“Take me home?” she asked. Lucas stood and helped her to her feet. They left the staff room. Lucas waited for the other members of the staff to check if she was all right. They bumped into Gino on their way to the front door.
“Lucas, we’ll get them all,” Gino said, looking pissed as a bull. “Those fucking Castello bastards—”
“Uncle Gino,” Lucas interrupted. “It’s fine. Donny acted on his own. Herman tossed his sorry ass out. That’s why he went off like a stray dog.”
Gino looked dubious. “You sure about that?”
“Positive. Grace and I are on our way out,” he added. “It’s good seeing you.”
Gino let them pass. He took off his coat, placed it around Grace’s shoulders. It was cold out tonight, he noticed. They finally reached his car. They got in.
“Is it fine we left?” Grace asked.
“Of course, it is. Elena offered to handle the rest.” Lucas paused. “Grace, are you sure you’re fine?”
“I never told you the reason why Sadie and I fought.”
Lucas wasn’t sure what her fight with Sadie had to do with any of this but he listened anyway. He started the engine and let her speak.
“She said I didn’t know any better, that I couldn’t handle a man like you.”
Fuck. It was like all of Lucas’s worst fears were coming to life. Sadie had no business interfering in their relationship, but he knew Sadie’s opinion mattered to Grace. Grace also saw Sadie as family and he knew better than anyone how important family was.
“What did you tell her?” he dared to ask.
“That I can handle you just fine.”
That got a grin out of him. “Oh, yeah?”
At a stoplight, he snuck a look at his woman. Right now, she looked like the most beautiful woman in the world, the universe. Even better, she was his. Exclusively and forever. For a moment there, he’d panicked she’d run, or he had to set her free, but he didn’t entertain those thoughts anymore.
If Grace insisted on sticking around a man like him, then that was her loss. His gain.
“Your apartment?” he asked. He had the entire evening planned out. Lucas intended to cook dinner for her, eat dessert off her sweet body, and then ravish her in their bed. His plans had no particular order.
“No. Ours.”
At that word, he let out a breath. Lucas thought nearly losing her ruined this entire day, but he was wrong. It was turning out to be one of the best days of his life.
“You’re moving in with me?” Lucas had to confirm, because he still had a hard time believing this amazing woman, his woman, had agreed to take their relationship to the next level.
“I am.” She smiled as she said those words.
“I’ll help you pack your things,” he said. “You mentioned you don’t have a lot of stuff?”
“Part of me knew I had to move out of Sadie’s place sooner or later, so I kept my belongings at a minimum.”
“Good. Then we’ll do it this weekend.”
“You sure are bossy.”
Grace was teasing him again, flirting, but he didn’t mind. He liked it when they fooled around like this, marveled at how they managed to get to this point of their relationship. They were so comfortable with each other now, like an old married couple.
Marriage. Right. He wanted to talk to Marco about a loan. Lucas intended to put a ring on Grace’s finger soon, to tie the knot. He wanted to give her the wedding of her dreams. Anything she wanted, she could have.
“Any objections?” he asked.
Lucas had already begun to form plans in his head. He wouldn’t pop the question yet, but soon. Right now, she still hadn’t fully recovered from today’s events. He’d give her time.
“Not at all.” She sounded sleepy to his ears. Tired.
Perhaps Lucas could postpone his dinner plans. Cuddling with his woman sounded like the perfect plan for now. Then tomorrow, he’d assert his claim over her body, her heart all over again. Maybe, after that, he’d finally pop the question.
Epilogue
Two Months Later
“Oh my God, Grace. You have no idea how amazing you look in that wedding dress,” Sadie gushed. “Now stay still and let me finish this.”
Grace let her best friend finish the last-minute touch-ups on her makeup. Her heart had never stopped hammering ever since she gazed at herself in the mirror. Hard to believe that only a month ago, Lucas popped the question. Time flew by so fast as they busied themselves with wedding preparations.
“Is the church full?” she asked.
Lucas was a born and raised Catholic, just like her dad and her. Although they weren’t practicing Catholics anymore, Lucas wanted to get married in a church. Grace didn’t mind. She always pictured herself having a very traditional wedding. If it also made the rest of Lucas’s very big family happy, then that was a bonus.
“It is, but not to worry.”
Grace was glad she and Lucas opted for a small wedding. Family and friends only. The door to the temporary dressing room opened, revealing Sky. Grace had picked her as one of her bridesmaids.
“Is the bride ready?” Sky asked her.
“She is,” Grace answered. Sadie smoothed her skirts one last time and let Sky lead her to the doors of the church.
“Nervous?” Sky asked her.
“Very.”
“That’ll disappear once you see Lucas.” Sky beamed.
The other woman was right. Once the doors were flung open and the procession started, quiet calm filled Grace. Part of her wished her father was still here, but Gino was a good substitute. The older mafioso smiled broadly at her. Words weren’t needed. Gino and every one of Lucas’s family seemed to be happy Lucas found a woman to stand by his side. She returned the smile and took his offered hand.
