Toni rolled the bottoms of her jean legs up and dipped her feet into the cool pool water, anxiously waiting for Brax to unlatch the gate and flash his million-dollar smile. They’d developed a comfortable friendship since he coaxed her out of the confines of her kitchen. Walking into the backyard, he smiled at the pool and shook his head.
Toni kicked a splash of water in his direction. “What are you smiling about?”
“I don’t get it. Every pool I’ve been to today has been really dirty from the storm that ripped through last night, but not yours.” He gestured his hand across the pool. “It’s pristine.”
Toni stood up and looked into the water. “It was pretty filthy when I cleaned it this morning.”
“You cleaned it? Why?” he asked as he kneeled down and dipped his hand in the water.
Toni shrugged. “I vacuum it every morning. It relaxes me and it’s not like I have anything else going on.”
Brax grabbed the skimmer and collected a single leaf that floated in the sparkling pool. “So why does your father keep the service?” he asked, walking into the storage room.
“I don’t know. I guess he doesn’t want to admit his daughter cleans the pool or maybe he thinks I’ll get bored with it. Who knows?” Toni called.
Brax returned with his arms full of equipment. “Come on. You expect me to believe you have nothing better to do than stay home and clean your family pool? Don’t you go out with friends or your boyfriend?”
Toni blushed. “I go out with friends sometimes. I really don’t have that many. I kept to myself at school, and when people hear my name, they stay away from me. It must be what it was like to have the plague,” she said quietly.
“Boyfriends?” he asked while setting up the pool’s vacuum.
“I don’t have one...I’ve never had one.”
“You’ve never had a boyfriend? I don’t believe that. What about in high school? Who did you go to school dances with?”
“I went to a very small private girls’ school and my father would always arrange a boy, usually a son of one of his associates, as my date. Let’s say they weren’t exactly boyfriend material.”
Brax looked at her for a moment. “Shit.”
“What?” she asked defensively.
He backed up. “I didn’t mean it like there was something wrong with you. It’s just that you’re so full of fire and beautiful. You’re almost a prisoner in your own life.” He looked up at the massive house.
“What did you say?”
“That you’re a prisoner. Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“No, before that,” she interrupted.
Brax cocked his eyebrows. “That you’re beautiful? You do look at yourself in the mirror every day, don’t you?”
“No one’s ever said that to me before. My mother was beautiful. Me? I’m average and cursed with the Azzari ass and thunder thighs.”
“I’m serious. Antonietta, you’re drop dead gorgeous. I can’t believe I’m the first person to tell you that.” He looked at her and shook his head.
“I bet you say that to all the girls. Your girlfriend must love hearing it." She glanced down in an attempt to hide the blush in her cheeks.
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Brax said softly and gathered the equipment. He carried it to the pool house while Toni sat at the water’s edge, dangling her feet in the cool water and looking at her reflection on the surface. Beautiful? She’d never thought of herself as beautiful. Not when her father tried to marry her off to a pock-faced overweight older man every chance he had.
“Hey.”
Startled, she looked up at Brax’s smiling face and raised her eyebrows in question.
“Want to get out of here for a little while? I have an extra helmet in my bike.”
She grinned and nodded.
“Go throw some jeans and sneakers on. I’ll meet you out front.”
*****
He revved the engine, wondering if she was going to chicken out at the last minute. His heart leapt when she bounded out of the front door wearing jeans, sneakers and a zip-up hoodie. He’d never seen her look sexier. Not that he’d seen her in anything revealing. She’d never even worn a bathing suit while lounging at the pool when he came to service it. She was always covered up with conservative shorts and T-shirts. But even through the baggy clothing, he could tell she had a rocking body. His gaze lingered along her hips and full breasts longer than he wanted to admit.
