His Smile: A Mafia Romance

by Katerina Winters

  Tilting his head to the side, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “And the word of a criminal is all you need?”

  “All I need is your word, and that will be enough for me,” she whispered.

  Roman looked at her for a long time. It felt as if he was trying to examine her words, as a lawyer would examine a contract for loopholes and catches. Finally, the fog gray eyes darkened with intent, and he nodded. “I will never hurt you, Rahina.”

  More than satisfied, she pulled him down to meet her lips, both of them letting out a pleased groan at the contact.

  “Your tryout for principal, what day is it?” He rasped against the hollow of her throat as she felt one of his hands tease underneath the hem of her shirt just below the curve of her breast.

  “Monday, why?” Barely coherent, she pulled at his shoulders, wanting to feel more of his weight on top of her.

  “Tomorrow?” The seeking hand pushed under the elastic hem and cupped her lacy bralette she wore, imprinting the burning touch of his hand over her soft breast.

  “Practice and preparation for Monday. Why?” She moaned, arching her back to push her tender breast further into his hand, but his hand slid away. Opening her eyes, she watched him pull himself away from her with a grave face. “Wha...why are you stopping...please...”

  Standing up, he reached for his holster and slung it skillfully around, pushing his arms through the straps. Stepping away from the bed, he gave her a strained smirk. “Then I will see you Monday night,” his voice was rougher than usual. “I will need at least three days with you, and during that time, I want you completely focused on me.”

  “Three days?!” She squeaked at the sheer number of days. Seeing that he was serious, she sat up fully on the bed and glared at him in open outrage. “You cannot do this Roman,” she pounded her fists on the sheets beside her. “You can’t just get me worked up and leave.”

  Watching him as he rolled the sleeves of his shirt impossibly tight around his wide forearms, he looked back at her. The look in his eyes was absent of hunger, just determined resolve. Annoyed, she realized the man was like a machine sometimes. “Forty-eight hours and I will be right next to you beautiful, inside you even.”

  Feeling the heat of embarrassment and desire curl inside of her at his intentions, she groaned in frustration before flopping back onto the rumpled sheets. “Fine,” she said in defeat.

  Chapter 11

  Going through the glass doors of the dealership, Rahina smiled at some of the staff’s enthusiastic smiles as they greeted her on the way up to the office floor. For some reason, their smiles seemed so genuine, in what felt like almost a relief to see her.

  Passing by an open office door, she waved at Dimitri who was leaning back in his seat talking on the phone. He gave her a flirty wink in response as she passed. Going down the quiet hallway that led to Roman’s office, she paused at the closed door and contemplated if she should knock first. She was nervous; she honestly never thought she would be back here. When she left his office last time, struggling to hold back the remainder of her tears, she swore she would never see him or this place again and that Roman could go straight to hell. But now, she was back. She barely got any sleep last night replaying his confessing words in her head on how his thoughts were consumed by her in her absence. He missed her, the big psychotic gangster actually missed her and being true to his nature he had broken into her apartment, cornered her, and seduced her to taking him back. Shifting on her feet, Rahina couldn’t help but feel the familiar pulsating heat that started between her legs just at the thought of Roman’s punishing kisses last night. It was all she thought about since then.

  Still standing outside his door with a death grip on the white paper bag to their lunch, Rahina turned at the movement out of the corner of her eye. Peeking his head out of his office, Dimitri frowned at her before saying something she couldn’t hear into the phone he was still holding before pressing it into his chest.

  Waving her forward, he urged her to go in. “He isn’t busy, go in.”

  Giving him a suspicious half smile at his odd eagerness to see her go in, she nodded and turned back to the door, knocking once before pushing in on the handle.

  As usual, the spacious office was bathed in sunlight from the large windows behind the desk. Sitting in the middle of the light like a giant, forcing the sun to break past his large frame and go around, Roman sat leaned back in his chair on the phone. Pulling his gaze from the bright window and towards the intruding presence, his gunmetal eyes swept over her giant bun and workout clothes without expression. Sitting up straighter at his desk, he leaned one elbow onto the glass surface and continued his conversation.

  A sudden flash of insecurity slashed at her confidence, and Rahina stopped halfway to his desk in front of the two facing couches. Turning her back towards him, she sat down the sack lunch on the coffee table and let her backpack slide limply down her arms. Maybe she should just drop the lunch off and say she has to go back to practice, she thought. No, squashing the thought of panicked retreat, she didn’t want to run. She was probably just overreacting and judging his facial expression too much. She couldn’t reasonably expect him to look as excited as she felt to see him. Still with her back somewhat turned towards him, Rahina lowered herself to the couch as she absently listened to his deep responses into the phone. Russian always sounded so angry and terse whenever she heard it.

