Witness: A Dark Mafia Romance (Romano Brothers Book 2)

by Samantha Cade

  I drop my head, catching my breath. Lily strokes my back with her fingertips. This is usually the time I lose in interest in a girl. But now, I curl against her warm body, listening to the beating of her heart. Lily hugs me, twirling my hair. Finally, I feel like I’m where I need to be.

  “How was that?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.

  Lily suddenly looks uncomfortable. “Very good.”

  I smirk at her. “How many times did you come?”

  Lily recoils, then lets out an awkward laugh. I grab her tit, twisting her nipple between my fingers. She whimpers with a mixture of pain and pleasure.

  “I asked you a question,” I say in my gruffest tone.

  Lily’s lips part with a gasp. “Three times. Four, maybe.”

  I release her nipple. She looks almost disappointed. I roll on my back. Lily grabs some tissue from the nightstand. She hands me one, then starts cleaning herself up.

  “I’m starving,” I say. “Let me take you to dinner.”

  Lily gives me a suspicious look. “Is that in your job description? Taking your witnesses on dates?”

  I smack her playfully on the ass. “I’m always looking to go above and beyond.” I squeeze a handful of her soft flesh. “Next time, I’ll do better than three or four.”

  Heat rises in her cheeks, and she looks away quickly.

  “Sorry, but you’re on your own. I have to have dinner with my parents at home tonight.”

  I swing my arms, sitting up with the strength of my core muscles.

  “Sounds great,” I say. “What are we having?”

  Lily shakes her head, confused. “What? No. You can’t-“

  I hop up from the bed and dig through my duffel bag. I find a long-sleeved black T-shirt and pull it on. “See.” I hold out my arms. “It covers all of my tattoos.”

  Lily gets to blinking. “Who will I tell them you are?”

  I stand over her, then bend to kiss her forehead. “Easy. I’m your new boyfriend. Might as well be consistent.”

  Chapter Seven

  ————————

  Lily

  I walk downstairs in a trance. My parents and Mateo in the same room? Talk about world’s colliding. The waistband of my yoga pants rub up against the sticky substance Mateo left on my lower stomach. I can’t believe I just did that. I can’t explain what came over me. It was more than desire, it was a desperate need. And once I gave in, it felt so good.

  “There you are,” Mom says, looking out from the kitchen. “Could you help me with the salad?”

  “Sure,” I say.

  My voice is shaky. I have to keep my cool. Mom hands me a cucumber and a knife. I grasp the phallic vegetable, noticing its thickness. My cheeks burn as I flash back to Mateo’s cock.

  “I’m trying a new recipe,” Mom says, stirring a pot. “It’s chili, but with diced sweet potatoes instead of beans. I got it from a diet website.”

  “Why’d you want to replace the beans?” I ask.

  “Hmm? Oh, sweet potatoes are so healthy.”

  “So are beans,” I say, a little more frustrated than I should be. Mom shrugs, ignoring me. I slice into the cucumber. “Is it okay if I have someone over for dinner?”

  “Sure. Who? Jenna?”

  “No. A guy.”

  “Oh, Tyler,” Mom says.

  I place the knife on the cutting board, and turn around.

  “Not Tyler,” I say.

  Mom furrows her brows, blinking. The doorbell rings. She wipes her hands on her apron, giving me a suspicious look.

  I run to the front hallway. Dad’s already there, standing with the door open, and chatting with someone on the other side. I hear Mateo’s voice, and it sends an unexpected shiver through me. Mom rushes up behind me, straightening her hair. Dad opens the door wider, and Mateo steps in. Mom’s face freezes in a manic smile.

  “Sheila,” Mateo says, walking up to her. “Good to see you again.”

  “Mateo?” Mom says. She glances at me, then back at him, smearing her face with a polite smile. “Good to see you too.”

  I get a little thrill over how uncomfortable Mom looks. She never liked me hanging around him, though she didn’t know the extent of our relationship. I smile, defiantly, then grab Mateo’s hand.

  “I’m glad you could come,” I say, pulling him in for a hug.

  Mom huffs under her breath. But what business is it of hers? I’m an adult, after all.