Brax handed her the extra helmet and took care to ensure the chinstrap was secure. It was an excuse to get an up close and personal look at her plump, gloss covered mouth. As she nervously gnawed at her bottom lip, he used every ounce of restraint not to run his thumb over her chin, lean down and discover the flavor of her lip-gloss. Taking a deep breath, he mounted his bike and turned the key. The engine purred and he steadied the bike as she swung her leg over the seat. Settling behind him, she tentatively placed her hands on his waist.
Wearing a grin he knew she couldn’t see, he revved the motor again and took off faster than necessary. A happy squeal rang through his ears as she wrapped her arms tightly around his ribcage. Her body melded against his and rubbed along his back. He was sure he wasn’t imagining pebbled nipples brushing his thin T-shirt.
“Where are we going?” she asked as her grip tightened. Her voice took on a husky quality since she was so close to him. He tamped down the thought of her whispering a few choice sexy words in his ear with that voice.
“Away from the Azzari fortress. Don’t worry, I think you’ll be pleased,” he said, turning his head slightly. He wouldn’t allow his eyes or concentration to move off the road, not with his precious cargo riding on the back.
“Oh, I wasn’t worried,” she said. He could just imagine the smile that played off her lips. They rode along Bloomfield Avenue stopping occasionally for a red light.
“Are you having a good time so far?” he asked at one of the lights. Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight when he turned to face her.
“The best.” Toni’s grip tightened around his waist.
Steering into the entrance of Brookdale Park, he pulled into a parking spot and lowered the kickstand. After swinging his leg over the seat, he helped her off the bike.
“I haven’t been here in years,” she said scanning the park.
They walked along the shaded paths of the park, passing women walking with strollers, businessmen on their lunch hour and kids on bicycles. Turning onto a smaller path off the main circle, his hand purposely grazed against hers.
“Would you like to sit down for a few minutes?” he asked.
She nodded and they found a bench under a tree near the path.
His heart beat wildly in his chest. Damn, he was twenty-four years old and never had a problem in the confidence department. Why did she put him so on edge?
Watching a family of ducklings hop into the nearby pond, Toni laughed and shook her head. Inching closer, he slid his fingers lightly over the wisp blocking her face then tugged a lock of her hair. “Hey, look at me,” he said huskily.
Toni turned toward him and the ends of her hair brushed over his arm.
“I’m serious about what I said at your house. You’re smart, funny, beautiful and sexy as hell.” His face heated and he turned away from her but sensed her stare.
“You think I’m sexy?”
“Incredibly,” he said softly.
“Brax, would you kiss me?”
Turning to face her again, he was struck with the honesty and innocence in her stormy blue eyes. Brax swallowed hard and cupped her cheek in his palm. Her glance darted from his eyes to his mouth and her teeth worried her bottom lip. Stroking his thumb over her chin, he applied pressure and pulled her lip free. He brushed his mouth over her swollen lips and smiled at her soft sigh. Lightly sucking her bottom lip between his teeth, he followed his bite with his tongue along her plump skin. Strawberry. His cock stood at attention as he wondered about the taste of the other treasures of Antonietta Azzari. Pa
rting her lips, she whimpered into his mouth as he wrapped the ends of her hair around his palm. Brax pulled away, afraid he'd scare her with the force growing within him.
Opening her eyes, she gazed from his lips to meet his stare. “Now fucking kiss me like I know you really want to,” she said in barely a whisper.
“Fuck.” He palmed the back of her head and pulled her hair guiding her chin upward. Focusing on the hollow valley between her jawbone and neck, he nipped the pulse point at her throat. His teeth captured a pinch of skin and bit lightly. A groan vibrated from her throat when he followed it with a sweep of his tongue. Strands of her glossy hair swept over his forearm along with a soft summer breeze. Gathering her locks in his fist, he wrapped the silky rope of hair around his palm. His cock twitched with her hitched breaths. He guided her head down and touched her forehead to his. Her eyes bore deep into him as she sent him a silent message. With a growl he wasn’t sure came from his throat or hers, his lips were upon hers again, capturing her tongue with his. Sweeping his tongue over her teeth, he acquainted himself with her mouth. It was a place he could never tire of. She moaned softly, leaning into his body. He broke their kiss, not trusting his next move. Visions of carrying her to a remote wooded area of the park and binding her hands so that they rested helplessly just above her luscious ass flooded his thoughts as his hardened thickness strained against his jeans.