  Reaching for her bag, Rahina jumped at the unexpected feeling of fingers smoothing over the back of her neck. Turning, she looked to see that she was practically face-to-crotch with the front of Roman’s dark gray slacks. The fingers at her neck gently glided along the line of her jaw, tilting her head upwards. Still on the phone, Roman listened absently to the talking voice on the other end as he stared intently down at her. Signaling her to stand, he replied to the person on the phone with a flurry of rolling letters and severe enunciations. Rahina felt the instantaneous relief wash away the brief attack of insecurity as his large hand settled possessively around her waist. Pulling her forward, she happily pressed herself into the strength of his body and naturally tilted her head back at the heavy look in his eyes. Dipping his head to her lips, she could hear the faint sound of the other person talking on the phone as Roman’s lips met hers. His mouth teased at hers, not giving her the pressure, she wanted until she opened her mouth obediently to his. Slowly, his tongue stroked at her lips, delving past them as he pulled her tighter against him with his free arm. Releasing her just for a moment he responded roughly into the phone before covering her mouth once again. Rahina could not stop the little sound of pleasure that escaped her throat, but the sound did not seem to bother Roman one bit, the opposite actually. She could feel his grip around her tighten until she was nearly lifted from the ground. His mouth worked over hers expertly taking, exploring, nipping, and teasing at her now swollen lips. Leaning back, Roman stared at her now warm, languid eyes with unveiled male satisfaction. Briefly, his eyes flashed in annoyance as he looked away, and spoke briefly and finally into the phone before tapping the screen and tossing the phone onto the opposite couch.

  “I wanted to see you, and bring you lunch,” she pointed lamely at the wrinkled sack sitting on the table. Her mind felt like pudding from the effects of his kiss.

  Now with both hands at his disposal, he slid them down her waist, smoothing over the curve of her ass in her leotard.

  “Good,” he rumbled against her exposed neck peeking out of her boat collared t-shirt, sending thrilling little waves through her body. “I was having thoughts of eating all morning.”

  “Oh, well I brought turkey sandwich and chips,” she reached for the paper bag, scooping it up. “I had them make your sandwich bigger…what?” she paused at the amused look he gave her.

  Not saying anything, he continued to smirk at the joke he was unwilling to share. Pulling her back around to his desk and lifted her to sit in the middle as he took his seat in his office chair.

  “I wasn’t referr
ing to eating the lunch you brought me.”

  Her breath caught in her chest as she clutched the edge of the desk. “Oh,” she breathed, feeling a little light under his steady gaze. “You can’t, though, you said that we would start tomorrow night,” she argued weakly.

  Bending down, he ran his teeth along the slick material of her leotard on her thigh. “It would just be a taste.”

  “I just came from practice,” she threw out the excuse quickly.

  He gave her a suspicious look as his hands ran slowly up and down her thighs. “You smell like soap.”

  “I took a shower,” she admitted, feeling the encroaching defeat as he parted her thighs.

  Roman made a sound of approval deep in his throat as his hands slid to her waistband.

  No, no, she couldn’t let this happen. No here, not like this. She had dreamt of this moment, and while making love on the desk had certainly been one of her daydreams, she did not want the first time she experienced this to be in his office!

  Capturing his face with both hands, she gave him a determined look. “Please,” she began. “I have seen this online, and I know it will be very very good with you, and I want to do this properly, like on a bed and in a room, so I don’t have to worry about anyone hearing us.”

  The teasing glint that had glimmered from his eyes vanished. Pulling away from her hands, Roman sat back in his chair with a hard-edged look.

  “Rahina,” his voice was even and carefully controlled. “Tell me that you are not a virgin.”

  “Why?” her lungs tightened in her chest, and she sat up straighter on the desk, defensive. “Would it matter if I am? Would this be another reason for you to throw me out again?”

  “No, dammit, I just—,” he began to explain through gritted teeth all the while staring at her in confusion as if she had suddenly turned purple. “Fuck, Rahina I refuse to believe you dated that basketball player for nearly a year and did not have sex,” grabbing her knee he wrapped his hand around her as if to prevent her from even thinking of leaving. “Tell me now.”

  “I’m not a virgin,” she admitted, though his sigh of relief only incensed her further. “Would you not have wanted me if I was?”

  “No, but it is something I would want to know beforehand,” standing up, he nudged her legs further apart and slid her forward on the desk until her bottom was nearly at the edge. His face was still set in the stern lines of his brief angered shock, but she could see the softening of his eyes. Standing in between her legs, he pulled her close until her chest pressed against his front, and her back arched slightly. “It is an important detail to have since I have every intention of spending the next few nights filling you with my cum and listening to your screams echo off my walls.”

  The human body was amazing, she realized somewhere deep in her mind, immediately her mouth went dry at his scorching sinful words while her core pulsed with a dampening heat between her legs. Dumbly she nodded, unable to find any words to respond to that statement.

  “Why did you say you had seen it online? Do not tell me…” He let the sentence hang as the shock of his realization settled over him, and a slow smirk spread across his lips.

  Embarrassed, she squirmed to get past him and off the desk, but Roman refused to move, forcing her to stay seated on his desk.

  “Tell me,” he urged with a grin.

  “I didn’t…I mean I never had that done,” she admitted nervously, looking over his shoulder, fixating her gaze on the river near the edge of the car lot. “I didn’t know how to ask for it.”

  “Baby,” he said soothingly, pushing some of her stray hairs back behind her ears. “A woman should never have to ask.”

