Hero: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (17 page)

He met my mouth with the same passion burning inside me, and I responded without thinking as I shifted in my position on top of him, teasing both of us as he seized me tighter.

“Fuck, I need you Lottie.”

I groaned at the dangerous intent in his voice and, as I let my body take over, it seemed like the sharpness between us receded, with everything becoming as easy to navigate as it had been before. Our harsh words still rang in my head, but they weren’t threatening anymore, just another part of who we were, and - deep down - what we loved about each other. And right now, that was all I cared about - loving each other.

From the way his arms held me, it was obvious he felt the same way - and that he wasn’t going to take the teasing for long. His mouth ran down my neck and I shivered under him as I let his hands explore every waiting, wanting part of my body. The clothes were quickly becoming an unbearable barrier, and I slipped his belt while watching those strong fingers on the buttons of my blouse.

The air caressed the tops of my breasts as he opened those first few buttons, and I arched up into him as he followed it up with his powerful mouth. The scratching of his day-old stubble contrasted perfectly with the softness of his mouth and I was aching within moments. I shifted on top of him again, wanting and needing to feel more.

My hands ran up the inside of his top, meeting the burning heat of his skin as I inhaled the male scent of lust and strength on him. I shuddered and moaned again, my mouth at his ear whispering all the things I wanted him to do to me, getting him worked up until the need to feel me tight around him took over.

He reached up under my skirt, and one quick, joint movement had my slick panties off and lying on the floor. His eyes followed them, and a delicious smile curved on his lips as he noted the moisture there.

“You all ready for me, baby?”

I brought my mouth down to taste that smile, my tongue darting forward to play with his and lose myself in that hot touch. Nipping at his bottom lip, I gave him my own small smile.

“Why don’t you find out…”

He groaned, and that was all it took for him to shift his pants out of the way and settle me above him. The glint in his eye told me this wasn’t going to be slow and easy - and I loved him for it. With the intensity building in me now - and everything we’d just talked about and been through - I needed hard. I needed to feel him completely, and as he positioned himself and slowly helped me down onto him, I knew he was going to give me exactly that.

The slow burn had me crying out immediately, my pussy expanding and stretching to accommodate his large size, even after all this time together. I never got tired of this, never had enough. I kissed him roughly as he started shifting, moving, and the friction inside drove me crazy.

I didn’t know how he had the control and strength to fuck me like that - sitting, with me on top of him, but
fuck
he managed it, hands gripping my hips firmly as he controlled the pace. He gave me a few slow strokes, building that heat and need inside me. He started pulling me down to meet him as my hands grabbed for his shoulders, breathless with the power of his body.

“Fuck, Jason.”

He grinned up at me, then came forward to meet my mouth, and everything after that became impossible to think about. With his hands, mouth and cock all driving me crazy, my lust for him was almost unbearable. I could feel the same need inside him, the way his cock twitched and pulsed when I squeezed around it, the way our breaths mingled, hot and heavy together.

He kissed and nipped at me, alternating between my mouth, my neck and my tight, sensitive breasts as I ground myself against him, circling and starting to hit my clit with every firm stroke. Lightning was shooting through my nerves at the attention, with each movement building that delicious tension inside me until I wasn’t sure I could take it anymore.

“Please…”

I didn’t even have time to finish the thought before he picked up on the same crazy desire and thrust impossibly faster. It was all too much. Everything we’d said to each other, everything he meant to me, and everything I wanted us to be.

The thoughts and possibilities and endless, terrifying hope exploded within me at the same time as I heard him grunt hard, heat filling me with his own climax. I heard myself scream as if from a distance, body shaking with pleasure and tension finally released.

I was breathing hard when I finally came down, but he was there - as always - arms wrapped protectively around me. There to guide me back to wherever I needed to be, mouth nuzzling at my temple and body on fire for me.

It would be alright. We could deal with each other’s stubbornness and we’d find a way through the mess we were in.

We’d get through it all. As long as we had this primal instinct to love, to protect, to care.

Chapter Nineteen

Jason

“Jason!”

I jerked up in bed as I heard the crashing of feet on the stairs, my limbs tangled with Lottie’s and caught by the sheets.

Lottie looked up at me wide-eyed as awareness finally hit me - just in time to see Valentini throw the bedroom door open.

“Jason, what the—”

Fuck.

His eyes narrowed in on us in bed, the anger there compounding into a sudden fury and putting me instantly on edge. Protective instincts had my own anger rising up in response and I jerked my head towards the door, snapping out an answer.

“Study.”

For a moment, I thought Valentini would do this here and now, but after another quick glance at Lottie, he spun and left.

