by Penelope Sky
Carmen turned to me next and examined me. “Babe, are you okay?”
The pain was strong, but nothing was broken. “I’ve lived through worse. I’ll be fine.” I straightened, ignoring the pain in my skull and standing tall like the man I was.
“I’m so sorry,” Carmen whispered as she cupped my face, her eyes filled with pain.
“Don’t apologize, Beautiful.” I kissed her forehead. “I’m fine.”
“You kept your promise to me…”
I kept my promise to her more than she realized. “I don’t break my promises.”
Griffin turned back to me, still angry any time he looked at me. He wasn’t going to apologize and I wouldn’t expect him to, but there was a look in his eyes, an expression that wasn’t clear. “You love her?”
“You think I would have called off my men if I didn’t?” We both knew I had enough power to do whatever I pleased. If Carmen were just my prisoner, I would go ahead and kill him to make my life easier. If I didn’t give a damn, I would have killed her father and uncle too. “You think I would be having lunch with Carmen and your wife if I weren’t trying to…” I didn’t finish the sentence, not wanting to sound like a pussy. “You can do whatever the hell you want to me, Griffin. I promised Carmen I would never hurt any of you. So if you beat me to within an inch of my life, I still won’t fight back. I’ll kill a man with my bare hands, but I’ll also sacrifice my life if that’s what Carmen wants. You must not love her as much as I do because you can’t keep your shit together.”
Griffin didn’t react to my words, his eyes turning to Carmen. “And you love him?”
Carmen nodded. “Yes.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, like he was disappointed with the news. “Alright. Then I’ll behave from now on—as long as you do as I ask. We have a deal?”
I nodded. “Fine.” I was a little annoyed that I’d just proved I would never hurt any of them, but that still wasn’t enough for Griffin. If I’d wanted to hurt his wife that much, I would have let my men shoot him so he would be out of the way. He also knew I was an honest man, and that was something he already respected about me.
Griffin turned to Vanessa. “Baby, let’s go.”
Judging by the way she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him, that wasn’t happening. “No. You’re leaving. You’re going back to wherever the hell you came from. And maybe tonight when I get off work…I might come home.”
Carmen placed the ice against the back of my head to help the swelling go down.
“Beautiful, I told you I’m fine.”
“Well, I’m looking at the back of your head, and it’s not fine.” She sat behind me against the couch, her legs spread around me. She pressed the towel against the back of my head for long stretches of time before she pulled away to let my skin warm up again. “A lot of swelling. Maybe you should see a doctor.”
Doctors were for pussies. “I’m fine.” I would say it as many times as I had to.
She kept cycling the bag against my head before she pulled it away, giving my skull a chance to thaw out once more. “God, I’m so sorry… I didn’t even know Griffin was there until you were against the wall.”
“Don’t apologize for his actions.” I was the one who’d wanted to have lunch with Vanessa. If I was really that worried about Griffin, I could have avoided it. It was entirely my fault. I didn’t have any regrets since I’d made some progress with Carmen. Listening to her confess her love for me to Griffin made it all worth it. “He did what he had to do. Let it go.”
“He did not have to throw you against a wall.”
“Beautiful.” I silenced her with her name. “That’s how men communicate. Don’t worry about it.”
“But you were powerless to do anything about it.”
“That’s what you asked for, right?” I said quietly. Her father and uncle came into my casino and made demands no one else could pull off. Anyone else would have been thrown into the ring for that kind of disrespect. Because of their halo of safety Carmen provided for them, they could have done anything they wanted and gotten away with it. “Maybe Griffin will take me more seriously now.”
“I don’t know…he’s stubborn. I am disappointed in him for being so callous. When he first came around, I defended him to everyone. I treated him like a human being even though everyone said he was dangerous. I ignored his past and focused on his present. I wish he would do the same for me…”
“In his defense, you aren’t being fair. His wife being there was the problem. And men can’t see straight when it comes to their women.”
