by Bethany-Kris
“Well, my dear, do you think he can pull it off this time? He looks a little worse for wear,” Anthony said from beside her.
“No thanks to you.”
Anthony laughed. “I have to follow the rules like everyone else here, Melina.”
“Is that the story you’re telling now? Surely two matches would have served your purpose of getting your money back.”
Her gaze narrowed at Anthony.
“Sounds like your faith is slipping in the indomitable Mac.”
Melina folded her arms. “Never.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. All I am is a woman looking out for the best interests of her man. Don’t screw him over, Anthony.”
He put a hand over his heart. “Melina, you wound me. I’m the one with the most to lose here.”
“You have nothing to lose. At the end of the day, you are still going to be a fat cat doing nothing but profiting off the hard work of a far better man.” Melina couldn’t keep the heat out of her tone.
Anthony scowled. “Some might say that you’re crossing a line with that remark.”
Melina shrugged. “You know what they say. If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”
With that delivered, Melina turned her attention back to the cage. She’d given Anthony more of her time than he deserved. After this evening, she hoped she never had to see the bastard again, other than in passing. This Cosa Nostra business was really starting to rile her the more she thought about it. Loyal men like Mac did all the hard work, took all the risks, and had little to show for it while they passed all the profits off.
It was bullshit.
When things settled down, she would mention her feelings to Mac, but now she had more important things to worry about. Mac’s last opponent entered the cage and Melina held her breath. The dark haired man was about the same height as Mac but his build was stockier. He was large muscled, like a wrestler or UFC fighter. She watched him bounce around the cage, smirking. Clearly, he thought he had this fight in the bag.
Melina’s eyes softened as she watched Mac in his corner. He leaned against the wall of the cage and though his face betrayed no expression, his body language told a different story. He leaned all of his weight against the wall as he waited.
And then she saw it.
When he took a deep breath, he winced briefly before quickly schooling his features.
He was hurt.
How badly, she had no idea.
She tried to catch his gaze, silently pleading with him to look at her but he didn’t. His sole attention was now on the man standing between him and freedom from his debt to Anthony. Mac had to prevail and she knew he would, even if it nearly killed him.
The bell rang, signaling that the match was about to begin. Mac moved from his corner and to the middle of the ring. The referee nodded for Mac and his opponent to touch gloves. Mac offered his glove, but his opponent only smirked, refusing to offer his own glove.
Prick.
The ref stepped away from the two men and Mac’s opponent struck first, nailing him in the jaw. Melina bit her lip hard. Mac backed away a few steps but quickly recovered. She watched a cut on his lip begin to bleed. Her fingernails dug into her palms as the man lumbered towards Mac. Her eyes barely followed as her lover landed a series of hard body blows. Surprise doted the other man’s face, before he tried to hit back. Mac sidestepped him, but not before he took a shot to the gut. Spit flew from his mouth at the force of the hit.
“That was a nasty hit.”
Melina ignored Anthony’s comment. He was inconsequential now. All that mattered was Mac. She continued to watch as the match went on. Mac gave as good as he got, but the two previous fights had taken a real toll on him. He wasn’t shielding himself like he normally did, and he wasn’t able to dodge his opponents strikes as quickly as he needed to. Her man was wearing down, but there was a fire in his eyes.
She recognized that look.
Mac was going to go for broke.
In a flurry so fast she could barely follow him, Mac struck, delivering blow after blow. Melina rose to her feet. Mac’s fists rained down on the other man, and his opponent staggered to the ground. The ref quickly got between Mac and the man as he started to count. She barely breathed. An eight count and the man made it to his feet.
Melina cursed under her breath as her eyes shifted to Mac. His chest heaved but his fists were up. Sweat poured from his forehead. He’d just unleashed what was no doubt his last barrage. She didn’t know if he had anything left to give. His opponent came towards him, attacking with body blows. Mac tried to shield himself, but he couldn’t escape some of the hardest hits. He staggered back and then just when she thought Mac would fall, he came back, landing a direct hit in the face.
Melina heard the man’s nose crunch from the force of the blow.
Blood poured from the man’s nose as he stumbled and hit the mat. Mac backed away as the ref started to count. Melina had never much believed in praying, but there was a first time for everything. Silently, she moved her lips, praying for the man to stay down. Finally, the ten count came and Mac’s hand was raised in victory.
He was bloody and beaten, but he was the winner.
“Well, well. Mac is a man of his word,” Anthony said.
“He always is.”
“So I see. You know, it’s too bad, Melina. You and I could have had a real good time.”
Mac had won and she’d had enough of Anthony’s arrogance. She turned to the man and glared down at him.
“In case you didn’t get me the first time I said it, Mac is all the man I will ever need. To him, I’m not some trophy or a piece of ass to toss aside once he’s gotten his rocks off. He values me, and he shows me that in ways that men like you will never understand. Money doesn’t make the man, Anthony, and it will never be enough to impress a woman like me. Now, if you’ll please excuse me.”
