Vince marches up to me. He slaps my chest to get my attention. “Where is she, huh? Let me guess. She’s in one of you and Mateo’s secret places.”
“I can’t compromise her location,” I say.
Vince shakes his head, his voice softening a little. “You can’t even tell me, your own brother?”
I look away from him, not knowing what to say. Vince takes a step back, nodding.
“Okay, I see,” he says. “I want to talk to her. I need to see where her loyalties lie.”
“There’s nothing to see. She’s loyal to us,” I say.
“Not to us, to you,” Vince says. He walks closer to me, and lays his hands on my shoulders. “I’m in line to take over this family. It’s time I started acting like it.”
I look my brother in the eye and nod. Any boss who knows what he’s doing would want to talk to Mia too, to see for himself if she can be trusted.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I say.
———————-
I wait until I know Vince is otherwise occupied to go see Mia. It feels dirty, not trusting my own brother. But, I can’t. Not yet. There’s too much at stake. I order some lunch at the restaurant upstairs, and bring it down to her.
Maybe it’s because there’s no windows, but when I walk into the basement, it feels like I’ve entered another world, one calm and serene. Mia breezes up to me, a beautiful smile on her face, and greets me with a kiss. All of the ugliness has been getting to me, and Mia is a breath of fresh air, the only escape I have. When I press my lips against her warm, soft neck, I’m able to forget about the tragic events that have just happened.
Mia giggles as I rub the tip of my nose against her neck. I kiss along her collarbone and reach down to grab her ass.
“Everything still okay?” Mia asks. “Your family okay? Is Dani still okay?”
I feel her tense slightly. She’s been handling the situation well, but I know she’s worried. I don’t see any need in upsetting her with what I found out this morning.
“Yeah, baby,” I say, grazing my lips against hers. “My brothers and I working it out. Once we get it straightened out, I’ll get you out of here.”
Mia shrugs, and looks up at me through her lashes. “I kind of like being your hostage.”
My cock stirs. It has been nice keeping her here, where no one knows where she is but me. I feel like she’s really mine. I grind my hips against her, letting her feel that I’m getting hard. I take her hair and loop it around my hand. I pull back so I can see her face.
“You like that?” I say, tightening my fist. “You like me keeping you here, to use whenever I want?”
Mia’s upper lip curls with clear desire. She tries to bring her face closer to mine, but I hold her hair tight.
“Yes,” she says in a shuddering whisper.
I look down at her, watching her chest heave. Her skin grows warmer. I can only imagine how wet her pussy is getting. I lean into her and lightly bite her bottom lip. She whimpers into my mouth. The taste of her is making me lose control. Mia has been my salvation through all of this, and I can’t wait to sink inside of her.
I let go of her hair. She’d been balancing against me, so she stumbles back. She’s wearing a white nightgown. The fabric is so thin, it’s almost see through. Her nipples start to stiffen against it.
“Take off your clothes,” I say, my voice low and gruff.
Mia pulls the gown up over her head, revealing she’s not wearing a bra or panties. I trace her curves with my gaze, over the roundness of her hips, to the soft triangle of hair between her legs.
“Are you wet?” I ask. She nods. “Show me.”
She jerks upright, straightening her back. Biting her lip, she slips two finger between her legs and runs them up her slit. She holds her hand up, her juices glistening in the lamplight. I step towards her, grab her hand, and stick her fingers in my mouth. When I taste her I close my eyes and groan.
“You taste so fucking good,” I say.
I wedge my hand between her legs, feeling her wetness for myself. She’s practically soaked. I wonder if I have her trained. As soon as she sees me walk through her door, she’s ready for me. I find her clit with my thumb. It’s engorged, and pulses against me. I tap it slightly, teasing her, then pull my hand away. Mia pokes her bottom lip out with disappointment.
Don’t worry, baby. I’ll give you what you need.
I take off my shirt and pants. My cock stands straight out from my body. Mia looks at it, wide eyed.
“You want this?” I say, grabbing the shaft. “Tell me how much you want it.”
