by K. D Clark
“What else haven’t you done?” He asked.
She shrugged it off. “I don’t know, probably a lot.”
“Lets make a list.” He stopped walking and turned to face her.
“A list of what?” She asked as she continued to eat her ice cream. The dirty thoughts that were running through Andre’s head every time she took a lick of ice cream made his body shutter.
“All the things you haven’t done. A bucket list and I promise to scratch every single one of those things off.”
She raised a eyebrow. “Every single one?”
“Whatever you wanna do we’ll do it.”
She smiled a glow lighting up her face something Andre had rarely gotten the pleasure of seeing.
“Ok, a bucket list it is.”
She continued walking along the side walk that lined the Chicago river. The wind had picked up and she wrapped her jacket tighter around herself. Out the side of her eye she looked at Andre, quiet and unbothered by the cold. He looked so comfortable and calm it gave Cassandra a piece of mind but she couldn’t help questioning this whole situation. She had never gone further then a one night stand let alone going out for ice cream and a walk in the middle of the night especially without Leo close by. It was reckless. She didn’t care. Andre made her forget about being the tough mob Boss she was suppose to be in front of her men and the rest of the world. She had almost forgotten who she was before she took over as Boss but being with Andre gave her a glimpse into the old Cassandra.
“What are you thinking about?” He asked.
“Us.”
“What about us?”
She hesitated. “Is this.” she made a motion between the two of them, “Really what you wanna do? You know who I am, what I do.”
“And I’m still here.” He said.
“I’ve killed people.”
He nodded unbothered.
“I’ve done horrible things that I can never take back and sometimes I feel like something is wrong with me because I don’t always feel guilty.”
He nodded his head again like her words meant nothing to him. She fell silent.
“If I was scared of who you are, or what you do I would have never walked up to you at the club let alone take you to my bedroom. Everyone has done bad things…” He trailed off catching himself before he spilled to much. If only she knew the equally terrible things he had done back in Montreal to become the Boss. He wanted so bad to relate to her and comfort her with his own stories but he held himself back. She didn’t seem to notice the hesitation.
She let out a sigh her shoulders visibly relaxing. “So were doing this?”
“I would like to think so. It would be nice if I could stop breaking into your apartment.”
She smirked trying to hold back a smile. “Where did you even learn how to pick a lock?”
He smiled, “Lets just say I was a bad teenager.”
She nodded. “I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
His eye’s widened. “Really?” He asked raising his eyebrow.
“Yea, I’ve had a husband but it was arranged.”
“Oh?”
“My father prepared me for this life from the time I could talk, I wasn’t surprised when he decided to step down and arranged for me to be married to the next Boss.”
They stopped at the short brick wall both sitting down on the ledge as she continued.
“His name was Gavin and like most Made Men he expected me to be the typical mob wife. Dinner on the table by 7 and don’t ask questions.” She scuffed throwing the rest of her cone in the nearby trash can and grabbing the ponytail holder off her wrist she sweep her hair into a high ponytail.
Andre smirked. “I’m guessing you weren’t great at that.”
“I played my role for a little while. Until it nearly drove me mad. My father wasn’t aware that my husband was keeping me out of the loop. Women have always been looked down upon in Cosa Nostra. Expected to cook and clean, produce babies, and never question what their husbands do. Many men have mistresses that their wives are fully aware of but they don’t say anything. I was happy for Gavin’s, it meant he left me alone most nights.”
He stayed silent waiting for her to finish.
“He got arrested but refused to step down. He got sentenced to life. He was giving orders through me. Still trying to run the mob as if he wasn’t sitting in a prison cell.”
“I’m guessing that didn’t go over well?” Andre could only imagine the chaos that would erupt if that happened in Montreal.
She scuffed and shook her head. “Someone send a hit, killed him in jail, when that happens there is suppose to be a vote on who the next Boss. I decided there would be no vote. I wasn’t about to become just another mob wife. I was bored out of my mind. Calvin, Giovanni and Lucas backed me up the most. They helped sniff out the ones who weren’t happy with a women being their boss. Exposing the men who wanted to shove a knife in my back. My father had taught me well, and here I am.”
They were both silent for a moment listening to the sound of the wind and the river.
“Thank you.” He said taking her hand in his. Rubbing his thumb over the back of her smooth skin.
Her eyes flickered up to his face. “For what?”
“Talking to me.” She seemed to understand what he meant.
“Your welcome.”
They stayed like that for awhile sitting on the brick wall watching the river neither of them saying a word. Between the two of them he felt something he hadn’t expected and he wondered if she felt it to. When Cassandra’s head rested on Andre’s shoulder they made their way back to her apartment. He held her tight to his chest as she slept in the dark apartment. The only noise was her soft breath and the wind outside. He realized there was nothing he could do to hurt her. He needed to break into the illegal businesses in the states but he couldn’t do it by means of the beautiful women beside him.
