Warning: The Complete Series

by Justice, A. D.

  “You’re right on the money—about all of it. And I will be your sister for life, even if I don’t end up marrying your brother.”

  “I knew you needed a breather from him. Believe me, I can relate. You know Mama is already planning your wedding shower and baby shower, right?”

  “Honestly, I figured as much.” I shook my head and closed my eyes, picturing how she’d be hurt if I didn’t let Damon back into my life.

  “You really don’t know if you want him back, do you?” She narrowed her eyes, daring me to lie to her.

  “I don’t have a clue what I want, Carrie. Right now, I’m so confused over everything—what I’m going to do, what I want to do, or even what I should do . Other than kill Lorenzo. That’s the one and only thing I’m absolutely sure of at this point.”

  “As far as my family goes, you don’t need to worry about how they’ll react. Mama will be hurt, but she’ll be fine. She’ll still love you, and she’ll spoil you and the baby.”

  “And Damon?”

  “Damon will be crushed, but he’ll survive. He’s a big boy. It’ll take him a few years to take the hint that you’re, in fact, not marrying him, but only because he’s dense and as tenacious as a bulldog. But in the end, this is your life, and you have every right to be happy. No matter what that means.”

  The problem was, I didn’t know what it meant.

  “You want Lorenzo dead, huh?” Carrie asked, her tone taking a serious tone. A deadly serious tone.

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  “Do you want to do it yourself?”

  I thought about her question for a moment. Could I do it myself? Could I look him in the eye and kill him? Could I commit premeditated murder?

  Then I thought about my sweet mother and the intense fear she must’ve felt when Lorenzo’s goons held her captive and she was too weak to even try to fight back. I thought about Lorenzo giving the orders to his men but not having the guts to do the deed himself. And I had my answer.

  “Yes, I do. But I want him to suffer first. I want to steal everything he has, crush his spirit, and I want him to know it was me who beat him. Then I want to see the fear in his eyes before he dies.”

  “That’s my girl. Are you sure you’re not already a Marchetti?”

  “Your brother is a bad influence. What can I say?”

  “Do you have anything in particular in mind for destroying Lorenzo?”

  “Let me think about it. I may have an idea or two I’m kicking around. I’m guessing he has a lot of family around here?”

  “He does. You want to take them out first?”

  “I want to reveal his secrets first—so that no one in his family ever looks at him the same again. I want to plaster all his dirty secrets and underhanded dealings across the headlines. Embarrass him, make him and his family look weak until he’s shunned by everyone. Even alienate him from his men.”

  “I love how your devious little mind works. We will make this happen. Even if we have to make up shit and alter photos.”

  “Even better. The more he protests, the more people will believe it.”

  Over the following several days, Carrie stayed glued to her computer, sorting through file after file to collect as much dirt on Lorenzo and his businesses as she could. I could tell when she came across something really interesting—not embarrassing—because the evil glint in her eyes shone even brighter than usual. She kept all her plans and everything she found close to the vest, though. She definitely had one of the trademark Marchetti family traits down pat—the ability to keep secrets from everyone else.

  Until.

  “Hey, Jillian. Let me show you something.” She gestured for me to follow her, so I jumped at the chance to get involved.

  When we reached her secure computer room, I was amazed at her setup. Several monitors lined the wall, paired with multiple laptops and desktop computers. We moved in front of the screen she’d been working on, and she read what she’d found.

  “Looks like my brother has been busy,” she chuckled. “The night you came here, he went after Lorenzo and one of the women Lorenzo keeps on standby. Firebombed both of their houses before Lorenzo went deeper underground. Damon cast a wider net to get him, though. He put a contract out on Lorenzo’s head, only he wants him delivered alive.”

  “Damon has a contract out on Lorenzo?” I felt like I was running to catch up. “How do you know it’s Damon?”

  “He sure does. And I know it’s him because I know how and where he’d look for help. And I also know the specific terms he uses to identify himself as a Marchetti family member.”

