King of Hearts

by C. A. Szarek

  She also wasn’t naïve to the meaning of Gio’s declaration, “I’ll prove it,” either. He wasn’t going to involve her—or the taskforce—in his mission. His behavior today shouted that.

  One of the things Nico Giovanni did best was embody I am an island. She’d have to push her former lover to open up about anything he discovered. They’d argue tons. That was so Gio, too.

  Former lover.

  Maddie sucked back a gasp and called herself all kinds of nutso.

  Nico Giovanni was in her bedroom.

  Probably naked in her bed by now.

  One kiss at her front door and she’d fallen hook, line, and sinker for every word out of his mouth. She hated that she’d melted at his declaration she was the only one who could quiet the noise in his head.

  Where the fuck was her resolve?

  She’d rejected him in that supply room—but that’d come with a pack of lies, too. She’d told him she was over him. Had been for years.

  Liar liar.

  Maddie snorted and scanned the small bathroom attached to her new bedroom. A set of plastic drawers she’d used in Chicago to organize her girly things sat on the floor with a cardboard box on top of it. She’d already stocked the medicine cabinet and put a few towels in the built-in cupboard in the corner, but only because she’d needed to shower.

  This was her third night in the new place and the only room she’d entirely unpacked was the kitchen.

  Funny, she’d been too tired to do any further unboxing when she’d gotten home from the PD. Now? Unpacking was a damn good idea.

  A better idea than…

  Gio.

  She’d told him she needed a minute.

  Maddie really needed days…months…years?

  She gulped.

  The familiar guilt regarding Jake swirled in her gut.

  Yeah, but I don’t have to fuck him to make up for it.

  She snorted. Not like sex would “make up for it” anyways.

  He still wouldn’t know about their son, and she would’ve added another mistake to her belt concerning the half-Italian, half-Greek demigod in her bed. All work-case-stuff aside, of course.

  Would’ve? Who am I kidding?

  She was totally going into that room to have sex with the man who’d fathered her son.

  Even if she lied to herself that she didn’t want to.

  The knock on the door made her jump.

  “Maddie? You okay in there?”

  She’d wanted him from the first time she’d seen him, then she’d been addicted, even though he was younger, drank too much and was too reckless as a cop.

  Then he’d lost his mom, and since hers had died when she was barely grown, she’d had even more of an excuse to see him; they could commiserate. She’d made Gio’s comfort her mission. Hadn’t been able to stay away; or out of his bed.

  “Maddie? You’re starting to freak me out.”

  His second query jarred her, and she almost fell off the toilet. She braced herself on the nearby sink in the tiny room. The slapping noise made her wince.

  “What was that? Did you fall? Maddie.”

  Her name was all warning, much darker than his two questions.

  Answer him, dumbass.

  Her words scattered from her brain to her mouth, so she had to clear her throat and try again. Had she locked the door? Damn, she couldn’t remember.

  “Umm…I’m fine. I’m…good. Be out in a minute.”

  There was a pause before he spoke again. “All right.”

  Very Gio, not to ask if she wanted him to leave. He’d already dutifully inquired at the front door.

  She actually hadn’t answered, but there also hadn’t been a delay in her bringing him to her bedroom when he’d asked that.

  Of course, she hadn’t been smart enough to order him to go.

  She shot to her feet and shucked her after-shower sweatpants, berating herself the whole time. Stomped her feet to free herself, then stepped away from the soft gray cotton on the floor by the tub.

  Maddie needed to command a shutdown on her mind, really. Maybe her conscience. Her body still roared for him, so she needed to go with that.

  Right?

  She’d never gotten to say goodbye.

  Okay, loser, you can scratch that, because you ran from him, remember?

  Ran because she’d been afraid—deep down—that he had heard when she’d told him she was pregnant. Heard her and didn’t give a shit.