Her dad would be proud of her, she knew, for finally finding a man worthy of her. Grace thought Lucas would falter, harbor doubts about the path he was taking after ending Donny. She’d managed to convince him that it was only one thorny path in the road. Lucas had focused on his work, on a new collection right after that.
She finally walked down the aisle. She only had eyes for her man, her soon-to-be husband. Lucas’s face broke into the biggest smile when he caught sight of her. It felt like she was dreaming. She even had to pinch herself. Nope, it was all right. Soon enough, she reached him. Lucas lifted the veil from her face.
Grace could tell he already wanted to kiss her. She warned him with her eyes to be patient. He managed to wait until the priest read all the vows. She couldn’t wait until the end.
“I do,” she found herself saying.
Before the priest could finish, Lucas swept her into her arms, fluffy dress and all. Then proceeded to kiss her deep and hard. Whistled erupted from the nearby aisle. Grace didn’t mind, didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was them. He finally pulled away, a smile still fixed on his lips. Hunger, all too familiar, burned in his eyes. She shivered, already wishing they could skip the reception so he could put those hands, those lips on her and sheath his cock in her.
As if he knew what kind of thoughts she harbored, he leaned in close to whisper in her ear, “Soon, I’ll fuck you hard and good, wife.”
Grace couldn’t wait.
****
Lucas unzipped her dress with agonizing, almost deliberate slowness. Grace felt a little light-headed from their earlier celebrations. She had to give Lucas’s family plenty of credit. They knew how to throw a hell of a party. In the end, they hardly had to pay for everything else. Since he was one of the few men in Lucas’s family who scared her shitless, Grace didn’t say no.
“What were you and Marco discussing earlier, before I dragged you away?” Lucas asked.
Grace stepped out of her dress, smiling as she turned to face her husband. It was worth it, seeing him silently devouring every inch of her body, on the underwear she picked. She might’ve been wearing all white just moments ago, but she picked red for her bra and G-string.
“I’ll tell you. Later. I want you to fuck me first.”
“You’re going to kill me eventually,” Lucas said with a groan. He couldn’t seem to wait either. In moments, he was out of his spiffy tux. Lucas kicked his shoes aside and finally stood before her, gloriously naked.
He maneuvered toward the bed of their new apartment. This new place was a lot bigger than his old one and was in a high-end neighborhood. His wedding gift to her, he said. He gave her a push on their bed. As of now, it was the only furniture in the entire apartment.
She landed on her back, legs already parted. Grace laced her hands behind her neck, knowing this position showed her groom a perfect view of her up-thrust breasts. Lucas growled like an animal. He was on her in a second. Lucas straddled her, pinned her arms above her head. He took her mouth and thrust heat down her throat. The kiss went for ages, but she didn’t mind. It felt so good.
Grace moaned as he moved his mouth to the side of her neck, her collarbones. Lucas let go of her arms. She clawed at the sheets above her. With ease, Lucas easily unclasped her bra, unveiling her heavy breasts. He licked at her left nipple then bit at it. She moaned, all too aware of her moist pussy. Grace had been wet for him ever since the reception at the church.
Lucas also left another imprint of his teeth on her right nipple before moving lower. He grasped a handful of her G-string and easily shredded it, baring her pussy to him. Lucas tossed the fabric aside like a sex-starved savage. He put his mouth to her cunt and started licking and sucking.
Grace clenched at the fabric as he circled back to her clit. One gentle bite there and she came for him. Her mind blanked as he held on to her ankles and placed her legs above his shoulders. Lucas pushed into her with one sure thrust even as Grace only started to recover from her first orgasm.
Lucas rutted her without finesse, moving faster and deeper with every turn. Exactly how she liked it. She loved him when he was like this, lust and love blazing in his eyes as he fucked her like an animal. He reduced her to pants and moans. Her next climax started to build as he started aiming for her G-spot. His next plunge sent her to the edge of oblivion.
Grace arched her back and screamed out his name. Lucas pumped in and out of her a few more times before filling her with his seed.
After, he lay next to her. Grace knew they weren’t done. Far from it.
Lucas held her close to him as sweat cooled on their bodies. He slid his hand over the curve of her belly and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “I love you to pieces, Grace Severin. The next thing I plan to do is knock you up and put my baby in you.”
She shuddered in pleasure, still unused to his family name attached to her first name.
“Any objections?”
Grace turned so she could look him in the eye. “Not at all.”
The End
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BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER
RIPPER’S VIRGIN BRIDE
Winter Sloane
Copyright © 2020
Sample Chapter
Ripper gritted his teeth, eyed the mess he’d made, and decided to squeeze out the rest of the motel’s free liquid soap onto his leather vest. The wet leather bunched under his hands and felt heavy as hell. The bloodstains hadn’t faded one bit.
Not his fault. That drunkard at the bar had the guts to pick a fight with him. Ripper should’ve walked away. He promised himself he’d turn a new leaf but look at him. An hour out of Windsdale, and he’d already bloodied his fists, ruined his jacket in the process with that asshole’s blood.
Frustrated, he threw the jacket at the shower wall.
“Ought to just leave trash behind,” he grumbled under his breath. Ripper thought about burning it, but he shouldn’t be setting unnecessary fires.
