My insides twisted. “Why?”
“Because it’s not just the email. You lied about my dad. You were dishonest about everything. I feel stupid for believing in you. Marrying you was a huge mistake. I'm taking the kids for a few days.”
“You want to rip out my heart, too? I can’t live without them.”
And that included her.
“Go to hell.”
She choked, her words laced with so much bitterness that my skin tingled. She trembled, her hands balled into fists. Carmela was furious, and that gave me hope.
She cared.
So I confessed the last thing I was hiding.
“Carmela, I love you.”
The color drained from her face. She seized a suitcase, turned it on its side, and packed it with stacks of clothing. Suddenly, she couldn’t leave fast enough.
“I love you.”
“Stay away.”
I hadn’t moved a muscle. “Why?”
“Because you’re scaring me. You don’t love me, Michael.”
“I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”
“That’s called infatuation.”
She was wrong.
I loved her.
The realization didn’t come in a Hallmark-worthy moment with confetti and fireworks. It was a slow burn. Her picture was a screensaver on my fucking phone before I admitted it to myself. She was on my mind all the time, and I’d started to think crazy things.
“It’s love.”
“No, Michael. You love what I’ve done for you.”
“Why can’t it be both?”
“I’m saying it’s not.” She paced the walk-in closet, her teeth clenched so hard they ground together. “That’s the problem with men like you.”
“Why are you such in a hurry to dismiss my feelings?”
“The last man almost loved me to death.”
“Carmela, I’m not him.” I watched her freeze when I took her hand. “I love you. What do I have to do to prove it?"
"I-I don’t know."
"Don’t I show you that I care? Haven’t I been there? I’ve given you everything you’ve asked for. What else do you need? Tell me, and it’s yours."
“This is too intense.” Patches of heat burned high on her cheeks. "I need a break from you.”
But I didn't want a break. I wanted her in my arms, on the bed, the sofa, in my office, anywhere and everywhere. “You’ve lit a fire inside me. How am I supposed to put it out?”
“Figure it out.”
“I already have. I love you.”
“Shut up.” Tears squeezed from her eyes as she shook her head. “You don’t love me!”
“Yes, I do. Because if I didn’t? I would’ve killed your dad when he threatened to come after my children.”
“He wouldn’t do that!”
“He said it, Carmela.” I rubbed my neck, remembering Ignacio’s parting shots after our wedding. “I was all set to let him go, but then he ran his fucking mouth.”
“What did you do with my parents?”
“I spared them. For you. I went against instinct and common sense because I love you.”
“Where are they?”
“Italy. They’re fine.” I sighed as she trembled. “I kept it from you because I was worried you’d hate me.”
“I do. I fucking hate you!”
Her indifference would’ve stung, but the rage got my blood flowing.
“Baby—”
Her hand whirled, crashing into my ear. My skin flared with the brutal slap, and Carmela uttered a horrified gasp, backing into the closet.
This was sick.
I shouldn’t.
I grasped her wrist as she swung again, yanking her into my chest. I leaned forward, my nose touching hers. I swallowed her whispered fuck you, and claimed her mouth.
She shuddered as my lips stroked hers. She gasped, and I deepened the kiss. My tongue chased her honeyed flavor as I kissed her harder—
Her fist crashed into my jaw.
I staggered back, stunned by the unexpected pain, and then I snatched her wrist. I pinned her against the wall, my heart hammering.
No violence.
“Apologize.”
“No.”
“Apologize, or I’ll punish you.”
“I’m sorry that your upbringing was so fucked up that you turned into a sadistic human being.” Her passion broke as she dissolved into tears. “I’m sorry I trusted you. I’m sorry I thought we could raise a child. I’m sorry I ever laid eyes on you.”
I grabbed the collar from the shelf and wrapped her neck. I latched it on before she’d tugged it off, and then I hissed in her ear.
“I’m not sorry for any of it.”
