Leave Me Breathless: The Black Rose Collection

by Dakota Willink

  “Giovanni!” Niko shouted, gripping his elbow, preventing Gino from landing the punch to Tony’s jaw. “You can deal with him later, but we need you inside.”

  Niko was one of the handful of people he told Kristine who could call him by his first name. Fear gripped Gino, Niko kept his use of the privilege to more pressing matters. “You need to prepare yourself for what you’re about to see in there, it isn’t pretty.”

  Gino felt numb as he stood staring at the body of his father. While he was no stranger to crime scenes involving gunshots, this time felt different somehow.

  “I’ve put ears to the ground and a hefty reward for anyone who knows anything,” Niko spoke from behind him. “Whoever did this, Gino, knew your father’s routine. Knew where the cameras—”

  “Let me see him,” a strangled cry rang out down the hall, interrupting Niko and forcing the pair to draw their guns. Sully burst through the door, his eyes wide in disbelief as he saw his father dead on the couch.

  “He’s dead!” Sully cried, his eyes locking with Gino’s, his hands diving into the hair at the top of his head. “Gino, Dad is dead. Who the…?” Sully trailed off, wrapping himself around Gino, his sobs jerking the two of them.

  “I just talked to him this morning, Gino.” Sully pulled away, his face red and wet with tears. “We were going to catch a hockey game tonight.”

  Pulling Sully in for a hug, “I know, man. I had something to tell him later, too.” Gino looked across the room to where Tony stood apologetically. “Hey, Tony, take my brother to the kitchen and fill him up with some liquid courage. He’s gonna need it.”

  As hard as Sully tried to be a badass, of all the Vitale men, he was by far the most sensitive. Growing up, Gino took the role of being his big brother to heart, doing most of the dirty work when their father handed out assignments. Gino recalled the first time Sully held a gun, how his hand shook and he dropped the damn thing twice before Niko took it away from him. As they got older, Gino did most of the enforcing, allowing Sully to take credit for shit he didn’t do, just so he would look good in their father’s eyes.

  Niko waited until Sully was out of the room before continuing. He worried the youngest Vitale would never recover from the loss of his father, at least not as well as Gino would.

  “As I was saying, whoever did this knew Jonathan’s routine. Where the cameras were and how to shut them off.”

  “In other words, we’ve got nothing. Not a fucking clue who’s responsible!” Gino roared.

  “Giovanni, it’s no secret your father had a long list of enemies, not including your mother’s family.”

  “Mom may have hated him, but if she wanted to kill him, she would have done it on Italian soil.” Gino reasoned, having spoken with his mother a few hours ago before she went to bed.

  “I put a call into Luca, but this should come from you, Giovanni.”

  Gino nodded his head, “I’ll call her later. My father stole enough sleep from my mother when he was alive.”

  Surveying the room, Gino tried to look at things as the killer might. Having been given the task of shooting a few men in the back of the head, he moved around the couch to stand where he would have been the one to kill him.

  “My father had an odd sense of awareness. As a child, I could never sneak up on him, he always knew I was there.”

  “Unless he had something to distract him.” Niko reasoned. “How many men sit around in their living room with their dicks out unless they’re jacking off—”

  “Or getting their dick sucked.” Gino finished. Rounding the couch, he took in his father’s body. With his slumped position, it was hard to tell at first, but sure enough, his father’s flaccid dick was stuck to his pants, dried come staining his dark slacks.

  “Call our friend at the lab, offer him whatever he wants to come and swab his dick. If someone was sucking it, they left behind their DNA.”

  Niko pulled out his phone, turning from the couch as Gino continued to scan the area around his father’s body. They would have to call the authorities, allowing the funeral home to take the body away to prepare him for burial. The other Families would be called in, a meeting held to choose their new leader. With his death coming before he passed the reins, it was anyone’s guess who would be chosen.

  “He’ll be here in half an hour,” Niko advised as he took his place beside Gino. “Apparently, he has something to tell you. Wouldn’t say what it was, only you needed to hear.”

