Eleni
On Thursday, I lean back in the passenger’s seat and try to see the late-morning sun through the blacked-out windows. Dante’s hand rests possessively on my leg, and it feels like an anchor as we drive back into the chaos of the city. After days of his constant touch, I think I might lose my mind if he let me go.
And it doesn’t hurt that his hand creeps a little higher at every red light, now that we’re off the highway. Desire coils in my gut like he didn’t make us late wringing one last orgasm out of me before we left. I don’t mind. It was his timetable anyway.
I glance at him. On the ride up, he couldn’t stop talking, but never to me. This time, he’s been mostly quiet, but he looks at me every time the road doesn’t need him. Either way, I haven’t learned much.
My stomach grumbles, and I cover it quickly.
“I guess you didn’t eat much,” Dante says.
We share a smile at the memory of his cock in my mouth before we left. A mi
EleniI unpack the suitcase I packed so hastily when I left Dante’s house into my closet, then pause. This is Dante’s house, still, in my mind. And yet this room, this closet, is mine. I shared this bed with Mama. I’ve cried here, and been furious, and smiled for so long my face hurt. I run my fingers over the pillowcase and look around. Maybe Dante will let me paint this something other than drab tan. Or at least get new sheets.For now, though, I need to study. I lost three days of study-time to learning everything I could about Dante. Sometime during my absence, someone installed a desk in the previously featureless guest room, which brings another smile to my face. Already, I’m making my mark on this place. I could even be happy here, a ferry ride away from the city. I put my laptop, now thankfully with the Wi-Fi back, on the desk and sit. Daydreaming later. Focusing… now.* * *“—do you mean yo
DanteEleni turns on her heel and marches up the stairs. My chest squeezes, and I race after her. What the fuck was Uncle John thinking? Even if she wasn’t here, even if she hadn’t overheard, he can’t just walk into my goddamn house and talk like I’m still the kid he had to drive to the hospital once because I threw a tennis ball at his garage door so hard that when it bounced back and hit me in the head, I got a concussion. I’ve been fine on my own for years.She turns into her room, but she doesn’t close the door. A good sign, I think. I follow her in and close it behind me.A weird feeling tightens my chest further. A couple weeks ago, this was one of many guest rooms. Now the sheets are rumpled, her books are on the desk, and her clothes are in the closet.Before I can think too much about that, I say, “How much did you overhear?”She glances at me, and I see tear
EleniThe morning of my final, I pad downstairs in a whirlwind of excitement and nerves. I haven’t seen anyone other than Staten Island Saints in weeks, other than the diner. I might be about to pass my first semester of college.My face is on the dark web with a bounty. I might be about to fail my first semester of college. Around and around again. Hopefully I can block it out long enough to actually pass the test.I freeze as I round the bend in the stairs. Seb stands there, in casual jeans and a T-shirt for the first time, which I expected. I didn’t expect the two other guys in normal, severe suits.“Did something change?” I ask.Seb loops his arm through mine. “The big boss figured I’d do better undercover, just another student, so he wanted a set of distant eyes.”I frown. “So something happened.”“Yeah, I finally talked Dante into putting me in a position
Dante“You’re fucking with me, right?” I run a hand through my still sleep-rumpled hair and stare at the foreman of this section of the warehouse.“N-no, sir.” His wide face turns red with the effort of either not yelling at me or not pissing himself.“Fine. Go away,” I spit.As soon as the foreman disappears, I slam my foot into the nearest crate of goods.“Goddammit!”Tony snorts. “I’m glad you’re taking the news that we haven't been robbed well.”“Am I supposed to be thrilled someone snuck into one of my most secure warehouses just to knock over a couple boxes of shit and leave?” I demand. “He’s fucking taunting me, Tone.”“No shit, Sherlock.” My caporegime crosses his arms and leans against a high, metal shelf. “But getting pissed like this just gives him exactly what he wants.”
EleniI sit on the floor outside Dante’s office, listening to Tony bellow inside. Dante warned me this was going to happen. After his call with Thano Coppola, who turned out to be the head of a New Jersey outfit he’d been working with, he took my hands and told me he heard me, he understood, but he needed to tell Tony what happened first. At the time, that made sense to me. Seb is his brother. I feel sick to my stomach, thinking about his smile in whatever nightmare of a place they’ve got him in, just because I wanted to take my finals. But I didn’t expect the “telling Tony” stage to involve me sitting outside while the two of them figured out what to do, loud enough that I could hear them shouting but not loud enough to make out any specific words. I drop my head back against the wall and try not to groan.Gianna pokes her head into the hallway and looks from me to the door. “What’s going on?”“They’re…Seb…I….” I shake my head, feeling helpless.“Right.” Gianna sits next to me, sipp
EleniSean leers at us through the whole ferry ride and the taxi to the massive club in the city. If I thought Piacere was loud, that’s only because I didn’t know how loud things could get. I can almost taste the music in here, and people are packed in so tightly I can’t remember the last time I took a breath that wasn’t mostly someone else’s hair. At least it makes walking in the heels easier. There’s nowhere to fall.Gianna clings onto my hand, my only anchor in the storm. I squeeze her and try to seem ditzy when I’m also just trying to think around the crowd.“So.” Sean puts a hand on the small of my back. “Drink first? Bad boyfriend, right? I could treat you better.”I’m about to force myself to laugh when Gianna plucks his hand off.“She’s looking for help, Sean, not a quick fuck.”He grumbles but doesn’t seem that mad. I shoot