Swallowing hard, he hooked his thumb under her chin, lifting her glistening lips to his face. “You undo me,” he said, stealing another kiss. She whispered his name as his teeth grazed along her bottom lip. Her warm breath blanketed his face as his mind raced to a vision of Toni slipping off the bench and kneeling in front of him, her wide, stormy blue eyes waiting for his next command. He pulled away suddenly, leaving them both breathless but fingers raked through the back of his hair silently begging him to continue.
Releasing her hair, he sat back pinching the bridge of his nose. Like a moth to a flame, he couldn’t help looking back to her bruised lips. He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing if he didn’t get moving, he’d regret what would happen next.
“Better?” he joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Toni touched two fingers to her lips and smiled. “Yeah, that was quite an improvement.” She glanced at his hand, which he didn’t even realize encircled her wrist. Shit. He pulled away and stood abruptly.
“We better go,” he said, extending a hand which she accepted.
Brax draped his arm around her shoulder during their walk back to the parking lot. Being together with Toni seemed as natural as breathing. He was even more aware of her body pressed into his on the way back to her house. He fought a low groan in his throat when her hand slipped under his T-shirt and explored his bare stomach.
Brax pulled into her driveway and stopped at the walkway to her front door. He helped her take the helmet off and pulled her into his arms. She fit perfectly into him, like they were made for each other. Hooking his thumb under her chin, he guided her mouth to his and swept his lips across hers. He continued across her cheek and captured her earlobe between his teeth.
“I can never get sick of kissing you,” he whispered.
“Then don’t stop,” she whispered back. He pictured the sexy smile he knew decorated her face.
Reluctantly, he pulled away purposely placing her at an arm’s length. He was very much under the spell of Antonietta Azzari.
Chapter Five
North Caldwell, New Jersey - three years earlier
“Seriously, Maria. Pasta and sausage, again?” Toni looked disdainfully from the large bowl of steaming pasta and meat to her housekeeper.
“Mr. Tony requested it, again,” Maria said, scurrying back to the oven.
Toni caught the delicious aroma of garlic mixed with butter.
“Shit, garlic bread too? Dammit dad, you’re going to have a heart attack before you’re sixty.” She patted his head as she passed by to sit across from him at the kitchen table.
“Watch your mouth, Toni. Ladies don’t speak that way. Just eat. Haven’t I mentioned the curse of the Azzari ass? There’s no use fighting it, it’s in your genes. So eat,” Tony Azzari said between bites. He was ‘Dad’ to Toni but everyone else knew him as ‘The Chief’. Ripping a chunk of garlic bread off the steamy loaf Maria placed before him, he offered a piece to Toni who held her palm out in a ‘stop’ position. Shaking her head, she scooped a large helping of salad from the bowl on the table.
“I don’t know what you’re worried about, Ton. The trick is to marry a man with a larger ass than yours. Angelo, for example.”
“Ew.” She wrinkled her nose. “First, I will not marry a man who goes by ‘The Chin’ and second, I’d like to think I have higher standards than assessing the size of the man’s ass I’m going to marry. You know I don’t want this life. I want to go away to continue my education and get my master’s degree. Somewhere far from here where the name Azzari doesn’t mean anything. You promised we’d talk about it after I finished my undergrad commuting from home. Well, I’m finished and I want to talk about it.” She stabbed at her salad and glared at her father.
Tony looked lovingly at his daughter. “Your mother was just a year older than you when we were married, God rest her soul.” The Chief pointed at the painting above the side table. Toni followed his glance to the picture even though she knew the image by heart. It was of her parents on their wedding day. Giovannetta Azzari was everything Toni was not. Blonde, petite and stunning. Toni couldn’t help but curse the potent Azzari genes because the only trait she received from her mother was her height. At 5’3”, she wasn’t exactly short but would never be confused for tall, even with the six-inch heels she hid from her father when she occasionally snuck out clubbing with her girlfriends.