“He still went overboard. I don’t even know how he figured out you were there.”
“If he’s anything like me, he keeps tabs on Vanessa.” I would do the same thing, whether Carmen was pregnant or not. I reached behind me and grabbed the bag of ice out of her hands. “Stop being my nurse.”
“I like taking care of you.” She wrapped her arms around my waist and kissed my shoulders, her soft lips grazing over the hot skin. “I feel so terrible, babe. It breaks my heart seeing you get hurt.”
It broke my heart too. “I’m not hurt.” I moved away from her embrace and turned around, showing her I was fine with my steady gaze. I was man enough to handle anything Griffin did to me. After a few days, the migraine would disappear, and I would be as good as new. It wasn’t in my nature to show any kind of weakness. Even in the final weeks of my mother’s life, she never showed the pain she was enduring. She continued to wear a smile and treasure her final moments with us. She was a badass and didn’t let the cancer defeat her, even at the very end.
I could handle a fucking migraine.
She tilted her head as she looked at me, the disappointment in her gaze. “You’re the kind of man that refuses to show your suffering, huh?”
“I’m not suffering.”
She smiled. “There’s my answer. My father is the same way. Drives my mother crazy.”
Because that was how men should be.
“I feel responsible for this, so I feel terrible…” She rubbed my thigh. “I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better.”
“Well, there’s always something you can do…”
The corner of her mouth rose in a smile. “Is that all you ever think about?”
“Yes.” I blurted out my answer without thinking twice about it. “Always.”
“Alright.” She guided my back against the couch then straddled my hips. “What can I do to make it up to you?” She pushed down the front of my sweatpants so my hardening cock would appear.
She had nothing to make up for because it wasn’t her fault, but I wouldn’t tell her that. “So many things I would like…” My fingers wrapped around her neck, feeling her soft pulse under my touch. It was quickly accelerating, either because she was scared or a little bit nervous. I brushed my thumb along her bottom lip as I stared at it, noticing the plumpness while feeling the softness. My eyes moved to her tits next, studying them in the sweater she still wore. I could see the outline of her curves, the swell of her perfect rack. Now that my mind was on sex, my migraine was forgotten.
“Have you decided?” She wrapped her fingers around my hard dick and swiped her thumb over the head, catching the drop that had formed at the tip. The stickiness stretched between her thumb and her finger.
I watched her hand get messy from the arousal that poured out of my dick, and I preferred to see that stickiness stretch from her tongue to my tip. “A five-star blow job and a tit-fuck.” I would get to sit back and watch her please me, cashing in on the reward that I’d earned that afternoon.
She pulled her sweater over her head and unclasped her bra, revealing her perfect tits. “Your wish is my command.”
I inhaled a deep breath through my clenched teeth, loving that line coming out of her pretty mouth.
5
Vanessa
I was pissed at Griffin for many reasons.
I didn’t even know where to begin.
&nbs
p; In the past eighteen months, there had been a lot of growth. He wasn’t the barbaric animal who barked out orders anymore. He was laid-back, calm, and civil. But all that went out the window, and he treated me like some kind of slave.
He’ll deal with me later?
Uh, I don’t think so.
I took a cab to my gallery then entered our apartment above the shop. We hadn’t been there much since we moved out to Tuscany. All the furniture was still there because the place was furnished when Griffin bought it. I decided to stay there for the night since the idea of sleeping beside my husband didn’t sound appealing.
That was a first.
He didn’t call me or try to track me down.
That could only mean he knew exactly where I was. He probably never let me out of his sight once I stormed out.
There were some old protein bars in the cabinet so I knew I would be able to hold out until morning, even when the baby was so hungry. But I could also order pizza if he really became rambunctious.
I spent the rest of the day there and deep into the night.
Griffin still didn’t call me.
