by K. A. Ware
…
I was glad to have Mia back and out of her vegetative state, even if she seemed a little harder than before. We were in a good place before Gina’s death and I wanted to get back there. Not just for the sex, although I did miss it, I just missed her more. We were in this sort of limbo. I just hoped we would find our way back to each other sooner rather than later.
Chapter 30
Mia
I hung back after Carlo dismissed the men and Enzo took Al to get his hand fixed up. I knew he would want to talk to me after the scene I had caused. I also knew by the smug look he had on his face while we were hashing out the details about the transport that he wasn’t mad at me. In fact, he actually looked impressed.
I hadn’t planned on making a statement quite that bold but Al’s condescension and chauvinistic attitude had grated on my nerves for years. I knew that if I was ever going to get any respect from Carlo and his men I needed to put a stop to that kind of behavior. I had been training with Angelo nearly every day for the past three years, I was just as strong as any of these men and smarter than most. My physical training along with my psychology degree gave me an edge on reading people and put me in a pretty good position to handle this life.
I hadn’t consciously planned to position myself in such a way, but I think some part way back in the recesses of my mind knew that I would end up here. I just never imagined it would be because my best friend was murdered. I had a plan. I was going to take down the men that hurt Gina and I was going to do it alone, but I needed to set it up. I needed resources and contacts, and the only way to get those was to get right in the middle of it with Carlo.
Carlo waited until Angelo left his office and closed the door before he spoke, “Well, you sure know how to make an impression don’t you?”
“He was pissing me off. He has been a dick since I first showed up here. I’m not a child anymore. He needed to learn his place,” I stated as I sat in the club chair across from where he sat behind his desk.
“I agree, he was disrespectful, and I would have handled it if you hadn’t. I’m glad I didn’t have to.”
I quirked an eyebrow at that comment. I was only half surprised that he was okay with me taking control like that. Carlo had never treated me as less than, he always acted as if I belonged there beside him. Still, walking into a meeting and situating myself smack dab in the middle was a bold move. Luckily for me, Carlo seemed to like it.
“I want him gone,” I said.
“Gone how?” he asked carefully.
“Not like that, just not here anymore. It’s for his own safety really. I swear to God if he says one more condescending, disrespectful thing to me, I’m liable to shoot him in the fucking face.”
Carlo nodded, considering it, “Done,” he said with finality, “So you want to tell me what that was all about? Not that I don’t appreciate the fresh ideas but you’ve never shown much interest in being involved in this side of the business so I have to wonder, why now?”
This was it. If I played this right, I would gain his trust and the opportunity to take down the men that killed Gina. But if I went too far, I could lose Carlo.
“I can’t have a normal life Carlo, we both know that. I love the work I do on the legitimate side. I’m good at it but after Gina, I want in on it all. No more surprises. I don’t want to be caught off guard like that ever again and the only way that happens is if I’m in the thick of it and know what is going on,” I paused looking down at my hands before meeting his eyes again and continuing. “Shit Carlo, after the things I have seen, the things I have done. This is where I need to be and what I need to be doing. Hell, I couldn’t even make it through college without killing somebody!”
It wasn’t until the words left my mouth that I realized the truth in them. I wasn’t playing Carlo like I’d thought, I was being honest. I really did want this life. I wanted it for me and I wanted it for us, for our future.
At that he chuckled a bit and sobered, “You did what you had to, Mia.” After a slight pause he asked, “Is this really what you want?”
“Yes, I can do this Carlo. I want to.”
“Fine, but I have conditions.”
“Of course you do,” I said, standing up and rounding the desk. Carlo had to scoot back in his chair to make room for me as I wedged myself between his splayed legs and the desk, hopping up to sit directly in front of him. “And you will undoubtedly get what you want, you always do.”
He quirked an eyebrow at my words, “Is that so? I wasn’t aware that I always get what I want when it comes to you.”
I let out a throaty laugh, hooking my foot under the seat of his chair and rolling it closer to me. “Bullshit, I may fight you at every step, but you always get your way eventually.”
“Then why fight it? If you know that you won’t win?”
“It’s just not in my nature to give it to you easily. You wouldn’t appreciate it if you didn’t have to work for it.”
“Have you made it your mission to keep me humble?” He seemed to sense that I needed this banter and was more than willing to play along.
“Something like that, so tell me what your conditions are,” I said softly, lifting my feet to rest on the seat of his chair on either side of his thighs. My black pencil skirt had ridden up with the movement and he now had a direct view of my pussy.
“First,” he said firmly, eyes never leaving mine. Here I was practically serving myself up for him after weeks of grief induced celibacy and he wasn’t giving an inch. I knew from the bulge in his pants that he wasn’t unaffected, just too damn stubborn to let me distract him. “You will listen.”
“Okay?” It came out as a question because I was confused with the direction he was taking this conversation.
“I mean it Mia, you will listen to me. As long as you promise not to go off half-cocked then I have no realistic reservations about bringing you into the fold. It actually makes my life a lot easier if you know what is going on all the time.”
