by Katee Robert
It took far longer than she would have liked.
She finally shut off the faucet when it became apparent that peace wasn’t in the cards for her. She was too aware of Aiden in the next room over, and the rest of the night hanging over their heads. Talking was all well and good, but she was all talked out. Sex was even better, but she was exhausted.
Right now, she was just one big mess.
Charlie hadn’t had the foresight to bring in a change of clothes, so she walked out of the bathroom as naked as she walked in. It’s not like Aiden hasn’t seen every inch of me.
He held up a shirt and then tossed it to her. “Wear this. I can’t focus with you sitting there looking so downright fuckable.”
“Sounds like a personal problem.” But she pulled on the shirt, belatedly realizing it was far too big to belong to her, so long it hit the tops of her thighs. She frowned down at it. “I’m wearing your shirt.” It didn’t look like anything she’d seen Aiden in to date. It was a normal T-shirt with faded writing across the chest. “Boston University?”
“Even mob families go to college, Charlie.” He gave a mirthless smile. “Business major.”
It made sense. If the O’Malleys were anything like the Romanovs, they had a carefully balanced array of businesses—a good portion of which were on the up-and-up. It was possible to delegate some of that, but the more the boss handed off, the higher the chance of someone sneaking in and undercutting him because he didn’t understand the business side of things. She looked at Aiden with new eyes, feeling a little like a layer had been peeled back. “Nice.”
“It was a huge pain in the ass, but necessary. Most of us have college degrees of one sort or another.” He sighed. “Not Keira, though. She dropped out of art school two years ago, and she doesn’t seem interested in going back.”
“You’re … really worried about her.” She moved to sit on the edge of the bed, taking in the tray with sandwiches sitting beside him. “She’s a good kid.”
“You were right before. She’s lost and hurting.” He pushed one of the sandwiches toward her. “And I’m partly to blame for that, for a number of reasons. It’s been a rough couple of years for our family, and I was so focused on getting us through it without more losses that I didn’t realize she was slipping away until it was almost too late. Now she won’t talk to me even when I try to reach out.”
“And your other sisters?” The ones who had left the family behind in pursuit of … Well, Charlie couldn’t say for sure what they were in pursuit of. She still didn’t know the full story behind Sloan, and Carrigan seemed to fit in just fine with the mob life, even if she’d chosen a rival family over her own.
Aiden stared at something she couldn’t see. “I’ve kept things under control, and kept our business prospects from suffering too much during this time of uncertainty.”
It sounded a whole lot like a rehearsed speech—or someone else’s words coming out of his mouth.
He seemed to realize the same thing. He shook his head. “But, yeah, I’ve mishandled all three of my sisters. Repeatedly. The problem with putting the family first is that the individuals sometimes get lost in the shuffle.”
“I’m new to the scene, so I might not be reading things right, but it sure looks like you have a powerhouse of alliances going on in Boston.” Carrigan linked them to the Hallorans, even if there was tension there. Teague had married Callista Sheridan, which finished off the trifecta. Charlie might not support the illegal aspects of their lives, but she didn’t see how any of that was a bad thing.
“Yes and no. If Romanov wasn’t a threat, it would be true that the family is as powerful as it’s ever been, and a good portion of that is because of the events of the last few years.” He didn’t look particularly happy about it.
“I sense a ‘but’ coming.”
Aiden gave a tight smile. “But even if business is flourishing, the personal relationships have suffered. I’m sure you noticed the tension.”
“I did. I also noticed that all of your siblings jumped to your defense when they thought you were marrying a gold digger.” She shrugged, even though she still hated that aspect of their lie.
“Yes, I suppose they did.” His smile softened a little. “Families are complicated. We all grew up knowing what was expected of us, but some of us were more at peace with it than others.”
Strangely enough, she understood. Being raised in a family full of cops meant that everyone expected her to follow in their footsteps. But that was where the similarities ended. She’d wanted to be a cop, wanted it more than anything else in the world. She’d run cross-country and lifted weights in high school almost religiously because she wanted to be at the top of her game when she went into the police academy. All with her dad’s approval. There had never been another path available, because that was the only one she wanted.
She wasn’t sure what her dad would have done if she’d dreamed of running off and joining the ballet or becoming a doctor, but she couldn’t really picture him taking any other field of work as seriously as he took law enforcement.
She studied him. Aiden O’Malley had layers upon layers. Even now, when it seemed like he was being perfectly honest, she wasn’t 100 percent sure this wasn’t another of his masks. He had so many.
That didn’t stop her from asking, “And were you at peace with it?”
“Mostly.” He shrugged. “It never occurred to me to want something different. Even if it had … Teague is occupied with the Sheridans, and Carrigan with the Hallorans. Sloan is gone with Jude MacNamara, and I’d never force her back to Boston. Devlin is dead. Cillian has a brilliant head for numbers but no interest in leading. He probably could do it if something happened to me, but I’d never ask him to pay that price just because I didn’t feel like taking the responsibility. No, bright eyes, there’s no one else.”
