“I’m fine, I’m fine.” She waves away my concern with her dainty hand.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m supposed to be meeting up with Adrianna. But you know how that goes. She forgot she had a girl thing with the Beauties. And she forgot to tell me until I was already on this side of town. I got her text as I was passing by this place so I stopped in to kill some time until she gets home.” A hiccup rises from her throat, sending her into another fit of giggles.
“You’re here at the club, by yourself?”
“Yep.” She teeters on her stool, turning toward the bartender and saying, “Can I have another champagne, Chet?”
“You gotcha.” He gives her a wink and goes to the wine fridge.
I lean over the bar. “The lady has had enough for tonight.”
He goes to give me lip, but when he sees my face, he knows who I am. He gives a curt nod. “Yes, sir.” He returns the champagne to the fridge. He suddenly finds himself very busy at the other end of the bar.
I feel a tiny swat on my shoulder. “Hey. That’s not nice. I wanted that drink. I’m chatting up Chet. He’s funny. And very generous with the pours.”
“You ever thought of why that might be?”
She hiccups. “Because he’s nice.”
“Maybe. But sometimes men see women on their own at the club and overserve them to take advantage of them. Did you ever think of that?”
“Oh, pish tosh! That only happens in films.”
She may be book smart, but she’s got a thing or two to learn about street smarts. I don’t want to fight with her—I still can’t believe she’s here—so I change the subject. “You still spending most of your time in the library?”
“Three years solid, never saw the light of day, but I got my PhD. I’m a doctor now. Call me Dr. Hannah.” She giggles.
“Good for you. You working?”
“Not yet. That’s why I’m here.” Her laugh dissolves. Her eyes lock on mine, a sadness behind them. “I’m saying goodbye to Adrianna. I-I’ve found a job in LA and... I’m leaving New York. For good.”
My heart drops. Even though there was no direct communication between us, I took solace in the face that she was living in the same state. I hadn’t heard she was moving and California feels like a world away. The words are out before I think them through. “Don’t go.”
“What?”
“Stay... at the Village awhile. You left so quickly last time you barely had time to get to know everyone...” I try to cover my tracks.
But we both know what I meant.
Stay with me.
There’s a shining in her eyes. A softness covers her face. Her response comes out in whispered words. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.” I manage to hold back the rest—you have no idea how much.
I want to kiss her. I want to hold her. Cuddle her and whisper sweet nothings to her.
The other half of me burns with anger. I long to punish her for leaving without so much as a goodbye.
I want to take her over my knee and spank her ass for being in a bar alone.
Feel my palm sting from slapping that smooth round bottom. Turn her skin from creamy milk to a ripe red cherry. See her feet kick in protest. Feel her fight and wiggle over my lap, my cock hardened beneath her. Wrap my arm tighter around her waist. Pin her into place. Punish her till she’s saying sorry, till she’s promising to be my very good girl. Then kiss the tears from her cheeks and press my cock into that sweet wet pussy. Feel it tighten around my shaft until I’m about to come. Flip her over the bed and take her in that perfect little ass—
“Nick. Did you hear what I said?” She kicks out a toe and taps me on the shin.
I rub my hand along the back of my neck. “No. Sorry. I was a bit distracted. I can’t believe you’re really here.”
“I know. That’s just what I was saying. I’m not far from you all but it’s taken me so long to come back to visit. That’s crazy, isn’t it? And I was saying you’re right.”
“About?”
She laughs. “You are distracted, aren’t you?”
“It’s your beauty. It has my mind going blank. Now tell me—what was I right about?”
“I should stay. You know—hang out. I’ve booked some free time ahead of my new job to give myself time to adjust to the move. Six weeks, in fact. I could stay a bit longer.”
I’m so lost in her gaze I don’t answer.
An unsure look crosses her face. Her lower lip trembles just a touch as she says, “If you meant it... I mean. If you... wanted me to... to stay. Do you?”
When my reply does surface, it’s quick and firm and in the form of a kiss. My hands cup her face, cradling it delicately. I lean down, my lips pressing against hers. The touch is like lightning, jolting through my body. Awakening the part of me that I tried to put to sleep after she’d left.
Making me desire her even more than before.
* * *
Hannah
After accepting the job offer at Prestigious Labs, I knew I had to make one stop before starting my new life in sunny California: the Village. A week ago, when we were figuring out the best date for me to arrive, Adrianna told me of her night out with the girls and that the bachelors would be at a club called Gotcha’s and so I should come the following day.
I told her I’d meet her at the bus stop bright and shiny. Instead, I googled the address of the club. Got my hair done, my nails done. Duffle in hand, I took a taxi, arriving at Gotcha’s fashionably late at nine-thirty at night. There were no Bachmans in sight. The bartender was kind enough to store my bag behind the bar for me. I ordered one champagne. Then another. Trying to calm my nerves and waste some time. Quarter to eleven, I saw the Brothers coming through the doors.
My pulse began racing. My stomach tied in knots. I scanned the crowd, trying to look casual.
He was nowhere in sight.