  Warmed by his words, a newfound confidence settled her erratic heart. Although the lurid details of his plans for their upcoming nights together scared her a bit, she felt wonderfully exhilarated at the same time. Rahina could practically see the sexual excitement rolling off the man in waves.

  Pulling her off his desk, he sat down and settled her easily in his lap, draping her legs over one arm of his chair.

  Gathering her courage, she stared at her fidgeting fingers as she thought of the best way to change the topic. All last night one question remained on her mind, a question she could not move on from just yet. “I still do not understand fully why you pushed me away that day,” she began. “I know you said you did it for my own good but…is it really so dangerous to be near you?"

  Not hearing a reply, she looked to him. The teasing smile he wore faded into a flinty expression as his gaze cut away from her sharply. "Yes."

  It was as if an invisible wall was rapidly being built brick by brick between them at the reminder of reality by her words caused. She didn’t like the distance he put in between them; she didn’t want to see him pull away again. Reaching for him, she curved her hand on his cheek, always enjoying the slightly rough texture of stubble along his jaw. Slowly, the agitated twitching muscle in his jaw slowed to a stop as she stroked her thumb back and forth across it. Gray eyes flicked back to her, and with a feeling that could only be described as magical, she watched the shift of emotions in his eyes. Glacial aloofness warmed under her persistence, transforming back to his usual sly temperament.

  Though she did not want to continue to press the subject, she knew that they had to discuss it. They could not go any further in this relationship, leaving something so important unsaid. "Am I in danger with you?"

  Sitting farther back his chair, he pulled her back with him and gave her a level look. "Yes, much more so than you normally would be with your family's dealings."

  And although she knew the answer before she asked, hearing it so bluntly confirmed frightened her a bit. "But you won’t let anything happen to me, right?"

  He tilted his head and grinned at that.

  "Mmm Rahina," brushing away some of her strands of hair, he studied her face as if committing each detail to memory. Letting the inside of his finger sweep delicately down the crest of her cheek and over her lips, he spoke. "Anyone who even has the passing thought of coming after what is mine will feel the after effects of my insanity generations from now.” Laughing at the widening of her eyes, he leaned in and kissed the top of her eyes with a gentleness that contradicted his sinister words on every level. “Honestly, gorgeous, even I cannot begin to imagine what level of depravity I would reach."

  Seeing that he was serious, she quickly leaned forward, kissing him, she wanted to somehow erase the sudden dark thoughts that entered his mind. "Then don’t think of it,” she breathed, kissing his lips again. “Besides, I have more pressing matters that need to be ironed out immediately," she said, fighting back a growing grin.

  One of his dark eyebrows arched, though his eyes remained fixed on her lips as if contemplating getting another kiss. "And what is that?"

  "You didn't tell me happy birthday," she gave a mock pout.

  "Well, I already have plans for that," his deep voice rumbled like a purring lion against her as he bent down to capture her bottom lip in a quick stinging kiss that left her craving more.

  There was something so overwhelming about this man, she thought as she sucked in her stinging lip while his hands tightened around her. He was absolutely right; he was playing on an entirely different level than her. None of the men in her past kissed like he did, with punishing little nips and devasting hunger that left her out of breath. On one level he scared her, he made her want to back away to safety while at the same time she yearned to work her hands underneath his shirt and feel the hard rippling expanse of his abs and the hair on his chest. She wanted the fear, she realized, she loved the scary thought of not knowing what this maniacal man would do next. Using his grip on her waist, he lifted her easily in the air, she naturally parted her legs so that she straddled him perfectly as he lowered her back to his lap. The intimate connection of their bodies separated by the thin material of her tights sent tingling waves through her bloodstream.

  "I had planned on giving you a very special and on
e of a kind, present," he continued.

  Searching his silver eyes, she could see the amusement lurking deep under the surface as his face remained impassive. Unable to keep the same poker face, she leaned back, and she shook her head as she began to laugh, covering her mouth with the back of her hand in an attempt contain her laughter as she predicted what he was going to say.

  “No, don’t say it,” she exclaimed, nearly in tears.

  Smiling with genuine amusement, Roman kept his large hands splayed on her narrow back, keeping her from leaning too far away. “Oh, yes, it is an ancient Russian birthday tradition, and it will only be my pleasure to give it to you,” he explained with a serious tone, masterfully keeping his face businesslike while his eyes glimmered.

  Wiping a tear from her eye, she shot him a narrowed look. “Your penis is not a gift, dammit!”

  “Just wait until I wrap it up all nice for you,” he growled, letting his hands slide down the flair of her hips to settle on the pert rounds of her ass.

  Thoughtfully, she gave a sheepish look as she thought of something. “Just so you know, I’m on the pill and I had a checkup a few months ago so…I know I’m clean, and…” looking away from his sudden piercing stare, a nervous smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “So, I mean if your clean and I’m clean, I don’t really see the need to…”

  “You have not been with anyone since Masters?” Roman said the point-guard’s name with a savagery that shocked her, making her remember the threat he texted her about breaking Calvin’s arm.