Warning: The Complete Series

by Justice, A. D.

  I took the key fob attached to a leather keychain from him and ran my finger across the four connected circles at the bottom. “An Audi?”

  “Yes, ma’am. A dark blue Audi RS7, to be exact. It’s a luxury sedan—sporty but still very safe for you and the twins.”

  “I would jump into your lap and cover your face with kisses right now if I could fit between you and the table.”

  Without hesitation, he pushed back from the table using his legs then patted his lap. “Problem solved.”

  After I’d smothered him with kisses for several minutes, we walked to the garage together where my new car waited. After I’d checked out all the buttons, knobs, bells, and whistles, I wrapped my arms around Damon’s neck and kissed him again.

  “I love this car. It’s perfect. Thank you, babe.”

  “My pleasure. I should’ve done that a long time ago. It finally occurred to my thick head that you may want to drive yourself somewhere instead of relying on me or one of the guys. Luigi won’t be able to drive for a while. He’s lucky even to be alive. As much as I want to keep you safe, I don’t want to keep you prisoner.”

  “I don’t feel like your prisoner, but I do appreciate not depending on someone else for everything I want or need.”

  “Yeah, I get that. I’m the same way. The car made me realize I should’ve already given you this, too.” He pulled an envelope from his jacket’s inside pocket. “We’ll update the name after we’re married, but these will work until then.”

  I opened the envelope and pulled out lots of plastic. “You added me to your bank and credit card accounts?”

  “What’s mine is yours, doll. Maybe you’ve noticed the lack of any lawyer involvement or requests to sign prenuptial agreements. I told you before, once we’re married, it’ll be forever. You’re the only one for me for the rest of my life, doll.”

  “No keeping secrets or leaving me in the dark about anything?”

  He shook his head. “No way. Two heads are better than one. Besides, I want you by my side in everything I do. Sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally—but always with me just the same.”

  “That’s where I’ll be—always with you. But I have a warning of my own.”

  “Oh yeah? Let’s hear it.”

  “If you double-cross me, I’ll make sure your enemies know you’re secretly a huge romantic.”

  He threw his head back in laughter. “Trust me, doll. None of my enemies would ever believe I have a single nice bone in my body, much less a romantic one. That side of me is reserved for your eyes only.”

  He kissed me goodbye and walked to his car. “You should take your new toy for a spin while I’m out today. Make sure you like it.”

  “I’ll do that—if I can fit behind the wheel and still reach the pedals.”

  He laughed, amused by my self-deprecating humor. “I’ll be home late, doll. We’re meeting with some of the smaller factions that aligned with the Sanfratellos a few months ago. They want to play nice with us now.”

  “Please be careful, Damon. You’re a bad influence on me—I don’t trust anyone now, and I definitely don’t trust someone who used to be your enemy.”

  “Don’t worry about me, doll. I’ll be fine. If we can use them, we will. If they don’t prove their loyalty soon enough, we’ll get rid of them. I consider everyone a potential enemy until they give me concrete proof showing they’re not. I’ll call you later and check in.” He blew me a kiss as he climbed into his car. I watched him drive away, wondering if I’d ever get used to the danger he faced in his line of work.

  I grabbed my purse from inside the house and took Damon’s advice on taking my new car for a spin. As with every other high-end item, Damon also had impeccable taste in cars. I’d racked my brain trying to come up with a wedding gift for a man who had the world at his fingertips. He, on the other hand, had no problem coming up with extravagant gifts for me.

  Driving through our township, I saw a sign in the window of a women’s boutique, of all places, that gave me an idea. Something he didn’t already have and wasn’t likely to initiate for himself. Something that could be completed within a day, with Mama Lina and Carrie’s help. After a brief phone call and quick explanation to each, they were both on board to make my idea a reality.

  Our basement was finished, but it was initially slated to be the last room on the list for furniture shopping. But I changed my mind when I saw the “Babe Cave” sign. Damon deserved a true Man Cave where he could unwind and de-stress after a long day. A playroom for adults, where problems didn’t exist and troubles took a back seat.

