And nobody—I mean, nobody—touched what was mine.
Hearing Bonnie whimper pierced straight through my heart. Watching her struggle made me grind my teeth together. I charged the man in the back of the butcher’s shop and tackled him to the ground, but I certainly wasn’t finished with him.
I heard Bonnie take a long, deep breath, and that told me the knife hadn’t penetrated too far into her skin. That wouldn’t help this man, though. It was dying today, whether he planned on dying or not. I took the brutish man to the ground and wrestled with him, getting him onto his stomach. And when I reached for his knife, slipping it from his weakening grip, I held it to the back of his neck.
“Are you ready to die?” I felt a bombastic urge to murder this man. “Hmm? Because I’m ready to kill you.”
I heard the man gurgling beneath me as I clamped down on the back of his neck even harder. He could bleed out or suffocate. I didn’t give a shit what happened at this point. Ten minutes. That’s what she’d told me. Ten minutes was all she needed. And it was all this man needed to rip her away from me. I didn’t know how long this man had had her in his claws, but she hadn’t even been gone five minutes before a shiver had worked its way up my spine out there in the expanse of that grocery store. I’d been feeling up tomatoes and trying to find the best bag of red grapes they had when I’d seen a man out of the corner of my eye—a suspicious man—wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and jean shorts with sunglasses. I mean, who the fuck wears jean shorts nowadays?
Fuckers. That’s who.
The second I saw him I knew something was wrong. We were being tracked and it wasn’t until I’d heard Bonnie’s muffled screams behind the wall of the butcher shop that I finally found my way to where she was.
With this asshole laying on top of her.
“Israel, look out!”
Bonnie’s voice ripped me from my trance and I found myself on my back. The searing pain that ripped through my nose came on the heels of the warmth trickling down my lips. I wiped at my nose and found my fingertips covered in blood. Damn it, that asshole probably broke my nose. When he tried to pin me down, I quickly slid away.
Before standing up and kicking him straight in his abdomen.
“Fuck,” he groaned.
He fell to his back, and I gazed into the face of a man I recognized. I stomped my heel into his groin, watching him curl up into himself to get away from the pain. I knew this man. He was one of Pava’s hired men. “Nice to see Pava reuses men who can’t get the job done.”
“What?” Bonnie asked softly.
I kicked the man one more time for good measure before I walked over to her. “Are you all right?”
She clung to me. “Do you know that man?”
I held her to my side. “I do, yes. Don’t you not remember him?”
Her eyes widened. “Holy shit.”
I nodded. “That’s the man who dragged you out of bed and down the hallway the night we were attacked.”
Her eyes danced across my face. “You’re bleeding. We have to get you home.”
I scooped her into my arms. “My thoughts exactly.”
“I guess we should stick to grocery delivery for a while then.”
I walked us out of the back exit. “That might be wise, at least for now.”
What she didn’t know is that I had every intention of leaving that night. After I knew she was asleep, I had every intention of dressing up, taking my two best men, and tracking this asshole down.
Just so I could show him what happened when he attacked my woman twice.
21
Israel
I knocked on the bathroom door. “Bonnie?”
“Yes?”
“You okay in there?”
She giggled. “I’d be better if you were here, but yes. I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
I sighed. “You really should stop making comments like that.”
The water turned off. “Why? Do they make you uncomfortable?”
“Not sure ‘uncomfortable’ is the right word.”
The bathroom door whipped open. “Oh, really now?”
I tried not to look at her naked body. “I had the doctor look at my nose. Just like you asked.”
She nodded. “I see that. A nose cast suits you, actually. Kind of sexy in a rugged sort of way.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “You sure he didn’t hit you in the head?”
She tsked. “Israel, come on now. You know you’re an attractive man no matter what someone does to you. So, cut the act.”
She brushed past me and electricity sent my mind in all sorts of directions. I steeled myself, trying to push down my desire for her. But ever since we’d gotten back home, I don’t know. All I wanted was to make her mine and remind her who had her back. It was the weirdest thing, a feeling I’d never experienced before. And as I slowly turned around, I saw Isabel sitting at her vanity.
Naked.
While doing her hair.
She met my gaze in the mirror with a slight smile. “Yes?”
I felt my cock hardening. “Do you really have to do that naked?”
She turned around. “I suppose I could do other things naked if you wanted to.”
I growled. “Why are you always tempting me?”
She stood. “Because maybe I’m just waiting for you to give in to what I know you want.”
I charged across the room and scooped her into my arms. For weeks now, the tension between us had been palpable. Thick. Warm. Like her curves, or the way her pussy cradled my cock. She gasped as her hands clung to my arms, her eyes dancing along my face. My cock stiffened even more against her.
She pushed softly against me. Harder, as if she were trying to tease me with the whole of her body at once. “I want you, Israel. So, why can’t you just admit you want me, too?”
I swallowed. “You’re a distraction.” An amazingly tantalizing one. “And we’re at war.”
“No one said it had to be a long session, you know.”
I felt the beast inside me rattling around. “What did you say?”