My head felt light. My hands shaky. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I’d come all this way and he wasn’t here. I smoothed down my new, sleek bob. Touched up the gloss on my lips. Began flirting with the bartender as he refilled my champagne. Tried to drown my disappointment in the bubbles. Made myself feel better by laughing and joking with Chet.
The next thing I knew, I could sense someone’s gaze heavy on my face.
It was him.
And my heart soared right out of my chest.
He bought my lie that our meeting was a coincidence. Asked me to stay longer. Kissed me.
Now we’re walking down the city street. My bag slung over his shoulder.
Exactly how it was three long years ago. Except this time, my hand rests in his. Electricity dances between us.
He seems to be changed since then. The take-charge air I remember about him is sharper. Tougher. I think I’d have a harder time slipping away from him this time. I can sense there would be repercussions.
Punishment.
The thought has my pussy clenching and pulsing in my lace panties. Panties I’ve specifically chosen for this evening.
Just in case.
I sneak a glance at him from the corner of my eye. His cheekbones seem more pronounced. “Everything alright?”
He looks at me and smiles. “Yes.” But when he turns his eyes back to the street his jaw tightens.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“I’m just wondering. What happened to you that night?”
I slow my pace. Turn to face him. My stomach ties in knots. I’ve dreaded this conversation, knowing it would eventually come up. Nicholas is not the kind of man to sweep something beneath the rug. I let my hand fall from his. “Dunno.”
“Don’t do that, Hannah.” His eyes flash with impatience.
“What do you want me to say?” I ask.
“The truth. I want you to tell me the truth about why you left in the middle of the night. Ignored my calls, my texts. And then you show up three years later? Just happened to be in the club on a stag night?” His
dark brow raises and the look he gives me makes me feel naughty inside.
I shrug. “I’m just visiting my friend.”
He drops my bag on the sidewalk. His large hands go to his trim waist. “Alright, if you won’t be honest, I will.”
In his gaze I read disappointment, anger. I hold my breath, wait for him to speak.
He says, “When I saw you tonight, it hit me—how much I’ve missed you.”
“Same,” I whisper.
“But seeing you brought back the memory of your leaving. And I don’t want to play your games.” His eyes search mine. Waiting.
I take a deep breath. It’s time to come clean. “I left because I wasn’t comfortable with the way you made me feel.”
His brow wrinkles together. “How so?”
“I didn’t like the fact that I liked... it.” Flames rise in my cheeks, my face burning. “It confused me.”
He takes a step closer to me. Closing the small distance between us. He leans down, his lips dangerously close to mine. “Liked what?”
“What you did... to my body.”
His lips are brushing my ear. His hands find their way to my bottom, grabbing and squeezing. “You mean when I tell you what to do? When I spank your ass?” A sharp smack lands on my bottom.
And I’m right back where I was three years ago. His hold on me has never been loosened by time or distance. I wish I’d never left.
The truth is, I’m not here for Adrianna.
I’m here for Nick.
My gaze locks on his. I tell him the truth. “Nick, I’m here because I’ve never stopped thinking about you. Not since that night. And I wanted to see you one more time before I go.”
There’s a flash of disappointment in his eyes. “This visit is a proper goodbye?”
“Yes.”
His gaze travels over my head for a moment. When it returns to my face, the emotion is gone. He gives me a wicked grin. “A naughty little girl who wants one more taste of discipline before she heads out west?”
Shyness creeps up into my chest but I’ve come too far to hold back. “I guess... yes. I do have a naughty little girl inside of me. And I love the way you boss me and grab my hair and...”
“You love it when I take you over my knee?”
I thought it wasn’t possible for my face to burn any hotter. But it is. “Yes.”
“And spank your perfect little bottom?” His fingertips are creeping beneath my dress.
“Well, I don’t know about little...”
He grabs my ass and gives it a squeeze. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect.” And his lips are on mine.
I’m lost in our kiss, his touches. My breast are heavy, aching for him. My pussy is wet and ready for his attention. He pulls away. His hands leave my ass and move to my shoulders, resting heavily. His eyes bore into mine, demanding my attention. “Make one promise to me, Hannah.”
“What?”
“You’ll never leave like that again. Not without saying goodbye.”
I’m touched by the pain in his eyes, how much my disappearing into the night affected him. The words come straight from my heart as I answer him. “I won’t. I promise.”
“Good girl.”
“You know I am.”
“Sometimes. But break a promise to me and you’ll not sit down for a week. Understood?”
“Yes.”
His eyes shine with happiness and then he’s kissing me again. Despite the pleasure that’s running through my body, there’s one nagging question that won’t let me fully enjoy our reunion. I’ve made him a promise. Now I want to know his truth. I pull away asking the burning question that’s been on my mind all these years. “Nick. What exactly is your job?”
When he smiles, his dimples flash and he’s innocent as a cherub. His lips part and he shrugs as if I already know the answer to my question. “I’m a mafia leader.”
And the world goes black.
Chapter Five
Hannah
I wake to Adrianna leaning over me, fanning my face. “Oh, thank God, Hannah! I was just about to call the doctor over.”
My head feels cloudy, my words slurred as I say, “You guys have your own resident doctor?”