I sat on the couch and stared at the front door, suspecting he was right outside. Maybe he was sitting in his truck at the curb the way he used to at my old apartment in Milan. As if I could feel his presence through the solid wall, I knew he was outside somewhere. He would never go home and leave me here.
I moved to the front door and looked out the peephole, suspecting I’d see his truck at the curb. But there was nothing to see.
The apartment was warm because a fire was burning, and the heater brought warmth to the living room, but I kept my sweater on because I was focused on keeping my son warm all the time. I opened the door, not sure what I expected to find.
Sitting outside in the middle of the freezing cold was Griffin. He was on the top step that led to the apartment, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and jeans. Vapor escaped his nostrils, but he didn’t shake despite the cold. He was immune to it, thriving in it just as he did the night we met. He didn’t turn around to look at me.
I leaned against the doorway. “Griffin.”
He brought his hands together and slowly rubbed his palms across one another. “I’m not gonna leave, so save it.” His deep voice was menacing, warning me he didn’t want to have an argument about this. He wasn’t going to leave me alone no matter how much I fought it, so I might as well save my energy as well as my time. “Be angry all you want. I won’t abandon my duty. I’ll sit out here all night because it’s where I belong—protecting you.” Like a watchdog, he stared out to the street where a single streetlamp stood. It was the only light visible between the two buildings.
My anger hadn’t diminished, but I wasn’t a psychopath who would leave my husband sitting outside when the temperatures were close to freezing. “Come in.” I left the door open and walked back inside. There was an extra blanket in the basket so I tossed it on the couch. I grabbed an extra pillow from the bedroom and returned to the living room to set it down.
Griffin stood in front of the fire, staring at the couch like he had no idea what it was. He looked at it for nearly a full minute before he lifted his gaze to look at me. “No.”
“Yes.” I turned around and headed down the hallway. “Good night.”
His heavy footsteps followed me instantly.
I turned around. “I’m serious.” I looked up into his handsome face, immune to his charm because I was still livid with him.
“I’m not sleeping on the couch.”
“You bet your ass, you are.” I gave him a glare full of warning before I stepped inside the bedroom.
He followed me anyway.
“Griffin!”
He stripped off his shirt then moved to his jeans, ignoring me.
“Fine. Then I’ll sleep on the couch.” I turned around to march off.
He grabbed me by both arms and yanked me into his chest, restraining me so I couldn’t go anywhere. “You married me. You promised yourself to me for the rest of your life. So for better or worse, we’re sleeping in the same fucking bed. Be pissed at me all you want. It’s not gonna change anything.”
“There you go again.” I twisted out of his grasp. “Bossing me around like you own me.”
His eyes narrowed. “I do own you.”
My hand was shaking because I wanted to slap him.
“And you own me.” He grabbed both of my wrists, probably because he knew I was about to strike him. “I need to be there for anything, baby. I need to take care of you and our son. I’m sleeping right beside you so I can wait on you hand and foot. Get over it.” He released me and walked back to the bed.
“And that’s it?” I asked incredulously. “You aren’t even going to apologize?”
He dropped the rest of his clothes, stripping down to his nakedness even though we wouldn’t be having sex tonight. He pulled back the sheets and got into bed. “I don’t apologize unless I mean it. So, no, don’t expect one.”
I actually growled under my breath because I was so pissed off. “Fuck you, Griffin.” I marched back down the hallway into the living room. I expected my husband to apologize to me for crossing the line and telling me to shut up. I expected some kind of remorse and a vow never to repeat those mistakes. But he was still behaving like an asshole, and it was the first time I genuinely didn’t want to be around him.
His footsteps sounded a moment later. “Get your ass in there.”
“Shut up,” I hissed. “Just leave me alone, Griffin. I’m serious.” I grabbed the pillow and blanket so I could get comfortable near the fire.
He stood there with his arms tensing by his sides, his soft but enormous dick hanging between his legs. His eyes were wide with rage, and it seemed like he wanted to grab me by both arms and throw me around.
