by C. M. Allen
“I do know what you’re talking about. Maverick makes me feel something I’ve never felt with another man. Not even when I was with Owen.”
Rolling her eyes, she let out an annoyed sound. “Owen wasn’t even a real man, Harper. A real man would have never made you feel bad about yourself the way he did. A real man lifts you up and makes you feel like a queen in his eyes, just like I’ve seen Maverick do with you.”
“He does make me feel like his queen and I do know that Maverick loves me. No man has ever made me feel the kind of love he shows me. Every day. I think Roman can do the same for you if you let him in. That is, if he already isn’t in.”
The look that shined in her smile at the mention of his name could only be described as swooning. “He really does make me feel that way. And I know in the beginning I was a real bitch to Maverick, mostly because I was worried about you. But after really getting to know him and seeing you two together... he really is the best thing that’s ever happened to you. Kidnapping and shootings all aside, of course,” both of us broke out in laughter and hugged one another close, “I love you.” I said, squeezing her tighter.
“Love you more, Harp.”
Hearing a low whimpering sound, I looked behind me. “Do you hear that? It sounds like someone is crying.”
“I do,” she said, scanning the room. “I think it’s coming from her.”
Looking at the woman she was pointing at, I remembered seeing her in the clubhouse maybe once or twice. When I got a better look at her I could see, despite the tears that she was a very beautiful woman. She had long brown hair, and even with the baggy T-shirt she wore you could see the definition in her arms and also in her legs under the white yoga pants that she had on. It was clear that she was the kind of woman who must have lived at the gym.
“I think that’s the woman Butch went up to New York for. Let’s go see if we can help,” I pulled Ava to her feet and we walked cautiously over to her. Stopping just a few feet behind her, I looked at Ava before I spoke. “Um, hello? Are you ok?”
Jumping at the sound of my voice, she began furiously wiping the tears from her face before she turned slightly to look at us. “I’m... I’m fine, really, thank you.”
Moving around to stand in front of her, I was met with a pair of sad but stunning gray eyes filled with a storm inside of them. “My name is Harper, and this here is my friend Ava.”
Wiping another tear from her cheek, she put on a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Hi, I’m Raven.”
“I’ve seen you around here before but haven’t really had the chance to introduce myself. I know you don’t know us very well, but I promise we’re both really good listeners.”
“Thank you, but my problems are not the kind that I think you can help me with.”
I sat down on the bed on one side, Ava took up the other side and crossed her arms. “Try us. I think you’ll be surprised at just how seasoned we are at understanding and solving problems others wouldn’t even begin to have the first clue how to solve. Between the two of us I think we could help you.”
Looking back and forth between us, she let out a humph sound. “Yeah, well, my problems are with the mob. Think you can help me with that?” She said, clearly trying to stun Ava and I, not knowing just how familiar with the mob life Ava really was.
Giggling at her comment, Ava reached out to grab a hold of her hand. “Honey, you have no idea just how much experience I have on the subject. My uncle is one of the most powerful mob bosses in the Florida zip code.”
“Oh God,” she breathed out, ripping her hand out of Ava’s grip and clutching her neck as she rose up to a standing position like she was getting ready to bolt.
Standing up, Ava gripped her hand again. “You have nothing to be afraid of. I’m not a part of that life. I just wanted you to understand how much I do know about the kind of problems you might be facing. My uncle may even be able to help you.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” She looked down at her hands as she rung them together, seemingly upset.
Reaching out, I took her hand in mine. “Please. Let us try. I promise you that we’re not going to do anything to cause you any harm.”
Standing there silent for a moment, she finally let out a heavy breath and sat back down to tell us her story.
When she was done telling us about the abuse she’d been subjected to in New York, I think I could speak for both Ava and I when I say that we would have both loved to castrate that bastard. At one point, when she mentioned the man’s name, I could have sworn that Ava flinched like she’d heard of him before. After she finished telling us what happened when Butch came up to New York to get her, the man himself appeared around the corner. “Ladies. Mind if I borrow Raven for a moment?” The heated look he gave her was one that she most definitely returned. It seemed by the way she looked at him, it was as if he’d become her savior, her anchor that grounded her in the storm that threatened to destroy everything inside of her.
