“The table, this asshole didn’t fit the shelf in properly.” Claudius pointed at Luc.
“Me? I’m not the fucking asshole who thought it was a good idea to put a shelf so high up and without the proper fittings.” Luc retorted.
That voice, it made me freeze. It seeped into me and I remembered that last time we spoke.
Someone was following him and I tipped him off. He knew I’d be in danger, because the guy I had tipped him off about saw me. Luc gave me his credit card with close to twenty thousand dollars on it and told me to take everything on there. I used the money to leave and head to Florida and start a new life.
That was what happened to me, if I’d stayed, quite likely I would have ended up dead.
Not sure which was worse, that or my current debacle. I left him, knowing he didn’t love me, never had, and I ran to Florida, ending up with Franco.
“Lucian don’t let me kill you,” Claudius balked. They were always like that—Always. It was the way they talked and they didn’t tamp down the fact that they were mobsters for anyone.
“Please, try it.” he was about to say something else, but then his gaze landed on me and he stopped talking.
He looked the same, same bright blue eyes.
Still the same perfection in his face. Handsome and always looking like he meant business. Looked like he would at least hear you out first if there was a problem, while Claudius still had that look of death. Claudius was definitely the boss, bad to the bone in every sense and you knew not to look at him for any longer than necessary.
Like now as I was staring at the both of them.
If not for Flynn tugging on the edge of my shorts I wouldn’t have looked away.
Flynn.
Luc looked at him and damn it I could see his mind working. It was the same expression Dante had earlier, except this was worse.
Luc, looked at Flynn and thought he was his son.
I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I definitely didn’t want to talk to him and explain anything either.
I took Flynn’s hand and left.
* * *
We got back to Vira’s and I devoured that sandwich. Thankfully she was out. The place was empty so that gave us time to have some privacy.
We must have been inside for half an hour before the doorbell rang.
I always thought you could sometimes tell who the person was ringing the bell before you saw them depending on how they rang the bell. Today, I didn’t think I needed to guess who it was.
I knew when I walked out of the restaurant with Flynn that Luc would come at some point. It was logical for him to do that with the big question in his mind. And it pissed me right the hell off.
If this had been my house, I would have left him outside. I definitely would have.
And, sure it seemed like I was acting ungrateful and irrational, because he gave me all that money to disappear. Still there was so much more to our story than simply doing that. I took the money, because I was scared. Terrified, and without him, I didn’t have anyone to look out for me. I’d always felt bad about Christina. Five years ago, I would have felt the pain worse than I did now so I wouldn’t have gone to Dante who was wrapped up with Luc and the precious mafia princess, Raphael Rossi’s long lost daughter. I wouldn’t have gone to any of them.
It felt like I was just given the money and sent on my way. I sent a message to let him know I got to Florida, but after that there was nothing. No one checked on me. It was like I was nothing. Not important enough for them to concern themselves with.
Now he started knocking on the door. If Vira came back and saw him outside, she’d have a fit at the fact that I treated such an important person like Luc so badly.
I sighed with frustration and went to open the door.
“Maria, what the hell? Why wouldn’t you open the door?” His eyes blazed. It was like we’d only seen each other yesterday, not years.
“Maybe it was because I didn’t want to let you in.” I retorted.
“Why the hell not?”
Flynn chose that moment to run out of the room and Luc snapped his gaze to him looking him over with scrutiny.
“He’s four.” I stated pointedly. Luc looked back to me and intensified his stare.
Yes, he’d come for Flynn. Obviously. I could bet if it was just me, he saw in the street he wouldn’t have come like this to try and find me. He wouldn’t have wanted to know why I was back, or what was going on with me.
“Four?” He looked like he didn’t believe me.
“He’s four, don’t worry I didn’t come back here to shake up your perfect life. So, you can leave now.”
He actually looked hurt when I said that. “Maria you better not be messing with me, if this child is mine you better tell me now.”
“And, what would happen? You think you could just come here and take him from me?”
Anger contorted his face. “Is he mine?”
“No!” I cried. “I may be the nothing you didn’t think you owed the courtesy of breaking up with, but I wouldn’t have a child and not tell you if he was yours.”
That was it, what was on my chest all these years, but it wasn’t just him who treated me like I was nothing, and that I was just for sex. Right now I wasn’t sure what I was more mad about that or my current situation, because realistically I did need help. Franco would come here eventually and it was people like Luc and Dante that I’d need, but I didn’t want to need them—especially Luc.
“Maria, look … things were different and …” his voice trailed off, because he knew I was right.
“It’s okay, there isn’t anything to say. It’s been five years Luc, plenty of time to say whatever you wanted to say. Add that to the fact that we weren’t actually together and you’re good. I was just the thing you’d pick up when you got bored so what did I expect?” It was all true, all of it.
“Maria –”
I shook my head and held up my hand. “Please, just go. Please.”
He looked at me, then at Flynn and then around the place. “If you need me, please come find me.”
