Gun Moll

by Bethany-Kris

  “I only fight when I need some extra cash,” Mac said quickly.

  He didn’t want problems for messing with another family.

  “Calm down,” Anthony said, chuckling. “I’m not here to get you in trouble. Business is business, after all. How confident are you in your ability to win a fight?”

  “Pretty confident, if I can size up my opponent beforehand,” Mac admitted.

  “I know a place—not like the one you go to for fights. It’s an occasional thing, high stakes, and anyone can fight if they’ve got the right cash. Bets are instant and in the thousands. Fight for me for one night, give up all your winnings, and you’ll never hear me say a bad word about you or our business again.”

  Mac held off his agreement for a moment. He wondered if Anthony was playing some kind of game with him. One that might get him killed.

  “Can I bring someone?” Mac asked.

  Anthony raised a brow. “Like who?”

  “My girl.”

  Melina would have his back.

  Mac trusted her above everyone in his life.

  Anthony grinned. “Ah, I see. I don’t have a problem with that, as long as she refrains from causing us any issues.”

  “She won’t. And she likes seeing me fight,” Mac added, smirking.

  “Good.” Anthony turned on his heel, heading back towards the warehouse entrance. “I’ll give you a call, Mac. You won’t see me around here again. Guido’s home isn’t a welcoming place for a man like me.”

  Guido wasn’t all too fond of Anthony, either. Mac still refused to feed into Guido’s nonsense about taking Anthony out. There wasn’t any reason. Rivalry wasn’t good enough to spill blood.

  “Unlike Guido,” Anthony said, still walking, “I know better than to toy around in another Capo’s business or territory. Do me a favor, Mac.”

  “What’s that?”

  Anthony pulled open the old, rusted door of the warehouse. “Tell your Capo to stay behind his own damn lines, and leave my crew alone.”

  When had Guido gone into Anthony’s territory?

  And why?

  Anthony left the warehouse before Mac could ask.

  Mac kicked off his shoes, hearing the womanly giggles echoing from the kitchen. Not one set of giggles, but two.

  Both were familiar.

  Confused, Mac quietly padded down the hallway and stayed in the shadows of the entrance of his apartment. He preferred Melina’s place, but he needed a few things from his own apartment for the week. Melina agreed to stay at his place for a couple of days while he worked some things out with business.

  Standing side by side, Mac watched as Melina copied her companion’s actions as she kneaded a thick clump of dough.

  Victoria—Mac’s sister—smiled and nodded approvingly. “There you go. Just make sure you mash it good, and it’ll rise great.”

  Something primal curled in Mac’s gut, hot and twisted. He liked seeing Melina in the kitchen, working and cooking. She wasn’t the homemaker type, as far as that went, but he liked the sight of it all the same.

  It got him hot and crazy.

  Mac tampered it down.

  But only because his sister was there.

  Why was his sister there again?

  “I don’t know,” Melina said. “How is this going to help?”

  “Listen …” Victoria grabbed a bit of flour and tossed it over Melina’s pile of dough. “It’s like this for my mother, she needs to make sure you’re up to speed. Poor little Mac, he can’t feed himself unless it’s her cooking the food, or dress himself, or keep himself warm. I know, he’s grown and can handle his shit, but not to my mom. This will help, trust me.”

  “I still think you’re nuts.”

  Mac chuckled, unable to stop himself. Both women’s heads snapped up, their gazes leveling on him. He stepped into the kitchen with a shake of his head.

  “You think she’s nuts because she is,” Mac said, shooting his glaring sister a smile. “Vic, good to see you.”

  “And you. You’ve been everywhere but to see me these last couple of months. I was starting to think you must be dead,” Victoria said, not hiding her bite in the least.

  Melina laughed, but kept quiet.

  “So you just showed up at my apartment looking for me?” Mac asked.

  “Ma mentioned you brought a girl around. I wanted to come and see you, maybe find out why you didn’t mention anything to me.”