He got out of the shower, about to leave the bathroom, but he paused by the doorway. Ripper gripped the shoddy wooden frame and looked back at the jacket. The grinning skull mounted on a bike sewn on the left shoulder stared back at him. Taunted him mercilessly with its blood-red eyes.
Despite his misgivings, Ripper retrieved his jacket and lifted it up to his eye.
“Vice President, my ass,” he muttered, about to rip the patch on the chest area.
He pulled his fingers back, thought about the club, the brothers he left behind. Bear, President of the Skull Riders MC. Bear’s daughter, Liliana. A sweetheart who shouldn’t still be cleaning up her father’s messes. Guilt heavily weighed down on him.
He clenched his jaw, shut his eyes, and counted silently to ten in his head.
Once again, he heard Jeanne’s voice in his head.
Promise me, Ripper. One day, you’ll get out of this life.
Jeanne had been dead for four years now and he still couldn’t bring himself to fulfill the oath he made to her. He opened his eyes again and stared at his bruised knuckles. Ripper washed off the blood when he tried to get his jacket clean. Deciding he needed another drink, he left the jacket and the musty motel room.
The night air felt cool on his face and skin. Ripper looked for his bike in the parking lot and spotted the Harley where he’d left it hours ago. Good. Ripper headed toward it and mounted up, not bothering with a helmet.
Ripper recalled spotting another roadhouse a couple of miles from this shithole, a little further than the bar where he’d punched that asshole’s face in, but it would do. The engine gave a sexy little purr and he was off, gripping the familiar handlebars of his baby.
Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at the rundown establishment. From outside, he could hear the speakers blasting country music.
Ripper shook his head. Didn’t matter anymore. He wasn’t a member of the club and no longer had to watch his back every single damn minute. Ripper didn’t even have his jacket with him.
The sad truth? He felt naked without the familiar texture of the worn-in leather on his body. Does it feel like armor? Ripper remembered one of the prospects asking one of the members.
“Gotta get used to it.” Ripper dismounted his bike. A couple of youths hanging out by their car eyed his bike. He didn’t miss their bloodshot hungry eyes or the gang tattoos they sported on the side of their necks. Shoddy work, not like the ink on his own skin. Meth heads.
Ripper gave them his finger, a warning. Walking past them, he said, “Any of you so much as touch my bike, I’ll rip off your heads.”
One of the teenagers laughed but a wiser one nudged him in the shoulder and told him to shut up. Ripper meant every word. His bike was sacred to him, one of his more valued possessions.
That done, Ripper entered the bar. Not his type of crowd or music, but it had to do. He found a spot by the bar and ordered two beers.
“Two? You’re starting the night the right way,” said a sarcastic female voice. A familiar one.
Ripper narrowed his eyes at the bartender who slid him two cold ones. He swore under his breath.
“Lily, what the fuck are you doing in a joint like this?” he demanded, suddenly sober.
He eyed her up and down. A critical error. Being Bear’s daughter, Lily hung around the club house often. Not the best place to rear a child. Bear couldn’t afford a babysitter and the woman who bore Lily had died.
Lily had grown up while Ripper wasn’t looking. Bear would skin her if he saw her dressed in a black halter top that bared her shoulders and her soft curves. She wore tiny denim cut-offs underneath. What the hell? Lily should know better than to strut around, dressed like one of the women who hung around at the club.
Ripper saw red. He wanted to drag her out of that bar, out of this place. Stow her away somewhere safe.
“Don’t look at me like that, Ripper.” She served another guy two beers.
The guy�
�s friend had the gall to whistle at her. Ripper told himself back in the motel room that he’d be more civilized, but right now? All he wanted to do was march up to the bastard and rip him a new one, just like his name.
“Fuck off, junior,” he told the two men. “Or I’ll bash both your heads in.”
The guy’s friend looked like he had plenty more to say but the wiser of the pair took one look at him and quickly spirited his friend away.
“Look at you how?” he asked her pointedly. “I thought you were working at Skid’s place?”
“I quit right after you left.”
“Why? Someone giving you a hard time?” Ripper swore he wouldn’t step foot in Windsdale again, but for Lily? He’d hunt down the bastard who harassed her and make sure he couldn’t speak or move again.
“There you go again,” she said with a sigh.
“What?”
“Acting overprotective. I’m not that skinny twelve-year-old who couldn’t protect herself from bullies in the schoolyard anymore, Ripper. You’re no longer in the club.”
Lily leveled those fiery emerald eyes right at him. She might be twenty years younger than he was, but God. Lily knew how to flay a man alive with one look, expose all his flaws, and knew which place would hurt the most.
Lily wasn’t done either. “No reason to act like my uncle or the big brother who’s obligated to watch me.”
Ripper gripped the beer bottle in his hand tight. Uncle? Big brother? Was that all she thought he was? Fuck that.
“Don’t ever call me those words again,” he said, looking Lily right in the eye.
Surprise registered on her face.
“Why? You’ve said it so many times. You don’t feel anything for me.”
Mafia Claimed (Severin Family Book 3) Page 8