“Sure.” I answered him with a smile.
“It was nice meeting you both. Hopefully we can hang out again one day under better circumstances.” She said.
“We will. You can bet on that.” Ava told her as we both hugged her.
Keeping his eyes glued to Raven like he was afraid if he looked away she’d disappear, he said. “Maverick and Roman want to see you ladies in the office.”
Both Ava and I looked at one another before leaving the two of them and heading to the office. When we walked in, we found Maverick and Roman sitting at the table with their feet up, drinking a beer. “Well hello beautiful ladies. Come on in and shut the door behind you,” Roman winked at us.
Ava shut the door as I made my way over to Maverick. “Miss me?” I asked, leaning down to give him a kiss. He quickly turned it into a deeper, more passionate one when he grabbed the back of my neck to hold me where he wanted me as his tongue licked against mine in a wonderful tangled mess. When he released his hold on me, my body wobbled off balance as we both came up for air. “God, you’re beautiful.”
“You’re not so bad yourself handsome,” I breathed into his ear.
“Are you two done tongue fuckin՛ each other over there yet?” Roman asked with a chuckle.
“Shut your ass up. Like I didn’t just see you suckin՛ face with Ava over there,” he took his boots off the table and sat up in his chair, a look of seriousness instantly taking over. “We need to leave here in about an hour to meet up with your uncle’s boy, Rocco. Roman, Butch, and I will be on the bikes, but you two ladies will be in the SUV in front of us. I’m goin՛ to have Gunner pull around back here so if Dekes is watchin՛ us he won’t see you two get in.”
Both Ava and I nodded at him for our answers. Then I heard Roman ask her the question I knew she wanted more than anything right now not to have to answer. “So, how do you know this Rocco guy?”
Just as she was about to answer, the door swung open. “Oh... uh, sorry to interrupt Prez, but... I just wanted to let you know that the house is all clean. All the bugs we found were destroyed.” The prospect I knew as Cueball announced.
“Good. How many did you find?”
“Including the two in yours and Butch’s phones and the one on ole՛ Buzz, we found eight.”
“Good job. Tell Gunner to be ready to leave when we get the call.”
“Got it.”
When the door closed behind Cueball, I could see the tension reappear on Ava’s face.
“So, how do you know him, Ava?” Roman asked again, not letting the subject go as he folded his arms over his chest. It was like he already knew the answer that she was about to give him.
The look on her face right now had morphed into one of panic. “We, uh. Well... we dated a few years ago.”
The look that slid over Roman’s face was not one I’d seen him wear before, and it actually kind of frightened me. Not that I think he would ever hurt myself or Ava. But Rocco? Yeah, not so sure about that dude’s life having a healthy future right about n
ow.
“For how long?” He asked, never breaking the intense hold he had on her with his eyes.
“For about a... year. But don’t worry, he won’t be a problem.” She said quickly.
I can’t remember a time that I’ve ever seen Ava so flustered and panicky. Roman definitely means a lot more to her than she’s let on.
“Says you,” Roman snarled, pushing up from the table and walking out of the office, slamming the door behind him without a backwards glance.
“What the hell was that all about?” Ava’s arms rose up in the air before she let them fall and slap against the sides of her legs.
“Just give him some time. He’s goin՛ to need a minute to process the fact that your ex-boyfriend, who just so happens to be in tight with your uncle, is on his way out here to help us out of a jam we can’t undo on our own.”
The look on Ava’s face matched my own thinking.
Well, when you put it like that, it sounded pretty bad.
Neither one of us said another word on the subject after that. We just mostly discussed what was going to happen when we met up with Rocco. “Just a piece of advice Ava. If I were you, I would keep the contact between you and Rocco to a bare minimum if you don’t want Roman fuckin՛ up any chance of that ex-boyfriend of yours helpin՛ us.”