Mia stutters, trying to get herself together. “I want it so bad,” she says, finally.
“You want me to fill your pussy up?” I say, stepping towards her.
Mia shudders. “Yes.”
I stand in front of her, and grab her by the back of her neck. “One more question. Who do you belong to?”
Mia smiles slightly. “You,” she says, her lips rounding.
That flips a switch in me. I crash my lips against hers, sticking my tongue deep inside of her mouth. Mia relaxes into the kiss. She reaches for me. I pull back, stopping her.
“Get on the bed,” I command.
Mia quickly obeys. She sits on the mattress and waits. I stare at her beautiful breasts, overwhelmed with the urge to own her completely.
Anton thinks she’s his property, a voice in my head nags. I push it away, remembering my desire. I walk quickly up to Mia, and push against her chest. She falls back on the bed, her arms spread out to the side. I take her legs and stretch them straight up into the air. I prop both of her ankles on one of my shoulders, keeping her legs together to make her pussy even tighter. I press my hips forward, and squeeze inside of her. She’s tight, but slippery wet. My knees buckle at that first, intoxicating sensation.
There’s no holding back. I ram her with my cock, thrusting furiously. Mia’s eyes close, soft moans falling from her lips. I stare at her face as her lips curl with pleasure. She’s so fucking beautiful it’s almost painful. After all the shit I’ve been through in my life, I’ve had a wall up, fortified and strong, just to protect myself. I knew it was dangerous to care for someone, especially love them, because if I ever lost them, it would ruin me. That’s what happened with Nico. The guilt I feel over his death threatens to tear me apart everyday, and I vowed to never make myself vulnerable again. But Mia has obliterated that wall, and I can’t let anything happen to her.
In the moment, I own her. All I have is pleasure. I lose myself to my bodily urges, and pound her relentlessly. Her pussy pulses around my cock as I make her come over and over again. When I feel myself about to nut, I pull out of her, and spill my cum over the backs of her thighs.
We clean ourselves up, and sit down to eat the lunch I brought. Mia brings silverware to the small dining table, and serves us both a helping of noodles. We clink our glasses, and dig in. This all feels so normal, and not the type of thing I’d ever thought I would enjoy. There’s no danger, no conquest to go after. To my surprise, it’s not boring. It’s right.
But I still have to worry about the tensions of the outside world. Vince wants to meet Mia. If I want to keep the peace with him, I’ll have to let that happen.
“Vince wants to meet you,” I say, out of the blue.
Mia freezes, blinking. “He does? Why?”
“I told him how much you mean to me. You’ll be the mother of his nieces and nephews one day. Of course he wants to meet you.” I grab her knee under the table.
Mia smiles, blushing. “You’ve been planning ahead?”
I flash her a smile. “Since the moment I met you.”
Mia takes a bite of noodles and chews thoughtfully. “You mean to tell me Vince just wants to meet your girlfriend? What’s this really about, Leo?”
She eyes me closely. I can’t keep her in the dark about everything. She won’t allow it.
“He wants to have a chat with you.” I snake my hand up her thigh to soften
the blow. “He’s just covering all of his bases.”
“Covering his bases? What does that mean?”
I sit back and exhale. “He’s got this crazy idea that you could be in with the Nabatovs somehow.”
“In with the Nabatovs? How could he think that?”
“He doesn’t know you,” I say. “That’s what this meeting is all about. Let him see for himself.”
“Is he coming here?”
“No, I’ll set up a place for you guys to meet.”
Mia distractedly twirls a noodle on her plate. “He doesn’t know where I am, does he? You don’t trust him.”
“Not completely. Not until he trusts you.”
“He’s your brother.”
I take her hand in mine. “He is. But I’m loyal to you first. Don’t ever forget that.”
Mia looks in her lap, smiling. “Sure, I’ll talk to him. Hey, at least I’ll get to see the sun.”