“I’ve never been so disappointed in you.” I lay down and pulled the blanket to my shoulder before I stared at the fire. I didn’t want to look at him right then. I wanted nothing to do with him.
He continued to stand there like he didn’t know what else to do. Then he moved to the other couch and got as comfortable as possible, his feet hanging over the edge because he was too big for the piece of furniture. “Go to bed. I’ll stay here.” He brought the conversation to a close by turning silent.
I couldn’t believe that this was really happening, that Griffin really didn’t think he owed me an apology. I left my stuff behind and walked into the bedroom, making sure to slam the door as hard as I could just so he would hear the echo.
I got into bed, but I couldn’t sleep, either because I was too pissed off or because my husband wasn’t beside me.
Maybe it was both.
Griffin was sitting on the couch when I woke up the next morning. He’d just finished his coffee, and he was on his phone, wearing the clothes he was wearing yesterday. He didn’t look up to greet me, ignoring me the way I ignored him.
I grabbed my purse off the table along with my phone and headed to the door.
“Vanessa.” Griffin’s deep voice made me stop in my tracks.
I slowly turned around, looking him in the eye while mirroring his same look of fury. “Griffin.”
He rose to his feet and placed his phone in his pocket. “You put yourself in danger, and that’s unacceptable.”
“Put myself in danger?” I asked incredulously, having no idea what he was talking about.
“Don’t play stupid,” he hissed.
“I had no idea he was going to be there until he walked in the door. It’s not like I planned it—”
“But you didn’t call me. You should have fucking called me.” He slammed his hand into his chest hard, turning barbaric. “It’s my job to protect you, and we both know I take my job fucking seriously. And that’s my son in there.” He placed his hand against my stomach, being delicate despite the way he’d just slammed his hand into his body. “How dare you bring him around the biggest crime lord in the damn country? That’s unforgivable, Vanessa.”
“You really think Carmen would bring him around if he was ever going to hurt me?”
“Well, she’s an idiot for getting involved with him in the first place.”
“Am I an idiot for getting involved with you?” I countered.
That shut him up.
“You’re overreacting. Bosco was nothing but polite, friendly, and kind. He didn’t exhibit any of the traits you’ve credited him with. And when you were going ape-shit crazy on him, he didn’t fight back. He called off his dogs. He’s proven he’s not a threat to us, Griffin. So how dare you get so angry with me?”
“Because.” He ground his jaw tightly. “You had no idea what his plan was. You should have called me.” He slammed his hand into his chest like an animal once more. “You are my wife and my responsibility. We have a son, and we can’t take any chances. You have no idea what I went through when you were taken from me. And if that happened again…but with my son inside you…” He shook his head as his nostrils flared, like he couldn’t say any more. “You should have called me. So when you apologize for that, I’ll consider apologizing to you.”
I’d never seen Griffin behave so arrogantly. I knew he was still pissed off so he couldn’t see clearly, but it was still ridiculous. “You’re overreacting. If Bosco wanted to hurt any of us, he would have done it already. He loves Carmen, and I can see it written all over his face without him saying it. Maybe he’s not Prince Charming, but neither were you. And maybe that’s not what Carmen wants. I understand you’re paranoid because of the things that have happened in the past, but you need to let that go.”
“Let that go?” he asked coldly. His hands shook by his sides like he wanted to slam both of them into his chest and break himself in half. “You were the most important thing to me, and my life wasn’t worth living without you. But now that I feel my son kick, hear his heartbeat…I’ve come to realize that I love him more than I will ever love you. It fucking hurts, Vanessa. I love him so much it kills me. So I can’t think straight when it comes to him. If there’s any chance of something happening to him, I can’t risk it. We’re in this together, and you should have talked to me. Don’t pretend the thought didn’t cross your mind when you saw him walk in that restaurant. Don’t fucking lie to me.”