“I know, Dad. But I’m not ready to be married. There’s too much I want to do before settling down and having babies.”
The Chief rolled his eyes. “I’d hoped you would’ve changed your mind, Ton. You were born into this family. It’s a part of you. I wish you’d stop trying to deny who you are and think seriously about your future.” He placed his fork on his unfinished plate. “I heard you went for a little joy ride with the pool boy today,” he said quietly, with his eyebrows raised.
Toni cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “His name is Brax Malone and he’s a graduate student making some cash cleaning pools during the summer.”
“I don’t like you on the back of some random man’s Harley. You’re naive, Ton. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“I like Brax and I’m old enough to take care of myself.”
Tony snorted. “Malone. Nice Italian name,” he mocked.
Toni finished her salad and stood. With a glance back at the picture, she walked around the table and stopped behind her father’s chair. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she gave him a quick hug.
“Always the King of Sarcasm, aren’t you? I just want a normal life, Dad.” She wanted to continue and to not end up like her, but she didn’t have the heart to say it. “Brax makes me feel normal.”
“I just want you to be happy and safe. We’ll talk about school soon. I have a lot of business going on now but when everything calms down, we’ll visit those colleges you mentioned. Your safety is my first concern, you know that don’t you? If anything happens to you, Toni, I don’t know what I’d do.” There were tears in her father’s eyes and she knew it wasn’t the right time to push.
Doorbell chimes echoed through the cavernous first floor of the Azzari mansion and she hugged her father again. Toni recognized two of the three men entering the kitchen as her father’s employees. She cringed at the third, Angelo “The Chin” Manzanno. His eyes lit up like he’d entered the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet when he spotted Toni. Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, he mopped his brow. He couldn’t even walk from his car to her kitchen without breaking a sweat. Gross. Eight years and about two hundred pounds separated Angelo from Toni and she couldn’t stand the sight of hi
m.
“Hello, Toni. You look beautiful tonight,” he said licking his lips. He leaned over to kiss her cheek but she was too quick. Her dinner almost made a reappearance with the thought of kissing him, let alone marrying the pig. Toni maneuvered quickly to ensure his sweaty lips didn’t touch her face and ended up kissing the air. “Good night, Dad. I’m turning in early.”
The Chief looked from Angelo to Toni with disappointment in his eyes. “Good night, my girl.” My Girl. It’s what he used to call her mother. Toni smiled and climbed the stairs to her room.
Chapter Six
New York City - Present Day
Knocking lightly at the door, Toni peeked inside as Mia looked up from her desk. The dark haired woman’s face brightened as she stood.
“Toni! What a surprise, come in.” Mia gracefully strode to the door and hugged Toni. “What are you doing in the city?”
“I came to talk,” Toni said tentatively.
“Sweetheart, you could’ve called me. I always have time for you.”
Mia guided Toni to a sofa in the cozy seating area of her office.
Toni shook her head. “I couldn’t risk it. Since my father died, Angelo thinks he’s my keeper. I think he’s having his men follow me. Wouldn’t doubt it if he’s monitoring my phone calls, too. I don’t have much time until my window of opportunity is closed. He wants to move up the wedding,” Toni said, taking a seat. Her hands trembled in her lap.
Mia sat next to her and held the younger woman’s hands. “You don’t have to marry that man, Toni. We can help you. Asher has many friends and resources in the city.”
“I don’t have a choice. It’s my place in the family; I have to go through with it. Angelo’s taken over, and the marriage of Tony Azzari’s daughter will seal his rank. If I refuse or go into hiding, he'll find me and then he'll kill me.”
Mia took a deep breath and looked at Toni with tears in her eyes. “You’re so young. I can’t imagine being forced into a life I didn’t want.”
The Submission of a Mafia Princess Page 3