“I’m just fine, I don’t need you.” I sighed, taking Flynn’s hand and marched us back into the living room.
A minute later I heard the door open and close as he let himself out.
“Mama who was that?” Flynn asked.
“It’s okay sweetie. He was just … a guy I used to know.” Maybe I should have gone somewhere else. Not Chicago. Running for your life had to be a lot easier without all this unnecessary shit.
It was so much the worse for me when I was turning away all the help.
I sat down on the carpet and Flynn curled up in my arms. Despair and desolation hit me hard, because I’d actually gotten nowhere today.
I rested my head back against the wall as images from the past flooded my mind. It took me right back to the day I had first met Luc and I foolishly believed that I’d be okay. I’d pushed Dante right out of my mind, because Luc was everything.
Maybe that was the very point in my life where I had gone wrong.
I chose left, when I should have gone right.
Chapter 8
Maria
Twelve years ago …
“You little minx, you’re supposed to tell me these things way before it gets serious.” I giggled looking at Christina with wide eyes.
The little devil was hiding something from me and I was certain it had to do with her mystery man. Her mystery man she was keeping uber quiet about.
She sat on the sofa and smiled at me.
“There’s nothing to tell.” She shook her head and her long black hair fell over her shoulder.
I widened my eyes at her.
She’d just asked me if she was being too hopeful in thinking a guy would want to take things further if he wanted to take her to his house.
“Maria, I just think he wants to see me somewhere more private. That’s all. We’ve only been on a few dates.”
“And you’ve done nothing so far?” I raised a saucy b
row.
“No, not yet.”
“And you want to?” I cooed.
She started laughing. “Yeah I do. But do you think it’s okay to go to his house? Would you go to a guy’s house you’d only been on a few dates with?”
I nodded and didn’t bother to tell her I wouldn’t have given it another thought. Not only that, I would have gone from the get-go.
“Honey, you know I don’t worry about things like that. You see the guys I get with. I know they’re only after one thing and that’s okay with me.”
We were both nineteen. I was going to be twenty in a few months and I had decided long ago that I wanted two things in life.
The first was to move the hell out of Vira’s, and second I wanted to be on the arm of the most powerful man in Chicago.
The moving part was being sorted out. I’d gotten a better waitressing job that paid me enough to give Aunt Vira her rent and save up for a deposit.
I had enough saved up for the deposit and now I just needed to get some money behind me to move.
The man part though was still a work in progress. I’d been with many guys, but I was still looking for that man who ticked every box.
“Is it though Maria? Don’t you want more than just sex? Don’t you want love?”
I just stared at her. Love was a myth used to drag people into things like Valentine’s Day.
I didn’t believe in it, never saw it, and never felt it. I was happy with the physical.
“Christina, this is the time in our lives to have fun. It doesn’t hurt to be with a guy who’s successful and treats you like a queen.”
“Even if there’s no chemistry? What about that spark of attraction you’re supposed to feel when you look at someone and you just want to get lost in them?”
I pursed my lips together and shook my head at her. Better not to comment and tell her there was only one person who made me feel like that, and that guy happened to be her brother, Dante.
Dante, who was little more like a kid in my book in comparison to the guys I’d been with.
She’d probably have a fit if I told her that, although I was certain she knew he liked me.
“No.” I lied. “Those types of things will make you end up poor.”
I’d be damned if I ended up poor after the shit life I’d had here with Vira. My Aunt Vira every half second trying to pimp me out. Her with her leery, creepy men hanging around looking at me and Sophia.
No way was I going to end up having a life like the years I’d had where I was basically helpless.
Christina laughed. “Okay Maria I hear you. I hear you big time.”
“Don’t tell me this mystery man of yours is that poor sap from the Dairy Burger.” I couldn’t remember the guy’s name, but he graduated high school with us.
Carl something or another, then again maybe it could have been Wallace. It didn’t matter I just hoped it wasn’t him.
“No, it’s not him. This guy treats me like a queen, and don’t worry he absolutely ticks the wealthy box.”
My lips parted and now I was even more anxious to hear who this guy was. “Christina who is he? Is he a mafia guy?”
Those mafia guys were always hot, so very hot. My God, I would absolutely have hit the jackpot if I ended up with the capo of some crime family. I had certainly worked hard enough to get noticed.
Raphael Rossi had two capos—two brothers. They’d come on the scene a few years back; Lucian and Claudius Morientz.
I’d heard of them, never saw them properly until I started working around the city. First at the diner, then more so when I started waitressing around at different places.
I was totally obsessed with Luc. I doubted though that he knew I was alive. The man was a god after all.
“He’s not a mafia guy.”
“God, tell me who he is, please. This is evil. I tell you about my guys all the time.”
She smiled. “This guy is special and I just don’t really want to talk too soon, just in case things don’t work out.”
I narrowed my gaze at her. “Why wouldn’t they work out? You sound like you aren’t sure about him.”