I took a deep breath and then I was moving - jumping out of bed and shrugging into my jeans. My heart was hammering in my chest. This wasn’t good.

“Jason?”

Lottie’s voice was questioning and cautious, but I just shook my head at her as I turned to answer the man who ran this city’s underworld.

I approached the study carefully. Valentini prided himself on being calm and collected - which only meant the outburst was that much more dangerous.

I’d known the whole time that he’d be pissed about what I’d done, but I still couldn’t bring myself to care. There was no way I could have done anything else. It just meant that this meeting had to be carefully managed.

So don’t get angry.

I stopped just inside the doorway, almost able to see the air crackling around him as he paced.

When he stopped and faced me, that too-intelligent gaze was masked with outrage, the cool words almost at odds with the heat on him.

“You’re fucking her.”

I knew I should be more afraid than I was, but I’d moved past intimidation a long time ago. There was only one thing that scared me - and the wave of anger that came hot on the heels of
that
thought was enough to deal with anything that could threaten Lottie
.

So instead, I met Valentini’s gaze calmly and answered with the simple directness that had always underscored my dealings with him.

“Yes.”

His fists clenched, nostrils flaring as he glared at me, taking a few steps closer. I didn’t move.

“Do you have any fucking idea what you’ve done? I have a gang war on my hands, Jason - because you couldn’t keep it in your pants! I told you to keep the girl safe, sure -
as our source.
Not to fuck her and steal her away right from under the 55th Streeters’ boss.”

Hot anger of my own flared as he was laying into me, but I kept it in check, meeting him glare for glare even as I let him rage. At the same time, my heart sunk at the news - it was as bad as I’d feared. I hadn’t expected any less, but still…a gang war. That was the last thing we wanted. I wondered whether they were targeting Lottie too, but it wasn’t the time to ask.

“Do you understand me, Jason? We weren’t fucking ready for this! We were close, but this ruins so many of our plans. I told you -
I didn’t want to wash these streets with blood.”

I ground my teeth in frustration, knowing all this and not appreciating the lecture, even if I had screwed it up.

“Valentini, I didn’t—”

“Fuck, Jason. How could you fuck it all up? For some bitch who doesn’t mean a thing.”

The suddenness of the rage that ripped through me destroyed any other thought I might have had and staggered even me for a moment.

“Don’t call her that again, Valentini. Don’t.”

My voice sounded menacing even to myself as he hit on the one thing that could get a reaction out of me. I took a step forward, instinctively assessing him, measuring, prepared to do whatever I might need to.

Something in my eyes warned him off, the sidelong glance he sent me showing that he was holding his own anger in check just enough, diverting it. His breath came out sharply.

“Then tell me what the hell happened, Jason.”

I took a deep breath, shuddering at the memory, but knowing I owed him some explanation.

“He tried to rape her, Valentini. Jorge did. She had to get out of there after that.”

And you promised her your protection.

The pause between us was thick with tension and my harsh gaze challenged him to say anything else. I almost could see the thoughts flicker through his mind, that sharp considering gaze that I knew meant he was counting assets, advantages, plays in a game instead of people, feelings, life and suffering.

Violence shuddered through me as I could almost sense what he was thinking. If he gave voice to it…if he even
implied
that she should have stayed, that she should have taken it - I wasn’t going to be able to control what I did next.

Even with his physical fitness and the natural toughness that had most people backing off, I was pretty sure my military training would carry me through - and before the bodyguards who were no-doubt standing outside could get to him. If he said the things I thought were going through his mind, I wasn’t going to care what happened to me afterward.

I saw the moment he recognized it in my eyes, the real threat of death and violence making him back down, even as one sharp shake of his head made his annoyance clear.

Dimly aware of that tipping point, I backed away from my own killing edge and forced myself to remember the arguments I’d prepared, the things I was going to say in this inevitable meeting.

“Valentini…fuck, I didn’t want to start a war. You know that. This wasn’t your doing, and I kept you out of it. You can distance yourself - I didn’t use your guys—”

“You’re in my fucking safe house, Jason!”

I paused as that hit me, almost looking around as if to confirm it.

How the hell hadn’t I thought of that?

Taking a deep breath, I nodded once, curtly - and proposed the solution that had been circling in my head ever since that explosive argument with Lottie.

“Yes, damn, I should have thought about that.”

I ran a hand through my hair and started pacing, too distracted with the plan that was forming to worry about going toe-to-toe with him any more, just glancing back to meet his eyes with each key point.

“We’ll leave. And, Fabio - I’ll leave for good. That’ll fix at least some of this. You can openly disown me, state I acted outside of your orders - hell, make an act of sending your own guys to look for me. Approach Jorge and end the violence - then go back to everything we were working on.”