DanteTony and I drive back from the city in silence. No sign of Seb yet. We crossed paths with a couple Coppola soldiers, so Thano seems to have finally decided to get his shit together, but that hasn’t changed Tony’s mood. He sits in the passenger seat next to me, seething. I let him. Now that we’re through yelling, he’ll start breaking things when it’s time to talk again. Right now, all I’ll get is sarcasm.We pull into the driveway, and Tony slams out of the car, but his seatbelt catches in the latch. He rips the door back open, snaps out a knife, and slices the belt to throw it back inside.“That’s going to cost me,” I say mildly.“Seb’s funeral is going to fucking cost you.” He slams the door again.I climb out. Tony kicks my garbage can, spilling rotting food onto the lawn I pay handsomely to keep maintained within HOA parameters. An energy drink, one of th
EleniI tug the hem of my dress a little farther down my legs and feel the tiny straps strain to hold my chest in. Doll, in the back seat next to me, chuckles.“Don’t bother,” he says. “I doubt you’ll be needing that dress much soon.”I grit my teeth. He’s been saying ominous things like that for the last forty-five minutes, and every time I try to ask him where we’re going, he just laughs. I do wish I’d insisted on a longer dress when Gianna and I were getting ready, but nobody’s discovered the pistol in my purse yet, so I’m not too worried. Since I’m supposed to be Luca’s bride, I think backward mafia logic might save me from sleeping with anybody but him, and if I can get close enough with this gun, I don’t even have to worry about that.Now, I just have to repeat that to myself often enough that I don’t panic. Which is a lot, since I’m in this
*Cal*I’ve had other women say they loved me before—after we had sex and I’d taken them to paradise and back. It’s not uncommon. However, I know that Heidi’s words carry a different meaning than all of the rest. I’m absolutely positive she didn’t say that just because she was in post-coital bliss. She meant it. Every word. I only know because I can feel that whatever we have going on between us is different from anything I have ever experienced before.Which is why it freaks me the fuck out.This wasn’t supposed to get this deep. This was supposed to remain an infatuation, a brief curiosity. Something I could chase, experience, and set aside. Because I’m a dangerous man, and that danger lurks in every facet of my life. She’d never be safe. But deep down, the selfish part of me is thrilled to know she loves me. I never thought I deserved someone’s love, but Heidi makes me feel like I do. Like somehow I deserve to be with her and have her by my side. That’s the kind of effect she has o
*Heidi*Cal looks up at me, his eyes slightly widened in surprise as if asking me what’s gotten into me.“That was the sweetest thing anyones ever said to me,” I explain, my heart beating rapidly against my ribcage.“It’s the truth,” he tells me honestly, caressing my cheek with tenderness.I’m sure my heart is about to jump out of my chest. Why do I feel so emotional? Everything he says and does to me seems so genuine, like he truly wants to make me happy.I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way toward another man before. It’s an unknown feeling to me, but if I could dare say it, I’d guess it’s love.Or at least something similar to it.He might not feel the same way about me, but right now, I don’t mind. I just want to be with him and enjoy whatever time I have with him all to myself. Being with Cal makes me happier than anything else I’ve ever experienced in my life–even getting lost in a good book.Tired of the distance between us, I lean forward, and our mouths crash together. Cal’
*Heidi*My face heats up with his offer, and I can’t find it in me to reject it. I was trying to be bold and surprise him by coming here, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t have any plans on returning to my own apartment tonight.But I was also telling the truth when I said I liked to spend time with him, no sex involved. Cal makes my days much better, especially now that I’m living by myself and barely see my grandparents. New York is a big city, but it can feel so small when you’re alone.Whenever I’m with Cal, it’s like time freezes, and I can simply enjoy being around him. He makes me feel wanted, heard, cared for. Nothing about what we have feels fake or forced.I don’t know what we are–and I would never dare to say we’re together–but I can’t lie to myself anymore. I believe I’m falling for him. Or better yet, I think I have already fallen. Deep. Beyond redemption.“So, what do you say?” His hoarse, sexy voice whispers in my ear, and I remember I didn’t give him an answer.
*Cal*I frown at Clara, my brain still a bit foggy. I don’t need to ask who she is referring to. At this point, everyone who works for me knows I’m seeing Heidi.“I’ll be right there,” I tell her, getting to my feet and checking my appearance in the mirror.I don’t feel tired, but the dark circles under my eyes say otherwise. I’m sure Heidi will notice it as soon as she sees me, but I don’t want her to worry. I’ll probably have to lie to her if she asks. It wouldn’tl be the first time I’ve kept something from her.The idea of keeping the truth about my life from her is starting to bother me to the point I’m considering risking everything, telling her what I do for a living. But I know the moment I confess and she realizes how dangerous it is, she’ll be out of my life in a blink of an eye.And I’m not ready for that.I wonder if that’s how Tony felt when he got married to Chloe to protect her from the cartel. He told me one time that he was afraid to involve her in all of this mess, an
*Cal*Heidi and I get dressed as I consider what to do. I check my phone, expecting to see a message from Sam telling me that the path is clear for me to take Heidi home, but he hasn’t texted me yet.I need to keep Heidi here for a little longer, until I know for sure we can head out without the risk of being attacked.“I’ll get something for us to eat before I take you home,” I offer, fixing my hair and adjusting the collar of my shirt.Heidi arches an eyebrow at me, considering my suggestion. I’m sure she must want to go home, and I can’t deny I also want to be alone so I can find out who the fuck was following us earlier, but unfortunately, she’ll have to wait.Reluctantly, she scoots back on the couch. “Fine, I’m starving.”“Want me to order some pizza?” I ask, grabbing my phone and opening the delivery app.“Yeah, I could eat some pizza,” she agrees. Her cheeks are still flushed from our previous activities. Seeing her skin glowing like that makes me want to do it all over again
*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