Chapter Fourteen
———————-
Mia
The blonde wig Leo insisted I wear is too tight and makes my scalp itch. I don’t think it looks right at all, but when I pull my hoodie over it, it’s passable. Leo gives me detailed instructions about where to meet Vince, and how to get there without being followed. I’ve been locked away in this basement for so long, I’d forgotten the real fear that awaits me in the outside world. What if one of Anton’s guys sees me and recognizes me? Leo can’t accompany me to the meeting place since we can’t risk being seen together. I’ll have to do this all on my own.
The sun is brighter than I remember. When I walk onto the street, I shield my face and squint my eyes. I feel exposed. I’ve been safe and locked away in the basement, Leo’s own little hostage, so it’s a bit terrifying being out in the open, with no walls to shield me. Anxiety creeps up my spine, and my head darts towards any movement.
I take the route Leo drew out for me, which is zigzagging, and turns a ten minute walk into over an hour. But I follow his instructions to the letter. I’m too afraid not to. I eventually come to a small park tucked between two warehouses. Vince is sitting on a bench, waiting for me. I have a moment to observe him before he sees me. Like Leo, he’s impossibly handsome. He’s also terrifying. He leans forward with his arms on his thighs, his hands folded, his intense eyes staring into the distance.
I don’t look at him, and sit beside him without a word, just as Leo had told me to do. Vince acts like he doesn’t notice me either. I marvel at the absurdity of this. It feels like I’m in a spy movie.
Vince sits up straight, wiping his hands on his pants.
“Mia,” he says, quietly, acknowledging me without looking at me.
“Vince. Nice to meet you.” My voice is shaking with nerves. I can already tell he doesn’t trust me. I don’t know if I can shake that perception.
Vince doesn’t return my niceties. He stares coolly ahead, the gears turning in his mind.
“Let me get something out of the way,” Vince says. “I can see right through bullshit. And unlike my brothers, I don’t get distracted by a nice set of tits.”
This comment pisses me off, but I don’t show it. I won’t get Vince to trust me by being combative. Vince turns and looks at me for the first time. His eyes are intense, and bore into me.
“Don’t try to bullshit me,” he warns.
Not too long ago, I’d cower away from a man like this. But that was before I witnessed men getting killed right in front of me. I straighten my back, and look right into his eyes.
“I assure you, I won’t,” I say. “Ask me whatever you want.”
“It’s a little fishy that you were involved with the Nabatovs before you met my brother. Don’t you think?”
“Involved?” I say. “Hardly. I worked one of their parties. That’s all. Then Anton got it in his head that he wanted me.”
“Okay,” Vince says, nodding. “But I got to wonder, what kind of girl takes a gig like that? Serving drinks to those criminals, throwing their bodies at them.”
I take personal offense to this statement, and recoil. I decide to take Vince’s own advice, and cut through the bullshit.
“I tell you the type of girl,” I say. “One who’s desperate, broke. A girl who needs money to pay rent, buy food, and who’s minimum wage job isn’t cutting it.”
Vince scoffs. “Please. There are plenty of ways to support yourself.”
This makes me so indignant, I have to laugh, perhaps a little too loud. Vince glances around nervously. I clear my throat, and lower my voice.
“If you could tell me those ways, I’d like to know,” I say. “Forgive me if I’m skeptical, but I’ve spent the last few years trying to figure that out. So far, I’ve come up with nothing.”
Vince glares at me. “I told you to cut the bullshit. How could there not be another way?”
“Bullshit? Did Leo tell you that I grew up in foster care? I don’t know where my mom is, and my dad’s locked up in a mental institution. I became an adult with zero support, zero money. All I got was a pat on the back and a ‘good luck!’ Well, Vince, luck’s not been on my side. It’s not like I have a family business waiting for me to take control of.”
Vince bristles slightly. I make a mental note to pull back before I strike a nerve.
“Look, Vince, when you don’t have anything, you start to feel like you aren’t anything. The world will keep turning whether I find a way to feed myself or not. So, you alleging that I’m in cahoots with a criminal organization, that I’m some kind of mastermind spy, that I’m the enemy, it’s a little disconcerting. It makes me feel even more invisible, and that my problems don’t matter.”