This isn’t a mask. I’m sure of it.
She was equally sure that he hadn’t meant to reveal so much of himself—and would instantly backtrack if she commented on it. Charlie picked up half of her sandwich. “Thank you for the food.” She had a lot to think about. Too much. Every time she thought she had his number down, he went and threw her a curveball.
Who is the real Aiden O’Malley?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
They ate in silence until the food was gone, but Aiden was no more settled than he had been when they left the party. He should just fuck Charlie and be done with it, but he couldn’t get her words about his sister out of his head. Or the fact that there had been understanding on her face when she asked about his role as heir.
Who could have guessed that he’d actually have something in common with a cop’s daughter, besides smoking-hot chemistry?
He knew about Charlie. He’d done his research before he’d approached her. He’d looked even deeper into her after that initial encounter. Her record for the short time she’d been a cop was truly impressive. She’d been on the fast track to be detective—or at least she had before she refused to roll over and play dead for Romanov. She’d never been formally charged with taking bribes, but she’d been tossed out on her ass and, for all intents and purposes, she’d disappeared off the face of the earth for several months after that. The next time he could find her, she was running the poker games in that shitty bar.
“Where were you?”
He didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud until she cocked her head. “What? When?”
If he was smart, he’d change the subject and get them back to what they were good at—sex—but he genuinely wanted to know. “After you were kicked off the force. Where did you go? The next time I found you was months later.” Maybe she’d been lying low at her father’s house. That was the most logical explanation he could come up with.
She looked him dead in the eyes. “I was in the hospital for a week, and after that I was drinking myself into oblivion.”
He couldn’t get past the first few words to focus on the rest. “The hospital?” But even as he said it, he knew e
xactly what had happened. “Those cops on his payroll didn’t like it that you tried to rock the boat.”
“That’s a wild understatement.” She didn’t look away, didn’t try to hide the pain still lurking it the depths of her blue eyes.
“How bad was it?”
“How bad would it be if one of your own betrayed you?”
Another thing we have in common.
He still hadn’t dealt with Teague becoming an informant for the FBI. Truth be told, Aiden had left that conversation alone for far too long. It was a loose end in desperate need of tying, but admitting the sheer depth of his brother’s betrayal wasn’t something Aiden was eager to do.
He was supposed to be in control at all times. It should have been nothing to face down his little brother. But therein lay the problem—Teague was his little brother. The same kid who’d followed him around for years when they were in grade school. The one he’d maintained the best relationship with through high school and beyond. Aiden knew Teague was struggling with everything being an O’Malley entailed, but never in a million years would he guess that he’d turn to the feds.
“It’s the worst thing in the world.”
“Yes, it is.”
He didn’t resist the urge to pull her into his lap. Charlie went tense but slowly relaxed into his arms, allowing him to prop his chin on her shoulder. He didn’t have a simple solution to offer her any more than he had one to deal with his own betrayal. Life was rarely neat and easy.
Offering to kill those pieces of shit would be an insult to the injury she’d suffered. He still made a mental note to find out their names and pay them a visit. Telling her that he was glad she survived was so damn inadequate. He had a hard time imagining a situation that would put her down permanently—would break her—but that had to have come close.
He didn’t know what to say. There wasn’t anything to say.
So he kissed her.
She twisted in his lap, her hands coming to rest on his chest. Aiden had every intention of keeping the kiss light and short, but his good intentions went up in smoke the second her lips parted to allow him in. He should have pulled back, or should have kept them on comfortable territory and just fucked her brains out. That was a whole hell of a lot safer than sitting here exploring her mouth while she wore nothing but his shirt.
Giving her that shirt was a statement.
He’d known that. He’d still given it to her.
Charlie shifted, moving back so she could straddle him. She gave him a strange look, but he kissed her again. It was easier than answering the questions in her eyes. And the truth was that he enjoyed the hell out of kissing her. Aiden skimmed his hands up her thighs to cup her ass, bringing her more firmly against him. “Feel how much I want you.”
“I do.” She rolled her hips, and then her mouth was on his again, her tongue slipping out to stroke his bottom lip.
He lost himself in the feel of her, in how the taste of her drove every thought out of his head. Aiden lay back on the bed, taking her with him, and then rolled to settle between her thighs. The move had her shirt hiking up around her hips, something he couldn’t take full advantage of with his slacks still on. He pulled away enough to say, “I’m fucking you tonight.”
“Thank Christ.”
He climbed off the bed and stripped, staring at her all the while. She didn’t try to cover up, just propped herself onto her elbows so she could watch him as closely as he was watching her. The sight of her with just that shirt on—his shirt—and bare from the waist down … Aiden moved faster, shucking off his pants and kicking them away. He took a step toward her but stopped, then retrieved a handful of condoms from where he’d stashed them in his dresser and tossed them onto the bed next to Charlie. She raised her eyebrows but, for once, didn’t comment.
“Those are for later. Right now?” Aiden went to his knees next to the bed and grabbed her hips, dragging her within reach of his mouth. “I’m starving for you, bright eyes.”
