City Of Sin: A Mafia & MC Romance Collection

by K. J. Dahlen

  I walked back down to my room on the first floor, with the moans of Marco and Lina echoing in my head. I climbed into bed with my book. I reached over and picked up my phone. There was already a text from Dante. “Miss you. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I love you.”

  I believed him. I knew he loved me. I texted him back, “I love you. See you tomorrow.”

  As I closed my eyes, I didn’t let my doubts creep back up. I’d see him in the morning and if it still bothered me, I’d ask him. I pictured Dante home in his bed, asleep, not at his club with another woman. My hands went to my stomach. As I fell asleep, I imagined him in my bed, his arms around me like he had done when he was in the basement, but this time, I wouldn’t have to leave.

  12

  Dante

  I’d known her just over a month and she’d changed my life. When we’d been on the dock, I’d gladly have taken the bullet for her. All of that was over now. She’d made it through surgery fine. She was home and had made an impressive recovery.

  Our first date had been an impulse. When I’d seen her parents drive her home after she’d been released from the hospital I realized that she was gone. There was really no reason for me to be with her other than I wanted to be there. They were perfectly capable of taking care of her and protecting her.

  I went home showered and then started pacing my apartment. I was worried about her and we’d only been apart an hour. I texted her, but hadn’t gotten a response. I’d only wanted to check in on her and make sure she was all right. My fear was that something had happened and she was back in the hospital.

  I was glad that I had Marco’s phone number. I texted him asking him how she was doing. He told me that she’d gotten home fine and that he’d gone over to Lina’s. I asked him if he thought it would be all right if I went to visit her. I’d had the idea to take her on a date into her backyard. I knew she shouldn’t go far, but it would give us time together. Marco agreed to call ahead to make sure they knew I was coming.

  While Annalisa had been in the hospital, a lot of things had changed in the business. My father and Franco had met daily. Despite everything, my father said, he trusted Franco more than most of the men who worked for us. He said, despite our feud, Franco had always been a man of his word. If he said he was with us now, he was with us.

  I was counting on that for two reasons. First, it was good for business and my own personal safety. But more importantly, he was the father, the protector of my girl and by proxy, my child.

  I stood on her front porch, picnic basket in hand, with sweaty palms. I’d already slept with her, so what was I nervous about it? The door opened, and I was face to face with her father. Well, that was one thing I was nervous about.

  “So this is really happening?” her father said, standing in the doorway.

  “Yes, Sir, it is.” I’d never been one to back down from a fight, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to back down from the thing I wanted most in the world.

  “This is the part where I’d tell you that if you try anything with Annalisa, I cut off your balls, or if you hurt her, I’ll come after you and they won’t even find the pieces, but since you’ve somehow managed to get my daughter pregnant and shot all before taking her on a first date.”

  He didn’t have to say it. I already felt like shit about both of those things. It wasn’t that I felt like shit about being a father, I just didn’t like how it happened. I had no idea how to respond and luckily, I was saved by Annalisa’s mother.

  “Dante, it’s wonderful to see you again,” she said. “I know that your invitation for a picnic made Annalisa’s day.”

  I loved that it had made Annalisa happy.

  Apparently, it had made Franco a bit happier too. “Ok, I get it, just treat her with the respect she deserves,” he said.

  I nodded. I was about to tell him how I’d treat her like a Queen, but Annalisa walked into the room and I lost all thought.

  Drawn to her, I walked over. “God you look beautiful.” It had been only a few hours, but she’d somehow gotten more beautiful.

  We had a great date and another great date the next night and the next. I spend every afternoon or evening at her house.

  In the mornings before I went over, I’d attend meeting with my father. A few were with Franco. Most were with our men. We were changing how we did business. My father and Franco said it was old school, the way it should have always been.

  It was nice working with Marco and Donnie. They both had great senses of humor. Marco was really smart. I could see working with him when Franco and my dad stepped down, though my sister would still want her hands in the business.

