by Savanna Gray
I hooked my legs around his back, and he kissed me. Each flick of his tongue brought me closer to my release. I came along with him, and this time, it was even more perfect than before. Because he loved me. I loved him. We were one step closer to having it all.
“You’re the first and only girl I’ve ever loved.” He stroked my jaw with his thumb. “I would do anything for you, Sienna. But being together can get both of us killed. What we have is dangerous. Plenty of people want to take it away.”
“They can’t take this away from us, Marco.” I covered my heart with his hand. “My heart belongs to you. And only you.”
Marco squeezed my breast with a smile. “And mine belongs to you.”
He moved so slowly inside me that every part of my body sizzled from the heat that pricked my skin. For as much as I loved his rough touch, it was in this moment that I truly felt loved by this man. I clutched the feather charm around my neck and stared into his eyes. My body was slick with sweat. So was Marco’s. And when he pressed his lips to mine, I could taste his saltiness mixed with my juices.
After Marco shattered my entire existence, leaving me gasping for breath, he came inside me. Marco let out a deep breath, his face completely relaxed, and then he slid out of me and rolled onto the other side of the bed.
I curled up against him, and he held me tight in his arms, as if he was afraid to let me go. We had so little time together that what we did have was precious. The thought of being apart made my heart swell with sadness, a few tears sliding down my cheeks.
“Hey, don’t cry, mi amore.” He swiped at my tears with his thumb and then kissed my skin in the same place.
I smiled at his words. “Cara has been calling me that since I was a baby.”
“You’re my love, too. I promise to take you away from this. I just need you to be patient and wait for me.”
“I will. I would wait twenty years if it meant we could be together without any interference from our families.”
“It won’t be that long. I hope.” He laughed, slipping his fingers through my curls. “But it will take time.”
“Cara showed me something tonight. Maybe it could help us get away from here.”
Marco sat up, taking me with him. He leaned against a stack of pillows, his eyes fixed on me. “What did you find?”
“My father had a paternity test done for Ethan. He wasn’t his father. The results came in two weeks before Ethan’s death.”
He stared at me in shock. “That bastard. I knew something was off about that night. But why would your dad do something so public?”
“I was wondering the same thing. Maybe he was angry that he’d taken a son who wasn’t his under his wing. He’d planned to help Ethan run for public office someday. But Ethan was always unstable. He had issues that no one could fix. He had a drug problem.” Marco nodded, and I continued, “It all stemmed from his manic swings. His mood changed all the time. One day, he would be on top of the world and happy, the next he would be in his room sulking or binge drinking and snorting coke.”
“It doesn’t make sense why your dad would want him dead. He could have cut ties with him.”
“My guess is he did it save his re-election campaign. All my dad cares about is winning.”
“We will find a way to beat him. This is a good start. That kind of information could destroy him.”
“Ethan’s paternity doesn’t prove anything.”
“It gives your dad motive.” He smirked, his eyes lit up with excitement. “All people would need is a little doubt about your old man to get the vote to swing in favor of his opponent for good. The only way to truly destroy a man is to take what he loves most. And your dad’s is his power.”
My smile mirrored his. “Let’s take that asshole down.”
Chapter Twelve
Sienna
After two nights in a row of pressing my luck, Marco fucked me so hard I could still feel him, and then he drove me home. He parked his car three blocks from my house, and still, it didn’t seem far enough. My body shook from fear the closer we walked. With our hands threaded together, Marco sensed it and squeezed my hand tighter.
“Don’t be scared.” He rubbed my skin with his thumb to soothe me. “It will all be okay. I already handled your father. It’s only a matter of time before he comes to see me.”
“I don’t see how threatening him will do either of us any good. He doesn’t respond well when he’s being cornered.”
“Neither do I. He’s controlled both of our lives for long enough, even if I didn’t realize how much of mine he had a hold over until recently. Soon enough, we will be free of him. Of this place. Free from all of this shit.”
“I know, Marco, but you don’t understand what it’s like to live under the same roof as him. He’s awful. And so cold. When he talks to me, it’s to yell about something. Working for him only makes it worse. He’s dead set on my engagement to Karl Wolfe.”
“You will never marry that asshole. I’ll kill him and your dad before that ever happens.”
“I know you will. But I hope it doesn’t come to that.” I sucked in a deep breath and let it out, preparing myself for another night of sneaking up the back stairs, with my shoes in hand and just fucked hair all over the place.
When we reached the back of my family’s massive property, Marco pressed a kiss to my lips. It was quick, a little more than a peck. I missed his warmth the second he peeled his lips from mine.
“Be careful,” he warned. “Text me once you’re in your bedroom so I know you’re okay.”
“I will.” I kissed him on the cheek, and then he hoisted me up, so I could pull myself over the back fence that spanned the property.
I climbed down, my feet hitting the ground hard. Using the wrought iron for support, I gripped it in my hand to give myself a few seconds to recoup. It pained me to look at Marco through the slits in the fence and see him staring at me with sadness in his eyes. His feelings mirrored mine. I hated that we had to act like children when we were adults. This was stupid but necessary to get around my father and his rules.