  Mac scowled. “It’s a new thing, Vic. I’m working on it.”

  “I saved you the trouble.”

  Melina jerked her thumb at Victoria. “I like her.”

  “Of course you do,” Mac said. “She’s just as difficult and hard on the head as you are, doll. Birds of a feather and all that.”

  Melina stuck out her tongue.

  Victoria stuck her middle finger up.

  “See,” Mac muttered.

  Now, he had two females in his place to bust his balls.

  Perfect.

  Melina seemed happy, though.

  Maybe she had found a friend.

  “What’s for supper?” Mac asked.

  Melina cocked a brow at him. “Whatever I cook.”

  Well, then …

  “Sounds delicious,” he said.

  Victoria laughed. “Ma raised him so well.”

  “You know, Melina, I have to tell you I’m really impressed.”

  Melina smiled. “Oh, are you now?”

  “Yes. You went from barely being in the kitchen to whipping up some great dishes.”

  “What can I say? Your sister is a pretty good teacher.”

  Mac took another bite of his chicken parmesan before speaking again. “Nice to know Vic is good for something other than running her mouth.”

  Melina reached across the table and popped Mac on his hand.

  “Don’t talk about your sister like that.”

  “Since when did you two get to be best friends?” Mac asked.

  Melina took a bite of her breadstick before answering. “Since she has so kindly been giving me cooking lessons in the hopes that it will make your mom comfortable relinquishing your care to Big, Bad Melina.”

  Mac touched her leg under the table. “Big, Bad Melina. Mmm, why does that sound as sexy as it does?”

  Melina rolled her eyes. “Because you’re sick.”

  “Sick over you.” Mac winked at her.

  Melina returned her attention to the dinner she’d prepared for them. Chicken parmesan, fresh baked garlic bread sticks, and New York Cheesecake. Forget Mac’s mother being impressed with her. Melina was impressed by herself. Losing her mother at such a young age, some of the things she’d missed out on were time in the kitchen, learning how to cook, bake and sew.

  A mother would have taught her all those things.

  A mother would have explained to her what to expect when it came to life and love.

  But fate had been a cruel mistress and so she’d been left to learn on her own and all things considered, right now she was doing pretty good.

  “Hey. Where did you go? You have a far off look in your eye,” Mac said.

  Melina swallowed a lump in her throat. “I was thinking about my mom.”

  Mac put down his fork and reached for her hand across the table. “Tell me.”

  She shook her head. “It’s silly really. The time Victoria and I have been spending together just reminded me that your sister was teaching me things my mother should have. It’s weird in a way, how your sister and I have bonded. I don’t usually deal well with women.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with thinking about your mother and missing her,” Mac said softly.

  “You know I’m not one for sentimentalities most of the time, but a part of me sometimes can’t help but wonder how my life would’ve been if my mom hadn’t died so young. Would I be a different woman than I am now?”

  “You are exactly who you are supposed to be, doll. Your mother would have been proud of you, no matter what. A mother’s love is one
of the few things money can’t buy.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. Just excuse me for being all sappy. Hanging out with your sister has just been reminding me of the lack of female companionship in my life. That’s all.”

  “Things are different now. I know it’s not easy for you to let people in, but Vic likes you. Trust me, my sister has a short attention span, and if she didn’t enjoy hanging out with you, she wouldn’t.”

  Mac leaned across the table and kissed her briefly on the lips before using his thumb to wipe away a smear of marinara sauce on her cheek.

  “You could’ve told me I had sauce on my face.”

  Mac’s eyes smoldered. “Not when I was deciding if I was going to lick it off or not.”

  “You are so bad.”

  “And that’s why you love me,” Mac said with confidence.

  Melina’s hand drifted towards Mac’s crotch under the table. “Is that so? Are you certain it’s not because of your amazing cock?”

  She licked her lips as her hand found his hardness through his pants and rubbed.

  “You’re not playing fair,” Mac said, eyes bright with lust.