  For years, she’d wrestled with the idea Gio had avoided her because of it, before settling on the fact he had actually been too drunk. He hadn’t comprehended her very important news, flung at him in a moment of hurt at his rejection. He’d told he didn’t deserve her. Told her he couldn’t handle a relationship. Told her he’d been too much of a mess.

  Maddie had been the bigger one.

  I should’ve reached out to him.

  She’d only told herself that eleventy billion and five times.

  Yes, she needed to tell her conscience to take a hike.

  Her hormones were totally on board with that.

  She yanked her shirt over her head and forced her feet forward, ignoring the shake in her hand when she reached for the doorknob.

  Maddie hadn’t put a bra back on after her shower, so she kept her panties on, and luckily she’d chosen simple lace. They were black, lightly sexy, and at least not her normal granny-panties, as Jamie would accuse.

  Maybe subconsciously she’d known she was getting laid today?

  Or fate was fucking with her.

  With her luck, probably the latter.

  She hadn’t bothered with nice undies since she’d brushed sex off the table. It’d been a while. The few liaisons she’d had had been casual. No relationships there and no one that’d mattered. An FBI agent she’d been drawn to for his Gio-like qualities—if she was honest; a college acquaintance, an old boyfriend once. All of the above had left her with a reality check; single mothers shouldn’t be accomplished at casual sex.

  Her tummy somersaulted. Shouldn’t matter how long ago it’d been since she’d lain with a man. She’d been with Gio before.

  So why did it matter?

  After all, she’d had a baby since then, and even though she was in shape, her body was different.

  She needed him to want her like he had eight years ago.

  Maddie sucked in air to fortify her courage to tug the door open.

  Their eyes locked. Desire glittered in those darkening sapphires.

  Gio’s nostrils flared, like he was breathing her in, and his expression intensified. His Adam’s apple bobbed.

  She shivered, but not because she was cold. The way he was looking at her made her feel like a goddess.

  Hunger, raw and honest was in that gaze, like he hadn’t had a meal in months.

  Check. He still wants me.

  Maddie tried to control her tremors and rubbed her arm.

  He didn’t speak, and the longer the silence lasted, the further her nerves descended into hell.

  Gio had taken his shirt off, and his jeans were slung low, belt open, zipper down. Gray boxers peeked out, as well as an obvious tent.

  He wasn’t just hot, he was incendiary.

  He’d always had a nice body, but what was before her proved he’d continued a gym regimen—unless he really was a demigod.

  His pecs flexed as if they liked her watching, and she stopped counting the abs when she got to six on each side.

  Gio always had a nice ass, too, but the way the jeans hugged there, and the thickness of his thighs told Maddie he kept up with his running.

  “Mads, God, I—”

  Mads?

  The Gio-only nickname dissolved her on the spot. There was no hope of escape.

  A wave of emotion that had more to do with love than lust, and completely forbidden, smacked into her. She had to swallow. Twice. “I missed you, too.”

  Dammit, why’d you say that?

  Maddie made her eyes dart all over the mostly unpa
cked room. She needed to say something.

  Nothing came.

  She studied the open boxes stacked in the corner, then her desk, with a few more still taped up and resting on top of it.

  He didn’t speak to her confession, and that didn’t help her discomfort.

  “Gio—” she forced his nickname out, but still couldn’t look at him.

  He darted forward, claimed her waist and the small of her back with huge warm hands. His lips settled over hers, absorbing her surprised gasp.

  Anything else she might’ve said was ripped away. Coherent thought fled, along with all the rest of the stuff—guilt, reservations, everything.

  Maddie let Gio kiss her, let her body respond.

  No other lover had ever made her feel like this. Only him.

  She wanted to experience him again.

  And she would.

  The kiss she’d told herself she hadn’t wanted in the supply room didn’t count. Maybe the one at the front door didn’t, either.

  This one was different. More.

  He dominated her mouth, and his hands were on her ass, kneading, squeezing, making her squirm against him.