  “It’s fine, Niko,” Gino responded absentmindedly, his focus on the ring on his father’s hand, more importantly, what was under the hand. “Tell me, have you known Jonathan to carry anything other than a Glock?”

  “No, he has a gun safe full of them, some shit about NATO bullets.”

  Pointing to the gun in his father’s grip. “Then whose gun is that?”

  Niko reached into his pocket, pulling out a handkerchief, covering his fingers before prying the gun from Jonathan’s hand. Rigor mortis made it nearly impossible, several of his fingers snapping in the process. Holding the gun in the air between them, Gino and Niko stared hard at the revolver, Jonathan’s blood staining one side of it.

  “Gino,” one of the men called from the door. “Cops are here.”

  Niko pulled the gun away, wrapping it in the handkerchief and sliding it into his pocket. Crossing the room, he pulled open the top drawer of Jonathan’s desk, carefully removing a Glock before tossing it across the room to Gino’s feet. Using the tail of his jacket, Gino picked up the gun, laying it strategically on his father's lap.

  “Mr. Vitale,” the suited man greeted, stepping around the handful of Vitale men now standing guard.

  “Rhoads,” Gino acknowledged, grateful Niko had the brains to call in one of the men on their payroll. “I’d say it was good to see you, but…”

  Rhoads nodded his head, hooking his hands on his hips allowing his gun and badge to show. “Do we know what happened? I know your father was fairly serious when it came to cameras and such.”

  Nodding, “Best we can gather is he shot himself. The reason we may never know, as he didn’t leave a note and he turned off all the cameras before he swallowed the bullet.”

  Rhoads looked from Gino to Jonathan, the exit wound clearly on his forehead and not the top of his head. Rhoads found himself deeply indebted to the Vitale’s, Gino in particular, and if the man said his father killed himself, then that is what his report would reflect. “The Coroner is going to want ten G’s to corroborate.”

  “No, he won’t,” Niko added, kneeling and firing a single shot to Jonathan’s temple, the hollowpoint taking off the back of his head and the original entrance of the first bullet.

  For the first time since he was a child, Gino jumped at the sound of a gunshot, the reality of it all crashing down around him.

  “I've got to call my ma.” Gino muttered before walking with purpose from the room, ignoring the sad faces of his men he jumped in his car and sped out the gates. Night had fallen on the city, the clock on his dash reading almost midnight. His mother would be awake by now, most likely having coffee on the veranda outside of her bedroom with Luca beside her.

  “Good morning, Gino. I d—"

  “Dad’s dead, Ma.” Gino interrupted his knuckles wrapped around the steering wheel turning white from his grip. He hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that, but his emotions were all over the place as reality set in.

  “Oh my…” Chiara breathed, knowing this day would one day come, yet she still wasn’t prepared. “I’m so sorry, sweet boy.”

  “Don’t be, he was horrible to you.”

  “But he was still your father. As much as I hated him, he gave me you.”

  “I'm sorry, Ma. I don’t mean to be disrespectful.”

  “You’re entitled to grieve in your own way, Giovanni. Let me get a few things together and your sister and I will fly out as soon as we can.”

  Relieved, Gino lessened his grip. “Thank you, Ma.”

  “For what, Son?”


  “For putting me first, coming here even though the chance is high you will see Barbara again.”

  “You let me worry about Barbara. Much to her chagrin, Jonathan was still legally my husband. Something his death guarantees she will never have.”

  “Call me when you’re in the air.” Gino started as he crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. “And Ma?”

  “Yes, Gino?”

  “I have news to share with you about Nicole and Emilio.”

  “Has she been found?”

  Gino hated to crush the excitement in his mother’s voice. “Sadly no, but this isn’t something I want to say over the phone. Just get here, it’s something you have to see to believe.”

  Ending the call with his mother, Gino pushed the gas pedal to the floor, he needed to get to Kristine, see for himself she was okay. Standing outside her door, he knew he could use his key and walk in, but he needed to show her he respected her, showing her how unlike his father he was.