  Mateo takes it a step further. He kisses my cheek, lingering with his lips against my skin for a little too long. When I pull away from him, I give him a conspiratorial smile.

  “Well,” Mom says, expelling air with the word. “Dinner’s ready.”

  Mateo and I hold hands as we walk to the dinner table. Dad’s ahead of us, characteristically oblivious. He’s probably hoping to finish dinner as soon as possible so he can get back to work. Mom holds her shoulders close to her ears, and is wound up tight. I’m shocked at how calm I’m being. In Mateo’s presence, I feel emboldened, even. I used to fear my mom’s reactions. Now, I realize, they’re none of my concern. Maybe it’s Mateo’s influence on me, or the sex endorphins still buzzing in my head.

  No one says a word as the food is passed around the table. Mom blinks rapidly as she ladles chili into Mateo’s bowl.

  “Lily didn’t tell me she was having a guest,” she says. “I would’ve cooked something less ordinary.”

  “I love chili,” Mateo says, taking the bowl from her. He takes a steaming first bite. I watch his face as he bites into something unexpectedly soft and sweet.

  I giggle behind my hands. “It’s sweet potato.”

  Mateo recovers his smile. “Sweet potato?” He takes another heaping bite. “And you said this was ordinary, Sheila.”

  Mom smiles, but her lips are tight over her teeth.

  “I’d rather have the beans,” Dad says, mostly to himself.

  Mom, not so discreetly, kicks Dad under the table. He gives her a confused look. A telepathic moment passes between them. Dad looks at Mateo and clears his throat.

  “What is it that you do, uh, Mateo?” Dad asks.

  “My family owns the pool hall downtown,” Mateo says. “It’s been in the family for generations.”

  Mom takes a sip of water, and gasps noisily as she swallows.

  “Excuse me,” she says. “I thought that place had closed down.”

  “It’s for private members only,” Mateo says.

  “Sounds exclusive,” Dad says, impatiently going back to his chili.

  Mom nudges Dad mid bite, causing the chili to spill off of his spoon.

  “I forgot the rolls,” Mom says. She grabs Dad’s arm. “Will you help me?”

  “You need help with that?” Dad asks.

  Mom raises the eyebrows on her tightened face. Dad wipes his mouth, and follows her into the kitchen.

  With them gone, Mateo takes the opportunity to grab my waist and nibble at my neck.

  “I think I’m charming them,” he whispers against my ear.

  I run my hands through his thick hair. “Mom’s so uncomfortable. I love it.”

  Mateo nudges his nose against my cheek. “You are a bad girl, Lily.” He peeks over my shoulder, glancing at my ass. “I should give you a spanking tonight.”

  I blush furiously. I was never one for corporeal punishment, but Mateo’s offer sounds quite tempting. I walk my fingertips up his thigh.

  “I could use a little of your discipline,” I say, my voice like liquid.

  Mateo’s cock twitches against my hand.

  ————————

  After dinner, I bid Mateo ‘goodbye,’ knowing I’ll see him, all of him, very soon.

  Dad retreats to his office. I help Mom clear the table and clean the dishes. While I stand at the sink, scrubbing the dishes, I feel her casting glances at me. She moves around the kitchen, shaking her head and sighing loudly. I know she wants me to ask her what’s the matter, but I really don’t care.

  “Mateo Romano,�
�� Mom says, finally. “Never thought I’d have to hear that name again.”

  I shrug, flippantly. “Life is funny, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it is,” Mom says. She’s slowly swirling a towel around a plate, probably not drying it at all. “A pool hall? Come on.”

  “It’s an honest way to make a living.”

  Mom laughs. “Honest? Sweetheart, we’ve been through this. I’ve lived in this town longer than you. I know what the Romanos are, what Mateo is.”

  A sharp tingle runs up my spine. I feel fiercely protective over Mateo all the sudden. Even though I’ve said much worse about Mateo and his family, I don’t feel Mom has a right to. She doesn’t know him.

  “I don’t know what you mean,” I say.

  Mom lightly touches my arm. “Honey, if you want a boyfriend, I can set you up with someone more respectable. A lot of my girlfriends have available sons.”