  When I reached Mama Lina’s, she’d already assembled a small army of Vincenzo’s men to be at our beck and call.

  “Tell me, bella. What do you want to get first?”

  “I want to get the biggest flat-screen TV we can find and hang it on one end of the room, with rows of recliners like his own theater, and a sectional sofa on the opposite end of the room. We need a fully stocked bar with stools along one of the side walls, a pool table in the middle of the room, and a card table off to the other side. Can we make all this happen today?”

  “No sweat, Miss Jillian. We’ll make sure it’s finished well before he gets home.” I recognized the man as one of Vincenzo’s most trusted lieutenants. If they trusted him, I knew I could trust him too.

  “Thank you, Joseph. You’re such a good man. We need to find you a good wife, no?” Mama Lina patted his cheek, and I could’ve sworn he blushed from her attention.

  Carrie pulled up just as Mama Lina and I were getting into my new car. She jumped out of hers and into the back seat of mine. “Where to first? This is exciting. I love spending my brother’s money.”

  We laughed and took off on our shopping spree with the day’s work crew behind us. From one store to the next, I picked out every item to accomplish the room’s exact look and feel I had pictured in my mind. The men stayed with us, doing all the heavy lifting and immediately taking the items available to carry out of the store to my house.

  I learned a few new negotiation tactics from Mama Lina to get the bigger delivery items dropped off within the same business day—mainly dropping the Marchetti name in the store and watching them scramble to make it happen. The furniture store was more than willing to take the sectional sofa and leather recliners right away, considering I’d already spent a small fortune there and they knew I’d be back for more.

  With all the big-ticket items being assembled and secured by the family men, Mama Lina, Carrie, and I spent most of the day shopping for decorations to add the finishing touches. When we finished and returned to my house, I was beyond thrilled with the progress the guys had made. They unloaded the pictures, lamps, and throw rugs from my trunk and made quick work of getting those items into place.

  I couldn’t wait for Damon to get home. His late night at work would mean a long night of anticipation for me.

  “You guys did such a great job today—and you were so fast! I couldn’t have pulled this off without you. Thank you so much for all your help.” I made sure to make eye contact with each man while I spoke, letting them know their hard work didn’t go unnoticed. Their mumbled replies and uneasy glances left little doubt they weren’t used to receiving accolades.

  “I’ll drive Miss Lina and Miss Carrie back so you don’t have to make the trip, if you’d like.”

  “That would be great, Joseph. Thank you.”

  Joseph gave one quick nod of his head, but I didn’t miss the appreciative smile that flashed across his face just before he turned away. After a hug and kiss goodbye from Mama Lina and Carrie, I was alone in the enormous house, impatiently waiting for Damon to walk in so I could surprise him. To help pass the time, I decided to tackle the bags of nursery decorations Damon and I picked out together. When I finally heard the garage door opening, I rushed out to greet him.

  Damon looked tired, with his unkempt clothes, disheveled hair, and heavy eyes. When he looked up at me, standing in the doorway waiting for him
to reach me, his expression brightened. “You’ve been up to something. What have you done?”

  “Stop reading my mind!”

  “Doll, I don’t have to read your mind to know you have something to confess. It’s written all over your face.”

  “I actually don’t have anything to confess. But I do have a surprise for you. I’ve been waiting for you to get home for days now.”

  “For days? Really now?”

  “It felt like days anyway. Now, come with me. I can’t wait any longer.”

  “That’s exactly what you said to me last night.” That mischievous grin covered his handsome face, making me instantly quiver inside from the simple reminder alone.

  “Follow. Me.” I tried to maintain my stern tone and face, but that was impossible when he smiled at me that way.

  “Yes, ma’am. Lead the way. I’m all yours, wherever it is you’re taking me.”

