Born in Blood Collection Volume 1: Collection of books 1-4

by Cora Reilly

  A warm breath ghosted over my neck, followed by a low, “Good morning.”

  I cried out in surprise and sent my coffee cup flying off the kitchen bar. It broke into dozens of sharp pieces and spilled coffee everywhere. My head whirled around and I found myself face-to-face with a smirking Matteo.

  “Fuck. Why the hell are you creeping up on me like that? You scared the hell out of me,” I hissed.

  He shook his head with an amused expression. “All those nasty words pouring out of your sweet mouth, is that really appropriate?”

  He was making fun of me. His eyes took their sweet-ass time wandering over my curves, lingering on the hickey before moving a bit lower again. And the worst thing was the way my body was reacting to his closeness, his scent, his muscled chest. Thankfully, my face didn’t feel hot, so maybe I hadn’t blushed.

  “Since when do you care about being appropriate?” I muttered. I slipped past Matteo and knelt beside the broken remains of my cup. I hoped Matteo didn’t suspect what his proximity was doing to me. I picked up the pieces but Matteo came to my help. I wasn’t sure if he was doing it to be nice or if he knew about his effect on me and was trying to play with me. From what I knew about him, I guessed the latter. I was trying not to look his way as he squatted beside me. He was giving me a good view of his perfectly shaped ass. Goddammit, why did he have to look like that?

  Without warning, he brushed his finger over my swollen lip. “I really should have killed your father.”

  His touch was so gentle, it made me want to nuzzle my face against his neck and have a good cry. “Do you have a mop?” I asked casually.

  He shrugged, dropping his hand. “I’ve seen Marianna run around with one on occasion.”

  I rolled my eyes. Of course he had no clue. He probably had never even done his own laundry. “Do you at least know where Marianna keeps the cleaning stuff?”

  His gaze lingered on my cleavage. With a sigh, I rose to my feet and stalked off in search of a storeroom. When I finally returned to the mess in the kitchen, mop in hand, Matteo was talking on the phone. He was leaning against the counter, legs casually crossed.

  I tried to listen to the conversation as I wiped the floor. I had a feeling it was about me.

  “Come over now. I want this done ASAP.”

  With that he hung up, and turned back to me. I leaned the mop against the wall, then asked, “Who was this? A new bodyguard you hired to keep an eye on me?”

  “Something like that. I’m going to put an ankle bracelet on you.”

  “What? Have you lost your mind?”

  “On the contrary, but we both know you’ll use the next chance you get to escape again, so until I can trust you to stay with me, you’ll have to wear the bracelet.”

  I stared, completely stunned and so angry I was worried my head would explode. “So you admit I’m your prisoner. You’re treating me like one after all.”

  Matteo advanced on me. “Without the bracelet I would have to lock you into this apartment, but with it, you can spend time with Aria, walk around New York, and live an almost normal life.”

  “I guess you want me to thank you for your kindness?”

  The asshole actually chuckled. “No. Knowing you I didn’t expect you to like the idea.”

  “Nobody would like that idea! And you don’t know me, Matteo.”

  He moved very close and without warning he slipped his hand under my shirt, pushed aside my bra and twisted my nipple. At once, my core tightened with need. “I know that you love it when I do this with your perfect little nipple,” he growled.

  I wanted to deny it, but the way his thumb and forefinger teased me, I couldn’t find the words. Matteo’s dark eyes bore into me as he leaned very close. “I know you are wet. I know your pussy wants me even if you won’t admit it.”

  He dropped to his knees and shoved down my tights and panties.

  “What—”

  I didn’t get farther. He leaned forward and kissed my heated flesh. I sucked in a startled breath. Matteo freed one of my legs from my tights and panties before he lifted it and draped it over his shoulder. His eyes found mine as his tongue parted my lower lips and licked slowly. I shivered, pressing my mouth together from fear of making an embarrassing sound.

  Matteo pulled back a couple of inches. “See, I knew it. Wet for me,” he said in a rough voice. He pressed a few kisses against me before suckling lightly. My eyes wanted to roll back in my head from the sensation.