  “All’s fair in love and war.”

  Rising from her seat, Melina came around to Mac’s side of the table and slowly pulled back his chair. He watched her with an amused expression on his face.

  “Doll?”

  “Shh.”

  Melina straddled Mac’s lap and took his face in her hands. She kissed him hard and hungrily, trying to convey to him the best way she could just how much his unwavering support and love meant to her. Mac’s hands gripped her waist and lifted her up.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Bedroom. Now.”

  Melina laughed before Mac’s lips were covering her own as he carried her towards the bedroom. Finishing their dinner would wait. Right now, dessert was calling.

  “We’re going to kill each other if we keep this up,” Melina said hours later.

  “Not a bad way to die is it?”

  “Not in the least.”

  Melina lay on Mac’s chest in the darkness of his bedroom. His arms were wrapped around her, holding her close to him. She snuggled closer as he played with a lock of her hair. As much as she loved the primal connection she had with Mac, she loved this part, too.

  Afterglow.

  The comforting silence of two hearts beating.

  The feel of a hard body holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

  It was a high she’d probably never get used to.

  “You know, every time it just gets better and better,” Mac said.

  “Believe me, I’ve noticed.”

  Mac laughed in the darkness. “Glad to know all of my hard work is not going unappreciated. But on a serious note, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  “Oh. What is it?”

  “I had some business I was doing for Anthony that went south and so I owe him. He told me how he wanted me to pay up.”

  Melina’s breath caught in her throat. “And what’s that?”

  “He wants me to fight for him. High stakes. Lots of money involved.”

  “How much of it does he get?”

  “All of it.”

  Melina sat straight up in bed and frowned. “All of it? Is he out of his mind?”

  “Doll, that’s the way things work.”

  “That’s bullshit, Mac. You’re the one putting your life and health on the line every time you fight and he gets to sit back and enjoy all the rewards. I’m not okay with that.”

  Melina saw the outline of Mac’s body as he shifted in bed. Seconds later, he’d turned on one of the lamps before he rested back against the headboard.

  “I know it’s not ideal, but I don’t have a choice. If I don’t do this, my reputation is dead and possibly me too, for not making things right.”

  Melina folded her arms. “There are too many stupid rules to follow if you ask me. Blink wrong and you’re dead. A dollar short and you’re dead. What’s the point of dealing with all of this?”

  Mac reached for her hand. “I was born into this life. I know these streets and I know what it takes to make it. I’m just paying my dues and giving respect where it’s supposed to go.”

  “And once this is over with, are you good with him?”

  “Yeah. He gave his word and in this life, your word is everything.”

  She couldn’t believe how calm Mac was being. The fact that he was going to fight and hand over every red cent he made didn’t appear to bother him in the slightest. Nor did the fact that he was fighting for Anthony, a man she wasn’t fond of in the least. The man gave her the creeps.

  “Then I’m going to be right there with you and I don’t want to hear any arguments about it.”

  Mac smiled at her, showing his perfect white teeth. “There’s no one else I would rather have in my corner.”

  “Like there’s anyone else I would let be in your corner. You never know when you’re going to need me to put another bullet in someone.”

  Mac pulled her down on top of him until they were nose to nose. “So now we get to the real reason.”

  Melina smiled. “What can I say? I think I was born for this role.”

  Beneath the covers, Mac cupped her ass in his hands. “I think you were, too. In fact, I know you were.”

  The sound of Mac’s phone ringing caught their attention. Melina shifted to Mac’s left side so he could answer his phone. He answered on the third ring.

  “Mac.”

  Melina sat up and listened, watching the expression on her lover’s face. A muscle in his jaw moved.

  “Guido.”

  Her body tensed when she heard the name. Why was Mac’s Capo calling him so late?

  “Yeah. We’ll be there.”

  Mac ended the call and stared at her with a half smirk on his face.

  “We’ll be where?” Melina pressed.