It was a good suggestion, a good approach. And ever since Lottie had told me to get the hell out of the mafia, I’d been thinking about it - wondering if maybe that was the right thing to do. I’d hated how her words had struck me, the truth behind them hitting hard even as I fought to deny them.

She wasn’t completely right - not about my family, or about Xero…but she hadn’t been all wrong either. I didn’t belong in the mafia. It had been a means to an end, but since meeting her it had been harder and harder to sustain or justify to myself.

And now leaving it offered a different kind of solution. I stopped pacing and looked at him, trying to work out how he’d taken it.

Valentini held my gaze, measuring me as he weighed the idea.

“No contact or support.”

I knew that. It still hurt to hear it - but I was closer to Xero than I’d been in months now, and I could continue searching on my own. I just nodded.

It was a small measure of how much he’d come to rely on and value me that he hesitated now. I was pretty sure he’d come storming in here with the intention of wringing me out to dry and throwing me out on my ass, but now that I’d offered it…he didn’t want to let me go.

Finally he nodded sharply, his next words coming on a harsh breath as he met my gaze for what was possibly the last time, the last of his anger escaping.

“Fine. Get the fuck out of here, Jason - both of you. We’re done.”

He turned and left without another word.

Chapter Twenty

Lottie

Jason and Valentini didn’t try to keep their conversation quiet, and I heard every word from the bedroom down the hall. By the time Jason came back, I was dressed and ready to go, my pulse beating hard from the intensity of everything that had happened next door.

The news about the gang warfare had caught me off-guard, and had me wincing at the idea that I might have caused the very thing I’d worked so hard to avoid. But I let myself trust in Jason’s plan - it made sense, and if they could get things back on even ground with Jorge…then maybe it would all work out.

I was still distracted by the idea that he had really left -
left
- the mafia he’d been so embroiled in for so long. I didn’t quite dare to hope that meant his vendetta was over, but it made me think that maybe he was finally ready for another life.

The tension was still riding through him when he walked through the door, but at the sight of me his mouth curved into a smile.

“You heard?”

I snorted.

“It would have been hard not to.”

He moved forward for a quick kiss, then cast around for his shirt. I was suddenly reminded of the fact he’d pulled on his jeans sans underwear, and had the silly urge to delay us in favor of more naughty activities, but managed to restrain myself, even if I did press up against him and run a finger down the seam of his jeans.

The response I felt underneath had me grinning, even as he grabbed my hand and swatted me on the ass.

“Later.”

But his eyes were sparkling and - despite everything that had just happened - I felt freer than I had only a few hours ago. We were done with the mafia, gangs and mobs. Both of us.

As he started throwing the little we’d brought or found into a bag, I sobered slightly.

“Where are we going to go, Jason?”

I thought of my parents home, of the family still waiting for my call, and felt a wave of guilt. I couldn’t reach out to them - not yet, not when everything was still so risky. Later, when Jorge’s rage died down, or been diverted, or…

I didn’t know when.

Pushing away the discomfort that came with that thought, I refocused on Jason as he spoke.

“My place.”

I paused and realized that I had no idea where he lived - no mental image to provide a picture at his words. As I couldn’t help smiling at the idea of that, he laughed and shook his head.

“You’re pleased now. I can assure you, it’s nothing like what you’re used to.”

He gestured around at the impressive interior of Valentini’s house and I just grinned.

“Yeah, don’t worry - this is
not
what I’m used to.”

The fancy hotel rooms and nice places had never been me - I’d pick my parent’s worn, cozy house anytime.

He gave me a slightly bemused look, but took my hand as we headed down the stairs and locked the place up again. My heart thrilled at the little gesture and I wished I could stop feeling so giddy about simply being with him. I should really be focusing on all the other issues we needed to address.

He insisted I wear the lone helmet again as we got the bike out, and I settled behind him with a smile.

“Right, lets see whether we can excite you this time.”

“Huh?”

“You accused me of lulling you to sleep last time you were on this thing.”

I laughed lightly at the memory, and then we were off, with a little more speed than was probably necessary. My heart leapt and I grinned against the wind billowing at my clothes.

Okay, that works.

The way he revved it and showed off as we tackled corners and the side roads of Cleveland had me grinning and holding on tighter, trusting him to get us wherever he was planning safely. There was something between us now - some crazed, light-hearted, head-over-heels in love feeling that I had no idea what to do with. But it made me want to laugh and dance and sing and play. All my life, I’d worried over one thing or another - I’d tried so hard to do the right thing, to make life better for those I cared about. For once, it was nice to just be with someone and do things that I didn’t have to worry about.