With a smile on her face, Melina turned and made her way to the cage. She waited as Mac climbed over the wall and came to where she stood. He gave her a lopsided grin.
“Doll,” he said, still smiling.
“If you ever scare me like that again, I’ll have your balls. Do you understand me?”
“You already own them and my heart, too.”
“Good answer, Maccari.”
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with her thumb, Melina kissed him hard. He’d won the battle today, and whoever was making war against them, she was certain he would win that battle, too.
“You know, if I hadn’t seen and experienced this for myself, I would never believe it.”
“What are you talking about now?” Melina asked.
She leaned on her elbow, drawing lazy circles on Mac’s chest.
“That you could be such a sweet little nursemaid. I don’t think I’ve ever been taken care of so well.”
“Don’t get used to it. All of this sweet girlfriend nonsense can get a little sickening.”
Mac laughed. “Only you would say something like that. There’s nothing wrong with being sweet sometimes.”
“I didn’t say there was. If you recall, my sweetness had you begging and pleading a few hours ago.”
“Touché.”
Melina smiled. Nearly four days after Mac’s wins in the cage, he’d walked away with bruised ribs, a tender kidney, and thankfully nothing worse. She’d had to beg and plead with him to go to a doctor to begin with. But after threatening to add to his injuries, he’d reluctantly agreed to be checked out.
Since then, Melina had done her part to nurse him back to health. He still had bruises, but they were fading and his soreness seemed to be all but gone. But even though Mac teased her about playing nursemaid, she hadn’t minded it. Cooking for her man and tending his wounds had made her feel empowered. Mac made her feel like she was vital to his existence. Sometimes, she caught him looking at her as if he couldn’t breathe without her.
A year ago, she hadn’t even known this man existed and
now they were so intertwined and in sync together that Melina couldn’t imagine what her life would be like without him. Especially now.
“Hey, I call it like I see it,” she said.
“I know you do, doll. You’re a straight shooter, in more ways than one.”
Melina laughed. “Ha. Speaking of which, when am I going to get a chance to do that again? I’d say Anthony could use a bullet after the highway robbery he committed by taking all of your winnings.”
Mac pulled her into his arms. “Are you still sore about that, Melina?”
“Hell, yes. You could’ve been seriously hurt, and he makes off with all the damn money. A reasonable man would’ve at least given you a cut of it after the shit you went through to earn it.”
“That’s not the way things work. I made more in the fights than the truck was worth, but taking all of it was supposed to teach me a lesson about respect and not fucking up again.”
“Bullshit.”
“That’s the way things are,” Mac said simply, offering little else.
“You know, if women ran the mob, things would be completely different.”
“Really? How so?”
“For starters, there would be none of these antiquated rules you guys have.”
“I like some of our rules,” Mac said.
“Like what?”
Mac kissed her forehead. “Respect and loyalty. It is what Cosa Nostra was built on.”
“That may be the case but the men you work under now know nothing about such things. You have more respect and loyalty in your pinky finger than them.”
“Now I definitely could get used to compliments like that.”
His lips found hers and Melina moaned as Mac’s tongue invaded her mouth. She nearly lost her breath. His kiss was possessive and demanding. When his hand found its way between her legs, rubbing her clit hard she moaned pressing herself closer to his hand. Mac responded by slipping a finger inside of her and curling the digit hard in just the right spot to make her shake so hard.
His mouth lifted from hers. “You’re so soft and wet and sweet for me, doll. I love it when you’re like this.” His tongue licked the seam of her lips.
And then his phone rang.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Melina said.
“Just give me a minute.” Mac reached for his cell phone next to the lamp and answered it. “Mac.”
Melina noted the frown on Mac’s face as he listened.
“Yeah, Skip. I’m on my way.”
Mac ended the call.
“What is it now?” Melina asked.
“Guido wants to see me, and from his tone, he doesn’t sound happy.”
“When is that fat bastard ever happy?” Melina asked.
Mac laughed as he got out of bed slowly. “I’m still sore right now. I can’t take too much of your humor.”
Melina admired the firm curves of Mac’s ass while he dressed. “With the folks you’re dealing with, you need my humor and everything else.”
“No arguments with you there, doll.”
“Good. You’re learning. Now, where does your illustrious Capo want us to meet him?”
Mac turned to face her, a frown on his face. “Not us. Just me.”
Melina threw back the covers and moved to the end of the bed, folding her arms.
“What would make you think I’m just going to wait around here, if he’s pissed off with you?”
Mac put on his shirt. “I can handle Guido.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t, but I don’t like you meeting him alone. We still have targets on our backs.”
“I know that. Finding out who’s after us and ending this is all I’ve been able to think about, but I can’t risk anything happening to you. I need to meet Guido with a clear head.”
“What the hell are you saying, Mac? I’m a distraction?”
“Yes.”
There it was.
One word.
Why did it stab her through the gut like a knife ripping her insides out?
“I didn’t mean it like that, Melina.”
When he moved towards her, Melina held up her hand to ward him off. “Don’t. Just don’t.”
