by Bella J.
I always knew demons haunted Anderson; I just never knew how strong those demons were. But now, I did.
“You see, Stone. No one is perfect, but some bad guys are worth more free than behind bars.” He turned toward Enzio’s lifeless body, and the priest crouched and shaking. “I’ll take care of this.”
Karina ran toward her dad and jumped into his arms. “I love you, Daddy.”
“And I love you too, bambina.”
My head was still spinning. Anderson has been working for the Valentis all this time? Motherfucker.
“Detective Stone.”
“Yeah.” I shook my head and looked at none other than the big chief himself, Lorenzo.
“Thank you for helping my sons find my daughter.”
“Oh, um…Dante was the one who figured it out.”
Dante came up from behind and slapped me on the shoulder. “Nah, don’t pass the credit, man. If you hadn’t come to warn us in the first place, we wouldn’t have been able to stop this.”
Lorenzo extended his hand, and I took it. “I am in your debt, Detective. If you ever need the debt repaid, you know where to find me.”
I glanced at Karina, who was silently standing next to her dad. The poor woman looked like she had been through hell. All I wanted to do was take her home, wrap my arms around her, and hold her for as long as she would allow me.
“Mr. Valenti,” I started, but Karina stepped up.
“Dad—”
Lorenzo held up his hand. “I know what you want to tell me.” He glanced at Antonio, and I knew the little snitch told Daddy Dearest everything. Not that I was complaining. The man arrived here just in time.
“Karina,” Lorenzo said, “I can’t condone it. You know our rules.”
My heart twisted inside my chest, and it felt like I was about to choke on my own goddamn stomach.
But then Karina did the unexpected. She stepped away from her dad’s side to mine, took my hand, and fixed her gaze on his.
“I’m sorry, Dad, but this time I’m following my heart and not your rules.” She looked up at me, and my heart swelled inside my chest. I felt like a goddamn peacock about to show everyone who had the prettiest fucking tailfeathers.
“I love him, Dad. I love him, and I want to be with him.”
God Almighty, those words almost knocked me the fuck out. I didn’t know whether I was relieved and fucking happy beyond comprehension, or just plain suicidal, but I reached out, pulled her against me, and kissed her like my life depended on it. I didn’t even care that I probably had about six guns pointed at my head at the moment. All I cared about was this woman loved me and had chosen me. Now, what man would not be instantly pussy-whipped by that?
I felt Karina nudging against my chest, silently conveying that if I wanted to live a long life, I should keep my dick under control, since I was surrounded by three trigger-happy mafia men.
Reluctantly, I pulled back and turned toward Lorenzo, tightening my hold around Karina’s waist. “I know this is all real complicated, but I’m not letting your daughter go. There is nothing I won’t do to be with her.”
To be honest, Lorenzo’s hard expression scared the bejesus out of me. Luckily, I still had my balls intact and never took my eyes off him once. Like two male lions, Lorenzo and I had what I would call the stare-off from hell.
Then he glanced at Antonio, who nodded—then he glanced at Dante, who nodded—then at Anderson, who also nodded.
What the fuck were they doing?
“Well, then,” Lorenzo focused his gaze on me, “since you say there’s nothing you won’t do for my daughter, I think we can come to some sort of an arrangement.”
Chapter 24
KARINA
Two months later
I was so nervous. I couldn’t remember ever being this nervous. What if he did this, then regretted it a year from now, or five years from now—or twenty years from now? What if he woke up one morning and realized the price he paid to be with me was too much? My stomach was twisted into a thousand tiny knots, my lungs constricted to a point it was hard to breathe.
For the last few weeks, he kept reassuring me there was nothing to worry about, that this was what he wanted. Apparently, he had a huge change of heart after hearing Anderson’s story about his little niece’s murder and the justice my father had given him. I had to admit, hearing that story also gave me a new perspective over my family’s doings. Sure, they had their questionable operations, but I realized in the end they helped the people who needed it the most.
I glanced at the clock against my dad’s study wall. It had been over an hour, and my nerves were hanging by a damn thread. Even though I begged him to reconsider, told him he didn’t have to do this for me, that I would be with him no matter what, he still wanted to go through with it. Yes, a part of me was flooded with relief when he told me he wanted to do this. It would make my life so much easier. But it was his life I was worried about.
“Princess.”
I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes, letting his voice rush over me. We’d been together for two months, and our connection kept intensifying with every passing day. He stepped up behind me, his chest against my back. I’d never get used to the amazing electricity that always crackled around us whenever we were this close.
I didn’t turn around. “Is it done?”
“It’s done.” He leaned down and placed his cheek against the side of my neck. The warmth of his breath sent shivers throughout my body, all the way to my toes. I didn’t think I would ever get used to feeling this way about him. My body would never tire of all the amazing sensations he so expertly stirred within me whenever he was near.
“I meant it when I said there’s nothing I won’t do for you.”
