Exposed

by Rachel Van Dyken

  “Please don’t ever do that again.” I stepped into his open arms and rested my head against his chest. “Please.”

  “I can’t promise I won’t always put my family first, Tanit. I took that vow when I said yes, and I take my vows seriously.” He kissed the top of my forehead. “Now, should we go have cake or something?”

  Everyone released a nervous laugh simultaneously as we started making our way toward the door.

  Dom stopped in front of Sergio and shrugged. “It was the blue wire.”

  Sergio swore and then ran his hands over his head. “It was a guess.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Dom said softly.

  “You just gave every guy in here at least ten more gray hairs, and Nixon said he found one yesterday even though he’s in his mid-thirties.” Tex chuckled.

  “At least Sergio will always be the oldest,” Dom piped up. “Hey don’t you turn forty next year?”

  “What was that? About you not dying? Why does it suddenly sound like a great idea to clip the yellow wire?”

  I rolled my eyes.

  They joke about death, maybe because they knew it well — it was after them — it was after us all — the only difference? They weren’t afraid to tell it to go to Hell — and most people spent their lives running away from it — when people like Dom — ran at it.

  I dare you. They say.

  I dare you.

  Maybe our darkness would shrink — if we just turned around and chased it, rather than letting it win.

  Dom squeezed my hand. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” My eyes filled with tears as his mouth descended.

  And as I walked out of that church.

  With my new husband.

  My new family.

  I was home.

  More home than I’d ever been.

  And I promised myself that next time death laughed over my head—I’d just flip it off and keep walking.

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  Dom

  My hands hadn’t stopped shaking the entire way home. My only goal was to attempt to look calm so that Tanit stopped crying. I was failing miserably. Still, she didn’t let go.

  When we finally reached the house, I was emotionally exhausted enough to forget to take off my seat belt.

  Tanit unbuckled it for me.

  I licked my lips then leaned in and brushed a kiss across her mouth. It made the shaking stop. She held me then, wrapping her arms around me so tight allowing me to rest my head on her shoulders as I gripped her as hard as my fingers would let me.

  It was shock.

  Which was a rarity for someone like me.

  But when you were introduced to something as rare as love — and realized that it’s something you might lose faster than when you found it — shock was warranted.

  “Tanit?” Came Nixon’s voice.

  I pulled away from her and looked up into his intense blue eyes.

  “Give us a minute.”

  Tanit let go of me, nodded, and walked slowly into the house, looking casually over her shoulder with a confident smile before opening the door and closing it behind her.

  It was just me and Nixon.

  “Dad,” I joked.

  He didn’t laugh.

  He moved so fast that I didn’t have time to prepare for it. I think I would have been more prepared for him to pull out a gun or maybe even yell at me, since he was pretty good at calling me on my shit.

  But he didn’t do any of those things.

  He hugged me.

  His embrace was so tight it was hard to breathe. Slowly, I lifted my arms and hugged him back.

  “Never again,” he said in a gruff voice. “I need you to promise me that you let me protect you. I can’t do that if you’re hell bent on protecting yourself.”

  I sighed, pulling away. “You would have done the same thing.”

  “That’s not the point.” He pulled at his hair and sighed. “We need you, I need you — you’re a part of this family, whether you like it or not, and I can’t—” His voice broke. “God, I hate being a parent.”

  “Clearly, it’s the absolute worse.”

  He grinned. “Yesterday Serena called me a monster because I wouldn’t let her wear boy shorts to school. I needed a microscope to see the fabric. She cried, said it was unfair, and that she hated me.” He gulped. “I’d rather have her hate me and protect her, than have her love me and lose her.”

  “She doesn’t hate you.”

  “Oh, she does, she said so again today.” He smiled. “Don’t worry though, she’ll get over it, until she starts dating, and then I’m going to be questioning my own parenting by teaching her to use a gun.”

  I choked out a laugh. “You’re a good dad.”

  “No. Sometimes I think I’m the worst, that I don’t know what the hell I’m doing — like today.” He looked away. “Dom, it doesn’t matter how you came to us, came to the Family. What matters is that you’re an intricate part of us, and that we love as if you were one of our own, all right?”

  He’d never said words like that to me.

  At least not with the seriousness he had on his face now. He rarely showed others this raw emotional side. I felt honored that I was someone he felt safe to let his guard down with.

  “I love you guys too.” My voice cracked.

  Nixon wrapped an arm around me and started walking us back toward the house. “You get that you’re still a pain in my ass, right? Stop giving me gray hair.”

  “You have maybe three gray hairs,” I pointed out.

  “Hah.” He shook his head. “I’m proud of you, son.”

  “Thanks.” I grinned just as the door opened in front of us. Frank held a bottle of wine in one hand, a bottle of whiskey in the other.

  “Yeah we’re going to need more than two.” Nixon grinned, stepping inside.

  “Oh don’t worry, I went to the cellar.” Frank winked.

  The old man wasn’t kidding. The entire table was filled with alcohol and enough Italian food to make my stomach growl.

  But when I set eyes on Tanit, I forgot about all of that.