The darkness burst forth. Everything I’d built to stave off my worst impulses crumbled. All that I’d locked away rushed toward Carmela.
I dragged her to the mattress. There was nothing loving about how I shoved her onto the bed. I climbed over her. Greed had consumed me. She tangled her fingers in my hair. She didn’t pull or push. She watched me with a seething fury that was so fucking hot.
She tipped her head, taunting me with a half-open pout. Her skin baked with the heat of contempt. “I hate you.”
“Show me. Use your mouth, not your words.”
Carmela seized my jaw and smashed her lips into mine. I peeled off my jacket, and then the shirt. My belt slapped my slacks as I ripped it off. Carmela tore my body as every barrier disappeared. My naked chest molded into her tits as we made out with frenzied, biting kisses. Blood seeped onto my tongue, the metallic tang swimming with her sweet vanilla, a taste I’d corrupted.
She raked me. Her nails dug into my ass like tiny puncture wounds of hate. I welcomed the pain. She could batter me, scratch me bloody, or scream. It didn’t matter.
I’d always love her.
Especially her tits. I licked them as she moaned. I swirled her nipple. Her grip softened. I kissed between her breasts, under her ribs, where her heartbeat slammed, and down her belly. I thrust her thighs apart, fingers gliding along her seam. I toyed with her as she lay still, fists digging into the sheets.
“Oh, now you want me?”
“Shut up.”
Her insolence shot a red-hot wave down my spine. She deserved to have my handprint permanently etched on her butt, so I flipped her and fisted her hair. I pulled the strands, forcing her to arch. Then I cracked my palm on her ass.
She twisted around, her cheeks blazing. “The fuck are you doing?”
“Disciplining my wife.”
Carmela wrenched free. I seized her wrists and pinned them above her back dimples. She wriggled, immobilized by my weight. “Get off!”
“What did I say the night after our wedding?" I smacked her ass, relishing her pink flush. “Tell me the rule you broke.”
“No violence!”
“You'll be so raw, you won’t be able to sit for hours.”
Carmela shuddered with each blow, her mouth twitching when I pinched and stroked the burn. She groaned. It didn’t take long for her olive skin to blush. I glided up and down her thick curves. Carmela’s gasp melted into a sigh.
“You’ll have a nice reminder for a few days,” I hissed into her ear. “Every time you see my hand, remember what happens when you disobey me.”
Carmela’s expression was dazed as I flipped her over and settled between her thighs. I dragged my cock down her clit, slipping into her wetness. I shoved her legs onto my shoulders and lowered myself. I pushed inside her, hard. Her breathing hitched as I anchored.
“Fuck you.”
“I am. I’m fucking the hate right out of you.” I pulled out and stabbed deep, and she gasped. “Hate me. Fight me. It doesn’t matter. I’ll always love you.”
Her growl deepened into a rich groan. “I hate you.”
And yet she kept pulling me closer, whimpering, chasing me with her soft lips. She hated me, but she couldn’t get enough of me. She curled with me on the couch, in bed, everywhere. Her influence had enriched my chi
ldren's lives. She did so many things to make me love her.
So I did.
How was that a surprise?
Catching her throat, I squeezed while her heart hammered. My mouth crashed into hers. I pounded her hard, my thrusts shoving her backward. She glided up my arms, attacking me with kisses. She bit my shoulder. Her tongue wetted the sting.
I held her hips and rammed into her. Then my cock twitched, and a yell burst from me. My limbs shook. Euphoria tangled my body, as swift as alcohol rushing through veins. I kissed the tears skating her cheek as I pulsed back and forth.
Carmela was getting close. She rocked, meeting my thrusts. Her brows pinched as she clung to me. She dug her nails into me, her teeth clenched. She made a frustrated sound and grabbed my neck.
I gave her a Prince Charming kiss. Carmela met my gentle strokes with a furious passion. She clawed my ribs, convulsing around my cock. Spasms rippled over her face, like shockwaves of pleasure.