“That’s how you feel now. What if you change your mind later?” Doubt was my worst enemy.
He swept my hair over my shoulder. “I won’t. I’ll never regret my decision as long as I have you in my life,” he pressed his lips lightly against my ear, “and in my heart,” his lips found the crook of my neck, “and in my bed.”
He gripped my hips and pulled me back against him, letting me feel how much he desired me. My own desire flared between my legs, and my body was electrified. I was sure it would never fade, this flame burning between us. It was too strong, burned too brightly for it to ever sizzle down to anything less than magnificent.
I leaned my head to the side, granting him more access to my skin. “I’ll always be with you, Lorik.”
“And I’ll never regret choosing you, princess.” His tongue lapped over the bare skin of my shoulder. During the last few weeks, the number of sleeveless dresses in my wardrobe had quadrupled, since Lorik insisted it was his favorite kind of dress on me.
His arms circled my waist, and I looked down to his hands. “Did it hurt?”
“I told you, you can’t hurt steel, baby.”
I snickered. “That’s what I love most about you, Lorik—your modesty.”
“And here I thought it was my bubbly personality and giant-sized cock.”
“Oh, yeah, it’s definitely because of your giant-sized cock,” I teased, loving the way his kisses warmed my skin.
Abruptly, he turned me around, and I looked up at him. “Then I will continue to remind you why you love me by giving you my giant-sized cock every goddamn day.”
“And I’ll make sure you never forget to remind me.”
I lifted myself on my toes, my taste buds tingling with the need to taste his mouth. My body was already primed to take him, to let him remind me. With his arms around me, he pulled me against his chest, causing me to clench my thighs for some relief from the ache he so expertly ignited. God, this man knew how to test the limits of my self-control. He knew it was probably the most difficult thing for me to do, to not always act on my desire and need for him. To start humping each other in the store or on your way to see a damn movie could get you arrested. But right here, right now, I was willing to risk it since my body was screaming at
me to give it the release and the ecstasy only Lorik could provide.
“Ahem.”
I froze and glanced over Lorik’s shoulder. “Antonio.”
Lorik dropped his hold around my waist, and I took a step back.
“Did I interrupt anything?”
“No—”
“Yes,” Lorik sneered. “Antonio, how many times do I have to tell you, you have to work on your timing, bro?”
I cringed when I heard Lorik call Antonio “bro.” Antonio wasn’t as laidback as Dante, and he still needed to wrap his head around everything that had happened, and that Lorik was now a permanent part of my life. My entire family had made a sacrifice by bending one of their own rules, rules that had been passed down from generation to generation. They were willing to accept him as the man I chose to spend the rest of my life with, but they had their own terms and conditions Lorik had to accept if he wanted to be a part of my life.
I tried to convince him that no matter what my family said, if they didn’t accept him, I was willing to give them up for him. My love and my need for him were too strong for me to even attempt to live without it. But he kept saying there was no sacrifice too big for him to have me, to be able to lay claim on me. He didn’t want me to choose between him and my family. He wanted to give me everything he had in his power to give me.
And that was what my family did. They gave him the power to give me the best of both worlds—my family…and him.
Which was why we were here today, to solidify Lorik’s place in our family. His choice had been made, and his choice was me. He had even given up his old life, decided to adapt and embrace everything a life with a mafia princess entailed, and I didn’t think I would ever be able to repay him. The only way I would ever come even remotely close to thanking him was by loving him as intensely as I did now, for as long as we both shall live.
Antonio glanced in my direction. “You’re up.”
I looked at Lorik, nerves replacing the ache I had for him only a few seconds ago.
He noticed. He always noticed. It was like the man had a direct line to every emotion I ever felt.
“Don’t worry, princess. It will be over before you know it.”
There was a time in my life I was certain I’d never do this. To me, doing this meant my freedom, and I wasn’t willing to give up the little freedom I did have. But now, with Lorik by my side, I knew I had all the freedom I needed just by being able to love him and to be loved by him. Nothing in this world would ever make me hesitate when it came to proving my love for him, to make sure nothing ever tore us apart. But I had to admit, thinking about what was about to happen had my insides balled into tight little bundles of nerves. I never did well with needles.
Lorik lifted his arm, and I stared at the plastic wrapping around his hand. The freshly tattooed wolf symbol on his upper hand was only partly visible under the protective wrapping. But it was there, and it was not only the symbol of our family, it now became the symbol of the commitment Lorik and I shared.
He lifted his finger and showed me where it had been pricked. “This hurt more than the tattoo, believe me.”
I shuddered, thinking about the pain, and secretly thanked God I didn’t have to go through the entire initiation process. From what I heard, it was quite intense…and painful.
“I still can’t believe you did this for me,” I whispered, feeling a lump form in the back of my throat.
“It wasn’t that bad. I expected worse from the initiation, actually. The horror stories one hears about mafia initiation ceremonies gave me the cold fucking sweats.” He smiled down at me. “But your dad was gentle.”