  “Has anyone ever done this to you?” he asked fiercely.

  I couldn’t even find the power to lie. I merely shook my head “no.”

  “Good.” He rewarded me with a mind-blowing kiss, his tongue tracing my opening, then darting back up to my clit.

  “Oh God,” I whispered.

  Matteo released my throbbing labia. “You taste perfect, Gianna.” He parted me and brushed a kiss over my clit. “Do you want me to stop?”

  I gritted my teeth. I had never wanted anything less. It took all my self-control not to grab him and shove his face against me.

  “The silent treatment?” Matteo asked in a teasing voice before he nudged me with his tongue, sending spears of pleasure through me before he captured my clit between his lips and suckled lightly.

  I gasped and gripped the counter behind me, needing something to support me. My head fell back as Matteo did the most amazing thing with his tongue. With slow strokes he brought me closer and closer to the edge. I could tell this time it would be even more intense than yesterday. Without intending to, my hand gripped Matteo’s head and my fingers tangled in his dark hair. Matteo rewarded me with a flick of his tongue against my clit.

  “Yes,” I whispered. I didn’t even care anymore that I was admitting how good this felt. My entire body screamed for release. I was so close, my legs started shaking, my breathing quickened. And then the bell rang. I jerked in surprise and my eyes flew to the elevator. Nobody could come up without Matteo granting them access.

  Matteo pulled back from what he was doing. My fingers on his head tightened. “Don’t stop,” I demanded. I couldn’t hide the need in my voice.

  Matteo straightened and wiped his mouth with an annoyingly cocky grin. He leaned in to kiss me but I turned my head so his lips brushed my cheek.

  “Patience, Gianna. I’ve had six months to practice patience, now it’s your turn, but don’t worry, I’ll eat you out later. You taste too good to resist,” he murmured before stepping back and heading toward the elevator. “You should get dressed. We don’t want to give Sandro a show.”

  I couldn’t believe him. I quickly scrambled to put my panties and tights back on, before I washed my hands and straightened my skirt. My blood was boiling with fury. Matteo smirked as he pressed the button that allowed the elevator to stop on our floor.

  This wasn’t the end of it. Two could play this game.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Matteo

  Gianna was trying to kill me with her eyes. Not that I wasn’t used to that look from her by now, but I had to admit it was still turning me on. I wished Sandro had waited a few minutes longer to show up, even if his early appearance gave me the chance to teach Gianna a lesson. Unfortunately I was punishing myself as much as Gianna with my little lesson. She’d tasted fucking perfect. I couldn’t wait to lick her again, to have her screaming my name and rake her fingers through my hair. I was already getting a fucking boner again. Fuck this.

  The elevator doors slid open and Sandro stepped in, holding up a black case. “Morning, boss. Hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” he said, his eyes sliding past me to Gianna. Despite his mess-up six months ago, he was still a good soldier. The best one next to Romero.

  “You didn’t,” I said with a grin at Gianna, whose eyes narrowed even further. It was a good thing that Sandro didn’t look anywhere near my crotch area because there was no way I could have hidden the bulge. Not that I fucking cared. “Let’s do this now,” I said eventually.

  Gianna crossed her arms over her c
hest, somehow managing to push her breasts up in a delicious way. Was she doing it on purpose? She didn’t move as we walked toward her. She looked like she couldn’t care less but I knew her better than that. She was probably trying to figure out a way to make me pay for teasing her, not to mention for the ankle bracelet. But she’d brought this upon herself.

  Sandro watched Gianna suspiciously as we stopped beside her. I couldn’t blame him. His pride had taken quite a bruising when she and Aria had drugged him and tied him up. He was too clever to show his dislike though.

  I pointed toward the barstool. “You need to take off your tights and sit down.”

  “Thanks for the heads-up. You could have mentioned the tights thing before and spared me a whole lot of trouble,” she muttered. Fuck, her glare made me want to bend her over the kitchen counter and fuck her brains out.