“I love you.”
Her eyes still glazed with hurt. “Stop saying that.”
“I’ll keep repeating it until it sinks into your thick head.”
Carmela ripped from my side. She dropped from the bed, snagged a robe, and tossed me a fearful glance before dashing outside. Her bare feet slapped the wood as she disappeared into another room. A lock slid into place.
I didn’t chase her. It would take a while to regain her trust.
I wanted her to have everything.
But it had to be with me.
Twenty-Four
Carmela
I love you.
Every time the warmth from those words washed over me, my throat closed. I froze. My body seized with panic. Michael went ahead with life as though nothing had changed, but for me everything was different.
I love you.
This was my worst nightmare.
Nick’s love had almost destroyed me. What would Michael’s do?
Somehow, I’d forgotten that Michael’s wrought-iron fencing wasn’t a white-picket utopia. It had felt like a home. I’d started to appreciate his leather chairs and steel-gray sofas. The walls weren’t so lifeless after I’d plastered the kids’ paintings everywhere. My colorful throws had brightened the place, and once I’d switched out the pieces I’d hated with softer, more feminine furniture, I’d become comfortable.
I didn’t see him much for the next few days. Alessio’s return had consequences. There were city hall officials to court, gangsters to control, and an unruly public to soothe. Alessio’s PR machine needed time to work.
I spent hours hanging out with my parents, who’d returned from Italy. Having everybody home was nice, but the undercurrent of tension kept me from relaxing. I’d told Dad and Alessio about Crash’s return to my life. They were upset, especially my father. Dad broke down in tears. Alessio slammed his fist into the wall, shattering a picture frame.
I felt nothing but a vague annoyance. It was hard enough processing what’d happened without having to deal with other people’s feelings, so I wandered the house until I heard them arguing with escalating voices.
Alessio stood with his back against the bookshelf, his black eyes pinched shut. “I didn’t think Vinn would go after my family. I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
Dad shook his graying head. “You fucked up, kid.”
“I know.” Alessio sank into a chair, rubbing his face. “Mia and I wanted out.”
“That’s a pipe dream. You don’t have a father-figure anymore because he got locked up, so I’ll give you advice. Get your shit together. You have a family.”
“I was trying to make her happy—”
“My daughter’s a young girl. But you? You knew better, you fucking moron.”
I gaped at Dad.
Alessio glowered. “You’re right.”
There was no resentment behind his words, only resignation.
Dad made a derisive sound and stomped from the room. The walls trembled from a distant door slamming. Alessio stared at the floor, which left me in the awkward position of comforting my ex.
We had hated each other, but he’d come a long way from the angry gangster who used to be my fiancé. His love and devotion to my sister had changed my perception.
“It’ll be okay.” I squeezed his shoulder. “Mia will move on. She’s not an idiot. She knows you can’t just quit.”
“She’s a dreamer,” he said, the roughness tamed from his voice. “Telling someone to give up on happily-ever-after is tough. There'll always be a crisis.”
“She doesn’t have to abandon all hope. Once she settles in, she’ll realize that raising a child surrounded by family is better than doing it alone in Florida.”
“Yeah, if it weren’t for the constant violence.” He shook his head, as though dislodging the memories. “Never mind. I’m back. If you could do me a favor and visit Mia I’d—shit.”
“What?”
Alessio stalked to the window, glowering at the Audi rolling to the curb. “Michael.”
A ripple of anger ran through me. “He shouldn't be here.”
“You expected him to listen?”
“See you later.”
Alessio grunted as he watched the street.
I trudged out of the house, not bothering to look for my dad. He was probably drinking heavily, and Mom was busy in the kitchen, cooking a feast for people who seemed unlikely to coexist.
Michael strolled the driveway, his hooded gaze softening when it landed on me. He balled me against his cashmere chest. Then he spotted Alessio, and he dug into my shoulders. He cupped my face and kissed me. It was a hard and possessive, the bruising pressure filling me with heat. His hand sailed down my spine until it rode my ass.
