DanteI wake up in a third-string guest bedroom already pissed. The sun is coming in at an angle that tells me I’ve already slept later than I meant to, but my alarm clock is in my fucking room, which was too covered in crap to sleep in. Today is the day Eleni’s leaving. She made it very clear she doesn’t want anything else to do with me, and I’m inclined to give her that. The woman who marched out of my bedroom last night was someone I’d never seen before. I thought, for a split second, that I could still find Eleni underneath, but I think she died with Luca at that warehouse.Domino’s wife told me I should still spend most of my days resting, but if I lay around anymore, I’m going to get bedsores. I shuffle out of bed, gritting my teeth against the nearly overwhelming pain in my chest, and head down the hall toward my bedroom. I couldn’t carry more than one set of clothes last night, and like an idiot, I picked pajamas.I pass the door to Eleni’s bedroom. Slightly ajar. A little of
EleniThat night, I stride into Piacere half an hour before Gianna’s shift. I’ve been avoiding her all day because I think she’s the only one with a chance of talking me out of this. Half an hour shouldn’t be long enough, though, and I made sure one of Gianna’s favorite customers was here tonight, to keep her from delaying her shift to talk to me. It’s funny coming back here, though, especially alone. The first time I walked through these doors, I had no idea what they were going to mean to me. I had to beg my way past the bouncer instead of nodding and greeting him by name. I had to look around like a lost duckling instead of marching to the back, where I know the strippers’ dressing room is. I didn’t even know what scotch tasted like.Now, I don’t think I’ll ever drink scotch again.I push into the dressing room. Two of the other dancers, Sabrina and Crystal, sit at the mirrors already in costume.“Hey guys,” I say.“Hi, Eleni,” they chorus.Crystal turns to face me and jiggles he
DanteI slide into a booth at La Dolce Vita, an Italian restaurant I haven’t been to since before Frank Lombardi killed my father and inhale the garlicky air.“Good, right?” Tony sits next to me. “I’ve been all over this place the last two weeks.”I shoot him a look. “I’ve been all over whatever the hell Domino’s wife saw fit to feed me. Do you know what that is, by the way?”“Yeah, I think she prefers a diet of ‘shut up, it saved your life,’ just like in the old country.” Tony picks up a menu. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”As if to prove his point, my chest burns.“Yes,” I say. “And whether I’m ready or not, I have to get back into the game. She’s leaving tonight.”Tony grunts noncommittally, thankfully pulling me away from the attendant ache of that statement.“What? I thought you’d be throwing her a going away party.”He shrugs just as a waitress walks up to the table.“What can I get you guys to drink?” she asks.Tony looks up at her slowly, emphasizing his blue eyes in a
EleniI yank on the stubborn zipper of my suitcase to no avail. It won’t shut. I release with a sigh, and the top flops open to reveal the picture of Dante and Christos I stole from his room. I swallow. I know stealing it is stupid. I don’t really know either man in this picture. But it just feels wrong, leaving this image behind in the shadow of what happened here.I want to remember them like this. Innocent and young, before the Mafia pulled them under. I don’t have any pictures of myself. Mom packed those up and took them with her to Greece. I wonder if I’d even recognize the girl I used to be.My phone vibrates, and I curse. That’s my ten-minute alarm. If I’m not in the car on the way to JFK by the time the last one goes off, I’m going to miss my flight. Gianna convinced me to talk to Dante, but he’s making it a hell of a lot harder by not being here. For lack of anything better to do, I grab a pack of the sticky notes I’ve started going through like water and attempt to write a
EleniI stand behind the chair on the opposite side of Dante’s desk and watch him, shirt thankfully buttoned again, ease himself onto the smooth red leather of the boss’ seat. Part of me wants to run out of the room before he opens his mouth. I made up my mind. I’m leaving. I don’t need to say anything to him other than “goodbye,” no matter what Gianna said. But another part of me just keeps thinking of that first day, when I didn’t know whether he was alive or dead, and I came down here looking for answers. Anything that could explain why he killed Christos.He's offering me those answers now. With Mama on the other side of a plane ride to Greece, I would be stupid not to take them. No matter what else, I couldn’t face her knowing I could have told her what happened to her baby and refused.“Sit,” Dante says. “Or are you more used to the view from this side of the desk now?”His smile is an olive branch. He wants to have the conversation peaceably.I throw myself down in the empty ch