  “How does this work? Do others bid on it? Is it first come, first served basis or what?”

  “In this case, Damon offered a set amount of money for Lorenzo. So, anyone who captures him can answer in this secret virtual room to set up a meeting with Damon for the exchange of Lorenzo and the money.”

  “Would Damon know who he’s talking to? Would he be able to trace you and find out if we replied to it?”

  Carrie looked up at me, unfiltered excitement shone in her eyes. “He wouldn’t have any idea it was me, and he’d have no way to trace the chat. I’ve thoroughly covered my tracks. You want to accept the contract on Lorenzo?”

  “Yes, I do. We have to flush him out though, right? I mean, if Damon lost him after attacking his house, there’s no telling where he’s hiding.”

  “I can find him. Lorenzo isn’t as smart as Damon. He’s sloppy. That’s why his family isn’t on top. They could’ve been had Lorenzo’s father been more diligent about keeping up with his son. Lorenzo will mess up—he’ll use a credit card under one of his aliases because he thinks no one knows the names but him.”

  “Do you know his aliases?”

  “I sure do. Over the last couple of years, I’ve made it my business to know all about our enemies.”

  “Show me.”

  From her documents folder, she opened a file with several columns of names. At the top of each list was the name of one of the Sanfratello family members. She wasn’t kidding—she’d been keeping tabs on them for quite a while. One name jumped off the page and grabbed me.

  “Rafael Stanzoren.”

  “You know that name,” Carrie stated, knowing she didn’t have to ask. “How?”

  “When I worked at Blaine Financial, I was assigned to a retirement account that was a mess. When I finally untangled everything, I realized money was being funneled out of a company called MadTrich, into the nurses’ fund Blain Financial managed, then obviously into Lorenzo’s pocket. One of the two names tied to the transactions was Rafael Stanzoren. I never found that name on any other document.”

  “What was the other name?”

  “Milo Bianchi.”

  “Milo was one of our family’s associates. He was secretly working for the Sanfratello family. MadTrich is also one of our family businesses, so Milo was using his status with us to help line Lorenzo’s pockets with our money. I’m sure that helped Lorenzo convince our smaller rivals to join forces with the Sanfratello family at first. But those allegiances dissolved when Lorenzo couldn’t deliver on his promises.”

  “Let’s be the first ones to find Lorenzo. Imagine Damon’s face when the two of us show up with Lorenzo in hand to cash in on his contract.”

  “He’ll be pissed as hell, Jillian. That’s the expression you’ll see on his face—like a cartoon character with steam coming out of his ears and his eyes bulging out of their sockets.”

  “Maybe then we’ll be even.”

  10

  CHAPTER TEN

  Damon

  “Lorenzo is quite the snake, isn’t he? Slithering underground and hiding until he thinks the danger has passed.” Benny walked beside me toward the car.

  “He knows he’s dead. It’s only a matter of time. Every hit man within a hundred-mile radius will be after Lorenzo now.”

  “Are you sure going to Carrie’s at this time of night is such a good idea? She’s more likely to shoot us than Lor
enzo is.”

  I had to laugh at that comment. Not because Benny was wrong, but because he was right on the mark. Carrie wasn’t the innocent little angel the rest of the family thought she was. Our father acted as though she were fragile and would break in two. He put her up on a pedestal and kept her away from anything that could harm her. Or, I should say, he tried to—she wouldn’t have it, though. On the surface, she let him believe he had all the control. In reality, she was a force to be reckoned with, and word had spread about those who learned that lesson the hard way.

  “My sister better not shoot me. That would absolutely ruin my night.”

  I had plans to spend quality time with Jillian. I hadn’t seen her in five days, and I’d reached my limit of waiting. The few texts we’d exchanged weren’t nearly enough to satisfy the need for her burning deep inside me. She resisted my attempts to get her to sext with me. She flat out denied my request to send naked pictures of herself. When I suggested we chat by video, so I could watch her satisfy herself, she said she’d turn her phone off if I even tried it.