  In a few steps, I was pulling her into my arms.

  I was kissing her still tear-stained cheeks.

  I was enjoying the moments I had with her, however short, and I swore I would never take time for granted again.

  I’d stare it down, day after day, with the revelation that as long as I wasn’t wasteful—my life would be full.

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  Tanit

  Blood had been spilled in that kitchen.

  By the wine.

  And the snacks.

  And more wine, because apparently it was the new oxygen, either that or mafia members believed that since it was red it replaced all the blood they either took or lost.

  I winked at Dom, who was staring at me with such intensity I felt like if I blinked the earth would shift on its axis.

  Everyone wanted to celebrate.

  I was the bride.

  I should want to celebrate.

  But celebrating meant people were around us. And I just wanted him. I wanted him touching me. I wanted his mouth on me.

  “Excuse me.” I stood, my eyes not leaving Dom’s “I think I’m going to go change into something more comfortable.”

  Dom slowly stood, set down his wine, and said in a gravelly voice, “I’ll help you.”

  “Yeah, he will,” Tex said under his breath, earning a slap from Mo.

  The rest of the gang was so busy pouring more wine and arguing over food that they didn’t notice the way Dom completely owned his own name, by dominating the very room — dominating the air as he made his way around the table. And finally, dominating every brain cell firing in my head and making me just grin dumbly up at him like I needed help spelling my own name.

  “Come on,” He lightly touched my elbow.

  He might as well have lit me on fire.

  How could one touch do so much to my body?

  How was it poss
ible for one man to wield so much power with the touch—and be so obviously unaware of what it did to a person? Already my thighs were quivering, my pulse pounding.

  We walked in silence to his room.

  My hands shook a bit as he closed the door behind us and leaned against it, like he didn’t have a care in the world. I waited for him to say something.

  He didn’t.

  He made a motion with his fingers for me to turn.

  It just made my pulse pound like a drum.

  Harder.

  Faster.

  He spread his warm fingers across my bare shoulders and then tugged the dress down.

  My breath hitched as he unzipped the lower part of the back, his hot fingertips pressing against my skin as the fabric slid off my body.

  He gripped my ass in a painful squeeze then let out the sexiest moan I’d ever heard in my entire life, the kind of sound that’s filled with temptation and want. The kind of sound every woman wants to hear a man make when he sees her naked skin.

  I licked my lips in anticipation.

  Only to be let down when he pulled down the thong.

  I stepped out of everything as my anticipation skyrocketed.

  And still he said nothing.

  My erratic pulse wasn’t helping things.

  Or the fact that I was standing in heels, naked.

  He gripped my ass again then spread his palms to my hips, sliding them down my thighs in a slow succession that had my knees ready to knock together. I was having problems even standing straight let alone not collapsing against him.

  “All right…” Dom finally said in a low voice. “Did you want sweats or jeans?”

  I stared straight ahead, my eyes narrowed in confusion. “Um, I guess, sweats? Leggings?”

  “Great.” He seemed thrilled to dress me! What the hell? “And, were you thinking a tank top? Maybe a T-shirt?”

  “Sure?”

  “You sound uncertain.”

  “Yes.” I gulped, frowning at the wall in front of me.

  “Mmm and the heels, are we keeping the heels?”

  “No.”

  “Wrong.”

  “What?”

  “I’m sorry Tanit, I really am, but that was a test. You failed, and when you fail tests… there are certain consequences.”

  Was he drunk?

  I tried to turn around.

  He braced me by the arms making it impossible to move. “Ah, another fail…”

  “Wait, what? How much wine have you had?”

  “Half a glass, I was too busy getting drunk on you.” His breath was a whisper against my neck. “Now, I’m going to need you to listen very carefully.”

  I sucked in a breath. “I’m listening.”

  “The heels…” He wrapped an arm around my middle tugging him back against his hard length. “Stay. On.”

  “Got it,” I leaned back against him. “Heels stay on.”

  “And Tanit?”

  “Yeah.” I squeezed my eyes shut relishing the feel of his rock-hard body against me.

  “You aren’t getting dressed… yet.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Dom

  She shivered as I ran my hands down her sides. I dug my fingers into her skin, closed my eyes… exhaled.

  “Nobody will ever make you feel the way I do,” I said through clenched teeth.

  “Nobody,” she whispered, rubbing her ass against me.

  I moved her hair to the other side of her neck and kissed along her bare skin. One kiss, two kisses, all slow, all meant to drive her insane, all meant to enjoy the moment we’d been gifted with.

  I grinned against her soft skin when she let out a moan and reached behind her, trying to wrap her arms around my neck, trying to keep my mouth on the sensitive flesh just below her ear. Goose bumps erupted between my lips as I bit down on her skin and kissed.

  Her lips parted as her head fell back against my chest.

  With a grin, I drew back, causing her arms to fall against her sides. I craved her in a way that was past maddening, and it didn’t help that she was naked and in heels and waiting for me to pounce. There’s something exceptionally arousing about a woman in nothing but her shoes, it’s like the rustle of clothing being removed, the sound of sucking between your lips, the rough exhalations, and the full body shudders that make a man fall to his knees in worship.