By the time we pulled up, we were in yet another rough neighborhood - but I could only find my inability to escape them amusing as I slid off, eyes shining from the ride.

“Okay babe,
that
was exciting.”

He grinned at me, helping pull the helmet off and letting me look at the small box house.

He was right - it was nothing fancy. In fact, it was pretty much the opposite of that, and as he led us up to the door and inside, I couldn’t help notice the complete lack of anything more than perfunctory furnishings. I’d pictured a dozen different places he might live, but nothing quite so…empty. No personal touches or effects. Just a house with a few pieces of furniture.

Realizing something, I glanced back at the door we’d just entered through.

“You don’t lock it?”

This wasn’t exactly a safe neighborhood, but he just shook his head with a small smile.

“Nothing in here worth stealing. And in this area, the lock would just be a target.”

Then he paused, looking me up and down deliberately before stalking closer.

“At least, there wasn’t
anything in here worth stealing
before
. Now…well, maybe I do need to get a lock and key.”

Heat blossomed within me at the possessive tone, and I leaned in to meet his kiss before nipping at his lower lip. I wasn’t the
kept
kind of girl, even if I loved that he held that sentiment.

“You just try, baby.”

His eyes sparkled.

“No? Maybe I’ll just have to find another way to keep you here then…”

He pressed up against me, and that was all it took to have me on fire with wanting him. I moaned and his eyes shone with triumph. After a deep, enticing kiss, he pulled away and glanced around.

“So…what do you think?”

I looked at him, and tried to keep the slightly dubious note from my voice as I responded.

“It’s a little…bare. You really live here?”

His amused glance told me he didn’t take offense, and he just shrugged in response.

“No, not really. Valentini always put me up when I was on business…which was most of the time. I used to live here - when I was in the army.”

Oh.

Somehow, I liked that even more. This place had more significance than just a hole to rest in. It was a window into his previous life. And I was here. The thought warmed me.

Raising my hand to his cheek, I met that hot gaze and said what I’d wanted to all morning.

“I heard you left Valentini. His mafia.”

He nodded, not hiding the significance of that. I stepped closer to him and welcomed the feel of his arms around me as I finally decided to voice the warm-fuzzy feelings that had been bubbling up in me over the last few days.

“I’m glad, Jason. I love you. I want to have a life with you - take you home to meet my family, do silly stuff without hiding from the world…build a home…”

His arms tightened around me and I could feel the tension in him - but whether it was from resistance or the sudden echo of my desire, I didn’t know. His words made it obvious.

“Me too, Lottie. I want you. In my bed, yes, but - on my arm too, by my side. I love you, and I want the world to see it.”

My heart stuttered in my chest and I melted against him, using the strength and power of his body to hold me up as I let the warmth take me. There was a future for us. He saw it too, wanted it as much as I did.

When we finally broke that deep kiss, I looked up at him, not sure it was possible to feel any happier than I did in that moment. There was only one thing…

“So what do we do about it all? How do we get that?”

He sighed a little before kissing me again.

“I wish I had a good answer for you, Lottie, but I think we just have to wait. With everything you’ve given us already, Valentini will close in on Jorge soon - and when that happens, we can stop hiding out here. You can see your family again, and we can have all of that.”

I bit my lip as I looked up at him, thinking back to what I’d heard that last day between Jorge and Alfonso. I still hadn’t told him. If I was right, that was the last piece - that could end it all.

I needed to tell him - I knew that. And I would. I’d decided that right at the beginning - regardless of my concerns about Jason, what they were planning sounded bad. They’d talked about some
girls
in a way that had freaked me out, and I wasn’t going to allow innocent people to get hurt when I could stop it, no matter how worried I was about his reaction to the news.

But…his eyes were shining so brightly, with the same happiness that was reflected in mine. He’d only just opened himself to the idea of a future with me, was just starting to look beyond his long hatred.

Whatever they were planning wasn’t happening for a couple of weeks. There was time.

Maybe it was selfish, but I didn’t want our chance together destroyed by whatever that news did to him. I didn’t want this happy, laughing Jason to be replaced with fury and death and destruction again - not when it was still so fragile. I wanted him committed to the future before I sent him chasing after the darkness of his past.

I wanted him to come back to me.

“Lottie?”

I’d been silent too long, but he misinterpreted it.

“It’s not that bad, you know. And hopefully it won’t be long.”

I took a deep breath, nodding up at him.

Later. I’d tell him later.

Instead, I let myself enjoy the way he looked at me - the warm love and hope that was almost tangible between us.

“Lots of waiting, huh?”

He nodded reluctantly, but I pressed up against him with a different kind of smile.

“Well, in that case…I can think of a few ways to pass the time.”