I let out a laugh thinking about Lorenzo Valenti being gentle. He wasn’t the gentle type, but somehow, I suspected he was only gentle because of me, because he knew I would have brought down the wrath of hell on all of them like only an Italian woman could if they hurt my man.
My man. It all felt so surreal, us being able to be together.
Lorik quit the force to be with me. Gave up everything he believed in to join my family. It was something I would never be able to fully repay. And my father and brothers being willing to bend the rules they upheld with an iron fist to accept an ex-cop into their circle was the best gift they could ever have given me. Like I said—surreal.
“Karina, are you ready?” Antonio asked, shifting impatiently from one foot to the other. Okay, it was still going to take Antonio a while to get used to all the changes, but I was patient, and luckily, Lorik was too stubborn for it to bother him.
I rubbed my wrist. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
Lorik grabbed me around the waist and lifted me, planting a hard, desperate, passionate kiss against my lips. I melted into him, my heart no longer beating, but racing like crazy. I prayed the fire burning between us never faded, never died. But judging by the way it kept strengthening every time we were together, I doubted it ever would.
He peeled his lips from mine, cupping my cheek and rubbing his thumb softly over my bottom lip.
“Now, get inked, princess, so we can get out of here. I have a very pressing need to do some reminding.”
“That’s enough motivation for me.” I’d probably get twenty tattoos if it meant I could go home and spread my legs for the man I loved with all my heart.
I turned and walked toward Antonio. A life I never thought I wanted was the life I was about to embrace. I was about to accept the wolf, to permanently commit myself to my family, and all the while I had a future with Lorik to look forward to. That alone was worth everything.
Just as I got to the door, I turned back and smiled at Lorik. “I love you.”
His lips curved up at the sides. “I love you too…my mafia princess”
***
LORIK
I watched as Karina left with Antonio. She was nervous. It was written all over her face as she glanced back at me while walking out the door. I knew it bothered her, the decision I made. During the last two months, she kept trying to convince me to reconsider. Not because she didn’t want me to do this, but because she was afraid I would one day regret it. And the truth was, I wouldn’t. I would never regret choosing her, choosing a life with her above my old life. She was my life now, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. She was mine, and that was all that mattered.
Lifting my hand, I stared at the new tattoo on my skin. It hurt like a motherfucker, but I couldn’t tell her that. She was about to get the same symbol tattooed on her wrist, and I didn’t want to make her even more nervous.
The symbol on the top of my hand proved I was a wolf now. I vowed to be loyal to the Valenti family, to uphold their laws and do what was expected of me. And even though Karina was the most important reason for me making this decision, she wasn’t the only reason. After hearing Anderson’s story about how our justice system failed his niece and how Lorenzo gave Anderson and his family the justice they needed to be able to move on, I realized not everything in life was black and white. For years, I’d chased after the Valentis, believing they were the scum of the earth who didn’t give a fuck about any laws but their own. But I was wrong; I knew that now.
My decision to become a part of the Valenti family didn’t mean I was blinded to all the questionable businesses they ran, but it meant my eyes had opened to all the good they had brought to the people of Boston over the years. The Valentis took care of the people who needed it the most, brought justice to those who deserved it. Everything they did, they did for the greater good, and I was willing to live with that—to be a part of it.
I rubbed the finger Lorenzo had pricked earlier. Watching my blood drip on a card bearing the image of St. Francis while Lorenzo said, “This drop of blood symbolizes your birth into our family. We are one until death,” then witnessing him setting that card on fire was real powerful shit.
I’d heard about the mafia initiation, and I always found the notion of it absurd and creepy. But while I stood there watching the card with my blood burn into nothing but ash, solidifying my
place in their family, it gave me a strong sense of belonging. By doing this, I didn’t only vow to be loyal to the Valentis, I also showed the depth of my commitment to Karina—to the daughter of the man who had now become my boss.
Like I said, powerful shit.
I inhaled and dragged my hand through my hair before deciding to pour myself a drink while I waited for my woman to get branded as well. My woman. God, it felt good thinking of her in that way.
I flopped down on the very expensive leather couch and let my mind drift to thoughts of the future. Thoughts of how Karina was now mine, and how I was going to enjoy every goddamn minute of it. For a while, there, her pussy had “forbidden” written all over it, but now because of a symbol marked on my skin and because of my vow to put her and her family first, I had every fucking right to claim that sweet Heaven between her legs every time I wanted—and no one could do shit about it.
“With that look on your face, I shudder to think what the hell is going on in that dirty mind of yours.”
I looked up and spotted Dante standing in the doorway. “Oh, you have no idea how dirty my mind really is.”
“Oh, God, stop.” Dante held his hands up. “If those dirty thoughts have anything to do with my little sister, I’m going to be forced to put a bullet in your spine.”