“What do you mean, realistic reservations?”
“I mean just that, my reservations are because I want to shelter you from all of this, when in actuality you are more than capable of handling this part of my life. Doesn’t change the fact that I want to tuck you away and protect you from anything that could possibly bring you harm, but that’s not realistic.”
“I’m glad you see it that way,” I said trying to keep my hackles from rising at the mention of being protected. “Anything else?”
“You can help me plan, make decisions and learn about what I do but you will not be anywhere near the action.” I opened my mouth to protest but he cut me off, “No, this is absolutely non-negotiable.”
“I’ve been training with Angelo for years! I’m just as good as any of your men, just as deadly.”
“That may be so but you are so much more valuable to me, it’s not going to happen. You have been trained for the absolute worst possible situation. However, that does not mean I’m going to be callous with your life and purposefully put you in danger.”
I glared at him. His argument was solid. I would sound like a petulant child if I protested now. “Fine,” I said, moving to get down from my perch on the desk.
Carlo grabbed my hips before I could get far and pulled me into his lap so I was straddling him, my skirt riding up even further, exposing a good portion of my thighs. An opportunity that Carlo didn’t waste as he skated his palms up and down my legs before bringing them back to my waist. “Not so fast, you think you can sit there throwing attitude with your bare cunt right in front of my face and just walk away?” he asked, grinding his hips into mine.
My heartrate picked up and my breath caught at his harsh words. Heat spread through my body. It had been weeks since he’d spoken to me in that tone, commanding and laced with lust. I couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped my lips as he rolled his hips again. I laced my fingers into his hair and sank further into him and captured his lips with mine. It was a hungry kiss. I tried to
pour all of my lust, anger, and gratitude into this one kiss. My hormones were going crazy after so long without feeling him like this. I was pissed that he was still holding me back and trying to protect me, but mostly I was thankful that he cared enough to give me what I wanted and allow me to be a part of this.
He stood up, still holding me and placed me firmly on the desk. “Jesus, I’ve missed this, you,” he said breaking our contact. “I was worried…” he trailed off. Fumbling with his belt momentarily, his hands shaking with need. When he finally got it unclasped and his pants unbuttoned he roughly shoved them down, allowing his erection to spring free.
“You were worried?” I questioned, my brain finally catching up to his words.
“I didn’t know if you would,” he sighed, exasperated. “I just didn’t know, I don’t like not knowing what’s going to happen.” I had seen him excited before, I’d seen him angry, and horny but never like this. He was undone, he was, upset. Had he really been worried that I wouldn’t want him again?
I trailed my palms up his chest and around his neck, linking my hands and pulling him closer. “Baby,” I soothed, “I just needed some time to get my head straight. I wasn’t going anywhere, I’m not going anywhere.” This vulnerable side to him made my chest constrict. Seeing how even the thought of losing me affected him to the point where he was visibly shaken made me feel both guilty and pleased all at once. I didn’t want him to worry but I was positively glowing at the knowledge that his feelings for me were so profound.
“Don’t ever pull away from me like that again, I don’t think I could take it. I thought I was going to go crazy. I didn’t know what to do, I hate not knowing what to do. You confound me, I’ve never felt like this before,” he sighed heavily and took a minute to compose himself before looking into my eyes again. “It’s completely new territory for me and I don’t know how to navigate it. I feel like I’m always just one step away from fucking everything up.”
“You’re not the only one new to this. It’s you and me, just talk to me, we’ll figure it out. And if we fuck it up, we’ll fix it together, yeah?”
He nodded, “Of course.”
“I missed you too, you know,” I whispered against his neck between kisses as I made my way up to his ear, “the way you touch me, the way you make me moan and scream.” I could feel his pulse quicken against my lips and his hands snaked around me to firmly grab my ass.
“What else?” he asked harshly.
“I missed the way you tease me, the way you bite and pull at my skin.”
He groaned and trailed his hands down my legs and back up again bringing the hem of my skirt up. I lifted my hips allowing him to bunch the fabric around my waist. “Don’t stop,” he said, his voice like gravel now as he caressed my thighs.
“I missed the way you worship my body, the way you make my skin break out in goosebumps right before you make me come. But most of all, I missed the way you fuck me.” I whispered the last part directly in his ear before taking his earlobe into my mouth and sucking.
Carlo growled, yanking me forward so my ass was just barely on the desk forcing me to wrap my legs around him or risk falling. He pushed into me so quickly a startled cry tore from my lungs at the intrusion. It had only been a few weeks but he still stretched my tight walls. The pain quickly subsided to pleasure when he started to move. I tilted my hips, giving him better access in our current position. Every time he slammed home he ground himself against my clit for a moment before pulling back and doing it all over again. I could feel my whole body flush as my heartbeat kicked up a notch, and beads of sweat pebbled my skin.