She threaded her arms around my neck. “Romance has its time and place, sure, but sex can’t always be romance and extensive foreplay, right?”
I backed her to the bed. “Are you sure about this?”
Her cheeks flushed. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire life.”
I pushed her down onto the bed and stood there, watching her curves bounce. Her beautiful tits danced for my viewing pleasure as her nipples puckered. I licked my lips as I unbuckled my belt, pushing my pants to the floor. I kicked off my shoes and freed my cock from my boxers. I stroked myself as my eyes roamed along Bonnie’s body. Her legs, long and shapely. Her stomach, toned, with a small pooch behind her belly button. The slope of her waist called to my fingertips, but the pulse point of her neck called to the tip of my tongue.
“Are you going to just stand there and stroke yourself? Or are you going to come get what’s yours?” She spread her legs.
Something inside me snapped. I leaped onto the bed, smelling her womanly scent as it filled my nostrils. I slithered between her legs, pinning her hands above her head. I felt my thick dick fall between her pussy lips as she bucked against me, lubing me up with her arousal. My lips bent down to reach for those beautiful nipples. I lapped at them, pulling them between my teeth and pinching them softly. The gasp of pleasure she released pulsed my cock. And as I lined myself up with her entrance, I released her breast.
Pleasure rushed over her features. “Israel, I can—ooooh, God, yes.”
I shuddered. “So fucking tight.”
She shivered. “Israel. Oh, yes. Fuck, it’s been so long.”
I bottomed out against her and already felt her juices dripping down my balls. She was so wet for me. So tight for me. So wanton for me.
I threaded our fingers together as I pounded against her, filling my bedroom with the sounds of skin slapping skin. She locked her legs around me. She dug her bare hee
ls into the small of my back. I felt her pussy pulsing around me as my balls quickly pulled up.
“Israel. That’s it. Oh, it won’t be long. Shit, right there. Right there. Right there, harder! Please!”
I growled as my hips worked. I watched her body flush a deep shade of red for me as every peak of her body jumped for me. Her juices sprayed against my pelvis as she wiggled and quaked. Her wet walls quivered around me, milking me for all I had as her back arched. “I’m coming! That’s it! I’m coming! That’s it!”
I buried myself inside her. “Oh, fuck. Bonnie. Squeeze that dick. That’s it. Oh—shit—”
“Is—rae—oh.”
My vision tunneled as I collapsed against her, feeling her curves molding to my body. Her arms lazily wrapped around me, holding me close as my cock emptied itself within her. I felt her pussy pushing me out until my spent dick fell against the wet bedsheets. Our intermingled scent filled my nose, pushing me closer to round two as I felt my cock rising again.
“Thank you,” Bonnie choked out.
My eyes snapped up to her face as I pushed myself off her body. “Are you all right?”
She smiled. “That was so good. Thank you for letting me have that.” She wiped away a tear.
I slid to the side and pulled her close to me, even though my body was ready for round two. My cock cradled itself in the small of her back. I pulled the covers over us, even though it was still the middle of the day. With my broken nose buried in her hair, I wrapped my arms around her waist as tightly as I could afford.
I kissed her shoulder.
She pushed her body closer to mine. “Thank you for letting me have you like that.”
I kissed her shoulder again. “The pleasure is all mine, I can assure you of that.”
And as I laid there, holding the most amazing woman I’d ever come across, I felt a small part of me give way to her. I felt the smallest part of my walls crumble to her presence. Even though I couldn’t afford it—even though we were in the middle of a war—even I couldn't deny her beauty any longer. Her strength. Her intelligence. Her fortitude. Had we met under different circumstances, I would’ve had no issues telling this woman I loved her.
But this war was hard. And complicated. And always rife with lies and deceit. I had to be absolutely certain this woman was on my side. I had to be absolutely certain she wasn’t my Trojan Horse.
You know, before I told her how much I adored her.
22
Bonnie
As I stirred my creamer into my coffee, I couldn't stop smiling at Israel from across the breakfast nook. He read his newspaper and peeked around the edge every once in a while, tossing me a playful wink. And oh, how it filled my heart with joy. “How’d you sleep?”
He chuckled. “Well. You?”
I sipped my coffee. “I’m a bit sore, but other than that, I got a great night’s rest.”
He peered around his newspaper. “Sore?”
“A bit.”
He put his newspaper down. “Are you okay? Should I call someone?”
I giggled. “You overly fuss sometimes, you know that?”
“I just want you to be all right. Should I call someone?”
I reached for his hand. “I’m fine. Just a bit sore from, well, you know.”
He took my hand. “Trust me, I know. I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t something else.”
I sipped my coffee as I gazed into his eyes, but all I could think about was the night before. How many times he’d taken me. How many ways he’d had me. The episode in the shower this morning had been icing on the cake, and I’d never felt more alive or more cherished in all my life. I never wanted things to end. I simply wanted to keep going and let him explore my body until I was spent, and he was satiated.
The elevator came to life.
“Are you expecting someone?” I asked.
Israel stood from the breakfast nook. “No, I’m not. You stay here.”
