by Soraya Naomi
I let the back of my hand skim down her cheek. Good, but I need verification. “Why do you trust me now?”
Fallon glances outside the window before explaining, “I think I always trusted you to have my best interest, but when everything came out, my fear forced me into a certain behavior. And...I still can’t grasp exactly what the Syndicate is, but I am starting to realize that not everything is what we make it out to be. I was also mad about the deceit, but mostly just confused. But through it all, I haven’t stopped loving you. Even though we’ve been apart for four months, I’ve missed you every day.”
A few tears rush down her cheek, and I tenderly rub them away.
“I was mostly afraid what it would say about me if I could love someone like you so deeply. However, since my parents died, I don’t want to be alone, and I don’t want to think about the future, not yet. I just...still want you to love me,” she admits and stares at me expectantly.
“Ma io ti amo ancora.” I do still love you. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. How often I’ve wished you hadn’t continuously pushed me away. I will still do anything for you, and I want you to know that.”
She realizes I’m referring to interfering with the police investigation or handling Ashton as I see fit when I’ve found him.
“I’m not sure I can live with myself if I ask you to help me break the law somehow. I’m just relieved that my grief hasn’t completely consumed me and that you’ve been here for me because that’s what’s kept me sane throughout this nightmare. I-I...No, don’t ask me that. I can’t make that decision now, let’s leave it up to the police, okay?” She places her hands against my chest and inches closer while still sitting astride me.
I hold her hips to stop her movement and grin. This woman has no idea what she does to me because I instantly harden again.
Secretly, I’m quite pleased because I was right; she’s slowly losing faith in law enforcement, and I’m sticking to my original strategy and won’t push her. “Okay. This is the first time you’ve spoken about the Syndicate. Did Sylvia encourage you to talk to me more?”
She nods.
“Did you say anything about the Syndicate in your sessions?”
“No. Everything I’ve said has been vague, and I never mentioned the Syndicate. I know that wouldn’t be smart because I could be endangering Sylvia too.”
Smiling, I hug her to me.
Did I ever underestimate her. She’s much smarter than I gave her credit for.
“This was the scariest yet most honest conversation we’ve ever had,” she says and presses her lips against my neck.
I mirror her action. “I think we just made some progress, dolcezza, but we still have to discuss Cam.”
She rears back, and I quickly rest my hands on her upper back, preventing her from falling.
“What about Cam?” she asks.
“What did you two agree on? Is she just going to keep visiting you on Mondays at Sylvia’s?”
“Well, we just take it week by week,” she confesses sheepishly.
“Are you going to follow my instructions if I try to help you?”
“You mean help me with Cam? You’re not handing her over to James, are you?”
“I won’t,” I promise.
“I knew I was right!” She pecks me on the cheek. “I knew you would help her. Tell me what to do because she desperately needs help.”
“First, we’re going to include Adriano in our course of action. Are you meeting her again next week?”
“Yes,” she confirms.
CHAPTER 26
Fallon
I’ve been carrying around my favorite historical romance novel – the one Luca bought me when I was at the Syndicate’s headquarters last summer and had delivered to my apartment – in my purse and finally decide to read a book again while waiting for Cam at Sylvia’s office. Opening my paperback, I realize that I’ve forgotten what chapter I’m on, so I start at the beginning. After I’ve read only two lines, the door slides open.
“Hey,” Cam greets. “How have you been?”
Apparently, Luca and Adriano were ordered to stop searching for Cam, and that’s when James took over. Now Luca thinks there’s another reason James wants Cam besides her possible involvement in the bombing at their headquarters, but he can’t figure out what that reason might be. Could there be anything romantic between James and Cam? I told Luca and Adriano everything Cam revealed to me – even about the sex club, which Luca hurriedly explained when he witnessed my hurt expression. I was thrilled to hear they only visited the sex club to gather information about Cam. Cam hasn’t been completely truthful, but in her defense, she did say upfront that she couldn’t tell me everything.
All I want is for everything to be over so that I can focus on myself. This ordeal with Cam is starting to affect my life too much, but I do still want to help her. I’m hoping that when Cam’s problems are solved, Luca and I can start concentrating on us because we need to discuss a lot before taking the next step. And I’m not even sure if I can accept all of him, but for the last few weeks, he’s been my only light in this dark cloud of grief.
“Hey. I’ve been better.” I put my parents’ house up for sale this weekend. It’s been a tough couple of days.
Sympathy shines in her eyes as I store the book back in my purse and place it on the seat next to me. As discussed with Luca and Adriano, I don’t reveal that they’re in the know but follow instructions to hopefully gain valuable information from Cam that will also benefit her.
“Cam, I don’t have any more money,” I begin to explain.
“I need to relocate anyway, Fallon. You’ve supported me so much, and I can’t thank you enough. Living in hotels is too expensive, and I’m so lost and confused.” A tear leaks from the corner of her eye as she plops down, defeated. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t put this all on you since you just lost your parents.”
This is actually good. If we bond more – Adriano and Luca instructed me – she’ll be more inclined to confide in me.
“But what are you going to do?” I take the disposable phone that she gave me, yet I never used, from my purse and hand it over. “Take this back. Maybe you’ll need it.”