  I shiver, thinking of the guys my age at the country club, all spoiled, soft mama’s boys. I laugh at myself. I’m starting to think like Mateo.

  “No, thanks. I’m good,” I say.

  Mom tries to stab me with her eyes. “You’d continue seeing someone your parents don’t approve of?”

  “Dad said that?”

  Mom sputters. “Well-“

  I turn from the sink, pointing at her. “So it’s you who doesn’t approve. Why is your opinion the only one that matters?”

  “That’s not-“ She curls her lips, trying to look like a victim. “He’s dangerous, sweetie.”

  I squint my eyes as I make the connections in my head. I remember back in high school, when I decided to break up with Mateo. It wasn’t my decision. It was hers. We’d had a conversation very similar to the one we were having right now.

  “Mateo would never hurt me,” I say.

  “You don’t know that.”

  I hand her the last dish, then turn off the faucet. “If there’s anything I know, it’s that.”

  I dry my hands, and leave Mom in the kitchen. I practically float up the stairs, high on giddy adrenaline. All my life I’ve fought for my independence, and I finally figured out how to get it, which is to claim it for myself.

  I throw my bedroom door open and find Mateo sprawled out on my bed. The clothes he was wearing lie in a pile on the floor. My blankets are placed carefully over his naked body, snaking between his thighs. His hands are clasped behind his head, and the muscles of his tattooed arms flex impressively. I feel a jolt of energy in my lower belly that travels down my thighs. I listen to what my body is telling me, and join Mateo in bed. He pulls me close to him, greeting me with an eager smile.

  ————————

  It’s very early in the morning when my phone dings. I squint in the dim light, grumbling to myself that I should turn off my email notifications. I reach for the phone on my nightstand. Mateo murmurs in his sleep, pressing his warm body against me.

  I don’t know why I’m checking this, I think. It’s probably spam.

  I blink the sleep from my eyes and focus on the screen.

  “Bellview Marketing Group?” I grumble. Who the hell is that?

  My senses return to me in a instant, and I jolt upright. Mateo sighs softly, then turns over on his side. I rapidly read the email, then three more times just to be sure I wasn’t imagining things. Bellview Marketing Group has invited me to interview for the position of Executive Assistant to the Executive Director. There’s plenty of room for growth in that position, and the salary is actually decent. It would allow me to afford a respectable apartment in the city.

  I glance at Mateo, his dark lashes fanning the tops of his cheeks.

  Is that what I still want?

  I’m not sure of the answer, but I know I’ve worked my ass off to get this email. I’d be crazy not to follow through. I quickly type out a reply, giving them my availability, and click send. My phone makes a swooshing noise as the email flits off into the ether. I quietly replace the phone back on my nightstand, snuggle back under the covers, and pretend to sleep.

  Chapter Eight

  ————————

  Mateo

  I love waking up with my stiff cock pressed against Lily’s ass. I grind my hips, letting her warmth hug my throbbing shaft. Lily squirms beneath the covers. From her breathing, I can tell she’s still asleep.

  Why not wake her up?

  I loop my arm around her, pressing my palm against her lower belly, and lightly nibble at her earlobe. Lily sighs, her lips opening. I taste her neck while I slide my hand up her nightgown. I wrap my hand around her full breasts, raking my tongue along her collarbone. Still asleep, but only barely, Lily rolls over towards me. She grabs at my thighs under the covers, her fingers scrambling for something. When she finds my cock, naked and hard, she takes it in the palm of her hand, making a drawn out and breathy “ahh” noise. Lily slowly lifts her eyelids. She draws back, as if surprised to see me.

  “This isn’t a dream,” I say, getting a tighter grip on her tits.

  Lily laughs, covering her face with one hand. “Sorry, I’m not used to waking up-“ She peeks under the covers at what her hand is grabbing, and her face goes soft. “Like this.”

  “Me neither,” I say, pulling her closer to me.

  I’ve just started working my hand down between her legs, when my phone goes off. I curse under my breath. I can’t let texts wait until later. It could be something urgent. I always check them right away, even when it’s inconvenient.