  When Kristine finally opened the door, her sleepy eyes taking him in, Gino lost the battle with his emotions. Pushing the door open, he took her face between his palms, slamming her against the wall as he kicked the door closed.

  “I need you, Kristine.”

  18

  Kristine’s breath hitched as her back came in contact with the wall. Gino’s hot breath on her neck forcing her head to tilt to the side, giving him room to work. She’d been expecting a call from him, but as evening turned to night, she readied for bed and had drifted to sleep when a banging sounded from her door startled her.

  “God, you smell good.” Gino mumbled into her neck, his hand diving past the thin fabric of the nightgown she wore, kneading her breast with his large hand as he picked her up and slid his other between her thighs. “I swear to go slow next time,” he rasped out. “Fuck, Kristine tell me to stop if you don’t want me.” Grinding his thick erection against her core. The thought of not wanting him was lost the moment he said he needed her.

  “It’s okay,” she squeaked out, mere seconds before her panties were ripped from her body and Gino plunged himself inside her.

  “I…” Gino uttered as he pounded into her, his thoughts a clouded mess of who he feared was responsible for his father’s death.

  “I fucking…” Adjusting his hold on Kristine, worried as fuck he was sending her the wrong message. He needed to be clear, countering his need not to think, “I love you.”

  Kristine's eyes opened wide at Gino’s proclamation. Her back ached from the friction of her skin rubbing against the decorative wood piece, but she remained silent, letting him take what he needed for now.

  Gino buried his nose in Kristine’s neck, the floral smell of her combined with how tight and warm she was brought on his orgasm. “Hold on, Baby,” he cried into her ear as his body shook and he spilled into her. Thrusting twice more, he allowed her feet to fall to the ground before he dropped to his knees before her, laying his forehead against her flat stomach.

  Kristine knew the second his knees hit the floor something wasn’t right. Dropping to the floor, she captured his face in her hand, “Talk to me, Giovanni.” Her eyes shifted between his, “Tell me what’s wrong?”

  Gino swallowed hard. “My father…” he trailed off, collapsing into her.

  “Your father what, Gino? Please tell me what happened?”

  Kristine waited as Gino shifted his body, moving to rest his back against the wall, his legs spread open and his knees bent. Leaning his head against the wall, he tipped his face in her direction, “My father was killed tonight.”

  Kristine had never been formally introduced to Jonathan Vitale, knowing only through what she’d heard through Nina and the other girls in the office.

  “Oh my, God. I’m so sorry.” Cradling Gino’s torso in her arms, she kissed the top of his head. “Are you okay? Of course, you’re not okay, this was your father.” She added, more for herself than him.

  Pulling her to straddle him, “I’m the one who is sorry. I came here tonight because you were the first person I thought of. The one person I wanted close to me.” Sealing his words with a kiss, Gino lowered his knees to pull her closer.

  “My life is cruel and complicated, full of pitfalls and heartbreak. What I said before was ill-planned, but it’s the truth. I love you, Kristine Smith. I have since the first moment I saw you, standing on the curb waiting to get into Nina’s car. I want you in my world, no matter what the next few days bring, I want you beside me.”

  Nodding, Kristine pressed her lips to his. “Yes, of course.”

  Deepening the kiss, Gino flipped them over, not caring if she didn’t repeat the words back to him. For now, he’d love her enough for both of them.

  “Your lips taste so sweet, Kristine. I want to know if the rest of you tastes as sweet.”

  Before she could answer, Gino had her on her feet and tossed over his shoulder as he jogged down the hall to the master bedroom, laying her down as gently as he had the night he got her drunk.

  Gino stood back, admiring the beauty lying before him, her hair had begun to show its true color as the dark roots made their appearance. God, he hoped she would go back to her natural hair, be less like the girls in the office. Taking her foot, a thought came to mind as he kissed her arch, licking the area between her toes, earning a giggle which spoke volumes to him.