  She was slipping away from me. Minute by minute. Hour by hour. Day by day. I was losing her.

  Even more so than when we spent three months apart.

  I had to convince her we were good together, that we were meant to be together.

  Outside Carrie’s house, I slipped through the yard, around the house, and stopped outside Jillian’s window. With my luck of late, Carrie’s alarm system would already be armed, sounding the bells and whistles the second I tapped on the window.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” My eyes were blinded by a bright flashlight, held by my sister. “Do you know how close you just came to having your head blown off?”

  “I’m here to see Jillian.”

  “Does my front door not work?” She dropped the light from my eyes, leaving huge black spots dancing in my vision. I could make out the silhouette of her bent arm with her hand on her hip and her head cocked to the side. It didn’t take any imagination to know she wore an annoyed expression on her face.

  “Carrie,” I started, my voice lowered and my tone sincere. “I can’t lose her. Not again.”

  “I’m not sure that decision is up to you, big brother. But I won’t stand in the way of your attempts to win her over. If she says you have to leave, don’t you dare argue with her, though. She’s a guest in my home, and you won’t make her feel unsafe here.”

  “I wouldn’t do that. One major fuck-up is more than enough. All I want now is to show her how much I love her.”

  “You really do love her. Don’t you, Damon?”

  I nodded. “I do. More than you can imagine.”

  “All right. I’ll try to put a good word in for you now and then when the opportunity arises. Don’t hurt her again, or you’ll deal with me long before Mama or Daddy can reach you. She’s pregnant with my niece or nephew, and I plan on being the favorite aunt for a very long time.”

  I smiled, appreciating how protective my sister was of Jillian. “She’s pregnant with my daughter or son, Carrie. I plan on being the best father and husband for the rest of my life.”

  With my vision cleared after the earlier blinding from her flashlight, I saw her face soften. “Go win back your baby mama, Romeo. Just try not to scare the shit out of her by crawling through her window unannounced.”

  “Does that mean I can follow you through the front door unannounced?”

  “Come on,” she called over her shoulder and shook her head.

  I hustled to cover the ground between us and walked through the front door. She pointed down the hall toward one of the guest bedrooms then left me to work out my new plan on my own. To earn Jillian’s trust again, I thought the straightforward approach would be the best.

  I didn’t just happen to be in the neighborhood…an hour away from my apartment.

  I didn’t have an obscure reason for visiting my sister.

  I didn’t have anything of hers I needed to drop off.

  The simple truth was I missed her, and I wanted to see her again.

  When I reached her closed door, I rapped on it lightly with my knuckles a couple of times. Then I heard her sweet voice call out.

  “Come on in.”

  With the door slowly swinging open, I leaned against the frame and waited for her to come into my line of sight. She sat on the bed in a spaghetti strap camisole top and pajama shorts. She was propped up on pillows against the headboard and held a New Mother magazine in her hands. Surprise lit her face for a moment since she was clearly expecting Carrie to be on the other side of the door rather than me. Then a small smirk replaced the shock, and I knew she’d expected me to show up sooner or later.

  “Hello, doll.”

  “Hi, Damon. Let me guess—you were in the neighborhood and thought you’d drop by to say hello.”

  I shook my head, keeping our gazes locked. “Nope. I’ve missed you and wanted to see you. So I drove all the way out here solely for you.”

  She tilted her head to the side, surprised at my honesty—and maybe also a little pleased with it. “Really? Did you have any other plans once you saw me?”

  “Not really. Although now that I’m here, I could easily come up with one or two things. You just say the word. Give me a nod. A wink. Fuck, I’d even take an eye twitch right about now.”

  My stab at self-deprecating humor at least earned a genuine laugh from Jillian. With a smile that brightened her face in place, she stared at me thoughtfully for several heartbeats. “Who is this handsome devil standing in front of me, and where is my cocky devil hiding?”

