Impossible Odds: A Mafia Romance (The Five Families Book 4)

by Jill Ramsower

  As soon as I was within his reach, I held out my hand and uncurled my fingers to reveal his silver lighter. “I believe this is yours.”

  He ignored my offering, clasping his hand behind my neck and tugging me in to bring our lips together in a passionate kiss. We moved hungrily, kissing and biting and breathing each other in as if starved from our last encounter. The world melted away when I was with him, and it didn’t matter if the Pope himself was there on the sidewalk to witness our kiss. I lost myself in Primo’s touch, pulling away only when my need for oxygen overruled my maddening desire.

  “We need to go,” I told him. “They’ll know I’ve left.”

  He placed one more delicate kiss on my forehead before putting my suitcase in the trunk and helping me into the passenger seat.

  I tucked the lighter back into my pocket, relieved he hadn’t taken it from me. “Where are we going?”

  “To a private airport where I’ve chartered a plane.”

  “Am I allowed to know our final destination?”

  “Guaymas, Mexico. It’s on the northwestern coast across from Baja California. It’s beautiful there. Unique. Arid with a desert climate, so there are beaches but not much vegetation. The sunsets are breathtaking. Nothing like New York.” He spoke of the area fondly, and I looked forward to seeing it. Mexico was a part of him just like New York was a part of me—seeing the land and its people was just another way to get to know him, and I leaped at the opportunity.

  The airport was only a twenty-minute drive in Upper Manhattan. Primo drove with confident ease, maneuvering in and out of traffic as if he were born in the city. I got the sense he was adaptable to his surroundings.

  As he drove, I took out my phone and sent a single text to Alessia. I decided to go for it. Please don’t worry about me. I promise I’ll be safe and will be in touch soon. Love you much, G.

  Knowing she and my family would panic and try to reach me, I turned off my phone and prayed I’d made the right decision.

  Chapter 12

  Primo

  Although Giada had said she was coming, I was still somewhat surprised to see her arrive at the diner. It hadn’t escaped me that leaving town with a man she’d only just met was exceptionally risky. I wouldn’t have faulted her if she had reconsidered her decision, as long as it was her decision and not simply pressure from her family.

  Regardless of whatever turmoil she may have dealt with internally, she marched up to me with a determined set to her jaw and cheeks flushed from the cool evening air. I couldn’t help but kiss her. Taste that bittersweet undercurrent of fear belying the confidence she professed. There was no such thing as courage without fear, and Giada was unquestionably scared and so very, very brave.

  Would that bravery pay off? Not even I had that answer.

  Once we were in the car, she shot off a text to someone. There was no way her family could stop us at this point, but I was curious about what she might have told them.

  “Did you tell anyone you were coming?”

  “No, not exactly. I texted my cousin a somewhat cryptic message. She’ll figure it out soon enough. I want to make sure she and my family know I wasn’t abducted or anything. I’m sure they’d think the worst if I didn’t.”

  I appreciated her efforts, but they were futile. Nothing she said would convince them of her safety, and that was the way it should be. Our organizations were not allied, and relations were about to take a steep downward slide into hostile territory.

  “So,” Giada started coyly. “Do you hunt down random women and fly them home with you often?”

  I cut my eyes over to her. “No. This is a first.”

  She was dying to ask more questions, and I wished she wouldn’t. It seemed an outgoing personality and insipid curiosity were a package deal, at least in her case. I didn’t want to encourage her but caved when the pressure inside the car from her unspoken questions became stifling.

  “Just ask whatever it is you want to know.”

  She said nothing for a long minute as she weighed her words. “I want to know why. Why go out of your way to find me just for a lighter?”

  That was exactly the type of question I had hoped to avoid. I breathed steadily, taking my time to formulate my response. She probably wouldn’t be thrilled to hear that my pursuit of her had hardly been out of my way. Instead, I’d explained in the best way I could. “Why didn’t you steal my chips? I had thousands of dollars in high denomination chips sitting next to the lighter, but you never touched them.”