Turning my back to Marco, I crept along the edge of the property, doing my best to avoid the cameras, hiding behind bushes or trees whenever possible. There were only so many times I could repeat this before I would get caught. Being present but never seen was one of Marco’s strong suits but not one of mine.
I placed my hand on the doorknob, the entrance right off the kitchen, hoping Cara had left it open for me. Sucking in a deep breath, I blew it out and turned it. The door creaked open, relief washing over me. Cloaked in darkness, the kitchen was empty, the house devoid of any sound. It was hard to remain so quiet in a house that had vaulted ceilings, which echoed from the slightest noise.
Closing and locking the door behind me, I took off my sneakers and tied the laces together before throwing them over my shoulder. I walked through the kitchen on my tiptoes and down the back hallway, taking each stair one at a time. Once my feet hit the top landing, I was thankful I’d made it that far without anyone noticing.
With my back flat against the wall, I slinked down the hallway, hiding in the dark shadows, as I moved toward my bedroom. Focused on the door in front of me, I took a few more steps, about to reach for the handle, when I heard the floorboards behind me creak, followed by someone cupping my shoulder with their hand.
I already knew who I would find behind me. My father’s musky aftershave filled my nostrils, and my stomach burned from the acid rising. I spun around to face my father, letting out the air I was holding in. He flicked the light switch on the wall.
His eyes were dead, his jaw set like stone. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you? No matter how much you rebel, I will always be there to force your hand. Keep fighting me, and I will make sure your secret boyfriend pays the price for your defiance.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, my teeth gritted in anger. “Don’t you dare go near Marco. He has nothing to do with this.”
His face scrunched,
the red from his cheeks spreading down to his neck. “He has everything to do with his. You refuse to listen to reason. Maybe you will see things my way once I take him away from you. I’ve been nice so far.”
I laughed and folded my arms across my chest. “Get real, Dad. You’ve never been nice a day in my life. Ethan and I lived in fear of you since birth. And I know your secret. Go near Marco, and I will run to the press. I will ruin your re-election without so much as a thought.”
He scratched the stubble along the corner of his jaw. “Marco thought he could get away with sending me a message. Well, I received it. And he’s going to suffer because of it.”
Marco wouldn’t tell me what he did, or how he got to my father, but somehow, he found a way to let him know he knew about Ethan’s paternity test and the fact it gave him the motive to kill my brother. I warned Marco not to press him too hard. Clearly, he’d gotten under my father’s skin. I had no doubt we would both pay for it.
“I love him,” I confessed. “I gave Marco my virginity the night of the charity ball, and he’s been fucking me ever since. Deal with it.”
He raised his hands above his head in anger and took a few steps back from me, shoving his fingers through his dark hair. “Stop it. I don’t want to hear another word out of your whore mouth.”
My mouth flew open in shock. He’d always been an asshole but never called me hurtful names, mostly because I’d never disobeyed him. At least not until Marco came into my life.
Not wanting to look at him for another second, I opened my door and slammed it shut behind me. He turned the knob, jiggling it as I tried to lock it.
“Open this door right now, or I will wake up Javier and have him remove the hinges.”
“Go right ahead,” I shot back. “See if I care.”
“Fine,” he growled. “I hope you’ve enjoyed having your privacy because you won’t have it after tonight.”
Once inside the safety of my bedroom, I dropped my shoes to the floor and sat on my bed. Waiting for my father to do as he’d promised, I undressed and slipped into pajama shorts and a tank top. I climbed into bed and propped my head up on a stack of pillows. My father stomped off and went straight to the servant’s quarters on the south side of our property. He returned five minutes later with Javier, as promised.
I didn’t bother to move when Javier took the door off its hinges and set it against the wall to allow my father access.
“That will be all for now,” my dad told Javier, waving him off.
With his gaze fixed on me, my father stepped into my room. “Until you stop acting like a child, I will continue to treat you like one. Brian or one of his men will sit outside your bedroom while you’re sleeping. You will have someone accompany you everywhere you go. And you will accept Karl’s engagement in the morning. The two of you will announce your engagement on Saturday at the dinner party I have planned.”
“Well, I won’t be there,” I countered. “Have fun at your stuffy dinner party. If you like Karl so much, maybe you should marry him.”
He bent down to turn on the lamp on my bedside table, the soft glow casting its shadow across his face. “Don’t test me, Sienna. My mercy has limits.”
I waved my hand to dismiss him. “I’m tired. Go wake up Ethan if you want someone to talk to. Oh, wait, you killed him. I forgot.”
“I did no such thing,” he yelled.
“Even if you didn’t push him off that roof, you had a hand in his death. There’s nothing you can do or say to make me think otherwise.”
“There’s no talking to you when you’re like this.” He gave up on our fight and turned off the lamp. “If you don’t see things my way, I will make an example of Marco that much I can promise. Don’t force my hand.”