“Thanks.” Pocketing it, she expels a strained breath and palms her forehead. “I don’t know what to do. Maybe Ashton can help me.”
“Ashton?” I shriek in alarm. Maybe she means another Ashton.
Her brows furrow in bemusement. “Yes, he’s an acquaintance. Worked at Club 7 too. I think he was one of the fighters, and he’s also in some kind of trouble. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but he owes me a favor. Why?”
“Surname?”
“Uhm good question....Bank or something.”
I just stare at her while my mind has a difficult time processing this new information.
“What’s wrong?” Cam demands.
“Banks?” I whisper in disbelief
“Yeah. You know him?”
“How well do you know him?”
“Not very well. I don’t consider him a friend.”
I’m starting to perspire, and I’m quickly contemplating how much I need to reveal. “Listen to me. Stay away from him; he’s dangerous.”
“Why?”
Did she also know Alex then? Luca told me Alex was Ashton’s lover, not only his stepbrother. Ashton is a psycho whose lover was killed, and he’s under the impression it was all my doing.
“Did you know Alex Gentry?” I ask.
“I think so. Isn’t Alex Ashton’s partner? Ashton was always at the fight club with another man.”
“Was,” I correct her.
“Huh?”
“Alex was his partner. He’s dead. How come you don’t know this?”
“Because I’ve been in hiding for months,” she retorts softly.
“Alex was my boss – whose murder I was framed for. And Ashton Banks has been determined to destroy my life.” I grit my teeth and rub the tips of my fingers over my forehead
as my annoyance starts to rise. “I think Ashton killed my parents, okay? Tell me why he owes you a favor?”
Her lips tremble as she blows out a deep breath. “The last time I saw him at the club was a few weeks back. The hostess, my friend I told you about, got me inside. I needed to talk to an employee, but I ran into Ashton in one of the hallways – that club is filled with corridors that connect the different areas together. Ashton was upset and trying to find a way out of the club, and he recognized me as a former employee, so he knew I didn’t get inside legally. I got both of us out via the hostess, and we exchanged numbers. I told him I might need a favor from him in the future because I was already in so much shit and was just looking for allies. His name just popped up in my head as the only other person who could maybe somehow help me since he owes me. Fuck, but I’m staying away now.”
What to do? Do I disclose what I know? Do I tell her about the rape? Maybe I shouldn’t say anything and just stick to the original plan, but I can’t. A growing need for revenge has me changing Luca’s plan.
“How can you reach Ashton?” The words tumble out.
“I don’t know if I can, but I still have his number stored. Should I call him?”
“Yes.”
She chews on a fingernail and puts the phone on speaker, but the number has been disconnected.
“How do you know he killed your parents?” she probes.
“It’s the only possible scenario, and the cops aren’t doing anything. They just want to close the case quickly because they say that there are no leads.”
“Cops are useless; I can tell you that.” She covers my hand with hers. “If only I had known, I would’ve tried to contact that asshole sooner.”
Her sincere statement makes me feel even worse because if only is a dangerous path and can consume an already grieving mind.
I need to talk to Luca fast, but I must stay in contact with Cam now too. What if somehow Ashton does contact her? The police aren’t any closer to finding clues that will lead them to the murderer, and I’m positive it’s Ashton. And Luca isn’t looking for Ashton either because I haven’t asked him for help yet.
“Give me the phone back, and meet me again at the same time on Thursday.” Heading inside Sylvia’s office, I’m anxious for this session to end.
***
Luca’s sleek Italian car awaits me around the corner of the brownstone building when the session is over, and I jump into the back seat because Adriano is up front.
I start speaking immediately as I slide to the middle of the seat, “Cam knows Ashton, and she helped him escape Club 7 once.”
Luca and Adriano’s heads turn as one, and they both say in unison, “What?!”
Leaning forward, I kiss Luca on the lips, and he cups my jaw.
“You okay?” he asks.
I shoot him a swift nod. “I need to tell you guys what she told me before I forget. She referred to him as an acquaintance.”
Adriano stays turned toward me. “I’m not surprised she knows him because they both worked in the fight club, but I am interested in how and why she helped him.”
Luca starts the engine to take us home as I relay, “So a couple of weeks back – she didn’t specify when, and I forgot to ask – she was in the club to talk to someone. The hostess of Club 7 is a close friend of Cam’s, and she got her inside. In the halls, she ran into a distraught Ashton, who was trying to find his way out of the club and knew she wasn’t supposed to be in there, or something like that, so she got them both out via the hostess friend. Cam hasn’t had any contact with him, but she mentioned his name because he owes her for that night. We called his number, but the phone was disconnected. She says she never spoke to him after that night at Club 7, and I believe her.”
Luca, who knows me too well, asks calmly, “What’s changed in our plans?”
“I didn’t know what to do, so I told her to meet me again Thursday. I wanted to discuss how to handle this with you first, and I still have the disposable phone.” Our initial plan was for me to cut all ties with her, and a member of the Syndicate was to follow Cam to see what she was going to do. “Is someone following her?”