  “That’s easy. I didn’t want your money. I just wanted … your attention, I guess.”

  “There you have your answer. You demanded my attention, and I was too intrigued not to give it. Not many women would be so bold as to spar with me the way you did. At first, I refused to take your bait, but when you raised the stakes, I couldn’t resist. I had to learn more about the woman who had dueled with me and managed to get in the final blow.”

  She glanced down at her hands. “About that. I swear I’m not normally a thief. I mean … not to say I’ve never done it before, but it’s not something I do often. I don’t want you to think I’ll take anything from you again, now that I know you.”

  I smirked. “That’s good because I don’t think I’d be so forgiving a second time.”

  Giada was quiet until we reached the airport. I’d arranged for staff at the airline to handle the return of my rental car—one of the many perks to flying out of a small, privately-owned airstrip. Giada even had her passport, making our departure that much smoother. I was pleased I didn’t have to involve Juan Carlos. He was probably pissed that I hadn’t asked for his help. I would have made the call had it come down to that, but I was relieved it hadn’t. His maniacal behavior was enough to keep me away, but now I was especially reluctant to see him knowing he’d been the one to kill my mother, even though he hadn’t known who she was at the time.

  I was leaving Juan Carlos behind me and had Giada in my possession. The only hitch in my current course was Naz. He would be pissed, but he’d get over his anger soon enough. I hoped. After the dust settled, we’d deal with what I’d learned about the past. My emotions hadn’t settled on the matter, and I would not broach the subject until I was clearheaded about it. I needed to know how I felt before I demanded answers.

  Giada climbed aboard the Cessna jet as if she was accustomed to flying on private jets. I wasn’t sure if that was the case or if she was just adept at controlling her reactions. She slipped into one of the soft leather captain’s chairs, and I seated myself in the chair facing hers.

  “The plane is beautiful,” she said, glancing around the cabin, taking in the creamy leather and chestnut wood finishes. The inside only had room for six passengers, making it feel rather confined, but it was crafted in the finest luxury materials to ensure a comfortable ride. “Do you travel often?”

  “Frequently, yes, but usually not quite so far from home. I go to Vegas for work frequently.”

  “I love Vegas.” She tried to hold back a grin. “In fact, I look back on my last trip there rather fondly.”

  I shook my head. “Buckle your seat belt, viborita, before you tumble onto my lap, and I devour you whole.”

  She took a shuddered breath, then clasped the belt across her lap. “What does that mean? Viborita?”

  I held her gaze intently, making her squirm in her seat. “It means little viper. That’s what you reminded me of with those hypnotic eyes and your ability to strike when someone least expects it. A hidden danger, never to be underestimated.”

  Giada stilled. “How is it you see me better than people who have known me my whole life?”

  “Sometimes it’s hard to see someone we’ve grown up with as something different than they’ve always been. I see you without any preconceived notions, just as you are. Nothing more, nothing less.”

  She swallowed. “And do you like what you see?” She wasn’t fishing for compliments. Her question was rife with uncertainty. Despite all her confidence a
nd courage, Giada wrestled with insecurities, just like the rest of us.

  “Far more than I should.” With that clipped admission, I turned my gaze out the small window as we advanced down the runway.

  Neither of us spoke again as we were catapulted into the air, but I sensed her steal furtive glances in my direction. The silence in the cabin acted as a pressurizer, thickening the tension around us. Uncertainty magnified desire and vice versa, the two feeding off one another, charging the air with friction.

  As the plane leveled out, I unlatched my belt to put an end to the mounting pressure but didn’t make it to my feet before my phone rang. Fucking Naz. The man needed to learn some patience.

  I pulled out my phone to see what he needed but was surprised to find it wasn’t his number on the display. Matteo De Luca was calling. I inhaled a long, calming breath through my nose before answering.

  “De Luca, what a pleasant surprise.”