  She’d asked me more than once if I was serious about being with Annalisa. She still believed it had all been an act. I didn’t know how to convince her otherwise. It didn’t seem to matter how many times I explained to her that I wanted to go over to spend time with Annalisa, she thought I was brainwashed. I think she thought it was because Annalisa was having my baby. That was partly true. That did make me want to be with her, but I’d wanted her before I even knew she was pregnant, and I’d want her even if she lost the baby. The test in the hospital had given us a positive result and I wasn’t looking any further than that. It was something my girl wanted, and when faced with the fact that we might lose the baby, I realized how much I’d wanted it too.

  When Annalisa was well enough, I took her on a real date. We went to her family’s restaurant. I went there to make her comfortable and so her father would allow me to take her out. It ended up being a great date and it turned out to be a great business move. People seeing me there, with her, began to realize that our families were merged again. We were more powerful together than either had been individually. I couldn’t imagine what would happen when we announced that we were having a baby together.

  We went to the movies, a concert, and hung out together. I couldn’t seem to get enough of her. One night I nearly caved in and begged her to let me kiss her breasts and dry hump her leg. I swore that would have been enough. I couldn’t though. I didn’t want to push her and there was no way I wanted to hurt her or cause any sort of problem with the baby.

  I left her house as usual that night and headed to the club. It was mine to run. I’d been away from it for nearly three weeks when I’d been kidnapped. I’d spend an additional few nights in the hospital with Annalisa after she’d been shot. The place really missed me. I hadn’t missed it though. I missed the business aspect of it, but I didn’t miss the dancers bitching or the drunk customers.

  When I’d left Annalisa’s house that night, I’d been so wound up. She hadn’t made it any better because just as I pulled up to the club, she sent me a photo of herself in a nightgown. She looked so sexy, I had another boner walking into work.

  I was in my office and Jessie brought me in a drink. I hadn’t had anything to drink since I’d been kidnapped, but it was our usual routine.

  She was wearing a schoolgirl outfit. She sat on my desk and played with her shirt. “You don’t hang out here with us anymore,” she said, her lip pouting out.

  “I have so many other things that I’m doing,” I explained. I opened the ledger and began looking over expenses. I hadn’t even been paying attention to Jessie until I felt her unbuckle my belt. In less than fifteen seconds, she had my cock out. “I can help you relax,” she said, moving her mouth over my cock.

  I’m embarrassed to say that it was such a routine, I didn’t stop it at first. But when she was about to put her mouth on me, I slid my chair back fast causing her to fall forward.

  “What the hell happened?” she asked, clearly confused.

  “I… I don’t feel well,” I lied.

  “This will make you feel better,” she purred.

  I exhaled. “I’m sure it would, I just don’t want to.”

  “Why not?” she asked, reaching for my now soft cock.

  When I pulled away further, she stood and bent over my desk, lifting her skirt. “Wanna do me in the ass?” she aske
d, spreading her ass cheeks apart.

  I wanted to fuck so badly, but it wasn’t her that I wanted. And it wasn’t her ass either. I wanted a pussy. A warm, wet pussy that belonged to my girl. “Jessie, I just need time alone.”

  She tilted her head. “You’ve changed, Dante.” She turned and left. I’m sure she meant it as an insult, but I took it as a compliment.

  It wasn’t the only time I’d been propositioned at the club since my return. I never really thought about how many women I’d fucked. Most I couldn’t even remember. It was something I’d bragged about before. Now it was something I wanted to forget.

  I started entering the club through the back door, wanting to do the books and get out of there. I was home at a respectable hour and up early. I was able to work out, eat better and attend all of my father’s meetings. I had no clue how much I’d missed before when I’d been up until 3 am and had slept until noon.