  His chest was so hot against her breasts, and desire shot low with a pulsing demand already between her legs. The lace was in the way.

  “You’re so fucking gorgeous.” Gio pushed the words into her mouth amongst nips and licks.

  “Fucking…that’s a good word,” she panted.

  He pulled back, and those blue orbs seared her from the inside out. “It was never just fucking with you, Mads. It won’t be now, even though it’s been too damn long.”

  Maddie’s heart inverted. She wanted to shout a quick denial—a speech like that wasn’t good for her, and he’d never spoken of feelings before, why would he hint like that after eight years?

  He’s right, though.

  She shivered.

  Gio kissed her again, dissipating her need to answer yet again. His fingertips on her back made her tremble. Then his big palms covered her breasts and she whimpered.

  He pinched her nipples, not painful, but stimulating.

  It made Maddie beg for more.

  “Always so damn responsive,” he murmured. “So glad that hasn’t changed.”

  “Only for you,” she blurted. “You turn me inside out.”

  He leaned away and smirked when their gazes brushed. “Inside is a good word, too.” As he spoke, Gio slid his hand into her panties, moving up and down her already-slick sex, then shoving his finger inside her.

  She gasped and grabbed his wrist.

  He stilled. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No.” Maddie shook her head.

  “You never had the patience for me teasing you.” He flashed a sexy grin with enough genuine warmth to liquefy her even more, and tugged her underwear down in a quick move.

  “Your teases were never fair.” She stepped free of her bikinis.

  “You always came harder.”

  Heat flushed to her toes and her core throbbed against the heel of his palm cupping her. “Maybe.”

  Gio chuckled, and the sound was as good as his touch, like the thumb currently circling her clit. “Nah, it’s a sure thing.”

  “Gonna…stand here and…talk all night?” Maddie struggled through words as he revved her up even more, adding and taking away pressure on her ultra-sensitive nub.

  He laughed again, but shook his head and kissed her, hard and fast.

  It was over much too soon, and she quivered when he pulled his hand away.

  He swung her up into his arms. “I intend to make you scream my name all night.”

  “Prove it.”

  Gio growled, then showed he was a man of action, like he always had been. He dropped her to the middle of her bed and shoved his jeans down.

  She couldn’t tear her eyes away from every inch of flesh he bared, especially when he nixed his boxers.

  Damn, he was even hotter fully naked. Hotter than before.

  He stalked to her bed and mounted it like she needed him to mount her.

  “Gio,” she moaned his name. She heard the plea, and when he licked his lips, she couldn’t control the shaking in her whole body.

  Anticipation. Desire. Need.

  She’d likely come in the first two seconds, she wanted him so badly.

  He wasted no time wrenching her legs apart at her knees, and she thrust her hips up when he came down to her, hovering his chest over her breasts. Gio’s blunt nipples brushed hers; his chest hair tickled, and a whimper breeched her lips.

  Maddie was going to combust if he didn’t touch her. Kiss her.

  Get inside her.

  “I want to taste every inch of your body to see if you’re the same, but I need to take you first.” His voice was deeper than moments before, almost guttural.

  Good to know he wanted her just as badly.

  “Inside me,” Maddie begged.

  Gio perched on his haunches and grabbed his erection, letting out a groan.

  Somehow, he was even more intoxicating in that moment, touching himself and unable to hide a tiny sound of pleasure.

  “Condom?” he asked.

  “I have an IUD.” She couldn’t bear being separated from his body, even by a thin layer of latex, but she couldn’t tell him that, either.

  She reached for him when he dipped toward her.

  Their bodies came together from head to foot, and he filled her with a quick jolt forward.

  They both gasped.

  Rightness—the same as eight years ago—hit Maddie, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying like a big baby. Tears during sex weren’t something she’d done before, certainly not before they’d really gotten started.

  She needed to concentrate on the pleasure he was already giving her. There would only be more, like it’d always been with Gio.

  He stilled above her, his gaze intense. “You okay?”