* * *
Six Years Earlier
Her hair was pulled up in a ballerina bun at the top of her head. She felt nervous. The butterflies in her stomach hadn’t subsided all day. This was finally her time. She expected bloodshed. She expected uproar but she wasn’t being held back any longer. Giovanni was already at her fathers house. It was tradition to have the vote for the next Boss in the presence of the previous Boss. Since Gavin was dead, her fathers house it was. It was suppose to be simple. The men would sit around and someone would nominate who they think should step up as Boss. The men would vote and then they would celebrate. Calvin texted her, Its time. She stepped out of the Range Rover and walked into the house. She had learned to shoot a gun when she was six but the feel of it at her waistband felt out of place. Her heels echoed off the floor as she walked through her parents mansion. She heard voices upstairs. Her father had made her aware that her mother would be out this evening at least that way her mother wouldn’t be subject to the violence that was about to unfold. She made her way upstairs and into her fathers office. He stood at the front of the room while the men chatted around him. Several men turned their head, surprised to see Cassandra step into the office but no one said anything. Probably, out of respect for her father. Calvin flashed her a smile from across the room. She nodded in his direction. All of the men were dressed in suits. She looked completely out of place in her jeans and tight t-shirt, but it wouldn’t matter. Her father cleared his throat and the men quieted.
“As you all know, it is time to choose a new Boss. This decision should not be taken lightly, for the person voted for today will stand as Boss until the day they die or in my case retire. I will step out while nominations are placed and the vote is finished.”
Her father left the room squeezing her shoulder as he passed her. Giovanni cleared his throat and she readied herself. It was now or never.
“I nominate Cassandra.” All eyes turned to her. She stood up straighter.
“Ha, enough playing around Giovanni we have work to do.” One of the men said.
“He’s not playing
around.” She said stepping forward and taking the spot her father had just left. “And there will be no voting tonight.”
“Alright this isn’t a game, girl. You might be able to be Gavin’s little messenger but you’re out of your mind if you think you can stand up here and become the actual Boss of Cosa Nostra.”
“And why not?” She challenged him.
Someone else spoke up. “You know nothing about Cosa Nostra.”
Her voice lowered. “I know everything about Cosa Nostra. The two biggest money makers for us right now is Cocaine and Prostitution. Cocaine comes straight from the Dominican usually from shipping crates and 18 Wheeler. Gian has done a great job running the prostitution side of the business. He’s clearing it through his own restaurant which makes us look a hell of a lot better. Gun smuggling can be better but we’ll get there. I was born into Cosa Nostra and my whole life has been surrounded by it. I’m not asking for your vote I am telling you that I am the new Boss of Cosa Nostra.”
“Oh bullshit!” One of the men yelled and stood up from his chair.
She nodded at Calvin. He pulled the gun from behind his back and shot the man in the shoulder. Men ducked and the man screamed out in pain.
Giovanni handed her a blunt and Cassandra smiled. “Any more questions?”
8
Chapter Seven
When he arrived at the office the next morning Matteo was already leaning over the receptionist desk and flirting with the new girl. Matteo had hired her claiming that it would help make everything seem more legit but now Andre was wondering if it was for a different reason. Andre ran a hand over his face making his way to the office. He had left Cassandra sleeping peacefully, while he snuck out to get donuts to leave her when she woke up. Now that he was out of the apartment he could fell the weight on his shoulders. He had been in the states for too long and was making no headway. They were making money on the streets but it wasn’t enough. He needed to get into the arms deals, find a bigger connect for their drugs, tap into gambling. He needed better men and more brains. He decided to call Liam in Montreal telling him to get his top earners on a plane and down to Chicago.
“Things not working out as planned with La Cagna?”
“Call her that again and I’ll have you stuffed in a body bag.”
“Sorry, boss.” He mumbled. No doubt surprised by Andre’s reaction.
“I need them here by Wednesday.” He snapped before hanging up. He heard a soft knock at the door.
“Go away Matteo.” He grumbled. The door opened and Matteo swaggered over to the chair on the other side of the desk, ignoring Andre’s sour mood.
“Good job hiring the new receptionist I think she’ll fit in great.” He said leaning back in the chair.
Andre ran a hand through his hair. “You hired her Matteo.”
“Did I?”
“What do you want?”
“Someone is in a mood.”
Andre could feel his blood boiling it wasn’t often he got irritated he was usually calm and laid back, scary when he needed to be, but this morning was not going as planned.
“This isn’t fun for me Matteo.”
Matteo thick eyebrows fumed together. “What isn’t?”
Andre waved a hand around the office. “This. I can’t stand coming here everyday like this is real. I’m a fucking hamster on a never ending wheel.”
Matteo nodded seeming to understand. Matteo loved the business world he was great at negotiating and selling people things they don’t need. That is why Andre had picked him for a partner on the legal side of things. Plus it kept Matteo in the clean so to speak.
“What’s going on with…”
Andre raised his hand cutting him off. “If you say La Cagna I will cut your tongue out.”
Matteo’s face broke into a smile. “Ahh so things are getting serious?”
