t understand why they were so upset by her outfit.
Cast pulled her into his arms, ran one hand up under her hair and slightly pulled it back. “We need to talk about these outfits, and what you wear without us present,” he said, and pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her.
She felt his hand run under her dress to her ass, then his finger glide along the string of her thong panties. She pressed against his shoulders to slow things down. Her mind thinking of what her mom and aunt said, and about men just wanting sex. She wasn’t here a minute and they were moving quickly. His hand gripped her ass cheek as he pulled from her mouth.
“Why are you pulling back?” he asked.
“I just got here,” she whispered.
His eyes squinted at her, and he looked suspicious. Something was definitely up wi
th them.
“Let me see her,” Flame said, and Cast released his hold on her. She fixed her dress and turned toward Flame. She stared way up at him, intimidated by his size, and personality. He was their leader, and she knew he expected her to obey his commands, as well.
He looked her over, then opened his arms. “Get in these arms, woman. Now,” he said, and she smiled, then closed the gap between them and hugged him. He squeezed her tight, ran his palm up and down her back then over her hip, squeezing her tight. She tilted her head up toward him and he looked down at her and winked, then pressed his mouth to hers.
When he released her lips, he held her gaze.
“Get all your paperwork done at work?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, and pulled back. He kept a hand on her hip.
“I even got an i.d. to get through security.”
“Excellent.” He slid his hand over her ass and caressed it.
“Want to go sit in the living room for a little bit?”
“Sure, did you know where you wanted to go for dinner?” she asked as he took her hand and brought her into the living room. Their house was pretty big, and very homey.
“This is so nice,” she said.
“It’s decent for now, but if we permanently move here, we’ll need a bigger place, and ideally one on campground,” he said to her, and they took seats on the couch, with Flame on her left and Slova on her right. Yani and Cast sat across from them. She was a little taken aback by him saying if they stayed. She crossed her legs and immediately Slova placed his hand on her knee and began to stroke her skin. She was instantly aroused, needy, as her pussy clenched and her breasts swelled. She tried to make small talk, but it was difficult with Flame bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing her knuckles, and then sucking on her fingers one by one. She held his gaze as Slova nuzzled against her neck and pressed her thighs apart.
His beard tickled her skin and Flame pressed his mouth to hers as he held her hand under her chin, controlling her as Slova’s hand slid up under her dress.
Sons of Justice 11_If Love Was Real Page 15