  I did spend as much time at Annalisa’s as possible. I tried not to wear out my welcome with her family. No matter what I did, her father didn’t seem to like me. Her mother, on the other hand, had warmed up to me. I was thrilled when she’d invited me to Sunday dinner. If you’d have told me a month earlier that I’d be having Sunday dinner at Franco Morelli’s house, I’d have told you that you’d lost your mind.

  Sunday seemed to drag. I had chosen a bottle of wine to bring for dinner, though I knew Annalisa couldn’t drink. I’d actually had very little to drink since I’d found out she was pregnant. It seemed rude to go to dinner and order a drink when she couldn’t.

  I had my head in the cabinet when my mom came into the room. “Making something?” she asked.

  It was rare for me to cook, but I did like to bake on occasion. I usually only baked with my mother. She was an amazing cook and I’d learned a bit from her.

  “I thought I’d make some cannolis,” I said, pulling out the flour, powdered sugar and salt.

  “Great idea,” my mom said, grabbing the cannoli tubes from the pantry. “We can have them for dessert tonight.”

  “Sure,” I said. I knew I’d make a ton. “But I’m not going to be here for dinner. I was uh, I was invited to dinner at Annalisa’s.”

  My mom stopped digging for ingredients and turned to me. “That’s wonderful!” She gave me a big hug. “Bringing the cannolis will be a hit. Frankie loves them.”

  I stopped and looked at my mom. “So you guys were all friends? Like you all hung out?”

  She nodded. “I knew Frankie most of my life.” She looked of lost in thought.

  I wanted to ask her more, but I didn’t want to spoil the mood. I had something else to ask her about anyway. “Mom, how did you know you were ready to get married, to settle down?”

  A look of panic flashed on her face.

  “I’d wait a while, like have a long engagement. I want Annalisa to have the wedding she’s always dreamed of.”

  The look on my mom’s face changed. “Oh, you’re going to propose to Annalisa?”

  I wondered what she’d thought I meant. “Yeah. I know it’s only been a month. I know it’s fast, it’s crazy, but she’s having my baby, but it’s not just that. I know we wouldn’t have to be married. I wouldn’t ever leave her to care for the baby alone. I would always be there financially and emotionally for her and our child. I’m not some deadbeat. And she’s never even hinted to me that we should get married. In fact, she wasn’t even going to tell me about the baby?”

  “She wasn’t?” my mother asked, concern on her face again.

  “Well, she knew before she helped me escape. She said that she was afraid that I wouldn’t go if I knew, and that for sure I wouldn’t take her with me.”

  “And was she right?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe.”

  My mom raised her eyebrows.

  I laughed and sighed. “Yeah, she was right. There would have been no way in hell I’d have left knowing she was pregnant. She was in a lot of danger if I got caught and they found out I did it. Plus, I had no way of knowing how Franco would react. And then, if something went wrong, if she or the baby got hurt, I’d have never been able to forgive myself. The guilt would have eaten me alive.”

  “How do you think she’s doing with it?”

  “The pregnancy? I’m not sure. We don’t talk about it.”

  My mom gave me that look only a mother can give. Well, my mother and my fourth grade teacher. “Not the pregnancy, the guilt.”

  “Why would she feel guilty? I’m the one whose fault it was she got shot. It’s not like she knew it was dangerous. Well, I guess she knew it was dangerous, and she knew she was pregnant. Oh, shit. Mom, do you think she feels guilty?”

  My mother raised and lowered one shoulder. “You could ask her about it.”

  “I don’t want to upset her. It’s not her fault and I’m sure she knows that.”

  My mom kneaded the dough. “Probably. But it’s always best to talk to her about it. If you plan to marry her, you should be able to talk to her about anything.”

  I nodded and went back to making the filling.

  She stopped kneading and wiped her hands on her apron. “And when do you find out about the...baby?”

  “Tomorrow,” I said, trying to keep my voice level.

  My mother looked away.

  “Mom, is there something wrong?”

  She turned to look at me with tears in her eyes. “No. I-I just—I’ve wanted a grandchild so badly. I’m not letting myself hope.”