  Sandro pretended he was busy with the ankle bracelet in the case as I leaned close to Gianna. “But I loved watching you put on your sexy tights, and I’ll love watching you take them off again.”

  Gianna almost tore her tights down this time before she perched on the stool, her long lean legs crossed. She pressed her lips together in anger, then flinched from pain. Fury for her father burst through my rising lust. Damn Luca and his determination to keep peace with the Outfit.

  Sandro hesitated, ankle bracelet in hand, and darted an inquiring look my way.

  I’d never put an ankle bracelet on anyone, so even if I fucking hated the thought of Sandro touching Gianna’s leg, it was the logical choice. I nodded. “Go on.”

  “Extend your left leg.”

  Gianna sent me a scathing look but she raised her leg without protest. Maybe she’d decided it was the better option than being locked into the apartment all the time, or maybe she was coming up with torturous things to do to me as retribution. I had a feeling I might enjoy whatever she had in mind, even if that wasn’t her intention.

  Sandro bent over Gianna’s leg and started fastening the small black monitor around her ankle. I leaned against the kitchen bar next to Gianna. She didn’t glance my way.

  “Will this monitor my alcohol intake as well?” she asked Sandro. He raised his eyes to her, then me.

  “I don’t care if you’re getting drunk as long as you do it in New York,” I said. Her blue eyes fixed me with another scowl before she turned back to Sandro, who was checking the bracelet for its functionality.

  With a nod, he straightened. “All done. You can trace her with your laptop, phone or any other internet-ready device.”

  “Great,” Gianna muttered.

  “Thanks, Sandro.”

  “Do you need anything else?”

  I shook my head. “Not today. Romero is upstairs. You can return to your other tasks.”

  Sandro gave Gianna a curt nod before he turned around and headed for the elevator. After I’d let him out, I returned to Gianna.

  “So how long am I going to have to wear this thing?” she asked, lifting her leg to take a closer look at the small black device around her ankle. I hated seeing her with that thing. It seemed wrong to shackle her like that, but Luca had suggested the bracelet and it was a neat solution. Gianna was too volatile for her own good.

  “Until I decide I can trust you enough not to do something stupid.”

  “So forever.” She dropped her leg back down.

  I chuckled. “No. I like your gorgeous legs better without the ankle monitor, believe me. I’ll relieve you of that thing as soon as possible.” I traced my fingers over her bare knee, then higher until I reached the edge of her jeans skirt. She swatted my hand away and hopped off the barstool.

  “Hands off,” she said sweetly.

  I raised my eyebrows. “I thought you wanted to continue where we left off before?” I really wanted to fucking continue where we left off.

  She walked past me toward the coffee maker, swaying her hips in a way that turned me hard again. “I’m good,” she said with a shrug. “All I need is a cup of coffee.” She grabbed a new cup and put it under the coffee maker before peering over her shoulder at me. “What about you? Is there anything you need?” Her eyes wandered down my body toward my hard-on. I could tell that she was fighting a smile.

  Oh, fuck. She really knew how to give me bedroom eyes. And obviously she thought she could play my game better than I did. “I’m good too.”

  She brought her cup to her mouth, took a sip, then ran her tongue slowly over her upper lip.

  I stifled a groan. I had to meet Luca to discuss what I’d missed in the last few months while I’d been hunting Gianna, but I really wished I could watch her all day and maybe convince her to run her tongue over my cock. I strolled toward her and twisted a strand of her hair around my forefinger. “I hate your new color. I liked you better red.”

  Gianna pulled back and set her cup down with a clang. “Well, looking good wasn’t my main concern while I was on the run. Maybe you didn’t notice but a notorious mobster was hunting me.”

  I grinned. “Notorious?”

  She rolled her eyes. “If you are fishing for compliments, then you’re talking to the wrong person.”

  I didn’t tell her to dye her hair back to her natural color, even though I wanted to. I knew she wouldn’t do it if I tried to push her. Maybe admitting that I liked her red hair was already enough to make her want to stay a brunette forever. “I’m meeting with Luca. You can spend the day with Aria upstairs if you want.”