“Yes,” I moaned, tossing my head back as I started to feel my orgasm build. I could faintly hear Carlo’s ragged breaths as all my other senses faded away while my whole world and all of my attention focused on that one spot between my legs.
Carlo reached between us and pressed down on that little bundle of nerves with his thumb as his thrusts became erratic. “Come for me, let me feel you squeeze my cock as you fall apart,” he growled into my ear.
I was panting now, so hard I thought I might pass out, but with another firm press of his thumb I burst apart, my mouth contorted in a silent scream.
Chapter 31
Carlo
“As I’m sure you’re aware, my illegal business dealings are as diverse as my legal ones,” I said as I sat down behind the desk I had just fucked Mia on the day before. “Antonio is my right hand, he handles most of the logistics on that side of things and most of my men report to him.”
“Wait, what? I thought Angelo was your right hand man,” she asked, obviously confused. She had only met Antonio a few times so it was no surprise that she didn’t know what role he held in my operation.
“Angelo oversees security, both here and wherever else I go.”
“But he was with me for years in Chicago. If he’s the head of your security team, why was he sent to babysit me?”
I laughed, “Don’t you remember? You asked for him specifically. Besides, he was the only one I trusted with you at the time. Enzo too but I needed him here more than I needed Angelo.”
“Okay, so what does Enzo do?”
“Enzo is ex-military. After his stint in the Marines he went into private security. He has a specific skill set, mainly extracting information and finding people that don’t want to be found. Also, his military background makes him an excellent fit for managing my enforcers. He reports directly to Antonio.”
“So he’s kind of like middle management? Antonio is the president and you’re the CEO?”
“Yes, something like that.”
“What about Sal, Jimmy, and Al?” she asked.
“All enforcers, along with others, they’re the muscle. They’ve all been around since my father was still alive.”
“So what sorts of illegal business do you have?”
“Drugs, guns, and gambling mostly. I also have a moderately sized loan shark business that coincides with the gambling. Extortion sometimes, usually to gangs and other smaller organizations that want to sell their product in my territory. There is the occasional blackmail of a political figure or judge; used as a means to an end, but for the most part that’s it.”
“So you don’t shakedown shopkeepers for protection?”
“You’re still watching too many movies, Mia.” I laughed again, “This isn’t the old days where organized crime was able to operate in plain sight. The goal is to make money without the knowledge of the general public. And who the hell says shopkeeper anymore?”
“Sorry, okay? I can’t help it if The Godfather is my only frame of reference here.”
“It’s fine, do you have any questions?”
“Just one, umm,” she cleared her throat. I could see something working behind her eyes. It concerned me that it seemed she didn’t want to know the answer to the question she was about to ask. “What about women?”
My eyebrows pulled together in a frown, “What do you mean? The women that work for me?”
Taking a deep breath she quickly asked, “I mean, human trafficking, I know there’s a lot of money in it. I just want to know if that is something you’re involved in.”
Ice ran in my veins, was she fucking serious?
“No.” I said my voice loud and vicious, “There are a lot of things I am involved in Mia, but that is not one of them. I earn my money by providing goods and services that people want and need, not by taking away someone’s free will.”
Did she actually think me capable of that? Of kidnapping an innocent girl and selling her off to the highest bidder like fucking cattle?
“Mia, what the fuck? Who do you think I am?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking. Of course you wouldn’t be involved in something like that, it’s just that it’s a big business, I had to ask,” she looked sheepishly up at me, willing me to forgive her.
“People buy my drugs and guns because they want to. I’m merely the supplier. I can reason away any slight
guilt I might feel at what they do with the products I sell, but what little conscious I have left would not allow me to reason selling someone’s mother, daughter, or sister like a piece of meat,” I stood up and towered over my desk, glaring down at her.
My blood was simmering just under the surface of my skin. I could feel the white hot rage traveling through my body. “I’ve killed, maimed, and stolen but that is not something I would ever do. Am I understood?”
“Jesus, yes, Carlo. I fucking get it okay? I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Offend me? You basically just accused me of being worse than a fucking rapist!”
“I didn’t accuse you of anything, I asked a question, and I said I was sorry. That doesn’t give you the right to talk to me like this.” She was standing now too, glaring at me. Her voice never raised, instead it was quiet and strong.
I paced over to the window, letting my breaths calm. I was upset and letting my emotions take over. I had never been like this before. I never cared about other people’s opinions of me, I never cared about other people.
You care about her, you care what she thinks.
Mia was fucking with my head, but I was too obsessed with her to let her go. I was changing. My relationship with her was causing me to feel and do things that I, under no circumstances, would have done before. I just had to figure out a balance before she turned me into someone that couldn’t handle this life.
Chapter 32
Mia
“I’m going to have to make a trip out to Chicago to talk to Mouse,” I said softly, kissing Carlo’s shoulder. He was awake. He always woke up before me, even in the middle of the night. Every time I woke up from a nightmare he was there, waiting to take me in his arms and soothe my nerves. Even though the nightmares were fewer and far between in recent months it was as if his body never got the memo.
