by Violet Paige
“No!” I yelled. I made Luis a promise, I would end Armani. And I was going to make good on it.
I pointed my gun at him, and pulled the trigger, it only took a second and he was gone. Blood spatter colored the walls. And I turned my gun on Roberto as I watched the dark substance pool around Armani’s body.
Vienna screamed against the restraint. I just killed a man in front of her. If she had any question remaining in her mind about how she felt about my work, now she knew.
I was a killer.
Pops stood from the table. “Roberto, this is a fool’s mistake. What do you think you’re doing? Killing my son? The girl? None of that makes sense. You’re here for revenge, but against the wrong man. Go after her father’s friend, the real murderer. We’ve already looked in it, and we can get someone on the inside if you need. We can take care of him.”
The only thing that made sense to me was to put a bullet through Roberto’s head just as I had with Armani. They were traitors. How could he hold his own niece hostage like this? Vienna stood next to him, wincing as he tightened his grip on her arm like a vice.
“What about your family? I thought they wanted you back?” I asked him.
“I left them again. Gave them the slip. It was a little harder this time, thanks to your babysitter and the broken rib.”
Babysitter? Marco. Where the hell was Marco? And what about Luis?
Vienna began to tremble, I could tell because the gun swayed ever so slightly next to her head.
“Don’t kill her, Roberto,” I pleaded. It was the first time in my life I ever begged for anything. I couldn’t live if she didn’t. If our baby never had a chance at life.
Pops pulled his gun from the back of his pants; he heard the desperation in my voice. He knew it was time for action. Knowingly, he looked toward me and pointed his gun at Roberto’s head.
“Let the girl go, Roberto,” he said, removing the safety.
Vienna starting yelling against her restraint, and it sounded like a high-pitched scream. It killed me watching her like this. Like she thought she was going to die.
“Don’t kill her,” I said again. “You can get out of this. You can walk away. We’ll never come for you.”
“We all know that isn’t true. I know I have to die for this, but I’m taking you with me.” Quickly, Roberto pulled the gun away from Vienna and pushed her to the side. She fell onto the floor with a thud. He turned the gun on me and took aim. He shot one bullet and I dove to the ground. I looked at Vienna from under the table. She was crawling away, toward the door.
Good girl. Stay away from the violence, from the guns, from what I was about to do.
I heard another shot as I pushed myself up on the table and took aim. I didn’t know who had taken the latest shot, but no one looked injured. My father stood unwavering, and Roberto looked confused, lost even. He was beginning to break. He looked at my father again and I took the opportunity to take my shot.
One bullet to the head. It was quick, and his body fell into a crumpled heap on the ground close to Armani’s lifeless corpse. I stood and looked at my father while the blood began to pool around Roberto’s head.
Luis came from the back of the restaurant, near the kitchen door with his own gun out in front of him. He took one look around and a smile played on his face. “You ended them?”
I nodded. “Where the hell were you?”
“Just got here when I heard the shots. You did good by us man. We won’t forget that.” He kicked the toe of Armani’s shoe and spit on his body. “Fucking traitors.” He looked back at me, “You both okay? And the girl?”
I looked at Pops, he was still standing, but I realized he was holding himself up by leaning on the table.
“Pops?” I said, moving toward him. “Pops, what’s wrong?”
He sighed heavily and sat back down, grabbing his leg. I saw the blood on the floor.
“You’re hurt!”
“I’m fine. Go get the girl. I’m fine, my son, fine,” he said, his head hanging back against the chair.
Luis nodded, “I’ll stay with him.”
I squeezed his shoulder and ran to the door, stepping over Roberto’s body as I made my way there. Marco was standing with Vienna, and he had a cut near his eye.
“What happened?” I yelled to him as I ran down the block toward them.
Vienna rushed toward me and fell into my arms, sobbing. “I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I understand why you did what you did. You were just trying to save me.”
I ran my fingers through her hair and held her close. “None of that matters now. All that matters is that you're back with me.”
Holding Vienna’s body close to mine with a strong arm, I turned and looked at Marco. “Where were you?”
“They knocked me out, sent some thugs to grab me. I’m sorry, man. I failed you.” I could hear the remorse in his voice. I couldn’t even look at him. I knew it wasn’t his fault, but the only person I needed to focus on right now was Vienna. She sobbed against my chest and I tried to keep her calm.
“You’re okay now, baby. You’re okay. I promise. I took care of it. Nobody will hurt you anymore.”
She looked up at me. “Roberto?”
I couldn’t tell her. I couldn’t tell her about the body in the doorway. It belonged to her uncle. The man who had single handedly created all of this madness. His behavior had almost taken her from me. I had seen the way her eyes looked at me while I was hurting Roberto in my apartment. She couldn't handle more blood on her hands. I had to respect that.
I remained silent and she knew. She cried harder than before. “I hate everything about this. I hate it!”
“I know, I know. But it’s over now.”
Pops staggered out of the restaurant with Luis and Marco helped him. Together, they hobbled toward us. “She’s okay then?” he asked me.
“Yeah, she’s okay.”
“Good.” He nodded.