  I spread her legs with my hands. Her heels made a clicking sound against the hardwood floor.

  That sound was enough to set me off.

  I decided I liked it.

  A lot.

  “I changed my mind.” I stepped away from her and leaned against the wall, crossing my arms. “Walk.”

  “What?” She started turning around.

  “Stop.” I bit out the word harsher than I meant to. “I want you to walk toward the bed… slowly.”

  She nodded, and then took a step.

  Click.

  I clenched my fists.

  Click.

  The sound of me unzipping my trousers accompanied the next click.

  She stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Decided to join in the nakedness?”

  “I was always going to.” I grinned at her naked backside as my pants hung loose around my hips. “You stopped.”

  She took another step.

  I sucked in a breath when she stopped in front of the bed, and instead of waiting for me to say anything, she very slowly bent over the mattress and arched her back, then looked over her shoulder and winked. “So, can I get dressed now?”

  “That’s not playing fair.”

  “I’m naked and walking around in heels while you watch, do you really want to talk about fair?”

  I loved her confidence, the way she was having a perfectly normal — well, semi-normal — conversation while her ass was in the air just begging to me grabbed. I took a step toward her.

  “Nope.” She turned around sat on the bed and spread her legs. My eyes drank her in, every perfect inch of her. “Well? What are you waiting for Dom? Walk.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “So, it’s like that?”

  “The mafia never plays fair, Dom…” She winked and then leaned back on her elbows. “Walk.”

  With each step I took, I removed another article of clothing, until I stopped just inches from her. “Welcome to the mafia.” I knelt down and hooked her ankles over my shoulders and held her there with my hands. “It’s going to be a long night.”

  “And all our guests?” One eyebrow arched.

  “Can go to Hell.” I smiled. “I’ll be too busy giving you Heaven.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY TWO

  Tanit

  His fingertips blazed a hot trail up my thighs as he dug them into my skin and pulled me closer to him. His breath was hot on my neck as he sucked my skin between his lips. My heart fluttered as he took his time between each kiss. Tears burned my vision as my mind went into dangerous territory, where we didn’t have time, where time was almost taken from us.

  I wanted to savor every second with him.

  I cupped his cheeks causing him to pull back, his eyes searched mine. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” I smiled at his confused and still heated expression. His heavily lidded gaze was focusing in on my mouth like he was in love with the way I formed each word that fell from my lips. “I just… I’m glad we’re skipping dinner.”

  Something crashed in the kitchen.

  Dom sighed. “I thought you’d prefer screaming my name rather than watching them scream at each other.”

  I laughed. “You’re lucky you’re irresistible.”

  “And right.” His head descended as he brushed a kiss across my lips. “Always right.”

  “I’ll give it to you only because I want you right now,” I whispered against his mouth. “Don’t take me slow, Dom. Don’t make me wait for you.”

  “You sure about that?” He exhaled roughly.

  I pressed my palms onto the back of his hands, the hands that were slowly gri
pping my thighs harder and harder like he was restraining himself, trying to be good.

  I was sick of good.

  Sick of waiting.

  Sick of everything being on other people’s time table.

  Exhausted with the idea of rules and everything that came with the mafia.

  Our foreheads touched.

  “I’m sure,” I whispered as I tried to wrap my arms around his neck.

  In one smooth motion, he was pressing my body back against the mattress pinning my arms with both hands, arching over me, the most beautiful man I’d ever seen, every muscle taut, every part of his body ready for attack.

  “Well,” he leaned down and whispered in my ear, his wet lips caressing my sensitive skin. “If you’re sure then…”

  I gasped as he entered me with one fluid movement that had my heart hammering. My pulse pounded with pleasure as he rocked into me swiftly, violently, like there wasn’t any time.

  Like this was all we had.

  This moment.

  He released one hand. I grabbed him behind the neck and pulled him forward, and our mouths crashed together as wave after wave of pleasure built between us.

  As the yelling from the kitchen became the soundtrack to our lovemaking.

  No words.

  Words only made things confusing.

  Words were the things you used when you didn’t know how to communicate.

  We did just fine with our actions.

  We never needed words between us.

  I had no use for something that wasn’t able to convey exactly how I felt when he was inside me, when I was wrapped around him, when he was loving me so ruthlessly, so perfectly.

  “Say you’ll be with me forever.” An explosion of ecstasy broke inside me, maybe even broke me a little bit as I came to the realization that I would not survive this life without him by my side. “Say it. Please.”

  Lie. Just lie.

  Dom shuddered slowing his movements as he pulled me to a sitting position and then pulled me onto his lap. He easily scooted us toward the headboard and then pressed me against it, gripping it with both hands as he deepened each thrust. I had nowhere to go but with him.

  Nowhere to look but at him.

  He clenched his teeth then gripped my chin with one hand while still holding the headboard with the other as a way to anchor our bodies, as a way to go deeper and deeper, to make my body, my soul crash on a beach of endless waves of pleasure as they rolled over me one by one.