“Of course.” She looks at me as if everyone has their own physician on call.
I shut my eyes. Try to shake the clouds from my mind. “What happened? And where did you come from?”
“You fainted. Luckily Nicholas was there to catch you. We came walking up from the play just as he was carrying you into his house. I told him to bring you to mine. I knew you’d be more comfortable here.”
“How long have I been out?”
“Ten, maybe fifteen minutes. It was quite a surprise to not see you all this time and when I finally do, have you unconscious. What the heck were you doing here, anyway? I was supposed to meet your bus in the morning.”
“Change of plans.” I look around the room but it’s just the two of us. I’m not sure whether I feel relief or disappointment that Nicholas is nowhere in sight. “Where did he go?”
“I asked him to leave. So you could rest. He wanted to stay but Dante took Nick back to his place. He’ll be back tomorrow after he checks in at work.”
“Work?” Then I remember. I sit up straight as an arrow. “Mafia? Really, Adrianna? What on Earth?”
Her nose crinkles as she asks, “Is that what did you in?”
“Of course it is! It was quite a load to take in. My best friend—sweet little bookworm—married the second lead mobster of the New York mafia! I’ve seen the shows, the movies. I know what these meatheads get up to. Bullying and thieving and such—”
She lays a hand on my thigh. “Calm down. It’s not like that at all, Hannah. I promise. This group isn’t what you see on TV. The Bachman Brotherhood is not the New York mafia. They’re like... the gentlemen of mobsters.”
My hands go to the sides of my head as I shake it. “I just cannot wrap my head around it. And you of all people... you’re the last I’d expect to get wrapped up in the likes of this.”
Her perfectly tanned shoulders raise casually. “Why not? Rockland brought almost all my cousins in with him. I didn’t want to be left out.”
“But they’re criminals, Adrianna. You see that, right?”
“Criminals in whose eyes? I see them as heroes. Robbing from the rich of the rich. The one percent who got where they are by screwing over all the little people. Taking the wealth back and redistributing it to the elderly, single moms, widows, the poor. How is that criminal?”
“Even if you respect what they’re doing, they’re breaking the law.”
“Maybe. But they don’t get caught. And they’re helping people. They have their own codes. Their own laws that they live by. You’re speaking of them as if they’re unorganized thugs, vandalizing the place. I assure you they’re anything but.”
My head suddenly throbs. I lie back down on the pillow, holding a hand up to stop her from talking. “Agree to disagree.”
“Fine. But this conversation is not over.”
“Fine.”
Adrianna gives me a long look. “I’ll leave you to rest. It’s late. You can sleep up here tonight and I’ll take the couch. Dante will stay with Nicholas. In the morning, we’ll go to breakfast. Okay?”
“Sounds fine.”
She brushes a kiss on my cheek and leaves the room.
Throwing my arm over my eyes, I let out a low groan. I’ve waited all this time, finally gotten up the courage to tell Nicholas how I feel—to come back here for one more rendezvous before I move—only to find I’m chasing after a mobster.
In the morning I feel slightly better after a night of sleep. Adrianna dresses me up in a darling fluttering green dress of hers. Blow dries my hair out smooth for me. Compliments my new look. Dabs makeup on my face and feeds me mimosas with freshly squeezed orange juice.
She’s trying to make up for running away and marrying into a mafia and not telling me. Well, we’ve all got our secrets. It’s jus
t a matter of time before they’re revealed.
Arm in arm we stroll out of the Village. She takes me to brunch at a pretty little bistro and we dine on the patio. She orders more champagne. Our waiter is cute and he flirts with me. I let him—what’s the harm after what Nicholas told me last night? I’ve no interest in getting involved. When our server playfully asks for my number, Adrianna’s face turns to stone. She says to him, “She’s a guest of the Bachman family.”
His face blanches. He excuses himself from the table. When they bring the check, it’s a female wait staff delivering it.
I ask, “What was that all about?”
She won’t meet my gaze, pretending to busy herself with paying the bill. “Nothing. It was nothing.”
“What—your thug husband won’t like it if I give my number out around you?”
When her eyes meet mine, there’s a fire there I’ve not seen before. “Don’t you dare call Dante a thug.”
Her anger surprises me. It’s upsetting and I just want things to go back to the way they were between us. When we were both poor kids back in Italy, drawing in the dirt. “I’m sorry. I just... this is all a bit much for me. You know?”
“I get it. But seriously, Hannah, get off your high horse for a minute. It’s not as if you’ve not supported your father breaking the law.”
I know exactly what she’s referring to, and she’s right. My father was no stranger to bending rules. I knew how important his work was to him. Work that he often went against regulations to pursue. But I always supported him, knowing he was doing what he believed to be right. I confided in Adrianna and she backed me up, telling me my father was helping people.
To this day, I still treasure her support. She eased my guilt. But the mention of my father makes anger grow in my heart. The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, laced with venom. “You shouldn’t speak ill of the dead.”
Her mouth gapes. Her eyes widen. “What?”
“My father passed away.”
Surrender: A Mafia Billionaire Romance Page 7