Luis spoke up, “I’ll tell the family this matter is taken care of. We can continue to do business at the docks I assume?”
Pops nodded. “Yes, as long as your family stays the hell out of our way. And doesn’t try to keep these two apart anymore.”
Luis set his lips in a thin line. “I’ll make sure of it myself sir.” He shook my hand and quickly made his exit. Vienna didn’t even realize that was her cousin. And I didn’t tell her.
“You need a doctor. Marco, take him to our regular guy.”
He nodded. “I’ve got you, boss. Let’s get you stitched up.”
“You call me as soon as he’s done. I’ll come to the house.”
“It’s just a flesh wound, son…”
“Don’t argue.”
Vienna wiped her tears and moved away from me for a moment. “Sir, I’m so sorry I got everyone in this mess. I’m sorry you’re hurt.”
He reached out and grabbed her hand. “That’s okay, honey. You’re safe now. His mother will want to see you, though. She’s missed you.”
She let a soft smile play on her lips, even though her eyes were still wet.
“Come on, baby, let me take you home.”
“I guess this means your family knows about us.” She looked over her shoulder at Marco, who was leading my father away.
I looked back at Pops and smiled. “I guess it does,” I whispered to her.
28
Vienna
After we got back to Luka's apartment, I took a shower. I had to get all the disgusting feelings off of my skin. The hot water rinsed away my fear and pain. My uncle was dead. I hadn’t seen the body, but Luka made a call on the way home for someone to clean up the mess and he said two bodies, so Armani wasn’t alone. And I didn’t know who killed him. But I didn’t need to. Whoever had taken the shot was trying to protect me.
Somewhere deep down, I knew that Roberto had just tried to do the same thing. But he got lost along the way. Luka never would. He had promised me a thousand times on the ride home that nothing would ever
happened to me again, and I believed him. As long as I was by Luka’s side, I would be safe. I didn't know how I could have been so stupid to get myself into that situation.
I had almost died. And for what? The truth?
The truth wasn’t what I needed. Luka was the only thing I needed now.
I could never walk away from the Gioti family.
And I could never walk away from him.
My heart could hardly take being away from him. Luka Gioti was bad for me; he had killed my father, but I had made my choice.
Just as I was about to leave the bathroom, Luka walked in. He was naked.
Chiseled muscles were just visible through the haze I had created with the steam from the shower. I reached out and touched them. My fingers chased a tattoo on his arm.
“You're so Goddamned beautiful. How did I ever let you go?”
“I don't know.”
I moved closer to him, and as I dropped the towel, he wrapped his arms around my naked body. “I will never make that mistake again. You are mine now.”
I nodded against his chest as he tightened his arms around me. He slowly lifted my face to his and gently placed his lips on my own. I felt my whole body melt into his. The kiss grew deeper and I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck. He playfully bit my bottom lip, causing a shiver to rush through my body. His arms tightened around me and he reached down and squeezed my ass in his hands. He gave it a light smack, then quickly picked me up and placed me on the bathroom countertop.
He pushed open my thighs and pulled my body close to his. He was so close to being inside me, and I wanted him there. I could feel his hard cock as I rolled my hips. His lips moved down to my neck, and I leaned my head back, loving the way that they felt on my skin. He trailed his kisses down my neck to my collarbone. I let out a slight moan and rolled my hips on his again. His lips moved down to my breasts and he captured my hard nipple in his mouth. Sparks of energy coursed through my body. His tongue flicked back and forth as his thumb and forefinger gently tugged on my other nipple.
“God, I love it when you do that.”
Luka looked up and smiled at me and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before he returned his mouth to where it was. I couldn’t get enough of Luka’s touch. Every move of his mouth sent pulses through my body, and I couldn’t wait until he was pumping himself inside me. I tightened my legs around his waist and pressed him against my core. He stopped teasing me with his tongue and looked up at me.
“You’re already so wet. How badly do you want me inside you?”
“Oh God, so badly, Luka.”
He grabbed himself and quickly thrust in. I let out a loud moan.
“Oh God, just like that!”
Luka started to pump his hips back and forth as I tightened my legs around his waist. I held on to his strong shoulders as I let my back lean backwards and slightly touch the mirror behind me.
“Grab hold of me tighter,” he commanded. I tightened my legs and arms around him and he easily picked me up off the counter and turned around so that my back was hitting the opposite wall. Still holding my hips, he continued to thrust himself inside me. Most of the steam in the bathroom had cleared, and I was able to watch him over his shoulder through the mirror. It was so hot to see how easily he was able to hold me up against the wall and move his hips. I felt the pressure inside my core start to build as I closed my eyes and let Luka consume all of my senses.
Luka grabbed onto my legs and wrapped them around his waist tighter as he pulled my back off the wall and lay me down on the plush bathmat. Once on the ground, I spread my legs wider and pushed my hips up to meet his, making him go deeper. He held himself up on his hands just to the side, underneath my shoulders, and started to pump his hips faster. I arched my back up and let his thrusts move my entire body. He was controlling me and I loved every second of it.