EleniI gape at Dante. Christos asked him not to tell us? Why wouldn’t he want us to know he was dead?“Why should I believe you?” I say, clinging to the last vestiges of the shell I’ve built up.He drops back into his seat. “That’s your question to answer. I’ve told you everything I know. I was just keeping a promise.”My anger burns away my grief. “Keeping a promise? You lied to me, Dante. You let me—sleep with you, and you hid this from me.”“I took his body out with the rest of our men,” he says like I didn’t speak. “Tony and I buried him upstate. I buried him, my friend, with my own fucking hands. I can show you, if you want.”I slam my hands down on his desk. “Are you listening to me? What the hell made you think that would help? I’m leaving in the fucking morning.”“That’s your choice,” he says evenly. “But you should know this isn’t a life people just get to walk away from.”“Is that a threat?”He meets my gaze. “It’s a promise. You have a reputation after these last two weeks
EleniDante surges up to meet my mouth, and within moments, he has to drop back against the pillows to catch his breath again.“I’m sorry, pet.” He runs his hands up my sides. “I don’t quite have my stamina back.”The siren song of old patterns calls, but I’m not the Eleni I was the last time he used that name for me. It still sends a shiver down my spine, but if we’re finding a new balance, maybe we don’t have to let habits dictate what comes next.“That’s okay.” I nip at his earlobe, kiss down to the hollow of his throat. “I have enough stamina for the both of us.”He quirks an eyebrow at me when I lean back. I know what he’s looking for. I stay silent.“Sir?” he prompts.“Sir just wiped out like a cartoon character walking in the front door.” I smile. “So why don’t you let me take the reins tonight?”Indecision flickers across Dante’s face, and for a moment, I wonder if he’s ever had sex where he wasn’t in charge.Then, he says, “Okay.”Part of me didn’t expect that. My breath catc
EleniI roll over, feeling rested for the first time in I don’t even know how long, and reach for Dante. My fingers meet sheets where I know he fell asleep after our third round last night. Cold sheets. My heart leaps into my throat. I open my eyes and sit up.Rumpled blankets. Clothes scattered everywhere. No sign of Dante. I scramble for my phone to see if Gianna or Tony has been trying to reach me with something important. A few notifications await me. One from my email, alerting me I have an unsaved draft. I swipe that away. I tried to write a polite “no, thank you” back to Professor Calhoun yesterday, and it’s the last thing I need to think about right now. A few general check-ins and junk. One from Gianna that I open without reading the message preview.Hello?? Tell me you didn’t literally leave for Greece without texting me goodbye.I blink. Then, my gaze drifts to the time she sent the message. Eleven am. My heart skips another beat, and I check the time now. Nearly noon.“Shi
*Heidi*The steamy session at Cal’s car only got me worked up enough to be desperate for him to take me. So much that I didn’t even bother that he took me to his office out of all places. When he said he wanted to take me somewhere safer, I thought he was talking about his apartment, but to my surprise, I was even more aroused when he took me to his bar.I never had sex in an office before, but I’ve read enough books to keep my imagination vivid and wanting to give it a try.Standing in his office in nothing but my underwear turns me on more than I expected. The simple fact that someone could barge in at any minute and catch us excites me more than I’d like to admit.God, I was never like this before. I wonder how Cal manages to turn me into this hungry woman who can only think about having sex.Sure, I do want more from him, but right now, having sex with him leaves me fully satisfied, and if that’s all I can get, well, I might as well take it while he is offering me.The intense loo
*Cal*“I didn’t think you meant your bar when you said ‘somewhere safer,’” Heidi points out with a note of amusement in her voice as I guide us inside through the back door.I managed to shake whoever was following us, but I don’t think I lost them completely. They might be somewhere near, watching my next moves. They know I own this place, but I can’t show Heidi any sign of worry or fear right now.I can only hope they don’t have ulterior motives tonight other than keeping an eye on us. An attack would be a fucking mess with Heidi here with me.“It wasn’t my first thought, but considering you really liked my office the last time you were here, I figured, why not?” Heidi seems surprised by my answer, but her expression softens as soon as I open the door to my office, and she finds everything exactly as she remembers it.“Make yourself comfortable,” I tell her, pecking her on the lips, one hand gripping her waist. “I’ll just send my men away and get us both something to drink,” I lie.