  Placing a knee on the bed, he laid her foot down, shrugging out of his jacket and letting his gun fall with it to the floor. He watched as her breathing became rapid, as he ran his index finger up her leg and over her knee. Removing his shirt and pants, he didn’t miss the way her eyes drifted from his face down his chest, stopping at his cock. He wanted her to look, to lick her lips with anticipation of the level of pleasure he could bring her. He fully intended on bringing her pleasure tonight and every night for the rest of their lives.

  “I owe you an orgasm,” he announced before diving between her thighs, separating her lips with his thumbs and lapping at her engorged clit.

  “Gino, wait!” Kristine cried, reaching down and pulling at his hair.

  “What? You don’t like having your pussy licked?”

  Kristine struggled to find the right words to answer his questions. “It’s just…”

  Having one partner in her life, which sadly was Jonah, whose idea of hot sex was leaving the light in the bathroom on. He was a straight missionary style, with the entire event over before she was able to get going.

  “It’s just what, babe? If you have something you like, tell me and I’ll fucking do it.”

  Letting out a deep breath, her eyes shifted to the ceiling overhead. “Earlier, when you came in…” She trailed off, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. “You came inside me.”

  “Is that what this is all about? Did your ex have an issue with his own jizz?”

  Gino felt slightly hypocritical, he could count on one hand how many women he’d eaten out. The majority of those were done during the threesome he had during his recent trip to Italy. There hadn’t been time to clean up so to speak, when you bust a nut in one girl, another plants her pussy over your face and chances are you’ve shot a load in it as well.

  “No, Jonah never…” Kristine shook her head.

  “Hold the fuck up, you’ve never had your pussy eaten, have you?”

  “No.”

  Gino smiled before turning his head, placing a kiss to her inner thigh. “Hold on tight, baby. I’m about to rock your fucking world.”

  Kristine wasn’t given room to argue, as Gino buried his face between her thighs, his tongue lapping at her entrance while his thumb flicked her clit back and forth. Adjusting his position, Gino moved his body until her leg was over his shoulders, giving him complete access to her pussy. Unlike the other girls, Kristine wasn’t bald, the smattering of hair at the top of her clit made her seem hotter. Sliding his tongue in and out of her entrance, he continued to rub her clit with his left thumb. With his right hand, he traveled around her ass, and up to her breast, pinching her nipple
with his thumb and index finger.

  “Gino,” Kristine let his name escape her lips, the sensation of what he was doing to her creating pressure in her belly and the need for more. “Please.”

  He could feel her walls trembling, her pussy proving to taste even sweeter than her lips. Gino knew what she needed without asking, but he’d made her a promise, one he intended to keep. Replacing two fingers for his tongue, he moved his mouth to her clit, sucking hard enough to make her back arch off the mattress, his name falling once again from her lips.

  Never, not even by her own hand, had Kristine orgasmed with such intensity. It didn’t stop her body from reacting to the kisses Gino trailed up her body as he made his way to her face.

  “What’s the verdict?”

  Kristine struggled to understand what Gino meant, her mind and body a puddle of melted jello.

  “Having your pussy eaten, did I change your mind?”

  Unable to form words, Kristine nodded vigorously, gaining a smile from Gino who sealed his lips to hers.

  Not surprisingly, Kristine found Gino to be an excellent kisser. Granted her expertise was limited, but what did surprise her was how much she enjoyed the flavor of herself on his tongue when he pushed passed her lips and connected with hers. When his hips ground into her core, Kristine wondered how much of what she was tasting was her and how much was him? She’d gone down on Jonah once, the results had been embarrassing as he fell asleep before she could get very far.

  Sex had always been a chore for Kristine, much like scrubbing the floor or taking out the trash, it wasn’t something she particularly enjoyed.

  Preparing to lay back and wait for it to be over, she was shocked to find Gino staring intently in her eyes as he hovered over her, the back of his fingers brushing her face. “I can’t get over how beautiful you are.” He whispered, placing a series of kisses from her lips to the underside of her left breast.

  “So soft,” Gino kept his eyes locked on hers, those exotic blue eyes making him feel and do things he wouldn’t have dreamt of doing before. “So perfect.”