  “I seriously doubt that it’s pleasant or a surprise. Do you have any fucking idea what you’ve done?” His voice was layered with cultured violence. A barely restrained warning kept in check by the fraying thread of our past.

  “I know you’re upset, De Luca, but she’s with me of her own free will.” I held Giada’s vibrant green gaze, enjoying the indignation stiffening her spine.

  “It doesn’t matter if she bought the plane ticket herself or was coerced at gunpoint. The families will not tolerate meddling in their world, no matter how innocent your intent may be.” His sneer of the word innocent made it clear he didn’t believe my intentions were pure in the slightest.

  I respected De Luca—had even owed him a debt up until recently—and I appreciated that we could talk to one another as equals. He was a competent leader of his family and for a good reason. He was correct about my intent and had every right to be upset. I didn’t have a particular desire to make him my enemy, but unfortunately, my hands were tied.

  “I’m not sure what I can do to assure you of her safety aside from giving her the phone and letting her tell you herself.” I reached out with the phone, handing it to Giada.

  “Matteo, this is absurd. I’m absolutely fine.” She tilted her chin up, imperious and commanding. “It’s too late, we’re already in the air. Tell my father and Uncle Enzo to stop worrying … I know exactly what I’m doing … If I need help, I’ll be sure to let you know, but it’s time for all of you to let me live my life as I see fit. Goodbye, Matteo.” She hung up and handed the phone back with her lips pursed haughtily.

  I couldn’t hear what De Luca had said, but her stubborn determination was evident. She wouldn’t let God himself push her around. She would make my life infinitely more difficult, yet I couldn’t help myself. Docile, malleable women were great for a quick fuck, but there was no interest there. Giada was different. A natural-born queen and she didn’t even know it.

  I took the phone and dropped it into a cupholder before crossing the aisle to taste the righteous fury on her lips. However, the plane took a sudden dip, sending me lunging forward. I caught myself on the armrests of her chair, our faces just inches apart, her cinnamon-laced breaths making me even more ravenous. Giada giggled, and I shook my head. Then the plane took another jarring lurch, and the pilot came over the speakers informing us of the high probability for a turbulent flight.

  If I didn’t want to risk injuring one or both of us, I’d have to pull back the reins on my hunger. I grunted my frustration and eased backward into my seat, refastening my seat belt.

  “They say anticipation of pleasure is pleasure in itself.” Her voice was a seductive caress, teasing my already frayed nerves.

  “They have never had this kind of temptation sat before them.” My eyes grew hooded, traveling a sensual path down her body. I took in each succulent curve and valley, watching as her pert nipples pressed fiercely against the confines of her bra, and the pulse point at her neck fluttered with exertion. By the time my eyes finished their erotic journey, Giada’s lips were parted, and her pupils dilated.

  Mission accomplished.

  The flight home would be a long one, and it was only fair we suffered together.

  Chapter 13

  Giada

  Primo’s lust was a tactile force, ghosting feather-lite touches over my skin and sending sensual vibrations directly to the center of my belly. His desire for me was more of a turn-on than porn could ever hope to be. If I was going to keep from going insane, I would need to distract us both.

  “Tell me more about how you know Matteo.”

  “As you may know, his family runs the waste management industry in the city. The large number of trucks they run requires a substantial amount of auto parts and tires throughout the year, which he acquires through a contract with my boss’s company. Two years ago, I accompanied the president of our auto parts organization to a meeting to negotiate a new annual contract. The Chinese Triad somehow found out about our meeting and decided they wanted to make a play for the business. They followed my associate and me to the meet location and caught us off guard—one of my greatest failures and a lesson I took very seriously. They killed the man I was with and had me at a disadvantage when De Luca showed up. It was luck that he arrived early, but he was under no obligation to help me. Many others would have walked away and left me to my fate. Despite having no weapon on him, De Luca entered the fray, and together, we were able to fight them off. I wouldn’t have walked away alive that day if it hadn’t been for him.”