  “Your cocky devil is pushing against the teeth of my zipper, waiting for you to find your way back to him. Your handsome devil is the same man he’s always been—all yours, doll.”

  Her face flushed, the pink tinge giving way to full-out red, but she didn’t look away. There was a new boldness behind her stare. A new confidence I hadn’t seen before. It was sexy as hell on her.

  “You have me at a disadvantage, Damon.”

  “How’s that?”

  “You know your dirty mouth has always turned me on. But it seems my pregnancy hormones have amplified my libido…especially where you and your mouth are concerned.”

  If the flames soaring through my veins escaped, the entire fucking room would incinerate.

  “I’ve told you, and shown you, many times—my mouth is more than willing to do whatever your body needs. My tongue is all yours, and it fucking loves how you taste. My cock is as hard as steel right now, ready to relieve your body of every orgasm it has pent-up inside. Twitch your eye in my direction, doll. That’s all it’ll take.”

  The ball was in her court, and the decision was entirely hers to make.

  “I’m not saying yes, but you have no idea how much I want your tongue between my legs right now.”

  I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.

  “Believe me, doll. If it’s even a fraction of how much I want my tongue between your legs right now, it’s a hell of a fucking lot.”

  “Only your tongue? You don’t want anything else?”

  “I want what you want. If that’s all you’re game for tonight, it won’t hurt my feelings at all.”

  “But what about you? I’d feel like I left you hanging.”

  “I’ll be fine, doll. Don’t worry about me. Just let me take care of your needs. As long as you’re satisfied, I’ll be satisfied.”

  She laid the magazine on the bedside table, the heat flashed in her eyes, and her tongue darted out, wetting her lips. She wanted me, no doubt, but she wouldn’t get me or my tongue until she spoke the words. In no way was I a patient man, except when it came to meeting her needs. For that, I’d wait all fucking night.

  With my back against the door, I crossed my arms over my chest and waited. Her brows furrowed in confusion for a second, a hint of doubt appeared in her eyes, then understanding took over. I lifted one brow slightly, letting her decide how she’d answer the question
on her own.

  “Damon, I need you to come over here and give me a tongue lashing.” She stood, pulled her camisole tank top over her head and let it drop to the floor at her feet. Then she slid the shorts down her legs, never averting her gaze from mine.

  I crossed the room in two strides, my dick pushing so hard against my zipper I was sure it left an imprint of the metal teeth. She stood before me again in her au naturel beauty, a sight I hadn’t been able to fully appreciate in way too fucking long. She wanted a tongue-lashing. My tongue was ready to worship every inch of her.

  I watched without breathing as she lifted my hand and placed it on her breast. When our eyes met again, she whispered to me. “Touch me, Damon. I’ve missed you. So much more than I even realized.”

  If she wanted my touch, I was more than happy to oblige her. I lifted my other hand to her exposed breast, covering it before massaging them both. Vigorously. Every pass of my fingers across her skin became more forceful out of sheer desire. The rougher I became, the more she leaned into me, asking for more My thumb and forefinger circled one of her nipples before squeezing with a slight twist. A seductive moan as her back arched, pushing her breast farther into my hand, had me nearly busting out of my pants.

  I dipped my head and covered the other nipple with my mouth, pulling it between my teeth while teasing it with my tongue. The taste of her skin was intoxicating and addictive. Every hit created an intense need for my next fix. Working my way up her body, I licked and sucked on the soft skin of her neck. Her muscles relaxed under my touch, her body melding into mine when I wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

  With a mind of its own and knowing exactly what to do, my other hand slid down her body, my fingers grazing the supple skin of her side and stomach before reaching her heated core. I skimmed my fingertip along her slit, barely touching her but setting off fireworks inside her just the same. She curled her fingers into my shirt, her nails scraping against my skin through the fabric as she gripped tightly. She widened her stance, a not so subtle hint that she wanted more.