“Israel, I’m not sure if—”
He pointed at me. “Stay, Bonnie. I’m serious. If you want to stand by my side, you need to know when to buck and when to listen.”
So, I kept my seat while he inched himself into the hallway.
I abandoned my coffee and strained my ears to listen. I heard muffled voices down the hallway, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I felt like I recognized the other voice, though. I simply didn’t know from where.
Until Israel came back to the kitchen with his fucking brother.
“Giovanni,” I said as I stood.
Israel snapped. “Sit.”
My eyebrows rose. “I’m sorry, excuse me?”
Giovanni raised his hands in surrender. “You should sit for this.”
I slowly regained my seat. “What’s going on? Why do you look so angry, Israel?”
He sat down in front of me, and his eyes never once left my face.
“Let her hear it,” he said.
I paused. “Hear what?”
Giovanni placed a recording device onto the table and pressed a small green button. And when my voice filled the space between us, my eyes widened.
“That’s exactly what’s happening, yes. When he least expects it. Once I have Israel’s trust, I’ll—”
“What is this?” I asked.
“One more word and I’ll kill you myself,” Israel said coolly.
My jaw dropped open in shock as I continued listening to the botched recording.
“You heard me right,” my voice said, “once I have his trust, that’s when we strike. When he least expects it. You know he’ll never see it coming. And we’ll finally win this.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t say this. This isn’t me.”
Israel pointed. “That’s not your voice?”
I scoffed. “It is my voice, but it’s edited. Can you not hear that?” The room fell silent as I leaned back against the breakfast nook booth. “Are you kidding me right now? You can’t hear how edited that recording is? It’s as plain as day!”
Israel’s eyes drilled into me. “All those times I saved you.”
I shook my head, thoroughly confused. Why was I fighting so hard for this man who gave so little of himself? “I’m telling you, this isn’t what it seems. Your brother is trying t—”
Israel slowly stood. “All the times I risked my hide to save your life, and now I have to contend with something like this?”
I shot to my feet. “Dig down deep. Listen to this again. This. Is. Edited. I never said anything like this. I don’t even talk like this.”
Giovanni shrugged. “A voice never lies.”
I glared at him. “It does when it’s edited and spliced together to say whatever you want to. Israel, look at me.”
His eyes diverted. “I can’t right now.”
I reached out for him. “Israel, my uncle did this shit all the time. He would record people, conversations, phone calls, anything. And when he needed to burn someone, he’d take their voices and—”
He stepped away from me. “Shut up, Bonnie.”
I dropped back into my seat and fed up with this game. “Your brother has been hounding me and cornering me for two weeks now. Ever since he got back into town, he’s always found his way upstairs, or back in this penthouse, or seemingly around the corner from me. And always my fault.”
“Silence!” Israel roared.
I shrugged. “You’re going to kill me anyway, so why should I go silent?”
Giovanni chuckled.
Israel quieted him with a piercing look. “Bonnie, look at me.”
I did as he commanded. “What?”
He pointed at me. “This is what I was talking about.”
“I’ve done nothing.”
“You’ve shown me how you can’t be trusted, and while my brother is a slimy sack of shit, he’s also my brother. And there were times during our childhood where he bent over backward to save me from shit I never even saw coming. So now, even with the evening we just shared, I have reason to do
ubt you when I have no reason to doubt him. This is what I was talking about. This rocky foundation you and I have. It doesn't play out in your favor, especially when you aren’t watching your steps.”
I had no idea if he was defending Giovanni or me. But at that point, I didn’t care. I was done defending myself to someone who obviously didn’t care.
“And now, I don’t know what to believe out of the two of you. You’ve been at one another’s throats since he got here, and I’ve got no clue whose side to take!”
Giovanni snorted and rolled his eyes. “We’re family, Israel. I’d never lie to you about something like this.”
I scoffed. “Says the man who showed me Israel and Alice at the wedding party only to try and convince me that Israel didn’t want me.”
Israel turned a pointed look at his brother.
Giovanni shook his head. “Look, it doesn’t matter. I stumbled upon this recorded phone call—”
“Who was I talking to, then? Hmm? Why can’t you hear another voice?” I asked.
“Enough!” Israel bellowed.
We both looked at him as he stepped away from the nook.
“I need some time to think,” he murmured.
“Israel, wait,” I said.
“Of course, brother. Whatever you need,” Giovanni said with a smug smirk.
I wanted to wring the man’s fucking throat. I wanted to slaughter him where he stood. But I kept my eyes on Israel as he walked out of the kitchen, leaving this python and me alone. Together. With knives surrounding us.
I’m good with knives.
Giovanni chuckled. “Once Israel kicks you out, I’m sending you back to your uncle. He’s been waiting for you, you know.”
I nodded slowly. “You don’t want to kill me to get me out of the picture, so you’re going to let him do that. Wonderful. Coward.”
“You know damn good and well your uncle’s been waiting for this moment. Why would I rob him of the vengeance he deserves?”
Mob Princess: An Arranged Dark Mafia Romance (Cruel King Book 2) Page 13