  When we reached the door to the basement, I glanced over my shoulder at Damon, intentionally keeping my face passive as I turned the doorknob.

  “Now, this is what I’m talking about. You can meet me at the car every day so we can finish initiating every room in the house. The basement is a great idea for tonight, doll.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” The stairs were lit with scattered night-lights. When we reached the bottom stair, I flipped on the overhead lights and closely watched his reaction.

  He was speechless as he slowly walked through the room, checking out all the new additions and décor. When he finally turned back toward me, I held up a sign that read My Cave, My Rules. My Wife Said So.

  He threw his head back in laughter before covering the ground between us in two long strides. “You did all this for me?”

  “Of course. You’ve done so much for me, I wanted to surprise you with something I knew you wouldn’t do for yourself. It’s my turn to spoil you, and you deserve it. Do you like it?”

  “Like it? I fucking love it. This is awesome, doll. It’ll be put to good use, believe me.”

  “I was thinking, as you start to take over from your dad, your brothers and your men could come here for the family meetings. They could even bring their wives or girlfriends so I’d have more friends than just your mom and sister. This room is isolated enough from the rest of the house that you wouldn’t be bothered by us upstairs, and then you wouldn’t have to stay gone so much.”

  “You wouldn’t mind all of them coming over every week?”

  “Not at all.”

  “You know, doll. I have no idea how I ever lived without you before, but I know without a shadow of a doubt, I can’t do it now. You’re the absolute best, and I love you more than I love my next breath. Come here.”

  He placed his palms on my cheeks before he slanted his mouth over mine, teasing my lips open with a seductive slide of his tongue. Then he delved deep inside, and the rest of the world faded away. It was a soft and slow kiss, unhurried yet commanding as he melted me from the inside out. My heart raced and my chest heaved as my need for him increased. With every pass of his lips, the tingles inside me increased until I was certain my body would detonate from his simple touch.

  “You’re absolutely perfect,” he murmured against my lips, his masculine voice sending goose bumps fanning out across my skin in response. “And right now, I want to fuck you on that pool table more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life.”

  “How do you want me? On my back or on all fours?”

  The sexiest growl rumbled through his chest and worked its way up his throat. I loved when I made him lose control—no matter how brief it was.

  “Both. Fucking both. Right now.”

  22

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Jillian

  “Are you nervous? Are you getting cold feet? Do I need to put on my running shoes so I can catch you when you take off?”

  Damon stood in the hall outside the door of one of our guest bedrooms while I attempted to get dressed. For our wedding ceremony. While he was trying to be funny with the barrage of questions, I wasn’t feeling the humor.

  My dress didn’t fit.

  I knew it. I’d predicted this would happen, even waiting until a week before the wedding to pick up my dress. Even though I had extra room around the waist just seven days ago, the twins had filled in the gap and then some. To add insult to injury, my boobs decided all on their own to pass Go a few times, collecting more volume with each go-round. My dress wouldn’t zip past halfway up my back, but it wouldn’t have mattered even if I could suck it in enough to make the zipper move more. My fucking boobs were spilling out over the top of my strapless dress.

  There was sure to be a nipple incident if I pushed my luck.

  “I’m way past the running stage now. It’s more of a fast wobble. Like Weebles.”

  His quick burst of laughter quickly covered up by an exaggerated cough didn’t go unnoticed. “Doll, I told you before. I don’t care what you wear, as long as you marry me. You can say the vows in maternity shorts and an oversized T-shirt. I don’t care. Honest to God, it wouldn’t bother me. I’ll go change out of this monkey suit and match you.”

  “Damon, I’m not getting married in maternity shorts.”

  I heard a thud on the other side of the door and knew without asking the noise came from his forehead hitting it.

  “Jilllllll-eeeeee-annnnn.” He drew my name out in long syllables, pouring on the charm and keeping his voice reassuring. “You know I love you, right?”

  “Yes, I know you do. You know I love you too.”