Marco didn’t want me to bend to my father’s will. He’d insisted that he bear the brunt of his wrath. So, I did as he had asked of me and held my ground.
Once my father left my bedroom, I closed my eyes and wondered what he would do to Marco if I didn’t follow his orders. I couldn’t handle the thought of anything happening to him. But I either had to listen to Marco or my dad, and I knew who would win that battle.
Chapter Thirteen
Marco
Our entire family gathered for Sunday dinner at my parent’s house, as was tradition. My mother spent all weekend preparing for the meal, making attendance mandatory. I was furious with my father over his recent revelation, and though I wanted nothing to do with him, I couldn’t make the rest of my family suffer because of it.
I cut a slice of bread from the loaf on the counter and reached around Antonio to dip it in the pot.
“What did I tell you about eating bread before dinner.” My mother shot a warning look in my direction.
“Sorry, Ma. I’m starving. I haven’t eaten all day.” I moved toward her, finishing off my bread. “And your sauce is hard to resist.”
She smiled and rubbed my arm, her tiny fingers grazing my skin. “Go set the table for me.” Looking over at Antonio, she said, “You, too. Help your brother. We’re about to eat.”
“Anything for my favorite girl.” Antonio winked at our mother.
Antonio grabbed a stack of dinner plates from the cabinet and handed them to me. He lifted the salad plates from another shelf and then placed the bowls on top. Before we left the kitchen, my mom handed me a silverware caddy to bring into the dining room. With my hands full, I set the plates and carrier on the table and began doing as I was asked.
Once dinner was ready and the table was set, everyone took their seats, with my father at one end and Ma at the other. My father insisted Giovanni sit next to him. I sat next to Antonio on the other side. A few of our cousins, aunts, uncles, and various business associates were scattered throughout, but we were mostly in the presence of family. To my father, his men were like family and were treated as such.
I hadn’t as much as glanced in my father’s direction. After finding out he was a rat, I couldn’t stand the sight of him. I was almost positive Antonio had no idea, and if Giovanni knew, he didn’t care. He was the most loyal of us all, the most likely to take our father’s place in the event of his death. My entire life was a lie, all because what we were trained to believe was fabricated by a traitor. And I was done with it all. With the family and everything my father had built.
Antonio nudged me in the arm halfway through dinner to pass the bread. I lifted the basket from the center of the table, added a slice to my plate, and handed it to Antonio. I’d thought about telling him about the conversation I’d had with our father so many times. Even though we lived in the same house, Antonio spent most of his time with Giovanni at Cowgirl’s after I started pulling away. I was also too busy meeting with Sienna behind his back.
“We got another tip on Moretti,” Antonio said to me under his breath, careful not to let anyone hear. “Wanna come check it out with me after we eat?”
“Yeah. Where are we going?”
“North Jersey. He went to Big John for help, and from what I overheard, Big John is interested in a trade.”
John “Big John” Basile was the head of the Basile crime family in North Jersey. The Salvatores were on good terms with him at one time, but over the years, our relationship had become strained. It was no surprise that Carlo ran to him for help.
This was perfect. We needed to get Carlo Moretti and his men back to silence them. They knew there was a mole in our family, but they had no idea who was the turncoat. No one ever would have guessed my father, myself included.
A smirk tugged at the corners of my mouth. “What does he want?”
“An introduction to Grandpa Pete.”
Our grandfather was retired from the life, but even so, he still controlled the Calabria family in Italy. My cousin Alessio was in charge now, with my grandfather calling some of the shots from a distance. He was a powerful man, who had contacts all over Europe. Much like my father, he’d made a move to more legitimate business practices years ago and had acquired a massive legacy o
ver the years. The small operation we ran from the United States was only a fraction of the corrupt kingdom our family had created around the world.
“Grandpa Pete won’t talk to just anyone.”
Antonio nodded. “Dad said he’ll make an exception this time. It sounded important.”
“So, we’re going to take care of business and be on our way?”
“No, not exactly. We have to meet with Big John first, and then he’ll discuss his terms with us in person. Moretti will be there. But he’s under Big John’s protection until we get Grandpa Pete on the phone.”
Unlike my father, my grandfather was a man of honor, an old-school Mafioso who would have forced his children to do the time for the crime. He never would have sold out the organization to save one of his sons.
“I’ll be there,” I told Antonio, wiping up the sauce on my plate with a piece of bread and stuffing it into my mouth. “Count me in.”
Whether I wanted out or not, I had to see the shit with Moretti through. By the time I polished off my plate, I was too full to eat the dessert my mother was trying to force down my throat.
I leaned back in my chair, my arms raised about my head to stretch, when the emergency doorbell rang through the house.
Reaching for the gun at my waist, I pushed my chair out from the table along with most of the men in the formal dining room. The only time the men who guarded the front door used that signal was when we were under attack from another family or the Feds were here with a search warrant.
My father’s phone rang, and he answered it, instructing all of us to hide our guns under the ledge beneath the table. That could only mean one thing. The police were here, either to search the house or cart one of us off to prison.