“A member was ordered to, but we just pulled up here, so Adriano still needs to verify,” Luca replies and then says to Adriano, “Cam was there when I fought with Ashton and was the one who got Ashton out. Remember Sal was wondering how he got out when all the guards were told to keep him inside? The hostess is the leak in Sal’s organization; she’s probably still helping Ashton and the reason he’s always a step ahead. She must somehow be keeping up with Sal’s activities and warning Ashton when she finds out that Sal’s hot on his trail. That way, Ashton can continuously escape Sal’s clutches.”
With a quaver of surprise, I ask, “You fought with Ashton?”
“He cut me that night.” Luca catches my eyes in the rearview mirror. “What else did she say? Did you give her money?”
“I didn’t give her money, and she didn’t say anything else.” I slide back to settle against the seat and watch the buildings go by as a thin layer of snow is decorating the city.
“I think we should talk to her Thursday,” Adriano states to Luca.
Luca nods in agreement before we drop Adriano at his apartment, and I move to the front passenger seat.
Resting his warm hand on my thigh, he traces his fingers up and down leisurely while steering through traffic. “I want to get a few clothes and other possessions from your apartment and then head over to my penthouse because you’re much safer there. Stay with me there for now.”
It’s a question posed as an order, and I adore that he and I are interacting more and more like we used to – before everything went sour after my kidnapping. So much in my life has changed lately that I’ve come to appreciate the familiar things more. Turning my head to him, I smile when his fingers touch me between my legs.
My hips start to move on their own accord. “You’re not playing fair.”
The corner of his lip curls up slightly as he cups me roughly, causing a moan to escape.
“I never play fair when it comes to you,” he comments.
Moaning louder, I open my wool trench coat as Luca skillfully unbuttons my black jeans with one flick.
“I’m pulling over before we have an accident.” His tone drips with desire as he rounds a building and pulls into a parking garage and into the first vacant spot he sees.
We both unbuckle our seatbelts, and I shed my coat. His hand disappears into my opened jeans, under my panties, and two fingers rub over my wetness as he leans sideways toward me. Luca’s roguish smile shoots a sensational tingle to my center.
“So wet already. Take off those jeans and shoes and touch me,” he orders.
Luca strips his suit jacket while I excitedly kick off my boots and nudge down my jeans. Impatiently, I fumble with his buckle and the button of his dress slacks where his erection is already bulging. The windows are steaming up from our ragged breaths as I kneel on my seat and lower my mouth to him, flicking my tongue against the tip of his arousal and then wrapping my lips around it.
Luca lets out an unrestrained growl, lacing his fingers in my hair. I reach down to cup his balls and caress the top of his thighs while his other hand drifts down my back to palm my ass under my panties, and his finger slides down the center until finding my core to plunge in.
I start pumping with one hand and suck hard while whimpering in pleasure and pushing back against his finger, but he pulls out and spanks me startlingly hard, making me groan.
“Don’t come yet,” he demands through labored breathing and circles leisurely before curling in two fingers. “I’m going to taste you and make you come on my mouth.”
Luca’s hips start to move up as he fists my hair roughly, and I tighten my fingers around his erection while sucking hard until he comes with hints of a groan in his rasping tone. “Ah...fuck.”
Swallowing, I sit up and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand as we lock eyes, his half closed with
a lazy grin on his satisfied face.
Suddenly, lightning fast, he moves and sinks his tongue into my mouth. Teeth clash as we kiss briefly before he pulls back to hook his hands behind my knees, letting me topple back against the seat as I shriek in surprise. Then the tear of my panties sounds loud in the vehicle. And Luca adjusts my body easily so that I’m leaning back against the side of the seat, almost against the door. One foot is placed on the headrest of his seat while the other is propped on the dashboard, spreading me wide for him, and he dives in after showing me a playful smirk.
“Oh shit!” I manage to croak out when he starts feasting on me like a man starved, so I entwine my fingers in his hair while pushing him between my legs.
Luca’s hands stroke down the inside of my thighs, and his thumbs spread me open to taste every delicate part of me as he groans. One thumb starts to rub fiercely while his tongue is pushing in, which makes me come so rapidly that it hits me unexpectedly fast, and I writhe unabashedly against his face.
“Luca!” My orgasm explodes when his tongue hits my most sensitive part, making my eyes roll back as I tug his hair.
Slowly, I relax, and he keeps licking, up and down, with the flat of his tongue.
“Hmmm,” he murmurs as I open my eyes gradually and look down to watch him taste me.
My body keeps trembling from his pleasurable licks and just seeing him between my legs. Finally, he moves up and kisses me as his hands caress my bare legs and hips.
He has no idea how badly I needed his seduction. How badly I needed to feel desirable to him again. Nonetheless, there’s still a small part holding me back from taking the next step; however, he doesn’t push it and actually retreats with a satisfactory gleam in his eyes.
“I missed your taste,” he admits the one thing I want to hear.
“Me too,” I reply before I put on my jeans, and I hold my ripped panties up by my forefinger.
Luca grins and snatches them out of my hand to toss the piece of fabric into the compartment of the door.
In mocking disgust, I remark, “Hey, those are my panties. I don’t think I would want anyone to find those in your car.”