  “We’ve been invited to another get together at the Pivetti mansion tomorrow night.”

  Melina raised a brow. “Really? That’s a surprise.”

  “Not really. The invitation came from Neeya and we have you to thank for that. You keep making an impression, doll.”

  “Excuse me for not jumping for joy at the thought of going into the lion’s den again. Luca wasn’t exactly very cordial to me the last time we went there and neither were his other guests.”

  “I know that, but this will give us a chance to size up the players.”

  “You mean find out who’s trying to kill you or me, or possibly both of us?” Melina asked.

  “Yeah, and you know the old saying, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. Now we have a prime opportunity.”

  Melina twisted an errant stand of hair. What Mac said made perfect sense. Their lives were on the line and a dinner surrounded by all the key players in their corrupt world could put an end to the mystery once and for all. She’d rather walk on broken glass than attend another party, but Melina had never run away from anything and she wasn’t about to start now.

  “Fine. But I’m not going to be so nice this time.”

  Mac drew her back into the circle of his arms before turning out the light. “I’d expect nothing less.”

  Subterfuge and innuendos had become their way of life, but together they would figure things out. They had too much to lose otherwise.

  “Doll, to say you look amazing would be an understatement.”

  Melina blushed beneath Mac’s praise. She did look good after another morning spent being pampered, courtesy of her lover. A day at the spa had done wonders for her, although she couldn’t help but wonder just how much the little retreat had cost him. When she’d asked, he refused to tell her. Part of her had wanted to argue, but she knew better than to keep pressing Mac about something when his mind was made up.

  “I have you to thank for that.”

  She gave him a saucy wink before she faced him again.

  “All I did was
make sure that you got the treatment you deserve.”

  “Well, I want you to know that I appreciate it.”

  Mac cupped her chin in his hand. “You’re welcome. Are you ready?”

  Melina sighed. “As ready as I’ll ever be. I still wish we didn’t have to go.”

  “Me too. There are better ways we could spend an evening than with sharks.”

  “You’re right about that, but I never run from anything and I’m not about to start now. Let’s go.”

  Melina took one last look at herself in the mirror, admiring the way the black fitted dress with strategic cutouts accentuated the curves of her body. The four-and-a-half-inch stilettos she wore did wonders for showcasing her calf muscles. Instead of her usual curly mass of hair that hung down her back, her hair was slicked into a low ponytail to show off the simple black cross earrings that she wore proudly to match Mac’s necklace. A girl could get used to this kind of treatment.

  She held tight to Mac’s arm as he lead her outside and opened the car door for her. She didn’t want to think that she was getting sappy and losing her edge, but her new relationship made her want to show more of her softer side. With Mac, she was realizing that she didn’t always have to be a tigress. Sometimes, it was all right to let someone else take charge.

  As Mac started the car, she couldn’t help glancing at him. She was a lucky girl, indeed. The suit he wore fit like it was made for him, showing off his toned and fit physique. A physique that she hadn’t been able to stop herself from enjoying every chance that she got.

  “Doll, if you keep looking at me like that, we’re going to be late for this party.”

  Melina licked her lips. “Why?”

  “Because I’m going to pull this car over and fuck your brains out.”

  “As much as that thought appeals to me, we don’t need to make a late entrance. I’m sure it wouldn’t be looked on well.”

  “No, it wouldn’t. You’re learning fast how this life works.”

  Melina shrugged. “Only the strong survive.”

  “That’s one way of looking at it.”

  Mac reached for her hand and brought it to his lips before he held it tight in his hand. They were silent as he drove. Melina couldn’t help thinking about what the night ahead would bring for them. Obviously, Neeya Pivetti liked her, or else she wouldn’t have been invited to return to the opulent mansion, but Luca still wasn’t keen on her. Melina only hoped that at least he would be a little less rude than he’d been last time. Twenty minutes later, the Pivetti mansion loomed in front of them. The familiar sight of men patrolling the massive grounds greeted them.