My body started to shake as I reached my boiling point. I reached my arms up underneath his and grabbed on to his shoulders, slightly digging my nails into him. He leaned his head back and moved his hips faster, rocking my whole body back and forth. Using one of his hands, he removed my hands from his shoulders and pinned them above my head.
“Oh God, don’t stop, Luka!” My whole body began to shake and I let out loud moans. I wrapped my legs around his waist and rolled my hips as I fell into my orgasm. Once I was finished, Luka stood up, grabbed my arms, and pulled me up. His lips crashed back into mine and he bit down on my lip, making me gasp. He then quickly turned me around so I was facing the mirror again, and he placed my hands on the counter. He then grabbed my hips and guided me down on top of him. I let out a slight breath as he entered me, loving how he felt. He filled me completely and the feeling was intoxicating.
Luka pulled my hips back and forth as I used the counter for leverage. I arched my back and stood slightly on my tip toes to feel more of him.
“Touch yourself,” he commanded. I licked my fingers and moved them down to my clit as he pushed himself into me. I moved my fingers in a slow circle as he slowly pulled my hips toward his. The grip of his hands on my hips grew tighter as he started to pull my hips back faster. I felt the pressure in my core build as I moved my fingers in a circle, moving in time with his hips. Luka reached his hands up and grabbed both of my hard nipples with his thumb and forefinger and gave them a gentle tug. The combination of the slight pain and pleasure caused my body to shake as I moved my fingers.
“Fuck me harder, Luka!” I cried out.
His hips pounded into me as he pushed me toward the edge. His fingers tugged on my nipples harder.
“Oh! Yes!”
The pressure inside me bubbled over as I heard Luka moan. I felt his sweet release as I moaned with him. When we were finished, he turned me around to face him as he wrapped his arms around me.
“I love you, Vienna.”
“I love you too, Luka.”
Luka Gioti had my heart, and he was never allowed to let it go.
Epilogue
Vienna
Six months later, I was standing in the Catholic Church in a dress that accentuated my growing belly. We were attending Sunday mass as we had every Sunday since my kidnapping. There had not been a single sign of the Agnelli’s since. Luka’s father had received an official apology from their family, saying that Roberto and Armani were out of line. They had never given them directions to take Luka out. And they did not want to start a war between the families. Especially now that they were going to be joined permanently. I was due in only two months.
Luka had seemed so much more relaxed since then. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off of him. After seeing how he handled the situation, his father had been giving him more responsibility at the strip club, allowing him to bring in higher end clients, which was what Luka had planned on doing with the company all along. I could tell it had given him a sense of purpose. We now spent every day together, planning out our lives. We were looking into places to buy a house and get married. We were talking about baby names, of both sexes because we had chosen not to find out. His mother had welcomed me back into the Gioti clan with open arms. She could not have been happier with his choice to be with me. It was like the past had been forgotten, but as we closed in on the yearly anniversary of my mother's death, some tension still hung in the air.
“Are you going to light a candle for her?”
I was kneeling next to Luka and considering the exact thing myself. I had never done it before. Now seemed like as good a time as any. I was back with the people that she loved most. The people that had taken her in as their own. She didn't just leave the Agnelli family because of my father, as much as Roberto wanted to believe that. She had left for a better life. And after living with Roberto for the past few years, I realized that my mother went from one abuser to another. Although I was sure my uncle never hit her, he was mentally and verbally abusive. He had contrived this image of Luka and his family in my mind and made them seem like they were the devil. The truth was, they weren’t t
he horrible people that he made them seem to be. The Giotis had taken my mother in when she didn't have anyone else, and treated her like family. Roberto’s mindset of what had really happened was completely off. And he used that idea to poison my thoughts. But as Luka helped me stand from my spot and walk up to the front of the cathedral to light a candle for my mother, I looked back and saw my real family.
I was a Gioti through and through.
Luka had made me that way.
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Turn the page to look at my bestie Violet Paige’s bestselling sports romance, Dirty Play
Dirty Play
Playing dirty might not be playing by the rules. But I say f*ck the rules.
Wes Blakefield has it all. A winning record. A killer arm. And a smile that will get any woman in his bed. But everything changes when an injury leaves the Wranglers’ quarterback sidelined.
Lennon Ashworth is trying to rebuild her life in San Antonio. Focused on her career in medicine she has no idea what the fuss is about when a hot green-eyed athlete ends up in her operating room.
Wes is used to getting what he wants and when he meets the woman who repaired his hand, he decides he’s not letting her get away. The only problem is Lennon fights her attraction for the country’s hottest playboy.
Tension grows. The fire heats up. And lines are crossed when Wes is determined Lennon is his ultimate score.
Dirty Play is a FULL LENGTH, Standalone sports romance with a dirty talking football star and explicit sex scenes. When you're done reading, hitting the showers will have a whole new meaning.
Wes
I was a god. And not just any god. I had an arm that could throw a lightning bolt a hundred yards, with two seconds left on the game clock, and score. They should have called me Zeus. I could run faster than any damn lineman trying to knock the shit out of me. I could read the defense faster than the whistle blew. I could call plays and execute before the defense could say their own names. I was a fucking god out on that field, and everyone knew it. The coaches. My teammates. The fans.