“It’s not me, it’s more him. I’m a little younger than what I think he’s used to and he just got out of a relationship, or rather he’s just getting out of one.”
That sounded a little off to me. “What do you mean just getting out? He’s not seeing you at the same time as a girlfriend is he?”
I didn’t want that for her. She deserved more, someone better than that who could make her their number one. I may have been wild and people said I had dragged her to the dark side, but I took care of her and wanted her to have the best.
“No, it’s not that. It’s a little complicated. That’s all, but I promise to tell you more soon.”
I gave her my one shoulder sassy shrug. The doorbell rang and she glanced over her shoulder.
“That’s Dante.” She rolled her eyes. “Who can have a private life with a brother like him?” She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
I laughed. “Must he come pick you up like you’re five years old.”
“I know. Thank God you know him. It’s so embarrassing.”
It was because that woman got robbed last month. Dante got all super overprotective. Christina stayed over last night and he wouldn’t allow her to drive home. He wouldn’t even allow her to call a taxi. He had to come and pick her up himself.
Annoying but … deep down I would have loved to have someone who cared about me like that.
“I’ll go grab my stuff.” Christina huffed and sauntered away to my room.
I in the meantime thought I’d be the perfect hostess and tend to the visitor at the door; the mafia boy.
I opened the door and there he stood in that black leather jacket that made him look cool. I’d never tell him that though.
Full beard today. I had always thought he looked cooler with a beard. He’d looked cute clean shaven, but was damn sexy with the beard. Those eyes bore into me the way they always did, darkening with desire the more he stared.
“You know, there’s a reason why people have their own cars. There’s also a reason why we do Drivers Ed in high school. Cars are safer to get around in so big brother doesn’t have to play the overbearing father.” I cooed.
The corners of his lips turned up into a smile. “Cars aren’t safe, Doll. They’re just a tad easier to get away from a creeper. I don’t want my sister in danger of any kind. There’re all sorts of assholes around these parts just waiting to jump young girls. That’s not going to happen to my Christina.”
I laughed. “And what about me? I’m heading to the club in five minutes. You going to follow me there and make sure I’m safe?”
I knew that would make him crazy. He pressed down on his back teeth looking like he was trying to keep his cool. He looked me over in my little summer dress, running his gaze over my body. I lapped up the stare and the way he had lingered on my breasts.
“You’re going out dressed like that?”
“You don’t like what I’m wearing?”
“Love it baby, but you aren’t going out without me dressed like that. And in response to your first question, yes I will follow you. But I won’t be standing around like some fucking chaperone.” He inclined his head to the side and intensified his gaze.
“So, if you aren’t going to watch over me, what would you be doing? I certainly hope not playing the mafia boy.” I knew he and Christina had links to Raphael Rossi. Christina told me that he’d recently started working for him. Properly. I didn’t know details, but I knew it was kind of a big deal.
“She told you?”
“She tells me everything.” Everything except the name of her mystery man, but Christina had told me enough. “So, what does dear old Raphael allow you to do?”
“Important stuff.” He seemed uneasy at the direction of the conversation. Maybe because he liked to think he was one of the good guys and I’d just called him out on something that might hav
e been somewhat a secret.
“Like what, carry his mail? Or polish his shoes? Or does he watch you ride around on that stupid old bike?”
“The bike is vintage Maria.”
“Whatever.” It was old, that was all I knew.
He held my gaze and we said nothing for a few seconds. He just looked at me then he straightened up and something sensual flickered in his gaze.
“Go out with me?” he asked and I simply smiled.
It was the smile I gave to mask what I truly felt inside so people couldn’t figure me out.
Inside I felt all of that chemistry and attraction Christina spoke about. It was all there and I tried to resist it.
Nice …
Too nice … that was what he was. The kind of guy who could make your heart melt and you could get lost in him. Still since I thought things like love were myths and best reserved for fairytales I shoved the feelings back down.
“I’ll tell you what,” I leaned closer and ran my finger over his chest. Shouldn’t have done that. I’d never expected to feel hard muscle, or to feel the strong pull of desire deep in the pit of my core.
“What are you going to tell me besides the word yes?”
“A few things that may lead me to that yes word.”
“What are they?”
I didn’t miss the eagerness in his voice or the way his eyes lit up, like I was about to give him the secrets to the fountain of youth or something.
“Deeper pockets, you need them.”
He chuckled. “Woman you really are something else. You telling me my pockets aren’t deep enough to go on a date with you?”
I nodded as simply as if he were talking about the weather. “Uh huh.”
“We’ve known each other forever, and you won’t go on a simple date with me?”
“Deeper pockets,” I repeated.
“How deep?”
“Five digits a month and we can talk.”
He gave me a wolfish grin. “I want a lot more than a date for five digits a month.”
“Fair dues. You get a kiss.”
“Just one?”
“Do something to impress me and you’ll get two.”
Stolen Kisses Page 6