He acted so much like Nick.
It scared me.
“You’re supposed to stay away from my parents.’”
“I can’t get enough of you.” Michael looped his grip around my waist as we headed toward his car. He kept glancing at Alessio, and then he flipped him off.
“Michael, stop.”
“I’m kidding.” Michael’s smile faltered as he opened the passenger’s side door. “I can’t help but feel a little jealous. The man was engaged to you.”
“He didn't care about me.”
Michael made a doubtful sound.
“We were the worst couple. We hated each other.” I settled into the leather cushion, shuddering at the idea of having Alessio for a husband. “He’s okay, but I wouldn’t want to live with him.”
Michael sank into the driver’s seat, fingering the key fob. “It’s none of my business, but—”
“No, I didn’t sleep with him.”
“That wasn’t what I was asking. What was your reaction when he married your sister?”
“Worry. I thought he was abusive.” The irony of that never ceased to dig into my ribs. “I never wanted him. He’s not my cup of tea.”
“What is?”
The romcoms I’d binged led me to believe my dream guy was someone kind, funny, and romantic. What had I gone for? Psychotic. Damaged. Obsessive.
Michael started the car, smiling. He squeezed my thigh as we drove from the curb. “Well, you’re my type.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t. I would tell you more often if you didn’t scowl at me, but you’re a beautiful woman. Alessio has eyes. He must’ve regretted letting you go.”
“Michael, he didn’t like me. Once he found me with Nick, he took off—” I stopped talking, but the damage was done.
“What?” Michael tapped the brakes and whipped his head around. “He found you?”
Oh shit.
“What do you mean, he found you?”
“Nothing.” I waved my hand, my heart hammering. “Forget about it.”
Michael pulled over on a suburban street, giving me his undivided attention. “I want to hear this.”
“I’d rather not talk about it”
“You will.” His words throbbed with restrained anger. “Right now.”
> The engine quieted as Michael turned the keys. I worried my lip as his stare bored into my skin.
“Today, Carmela.”
“Fine. Alessio found me with Nick, about a month after I ran away.”
He gaped at me. “You’re kidding?”
“No. I begged him to leave, so he did.”
“He found you at a clubhouse. With Crash. You can’t be serious.”
“I told him to go, Michael.”
“I don’t give a fuck. He left you there. Alone.” Michael’s voice almost disappeared. “This makes me sick.”
“Why?”
“He should’ve realized what’d happen to you. He knew better.” Michael's tone soured. “The son of a bitch went after your sister. That motherfucker!”
“Michael, stop. I’ll never tell you anything if this is how you’ll react.”
“Sorry.”
Michael dialed back the aggression and squeezed my hand. He said little during the ride. Once we got home, he flung the keys onto the counter.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” he deadpanned, but his hands balled into fists. “I’m fine.”
Okay.
I strolled into our bedroom, and Michael’s soft footsteps followed. He held a box. “I bought a test since you mentioned you felt under the weather.”
“That was just one day.” My throat tightened. “You want me to take this?”
“You don’t have to, but aren’t you curious?”
Hell yes.
I ripped it open and slipped into the bathroom. Michael caught the door before it shut. He lingered there, a sliver of a man. His expression was pensive as I peed on the stick.
“Well, what’s it say?”
“I don’t know yet.” Electricity jolted my skin as I flushed the toilet and dropped it beside the sink. “I’ve never done this before.”
“Me neither.” Michael shrugged. “Both kids were…happy accidents.”
“Didn’t learn the first time?”
“I like being a dad. I was never against having more.” Michael sat on the tub, flashing me a wicked smile. “And I’m still not.”
“What if it says yes?”
The possibility was real, and now fear mingled with the excitement. There’d be no escaping Michael once I was pregnant. He’d be all over me, more than he was already.
Taken: A Dark Mafia Romance Page 15