  “Yes. I need you to move.” She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as he answered with a grunt and obeyed.

  He drove forward hard, keeping the ecstasy sharp and her thoughts scattered as she could only hold on to keep up with him.

  She avoided the tenderness in his sapphire eyes, despite how his hips pistoned.

  Gio gave as he took, and her heart couldn’t handle it.

  Maddie tugged him down and crashed her mouth into his. He didn’t hesitate to kiss her back, winding her higher and higher as his tongue matched his thrusts.

  She wrapped her arms and legs around him, lifting her pelvis to take him deeper, to move with him, under him, against him.

  Until it was all too much and she exploded.

  She jerked her mouth off of his and screamed his name. Orgasm made her vision go black and her whole body clench.

  Gio was right with her, shoving forward once more like a bulldozer. Her new bedframe creaked a protest as he stilled and threw his head back. He gritted through his release, his powerful form tight as he held himself above her.

  Then he collapsed on top of her. “God, Mads.” His hot breath caressed her cheek and Maddie only wanted to get closer.

  His softening cock slipped from her sex, and a sense of loss cascaded, despite the no-space between their bodies.

  She whimpered.

  He stilled. Pulled back and tugged her chin up.

  She called herself a coward for smashing her eyes shut, but she gave a small smile when he kissed her eyelids so gently it only intensified the unwanted emotion hitting hard.

  “Mads?” he whispered.

  Maddie tried to take a subtle fortifying inhale so she could look at him, but her breasts lifted into his chest.

  “Mads?” Gio repeated. “You okay?”

  Nod. Just nod.

  “More than okay.” The words came out a croak, but his answering smile was brilliant and made her heart stutter.

  “Me, too. More than you know.”

  Damn, he looked happy.

  She couldn’t avert her eyes like she wanted to. Could
n’t risk the third degree, and really didn’t want to wipe that expression away. It resembled one Jake wore when her son was excited about something.

  Shit. Jake.

  Her heart flip-flopped for reasons other than forbidden emotions for the hot cop holding her.

  Gio still didn’t know about their son, and she’d just had sex with him.

  She’d conveniently used the case and getting her taskforce settled as excuses the last two days, then jacked up the avoidance after the kiss in the supply room.

  Maddie couldn’t dodge telling him for much longer, and how could this make her look?

  He relaxed in her bed as if he didn’t have a care in the world, one arm tucked behind his head on her pillow. With the other, he urged her to him, and started rubbing her back in large soothing circles.

  Gio closed his eyes, contentment dominating his handsome face, but her stomach had never been knotted tighter.

  Dear God, what have I done?

  Chapter Ten

  Gian cursed long and hard. What the hell was he going to do?

  How the ever-living-fuck had Elise’s cop brother found out he wasn’t the unassuming Marco Fratelli?

  After the news of Cesare Fratelli’s “disappearance” and likely arrest by the feds, this could only spell trouble. The cop not liking him was one thing; finding him out was something he couldn’t abide.

  Something that might have to slap murder on the table after all. His favorite knife, one of the tactical police variety, was in his pocket and he knew how to use it.

  He’d always preferred knives to guns. Guns required little skill to kill. Knives, on the other hand made killing an art. Gian just usually didn’t do that kind of thing himself. After all, his family had people for that.

  Did Fratelli’s disappearance have anything to do with his fiancée’s brother outing him?

  Nah, the oldest Giovanni was local heat, not a fed.

  Gian didn’t want to contemplate the why of the discovery; maybe the asshole was looking out for his sister and had done a background check. Even his fake docs couldn’t substantiate a lifetime paper trail…he hadn’t paid enough for that.

  He couldn’t afford to take time to kick himself about it, nor would it be helpful. His situation was what it was.

  He was going to have to call Uncle Dino, but it was a risk; for more than one reason. He tried to keep their contact at a minimum, and they weren’t due for another phone meeting or another transfer of money for a week.