  I was stunned to hear the two had such an involved past. What were the chances that I’d pick out and hit on someone Matteo knew while I was in Vegas? Not just someone he knew, but someone who had owed him a life debt. The odds were astronomical. Impossible.

  “So, when we needed to find Sal and discovered he was down in Vegas, Matteo went to you for help?”

  “Yes, and I was happy to repay him.”

  “He must respect you a good deal. Finding Sal was a high priority to the men in my family. He wouldn’t have trusted just anyone with something so important.”

  He shrugged. “Since dealing with the Chinese, we developed a mutual respect for one another.”

  “But apparently not enough respect to convince my family that you’re not a danger. It’s just absurd.” I shook my head.

  “They’re only looking out for you. I can’t blame them for that.”

  I appreciated that Primo didn’t begrudge my family for their prejudice against him, but it still bothered me. I wanted my family to see him as I did. Of course, there was still the small issue of his possible involvement in human trafficking. I desperately wanted to ask him about it, but it was too sensitive a topic for the moment. Maybe once we weren’t stuck in the confines of a tiny airplane and had spent a tad more time together, I would feel capable of raising such a delicate subject.

  “What about your family?” I asked, redirecting the focus of our conversation. “I’d love to hear more about you.”

  “There’s not much to tell. I never knew my father, and my mother was killed when I was young.” His eyes dropped to his hand as it swept away invisible lint from his lap.

  I got the sense he was uncomfortable with the subject, which was somewhat surprising considering how stoic he was and that the loss occurred some time ago. “I’m sorry to hear that. My mother and I don’t get along great, but losing her would be horrible.”

  “It was a long time ago. My boss, Nazario, took me in off the streets and practically raised me. He made me finish school and taught me discipline. I owe him my life.”

  “He sounds like quite the man. I look forward to meeting him,” I smiled.

  Primo’s features hardened. “Don’t misunderstand me. Naz is no saint. He can be ruthless, and I’m not sure how he’ll react to you. He won’t hurt you, but he also may not be thrilled to see I’ve brought you back. Just be prepared.”

  Well, that was a little unsettling.

  I nodded. “We can’t help how our families react. I have no room to judge your boss—you sa
w how my family has behaved. My father’s never even met you, but he was willing to keep me under lock and key to make sure you couldn’t get to me.”

  He glanced out the window, lips thinning as if something I said agitated him. I had no clue what that could have been, but before I could dwell on it, he turned back and redirected the conversation.

  “You say I know your family, but not in the way you do. Tell me more about them.”

  “There are my parents, and I have two sisters—you saw them in Vegas, along with my cousin who was in red. I’m the oldest of us three girls and the black sheep.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “How could you possibly be the black sheep?”

  “Easy, I never follow the rules like I should. My mom is a devout Catholic, and my father is a strict disciplinarian. Whatever I do is never what they think I should be doing. It drives them crazy, even now that I’m grown and out of their house.” I wasn’t a black sheep in the sense some people might think. My parents were unlikely to disown me, and I was still an active member of the family, but I didn’t belong. Like a redheaded stepchild who never quite fit the mold.

  Primo studied me, his eyes a gunmetal gray in the dim light of the airplane. “And is that why you’re here? A statement of defiance?” His tone was even, not accusing or judgmental, but his stiffened posture led me to believe the possibility upset him.

  I didn’t rush to reassure him. Instead, I did my best to be open and truthful. “I considered that at first, when I was trying to decide if I would go with you. I didn’t want to put myself in a precarious situation just to spite my parents. It’s not easy to look at your own motivations honestly and pull that thread until you get to the source of an emotion or desire. Every time I followed the trail, it simply led me back to you. Not my parents or my disenchantment with life. I wanted to be with you because of the way I feel when I’m around you. I know we haven’t known each other long, but it’s been long enough for me to know I didn’t want to walk away.”