  I pulled her into a hug and held her for a long time. “I’m scared too. I’m scared that if there’s no baby, she won’t want me.”

  My mom pulled back and looked me in the eyes. Tears were streaming down her face. “Are you two together because of the baby? Dante, promise me you’re not going to marry her because of the baby. That won’t work.”

  I shook my head. “No mom. That’s just it. It’s not because of the baby at all. I was going to run away with her before I knew about the baby. I loved her before I knew there was a baby. And if there is no baby, I still want to be with her. I still want to marry her. I want to make another baby, and another. I want to keep her pregnant for the next ten years. I want so many fucking kids, excuse my language mom, sorry.”

  She smiled.

  “But you know what I mean. I want a life with her, kids with her. I just wanted to know how you know it’s for real.”

  “It’s just something you feel. Something you know.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  She hugged me again. “Dante, I do have one piece of advice. If you’re planning on proposing to her soon, do it before the doctor’s appointment tomorrow. If you want her, baby or not, let her know that. If you propose after the baby, she’ll always wonder if that’s why. If there is no… baby… she might still question the proposal as some sort of sympathy.”

  I nodded. I understood what she meant. I knew Annalisa wanted me even if there was no baby. She’d agreed to run away with me before she knew, but what if things had changed now that we were both safe? I wanted to know without the baby in the equation.

  I decided not to overthink it. I’d make dessert, go enjoy dinner and talk to her about it. My mom said I’d know. I trusted her.

  The two of us finished making the cannolis together. She fried the shells and I made the filling.

  At three o’clock, I stood on the doorstep of the Morelli house with a bottle of wine in one hand and a tray of cannolis in the other.

  I was glad it was Theresa who opened the door. She took the wine and cannolis from me. “I’ll put those in the fridge,” she said. “Annalisa is still upstairs. She’ll be down in a minute. Why don’t you go have a seat in the living room?”

  Marco and Franco were sitting across from each other. Franco was on the couch, Marco on an oversized chair. They two were leaning in having a discussion. I didn’t want to intrude so I stayed back a bit.

  Marco noticed me and sat up. “Hey, Dante. We were talking about the election next month. We’ve got to mak
e sure that Thompson doesn’t get in.”

  Franco indicated the love seat across from them.

  I sat and the discussion continued. We talked about who we already had downtown and how having the right Sheriff would make all the difference in the world.

  I didn’t even notice anyone was coming down the stairs until Marco looked up. “Is she seriously trying to kill me?” he groaned.

  I turned around and saw Lina walk down the stairs. She was wearing the shortest daisy dukes and a tiny white tank top. She had on silver heels and looked every bit the stripper she was. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t judging her. Had I not been with Annalisa, I’d have tried to bang her. I just wasn’t interested in any other girl.

  “We haven’t had sex since yesterday,” Marco grumbled. “I feel like I’m going to explode, then she wears that. You have no idea man.” He chuckled.

  “I have no idea?” I laughed back. “I haven’t had sex since the night I escaped from here.”

  Marco stopped laughing and stared at me.

  Franco was staring too.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You mean to tell me that you haven’t had sex in like two weeks? You?”

  I shrugged. I didn’t want to talk about this in front of Franco, but I couldn’t not answer. “Well, yeah. I mean, she was shot for fuck’s sake. You think I’m gonna bone my girl after she’s been shot?”

  “Yeah, but I mean… what about the other girls?”

  “What other girls?” I asked.

  Marco didn’t have a chance to respond because Lina had walked over to us. She gave Marco a huge kiss and leaned into him.

  “Where’s Annalisa?” Marco asked. “I thought you two were getting ready together.”

  “Who needs to get ready for Sunday dinner?” Franco grumbled. “And she better not come down her looking like that.”

  I could tell he was teasing with Lina, but I also knew that if she came down looking like that, we’d have a problem. I’d have to excuse myself to go jerk off in the bathroom.