*Cal*Taking Heidi to her apartment this morning and being forced to leave her after the incredible night we spent together was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, and that’s saying a lot.I cursed Tony the entire way to my bar, but I have to admit it ended up being the right choice after all. I don’t know how he did it, considering none of my men succeeded when they investigated it, but Tony managed to confirm that Mateo’s cartel was involved in the attack on Christmas’ Eve.He didn’t confirm who took that picture of Heidi leaving my bar, but that wasn’t necessary. I have all the confirmation I need already.When I asked him why he couldn’t tell me this news over the phone, he showed me a picture of two cars, one of them which I immediately recognized as being the one who attacked me that same night. Tony gave me some confidential information on how to track down Mateo’s men and told me he’s trying to find out who is leading them now and why they are targeting me and not
*Heidi*Being practically dragged out of Cal’s bed and his apartment is not the way I imagined ending our date. I hadn’t originally planned to sleep at his place either, but after the best sex of my life, I didn’t have the strength to leave his arms, get dressed, and call for a cab.I didn’t think Cal would have let me do that even if I’d wanted to, but now that he’s basically told me to leave, I’m starting to doubt my instincts. He reassured me that he didn’t want to go either, and I could tell by his expression that he was being honest with me. But as he drives me back to my apartment, I wonder what got him out of bed so early.I don’t think our relationship is close enough for me to ask him–even though we’ve seen one another completely naked and vulnerable–so I stay quiet the entire time, watching the empty, snow-covered streets out the window. Even with my coat on, and the heat from the car, I’m shivering. I also think it has something to do with Cal’s eyes on me. I feel his gaz
*Cal*I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that I finally got to have Heidi to myself. Taking her on a date had been a surprise already, but when she agreed on coming here with me, I was stunned. I thought she was going to freak out once she realized I had brought her to my apartment, but one look at her, and her expression told me she was more than pleased. I didn’t think it was possible for her to look sexier than she had when I first picked her up, but she managed to prove me wrong.A completely different woman showed up in front of me once I began to entice her. The look of lust, desire, longing, and yearning that crossed her face had me on my knees. Literally. I’ve had plenty of sexual partners in my life, lots of different experience, but even so, Heidi brought out things in me that I’ve never felt before.I couldn’t get enough of her.And never once have I brought a woman to my apartment, let alone my bed. This is my safe harbor. My home. The only place I feel like myself.
*Heidi*“Oh, my…” I trail off, unable to finish my sentence while Cal’s tongue flicks out and ravishes my clit with enthusiasm. My whole body shivers, my muscles tightening and breaking into spasm as my orgasm finally reaches its peak. Every cell inside of me is so sensitive to his touch, I wouldn’t be able to form a proper sentence at the moment, even if my life depended on it.My fingers are tangled in his hair, keeping his head trapped between my legs, even though he doesn’t seem to be ready to get out of there yet.I drop my head back, closing my eyes to savor how good it feels to reach climax with only his mouth on my body. If he’s this good with his tongue, I can only imagine what he can do with his dick inside of me.The wave of pleasure starts dissipating when Cal pulls back, and I allow myself to take a deep breath. If I want this to keep going–which I absolutely do–I need to pull myself together first.I feel my cheeks burning when I realize Cal is staring at me, completely
*Heidi*The drive back to Manhattan is excruciating. I can still feel Cal’s hands on me, his lips hungry on mine. Every cell in my body is alert, anticipating the continuation of our kiss on that rooftop.I can tell he feels the same. His grip on the wheel is so tight that his knuckles are turning white. Neither of us says anything, the sexual tension inside this car making it hard to breathe.I don’t ask where he’s taking me. I just look outside the window, hoping we get there as soon as possible or I’ll combust right here against his leather seat.When Cal pulls the car inside the underground parking garage of a luxury apartment building in Midtown, I realize he’s taking me to his place… not back to mine. A part of me scolds myself for agreeing to go to a man’s apartment on a first date–a guy I barely know–but I shove that unwelcome thought aside.I don’t want to think tonight. I just want to feel. I just want to let Cal treat me like the woman that I am, someone who deserves atte
*Heidi*This has to be the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to in my life. Not that I get out that much, but I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to dine in such a luxurious restaurant with a spectacular view of Manhattan if it wasn’t for Cal.I’m glad I didn’t push him to tell me where he was taking me because I actually do like surprises. When they’re good surprises, anyway. I wasn’t necessarily lying when I said I don’t normally like them, but then, I wasn’t expecting a surprise from him to be this magnificent. He really managed to surprise me. The fact that we’ve gone all the way to Stanton Island is one thing, and then the view through these enormous glass windows is breathtaking. From this distance, with the water separating us from the mainland, Manhattan seems peaceful somehow, not the chaotic city I’m used to.“Do you like it?” Cal’s voice reaches my ear, and only then do I realize how close to my neck his lips really are. It causes an electric current to cours
*Cal*Heidi looks stunning in the dress I picked for her, even better than I imagined. As soon as my eyes fell on that dress wrapped around her beautiful curves, I knew it had been made for her.I hadn’t prepared myself to actually see her in it, though. It took everything in me not to jump on her as soon as she opened that door. Until that moment, I had only seen her in jeans, sneakers, and big sweaters, nothing too revealing or sexy, and that had been enough to leave me drooling and waking up in a cold sweat. But this dress…Even now, as I drive us to the restaurant that Tony reserved for us, I’m struggling to keep my eyes on the road instead of on her. Her presence is consuming all of my senses, her intoxicating perfume invading my nostrils and making it hard for me to breathe.The way the silk fabric clings to her tiny frame makes me wonder what it would feel like to run my fingers along her curves, hold her in my arms, and…“Where are we going?” Heidi asks after minutes of pure