  I draw a half circle in the air with my cock as I roll over on my other side and grab the phone. It’s from Vince. It just says, Call me.

  “You know what sounds good?” I say, sitting up.

  Lily nods demurely, raking her hand across my chest.

  “A shower,” I say.

  Lily purses her lips. I hold up my phone apologetically.

  “It’s work.” I flash her my dimples, then grab her by the hips. “Go get the water nice and hot. Make yourself all wet. I’ll be in there soon.”

  Lily nods understandably. She lightly bites my abs before walking out of the room.

  “What is it?” I ask when Vince answers the phone.

  “Caught you at a bad time?” Vince says, mockingly.

  “Anytime’s a bad time,” I whisper. “You know I’m sitting with a witness.”

  Vince sighs. “Which is why I’m calling you.”

  I stand up from the bed and pace the room. My cock stands at a perfect ninety degree angle from my body.

  “Lily,” I say, hoarsely. “What’s going on?”

  “You’ve done it again, that’s what’s going on,” Vince says. “You and Leo want to play vigilante justice, and fuck everything up.”

  I roll my eyes, waiting for Vince to get off of his high horse. After lecturing me a little longer, he finally does.

  “I’ve been getting reports of the Salvatores sniffing around, asking questions about-,” Vince says.

  John, I think, finishing the sentence in my head.

  “Mmm hmm,” I say, nodding. I can’t say much on the phone, but I gather the Salvatores don’t know John’s dead. Maybe they’re hunting down missing payments, or maybe John was valuable to them in another way. If they find his body, they’ll start looking for witnesses. The Salvatores pride themselves on getting people to talk. I don’t agree with their methods. Most people confess just to make the pain stop.

  The pipes in the walls gurgle violently, making me jump. I hear the shower come on. I take a deep breath, calming myself down.

  “I think you know what I’m saying,” Vince says. “The Salvatores work fast. You need to get her away from here.”

  The line clicks as Vince hangs up. The call was just under a minute, not long enough for anyone to tap it.

  I feel a shaking in my core. For once, I’m scared for someone else, and it’s fucking brutal. When I think about what the Salvatores would do to her, how they would make her suffer, that fear turns to anger. My heart rapidly pumps hot blood throughout my body.
I tense my arms, flexing every muscle. No one’s getting to Lily.

  The bathroom is full of hot steam. I peel back the shower curtain, and see Lily, soaking wet, her back to me. Droplets of water trickle down the perfect slope of her ass. She gives me an inviting smile.

  Mine, I think, stepping into the warm water. I slide my arms around her slippery waist. Lily starts to turn towards me. I hold tighter to her hips, holding her in place. Lily lets out a little yelp when she realizes she can’t move. I press my hand flat against the back of her neck, bending her forward. She clutches at the shower wall, her back arching and rounding like a cat. I wedge the side of my hand between her lips. Somehow, her pussy’s even hotter than the steamy shower. I gather her hair at the nape of her neck and pull.

  “You’re mine, Lily,” I growl.

  Lily backs her ass up against my cock, desperate for me. “Yes. Yes,” she moans.

  I slip my hands in the creases of her hips. Holding her tightly in place, I thrust forward, filling her with every inch of my cock. Lily’s hands slip, and she nearly tips over. I catch her around the waist, not letting her fall. She stands up, her back against my chest. I lift her leg, and set her foot on the edge of the tub, spreading her legs wide open. Her pussy feels so tight today. I press my hips against her, hard, growling with every thrust. I hold her tightly, reminding myself that I own her, and it’s my job to protect her.

  I’m so lost in her body, that I almost don’t pull out in time. Cum spurts onto her pussy lips, and the rest down the drain. Lily slips her fingers between her legs, examining my mess.

  “What are you trying to do? Make another Romano?” she says.

  There’s a glint in her eye. I can tell the possibility of me knocking her up gets her excited.

  “Maybe I will,” I say, stroking her lower stomach.

  I’ve never talked about getting another girl pregnant. That was a big no-no in my book. I couldn’t be tied to anyone because of a kid. But I suddenly have the urge to see Lily barefoot and pregnant, her stomach heavy with my baby.