* * *
Charlie cried out, her voice hoarse from all the things Aiden had done to her. Time ceased to have meaning, awash as she was in the unbearable pleasure of his mouth. Finally, desperate for more, she jerked away and stopped him from closing the distance with a foot on the center of his chest. Her pink toes looked absolutely ridiculous against his tanned muscles.
Aiden glanced down at her foot. “I’m not done with you yet.”
“No, you’re not.” She pushed a little, forcing him further back. “But I want you.”
He knocked her foot to the side and surged up, taking her mouth as if he couldn’t help himself. He tasted of smoky whiskey and her, the combination making her moan. She wrapped her legs around his waist, needing as much of him against as much of her as possible.
Aiden went to reach between her legs, and she cursed. “Nope.” Charlie shoved him, twisting until he landed on his back, with her across his chest. “You’re a sadist, and while I kind of dig that, I want you inside me.”
His green eyes went dark. “Careful there. That was almost begging.”
“Not even close.” She palmed him, hissing out a breath at the feel of his cock in her hand. A couple strokes was enough to give her a good feel for every inch of him, and she grabbed the closest condom. “Now be a good mob lord and let me have my way with you.”
“There’s only one person who will be having their way, bright eyes.”
Maybe it was the prolonged pleasure from earlier or the fact that she was finally going to get to have sex with him, but she felt downright punch-drunk. “You’re right. Me.” She rolled the condom on and gave him another stroke for good measure. “Now, shh. You talk too much.” She adjusted her angle and sank onto his length.
The feel of him stretching her was almost too much. She gasped, wiggling her hips a little to adjust to the new sensation. “God, Aiden.”
“God doesn’t even enter into the equation.” He gripped her hips, guiding her lower a little at a time until he was sheathed to the hilt. “Fuck. Just … fuck.”
She braced her hands on his chest and began to move, slowly at first and then finding a good rhythm. She watched Aiden’s face, unable to look away. A person shouldn’t be able to brand someone with a single look, but she felt it all the way down to her soul. She shivered, suddenly sure that they’d passed the point of no return.
Charlie straightened a little and went to pull off her shirt, but Aiden stopped her. “Keep it on.”
Because it was his.
Her breath caught in her chest, fluttering there like a trapped bird. Slowly, oh so slowly, she lifted the fabric just enough that he could look down and see where they were joined. The tightening in his jaw was reward enough, but she didn’t stop there. Through every interaction they’d had, Aiden had kept firmly in control. She didn’t want control. She wanted the wildness she could feel calling to her, just beneath the surface. “Do you like seeing me wearing your shirt while I’m riding you?”
“You know I do.” He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from where she slid up and down his cock.
“I know why.” She rolled her hips, lifting her arms over her head so that her breasts pressed more firmly against the thin fabric, her nipples blatantly visible. “Because it marks me as yours.” His fingers tightened on her hips, and she kept going, driven as much by the pressure building inside of her as by the look on his face. “Because you love knowing that you can do damn near anything you want to me and I’ll beg you for more.”
She palmed her breasts, pinching her nipples, so turned on she could barely stand it. “Tonight was your perfect fantasy, wasn’t it? To have me ready and wanting, soaked and aching for you.” He finally managed to drag his gaze up to her face, his expression making her moan. “I’ll tell you a secret. You could have shoved up my dress and bent me over one of those ridiculously decorated tables, and I would have let you fuck me right there in front of everyone.”
Something changed on his face, and the next thing she knew, she was o
n her back.
Charlie blinked. “That’s one way to go about it.”
Aiden gripped her neck with one hand, not restricting her breathing at all, but there was no mistake that it was a claim of dominance. Ownership. “You enjoy testing my patience, don’t you?” He used his other hand to hitch her leg higher, allowing him deeper inside her. “And what if I had done what you described, bright eyes? Would you have moaned so sweetly for me? Come harder than you ever have before?”
She pictured the scene and clenched tighter around him. “Maybe.”
“There’s no maybe about it.” He kissed her, quick and brutal. “There’s a club in Boston that I think you’d like. I’m going to take you there sometime. Soon.” He pulled almost all the way out of her and shoved in. “I think you’re harboring some exhibitionist tendencies. Would you like me to fuck you in front of a room full of strangers? Let them see how you get off on what I do to you—on knowing they can see every single inch of you. Every response …”
Charlie came, screaming, her orgasm a tidal wave she couldn’t avoid even if she’d wanted to. Aiden kept up his pace, prolonging her pleasure until it was almost pain. Only then did his strokes become more irregular, his curses music to her ears.
She stared at the ceiling, wondering where her life had taken a hard right turn. It was one thing to want revenge against Dmitri Romanov. One thing to want Aiden O’Malley in a way she had no business wanting someone who ran a mob family. It was entirely another to get off on the mere thought of him doing filthy things to her in a room full of people. She shivered.
He lifted his head. “My thoughts exactly.” Aiden slid to lie next to her.