Vince studies my face for a moment. “I just have to be sure. Leo, he’s not the same. He used to never allow himself to get hung up on some broad. No offense.”
I take a deep breath to stop myself from yelling. “I’m not tricking him. I’m not manipulating him. I fucking love your brother. He’s one of the few people that make me feel like I matter.” I start to tear up. I bury my face in my hands, embarrassed at my show of emotion. I wipe the tears away and look up. Vince is looking at me, and it feels like he’s actually seeing me.
“Remember,” he says. “I can smell bullshit from a mile away.” He nudges me with his elbow. “And you smell clean.”
I laugh with surprise. “I thought it’d be harder to convince you than that.”
Vince shrugs. “I didn’t trust you, but don’t take any offense. I just never thought Leo could change that much. He’s always been a selfish bastard. I’ve never seen him care about anyone the way he cares about you.”
“Thank you, Vince. It means a lot to hear you say that.”
Vince shakes his head. “My gut told me you were just an innocent bystander who got caught up in this shit. I just had to see for myself.”
“I understand,” I say. “Leo’s told me some of the things the Nabotovs have done. If I had’ve known that, I wouldn’t have worked for them for any amount of money.”
“I’m glad you’re not plotting with the Nabatovs. But it makes my job a whole lot harder.” Vince’s face grows serious. He avoids my eyes, and not just to disguise the fact that we’re talking to each other. He can’t bring himself to look at me. “You can end this, Mia. You can end this war. Anton said himself he'd call his guys off if you were returned to him.”
“What do you mean, war? Leo said they haven’t retaliated.”
Vince turns to me incredulously, and scoffs. “Leo said that? Sorry, sweetheart, but he fucking lied. An eighty year old woman got caught in the crosshairs. She’s dead.”
I hear a whirring in my ears, and my vision goes dark. “What happened?”
“The Russians shot up a restaurant. That’s what they do when we cross them. They don’t kill us. They take it out on innocent people.”
I’m struck dumb, and I don’t know what to say. I blink my eyes, trying to regain my thinking. The stark realization pounds in my chest. Leo lied to me. What else isn’t
he telling me? My mind immediately goes to Dani.
“Did Anton really say that? If I go back to him, no one else will be hurt.”
Vince nods resolutely. “You can stop this, Mia. I’m sorry you’ve been put in this position, but I have an entire community to look out for. I told Leo not to stir shit up. This is all his fault.”
I breathe heavily, pushing out the words. “Leo was trying to save me. Anton wanted to take me against my will.”
Vince clenches his teeth. “I don’t mean your little hostage roleplaying. I mean the entire war between the Romanos and the Nabatovs. Leo started it. Did he ever tell you that?”
My mind shuts down. I shake my head, shielding myself with denial. “No,” I say. “No.” I know Vince is telling the truth, but I don’t want to believe it. I can’t believe it. And I don’t want to hear anymore details. I stand up from the bench and make a beeline out of the park. Vince calls after me, demanding I come back. But I keep walking.
“Leo’s a killer, Mia,” Vince calls. “That’s all he is. Stop fooling yourself.”
The words ring in my ears on repeat. Killer. Leo is a killer. I’ve seen it for myself, and it can’t be denied. What I didn’t know was that he’s a liar. My thoughts run around in rapid circles, twisting and turning on each other. I question everything Leo has ever told me, including that Dani is perfectly fine.
If the Nabatovs are retaliating, how could Dani be safe? I walk rapidly to the safe house, trying to outrun my anxiety. I stick to Leo’s map for the most part, but I’m too impatient to walk that far out of the way. My mind is clouded by worry. What if they have her now? What if she’s in pain? What if she’s dead? Whatever happens to her is all because of me, because of my selfishness.
I pull the hoodie low over my head as I walk through the restaurant, then down to the basement. I tear through the drawers beside the bed, searching for the burner phone Leo gave me. He’d ordered me to only use it to call him. My hands are shaking so badly, I drop the phone twice before I finally get a firm grip on it. I dial Dani’s number that I know by heart.
Witness: A Dark Mafia Romance (Romano Brothers Book 2) Page 25