“There is no one in this world that I trust more than you. I love you in a way I never thought I could love, but the thought of losing you … I couldn’t take it, doll. If Guido is on the warpath, then I need to be able to deal with him. If I know that you’re here out of harm’s way, then at least I know that no matter what happens, you’ll be all right.”
Melina sighed as she looked at Mac. She could see the love he had for her shinning in his eyes. He wasn’t asking this of her because he didn’t think she wasn’t capable of watching his back.
He was asking this because he loved her.
Because he wanted to protect her at all costs … even if it meant leaving himself exposed.
“Sometimes you have to think of yourself, Mac.”
He sat down on the bed and took her hand in his. “When you love someone, you put their needs ahead of your own. What kind of man would I be to risk you?”
“You’re not risking me, Mac.”
“Yes, I would be. Please, Melina. I don’t ask for a lot of things, but I’m asking you to give me this. If things go sour, you’ll be the first person I call. I promise.”
He kissed her softly on the lips. Her heart was tight in her chest. Staying behind was the hardest thing he’d ever asked of her.
“This goes against everything screaming inside me,” she said.
“I know, but I’ll be fine. Remember I was doing all right before we met.”
Melina laughed. “Yeah. Just all right, but if it will put your misguided conscience at ease, then I’ll stay here.”
“Thank you. I know how hard this is for you.”
“No, you don’t. Now go and see what that pompous ass wants and don’t keep me waiting too long.”
She kissed him hard, deepening the kiss the very moment he parted his lips to let her into the heat of his mouth. He groaned against her lips before she pushed him away.
“You’re not playing fair, doll.”
“All’s fair in love and war. Now go.”
Mac stood up and grabbed his keys from the bedside table. “I love you, Melina.”
“I love you, too. Come back to me.”
“Always.”
And then he left the bedroom. Melina sat on the side of the bed and listened as the front door slammed shut. The longer she sat there, knowing he was alone and she was stuck there waiting for him to come back, the worse she felt.
Deep in her heart.
Burrowing into her soul.
Needling into her bones.
Something wasn’t right.
She felt it in her gut and her gut had never been wrong.
Could Mac be walking into a trap?
Melina rapped her fingers to her knees, and shot a look at the clock. A fleeting thought passed through her mind—a conversation, actually. One she had with a much smarter woman when it came to the mafia and the lifestyle Melina was now surrounded by.
She had told Neeya Pivetti that she didn’t know who was coming after her and Mac.
Neeya disagreed. Don’t you? Come now dear, you’re a bright girl. The answer is already in front of you.
Had it been in front of them for a long time? Longer than maybe Mac wanted to admit? Was it Guido showing his jealousy over a solider he wanted to keep to himself and out of the limelight of the family?
Mac trusted Guido. He didn’t always like him, but he trusted the man because he was his Capo, Melina knew. He wouldn’t look to Guido as the person who might want to harm them. But to her, the Capo was no better than other men of his position—men like Anthony.
The difference between those two men? Anthony had gotten what he wanted from Mac, and he didn’t hide the asshole he could be while he got it, either. And then he walked away.
But Guido?
He hid everything, including Mac.
&
nbsp; Melina didn’t like this at all.
Getting up, she quickly dressed in a black tank top, jeans and spike heeled boots before she threw on a leather jacket. Opening her nightstand, Melina pulled out the gun Mac had given her and tucked it in her waistband.
No way was she walking into a lion’s lair without a means to take it down.
Cosa Nostra be damned.
The man she loved was not about to pay the price for another man’s greed.
Mac pulled his car into the parking lot of Guido’s club. He cut the engine and pulled his keys from the ignition. Shifting in the seat, he took some of the pressure off his injured side. Despite how much he had done over the last few days to hide it from Melina, his ribs and sore kidney were still giving him hell.
His girl worried enough.
She didn’t need him adding to it.
Still, he had a feeling that whatever this meeting was with Guido, it wouldn’t be fun. The Capo sounded like he was in a right and proper fit when he’d demanded Mac get his dumb ass out of bed and make his way over.
The “dumb ass” thing being Guido’s words, not Mac’s.
Mac couldn’t figure out what in the hell he had done to not only warrant his Capo’s anger, but also the man’s verbal abuse. Sure, he had seen Guido turn his nasty self on other people in that way over the years, but never Mac.
Long ago, he had earned the respect—and he thought the admiration—of Guido for his loyalty, respect to the life, and his hard work. It was the only thing Mac strived for in his life—to be a made man was the most important thing.
Guido knew that.
So yeah, Mac didn’t understand.
Brushing off his lingering irritation, Mac grabbed the small white grocery bag and opened it up. He’d stopped at a corner store quickly to pick up an item he needed, but Melina had refused him over the week, due to the doctor’s orders. Popping open the plastic package, he quickly unrolled the long, flesh-toned support bandage. Lifting his shirt up, he made quick work of wrapping his injured ribs as tightly as he could. The pressure of the bandage allowed him to breathe better, and he figured he would at least be able to move without showing he was in pain.