Andre stood up grabbing his suit jacket from the back of the chair, no longer able to stand being in the office a second longer. Andre spend the rest of the day checking on his men that were in the streets and making sure the product was still outselling Cassandra’s. It was something he didn’t really need to do but couldn’t find anything else to occupy his mind. At 3 o’clock he headed back to her apartment. Like he expected Cassandra was just waking up. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a loose bun, his t-shirt barely covering her ass as she was bent over rolling a blunt on the bedside table. He leaned against the door watching her for a moment. He had been with many women in Montreal, mostly to occupy his time and give him some stress relief. As he watched the women in front of him lick the seal of the perfectly rolled blunt he had never seen someone so beautiful.
“Are you going to say something or keep standing there?” She asked as she set down the blunt.
“How’d you know it was me?”
She shrugged. “Leo texted me you were coming up.”
Andre walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He expected her to push him away but instead she seemed to melt into his arms. Her hair smelled like strawberries.
“Does he always sit outside like that?”
“No he usually comes inside and watches the news. I’m sure he’ll stay out there now that you’re here.”
“Good.” His voice came out deep and husky and Cassandra shivered in his arms. His lips dipped to her neck. She leaned into his embrace as his hands traveled from her waist down to her hips. She turned around in his arms looking up at his face. His eyes dark and filled with desire. She felt the familiar heat in her stomach as he laid a soft kiss to her lips. The kiss was softer and more gentle then the last few times he had kissed her. He shoved her playfully the back of her knee’s hitting the bed. She giggled as her back slapped the mattress. Kneeling on the bed he hovered over her.
“I love that sound.”
“What sound?” She asked.
“You. Laughing. I want to hear it more. Are you ticklish?”
Cassandra’s eyes widen like saucer she shook her head.
Andre smirked. “You’re a bad liar.”
He reached out to grab her sides but she was too fast rolling to the other side of the bed. She stood up and meet his eyes, determined.
“I don’t like to be tickled.” She stated
He smirked. “What to much fun for a mob Boss?”
He stood to his feet and dived for the other side of the bed but once again she was too fast running to the kitchen behind the island.
“I can have fun!”
Andre scuffed. “Then come over here.”
“Getting tickled is not fun.”
Tired of the game Andre ran to the kitchen island cutting her off before she could make it to the other side of the island. He picked her up and flung her over his shoulder as she kicked, screamed, and laughed.
“Andre! Put me down!” He made his way back to the bed ignoring her tantrum and flung her back on the mattress. She scurried to get away but Andre was faster lifting her arms up and pinning them above her head. She stopped squirming, her face red. They looked at each other waiting for their breathing to slow.
“So now what?” She challenged him.
He used his free hand to slowly travel from her knee, up her thigh and rested right before her underwear started. He heard her breath hitch as his fingers lightly danced over the cotton. She tried to wiggle free but his other hand held firm against her wrist. His finger slipped beneath her underwear and she clamped her mouth shut trying to stiffen the moan.
“No no, let me hear it Amore.”
He slipped one finger inside and she gasped in surprised as he dropped the hold on her wrist and met her mouth with his. Wetness pooled between her legs as he continued to work his finger in and out adding another and rubbing her clit at the same time. He trailed kisses along her jaw line and down over her neck. She started moving her hips up, trying to get closer. His eyes locked with hers.
“You’re mine.” He stated his jaw clenched.
She nodded moving her hips faster to find
release the familiar tingly started in her stomach.
“Say it.” He demanded.
“I’m yours.” She gasped.
He smirked and started to move his hand faster until her legs were shaking and she couldn’t take anymore she felt the nerve endings all over her body. Andre slowed and removed his fingers trailing more kisses over her body. He tugged at the bottom of his t-shirt she was wearing. Urging her to lift her back off the bed so he could pull it over her head. She laid naked in front of him but felt no shyness as his eyes traveled every inch of her body.
“You are so beautiful.” He said, voice raspy and full of lust. It gave her goosebumps and that was all it took before the feeling was back in her stomach. He seemed to understand because he smirked and said, “On top.” as he unbuttoned his pants. That was all the encouragement she needed.
They switched spots and she eased down on top of him. Feeling her muscles give way to fit him inside. Once she came all the way down he held her hips keeping her steady, before pulling up and thrusting inside her once more. She gasped, taken by surprised but Andre did not slow down and continued to hold her hip and thrust up. She could feel the tension building again and she slammed her mouth shut. Andre’s hand left her hip to smack down hard on her ass. Her eyes snapped open.
“Open you mouth. I want to hear you.” He demanded.
She nodded. Letting out a scream as she was send over the edge once again waves of pleasure crashing over her. She fell forward onto his chest as he continued thrusting faster before gripped her hips tight, probably leaving marks. He grunted as he found his release. They stayed there. Him still buried inside her as she laid on his chest, letting their breathing slow down. After some time she slid off his chest and laid beside him.
“I gotta go to the club.”
He nodded. “Me too.”
A smile stretched across her face as she hopped out of bed and started to get ready.
* * *
Tempest was busier then Cassandra had seen it in awhile. Word must have gotten out that Gio was in town. People were pressed body to body probably reaching maximum capacity as Andre followed behind her. She had changed into a tight pair of jeans and high heels. The pink ends of her brown hair seemed to glow in the club lights. They walked away from the dance floor towards her office but Andre stopped first.