  Her eyes widened. “I’m allowed to spend the day with Aria?” After a moment, her mouth twisted and she added, “Not that I should need your permission to see my sister…”

  “You and Aria haven’t seen each other in a long time, I suppose you have a lot to talk about.” I wondered if Gianna would tell Aria about last night and what exactly she would say. Normally I’d ask her what she’d enjoyed but I knew Gianna wouldn’t give me an honest answer. Women had never complained about my sexual skills, but I wanted to hear it from Gianna. Maybe Luca was right and I was a vain asshole.

  “Can we go up now?” Gianna asked, excitement lighting up her face. It was the first real emotion she’d shown me all morning.

  “What about a kiss to convince me?”

  She surprised me by grabbing my shirt, jerking me toward her and pressing her lips to mine. Her sexy body leaned up against me and her tongue slipped into my mouth. I didn’t need any more encouragement. I grabbed her ass cheeks, squeezed, relishing in her gasp as our tongues danced with each other. I pushed my hard cock against her. She needed to know what she was doing to me. Fuck. I was so fucking hard, it was a wonder that I hadn’t come in my pants yet like an idiotic teenage boy.

  Without warning she drew back and I growled in response, my grasp on her ass tightening, but she pushed my arms down and stepped out of reach. “You wanted a kiss, you got your kiss. Now let’s go to Aria.”

  That vixen. I knew by her rapid breathing and flushed cheeks that she was as affected by our kissing as me, but she seemed determined to suppress her lust. I’d simply have to up my game, show her what a mind-blowing orgasm really meant. After that, she’d hopefully be putty in my hands.

  I walked toward the elevator as if I didn’t give a damn. I had more than enough experience at hiding my emotions, so I had no trouble masking my arousal. I pressed the button that made the elevator doors slide open and motioned for Gianna to walk in. She frowned but then she headed into the elevator and leaned against the wall.

  Hiding my smile, I joined her and jabbed the button that would take us up. It took several moments before Luca approved our going up. Before he’d married Aria, I had been allowed to take the elevator up without his approval, but since then he’d installed the manual override again. Not that I blamed him. I didn’t want him or Aria barging in when Gianna and I were desecrating every available space of the apartment either. The elevator started moving and within a few seconds stopped again.

  Aria was already waiting in front of the doors when they slid open. She barely spared me a gl
ance before she pulled her sister into a hug and dragged her away toward the living area.

  Luca stood with his arms crossed against the wall. “No kiss goodbye for you from your lovely wife?” he asked wryly.

  Aria and Gianna had settled on the sofa, and were whispering among themselves. Romero raised his hand in greeting from his spot in the kitchen. He’d keep watch over Aria and Gianna while Luca and I were busy in Sphere. He knew what the two girls had done to Sandro, so he wouldn’t let his guard down, and even if he did, the ankle bracelet would alert me of Gianna’s whereabouts.

  “Aria doesn’t really look too sad to see you gone either,” I said when Luca joined me in the elevator.

  He smirked. “We already said goodbye twice this morning. What about you? How was your wedding night?”

  I couldn’t stop the grin. “Better than yours.”

  Luca’s eyebrows rose in silent doubt. “So did she put out?”

  “She did,” I said. “And I was her first.”

  “Did she tell you that?” Luca asked doubtfully.

  “No, she didn’t. She was furious that I found out. But there was no way she could have hidden it.”

  “Good for you,” Luca said, clapping my shoulder. “So are you still into her or have you come to your senses now that your cock isn’t ruling your thinking anymore?”

  I gave him the finger. “What makes you think my cock isn’t still in charge?”

  Luca sighed. “Suit yourself, but don’t come bitching to me when she starts to annoy you.” The elevator stopped and opened to the underground garage. “Now let’s focus on business. You’ve wasted enough time. I need your full attention now.”

  “Don’t worry,” I said, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy to get Gianna out of my head. The image of her naked body beneath me had burned itself into my brain and I wasn’t too keen on letting it go.