  “Then you know I mean this with all the love in my heart.” He paused for dramatic emphasis. “Get your ass out here and marry me right now.”

  “Nope.”

  “I’ve got it! I exchanged her dress for one almost exactly the same pattern. She’ll be dressed in just a few minutes. Damon, get downstairs to your spot where you’re supposed to be and stop harassing my sister-in-law before she crawls out the window and shimmies down the drainpipe out of desperation.” Carrie always did have a way with her brother.

  “If that dress doesn’t work, wrap a white sheet around her and call it a designer gown, Carrie. Get her down the aisle and in front of the altar.” After his demand, the hard footfall of his steps diminished, so he’d at least followed her instructions.

  Carrie rushed into the room, breathing heavily while carrying an extra-large garment bag. “Here, sis. This is just like the original dress, only better. The waistline is much higher, right under your boobs, so it’ll give your stomach plenty of room.”

  She hung up the bag on the coat rack and unzipped it. I held my breath until she stepped out from in front of it. “Oh, Carrie, it’s perfect. I love it even more than the original.”

  She was right—the bodice design of the original dress was way too tight all the way down to where I used to have a waist. But the replacement was exquisite—a strapless white dress with champagne gold applique that started on the breasts and flowed down the skirt. When I stepped into it, the zipper slid all the way to the top without a problem. My fuller breasts filled the strapless bodice with ease, keeping it snug but not too tight. With my veil in place, I was ready to walk down the aisle.

  Barefoot. Because my feet were too swollen to fit into my shoes.

  Carrie handed me the bouquet of flowers—deep purple Chapeau de Napoléon roses mixed with lighter purple morning glories and white calla lilies. Carrie was my gorgeous maid of honor. She slipped into her dress that was the same deep purple as the roses, with a halter top neckline and a high waist. Then she picked up her bouquet and flashed a nervous smile.

  “It’s time, Jillian. Are you ready?”

  “I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life, Carrie. I’m walking toward the rest of my life—happier than I’ve ever been. The crazy hit man I fell so desperately in love with is waiting at the end of the aisle for me. We’re getting married inside our home, filling it with so many happy memories and promises and declarations of our commi
tment to each other. Before we know it, our home will be filled with the sounds of our babies. This is more than I’ve ever even dreamed of having, and I can’t wait to start this beautiful new life as married partners.”

  “Married partners in crime.”

  “That too.”

  We laughed together like young schoolgirls until we heard a quick rap on the door.

  “Damon, she’s coming out now. Cool your jets.”

  The door slowly opened, and there stood my soon-to-be father-in-law, dressed to kill in his black tuxedo and white shirt. He didn’t even try to hide the mist in his eyes after he took a good look at me in my wedding gown.

  “Cara, you’re so beautiful. I’m honored to have you on my arm and present you to marry my son. Come with me, bella. He’s waiting—very impatiently, I should add.”

  I slipped my hand around his proffered elbow and gave it a squeeze. “You look very handsome yourself, Dad. Let’s take a stroll and see if we can find your son.”

  The music started when Carrie and Marco stepped into the double doorway of the great room. When they’d taken their places on either side of the aisle, the wedding march began.

  “Here we go, cara. I’m so proud to call you my daughter. Damon couldn’t have picked a better woman than you. I love you, Jillian.”

  “I love you too, Dad.”

  The room was full of people—all of them were my new family. Blood or water, it didn’t matter. We’d stick together through the good times and the bad times. The man of my dreams watched me with a heated gaze, his eyes traveling up and down my body several times on my approach. When we finally reached him, I read his lips when he mouthed the words to me.

  “You are stunning. I love you so much.”

  Vincenzo announced he was presenting me to his son, but he refused to acknowledge he was giving me away. The crowd laughed along with us, and it felt so right in my soul. Our wedding was a celebration of our love, and that included all the laughter that came with it. Uptight and formal was never my style anyway. Vincenzo joined my hands with Damon’s, then used his big hands to cover ours.