“You know, I really didn’t have any plans to fuck him on the spot in front of everyone if that’s what you’re implying, but thanks for the advice, Maverick.” Moments later the door to the office is slammed shut behind her as she storms out of the room.
“Somethin՛ tells me I had better be ready to reel Roman back in with that asshole comin՛ round here and Ava’s attitude about it.”
“Honestly, if you and Roman could have been a fly on the wall during our earlier conversation, neither of you would be worried about anything to do with her and Rocco right now.”
“Oh yeah? What did she say?”
“You know the club rules, can’t tell anyone else’s story. It’s their own to tell,” I said with a wink.
“Is that so, Sweetheart?” he stood so quickly, that before I could even process what was happening, he’d began pressing my back down onto the table that he was just sitting so calmly at only moments ago. Lowering his face down to mine, he kissed my lips quickly before devouring his way down my neck, causing me to giggle from the whiskers on his chin tickling me. “Stop it! You’re going to make me pee my pants.” I cried out in between giggling fits.
Chuckling, he suddenly stopped and began to slide his hand down to where he knew I was already burning up with the need for him to put it right now. Just as he began to slip his hand inside my pants and under my panties, Roman burst into the room, causing Maverick to quickly pull his hand out of my pants and me to bolt to a sitting position. “Hey... whoa, sorry about that Mav, but that Rocco shithead has landed.”
Growling in my ear, Maverick said. “Haven’t even met him yet and I already hate this motherfucker,” kissing me quickly, he pulled me up off the table, setting me on my feet. “All right let’s get this shit over with.”
Ten minutes later we’re in the back of the SUV with Gunner behind the wheel and Roman, Butch, and Maverick on their bikes, following closely behind as we headed out to the airport. Looking over at Ava, I could see the tension she wore clearly on her face. “Are you and Roman ok?”
Letting out a sigh, she leaned her head back against the headrest. “I think so. But if Rocco pulls any stupid shit while he’s here, we may not be. Especially if Roman kills my uncle’s top enforcer. My uncle would most definitely come gunning for him. And then if I tried to protect him, he would no doubt pull the family loyalty card on me, that’s for sure.”
“Let’s just hope Rocco behaves himself and doesn’t give Roman any reason to kill him.”
“You, ah might want to inform that ex-boyfriend of yours that includes eye fuckin՛ you as well.” Gunner chimed in from up front, shrugging. “Just a suggestion.”
“This is so not going to be any fun,” she said, looking up at the roof of the car.
Another thirty minutes later, we pulled up to the small abandoned airport out in the middle of nowhere as the sun began to set. Sucking in a deep breath, Ava looked over at me. “Well, I guess it’s showtime.”
Both of us exited the SUV on her side under Gunner’s watchful eye. A few moments later, Maverick, Roman, and Butch found their way to our sides before moving past us and toward the lit-up private jet that sat on the old runway. When the door opened and I saw the man that emerged from it, the breath in my lungs was instantly sucked right out. He was an honest to goodness God among men. The air of confidence radiated off of him like an inferno that threatened to consume everything in its wake. He stood at about six foot three or so, with dark brown, almost black hair that was cut short, and the black suit he wore looked as though it had been tailor made to fit only his body perfectly. When he removed his sunglasses and looked our way, my mouth instantly went dry. “Holy Shit! You didn’t tell me that you dated Theo James’ freaking hot ass twin!” I whisper yelled in Ava’s ear, trying not to let Gunner hear me. But, by the glare I’d gotten from him, he definitely did.
Whoops!
“I’d keep that shit to yourself if you want Maverick to allow this guy to leave here alive.”
Straightening up, I kept my mouth shut, knowing just how possessive Maverick could be.
As the God like creature made his way down the stairs, two very large and mean as hell looking men exited the plane following behind him. When he hit the bottom step, a gust of wind came up causing his jacket to flare out all around him, reminding me of a Hollywood mob movie moment or something. This guy moved so smoothly with a languid motion that it seemed impossible to take my eyes off of him. That was until I felt Maverick’s glare burning up the side of my head. Closing my mouth, that I hadn’t even realized was hanging open, I tried really hard to look unimpressed.
The instant his eyes found Ava, he quickly made his way over to where we stood. Coming to a stop in front of her, his lips lifted on one side in a heart stopping smirk. “Avanti, you my angel are as beautiful as ever.” Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her in for a tight hug. At first Ava seemed frozen and unsure of how to react, but then she eventually hugged him back. Trying to take a step back and end the hug, he held her a prisoner against his body a few moments longer. When he finally released her, he looked over at me and reached out his hand. “Rocco Moretti.”
Taking his hand, I introduced myself. “Hi... I’m Harper Lancaster.”
“Nice to meet you,” his eyes quickly returned to Ava. “I just can’t get over what a beautiful woman you’ve grown into. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you were always gorgeous, but this,” he took a step back, and held his hands out as his eyes devoured every inch of her with so much intensity that even I felt it. “Simply stunning.”
“Thank you, Rocco.” She said, clearly feeling awkward about his praises with Roman only a few feet away.
Rubbing his thumb over his bottom lip as his eyes finished perusing her body, he stepped in closer once again. “God, how I’ve missed this delicious body of yours, Bellissima. There have been many a night’s that...”
Roman and Maverick chose that moment to walk over closer to us, Roman stopping to stand at Ava’s side, shooting a glare at Rocco so lethal it caused me to take a step back towards Maverick. “Can I help you with something?” Rocco asked not taking his eyes off of Ava for even a second.
“I think you need to take a step back and give the lady some room.” Roman answered.
“And just who the fuck do you think you are?” Rocco asked now turning his attention and anger towards Roman.
“Rocco, please.” Ava pleaded.
Looking back and forth between Ava and Roman, Rocco began to chuckle. “This guy, Avanti?” he pointed to Roman who looked like he wanted to rip more off than just his finger that was in his face right now and stuff it down his throat. “Seriously? You know your uncle will never approve o
f this. You’re above this kind of trash, Avanti.”
“That’s about enough of that shit,” Maverick stepped up to quickly separate the two pissed off looking Alpha men, who looked close to being on a collision course with one another. “We asked you here to help us with Dekes not so you can start shit with my men. Now, what can you tell me about Dekes that we don’t already know?”
Chuckling, he swiped his thumb over his bottom lip once again as he kept his hooded stare on Ava. “He’s deadlier and more intelligent than anyone I’ve ever met. Including myself, which is saying something,” moving his eyes over to Maverick, he continued. “He’s not the kind of man who will stop until he finishes what he’s started. That being said, the only way to beat him at his own game is to either get an inside track on his plans or speak to the man face to face, which is exactly how I plan on handling this situation.”
“What if he decides to just kill you?” Maverick asked.
“Dekes may have a death wish for all of you, but he knows better than to kill one of Di Mozé’s men. That kind of stupidity would be the end of him.”
“All this ramblin՛ of yours isn’t tellin՛ us shit. Can you take this motherfucker down or are you just goin՛ to meet up and have tea with him while you stroke his dick?” Maverick asked him, looking more pissed off than I’d ever seen him.
“I need to get an idea of his mindset, and speaking to him one on one is the only way to achieve that. I know you thugs just like to go in guns a blazing and all, but where I come from, out of respect we talk first. Then if something more is needed; it will be dealt with. But I’m under strict orders from Mr. Di Mozé to try and solve this matter calmly first.”
“What, you and your boss more afraid to lose one of your shady ass fuckin՛ connections over the safety of his own niece?” Roman asked.
“Roman!” Ava admonished him.
Taking the two short steps that separated the two of them, Rocco moved into Roman’s space. “Don’t you ever fucking question Mr. Di Mozé’s loyalty towards his niece again, or you will find yourself on the other side of the barrel of my gun, you got me?”