I can tell everyone in the room heard it because Alessandra looks in our direction. At the same time, Caprice’s eyes have gone wide. “Caprice, let’s get going. I want to check on your hands.”
She gets up from the couch and turns to her sister. “Happy Birthday.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Alessandra shoots back at her.
“It might seem hard for you to accept, but I genuinely hope you have a good birthday.”
20
“There’s nothing quite like the feeling of infatuation. It is the most painful feeling of ecstasy . . . like lust and obsession combined with the volume turned way up.”
~ Ranata Suzuki
Caprice
Liam and I walk alongside each other in a sluggish manner as we venture back to the main house. Neither of us has said a word, but I’m not minding it. That’s not the most awkward part of everything right now. Although, I’m not sure what is. Nothing feels natural. It’s only weird and uncomfortable. Over time, I’m sure things will get better.
“Who is the baker for your family?” I ask him, not bothering to look up. Instead, I keep my eyes trained on the gravel in front of me.
“We have a couple, though I’d say Maeve is the best.”
“Ah, okay.”
“Why, what’re you thinking?”
I shrug. “I was going to see if she could point me in the right direction on what shops have what I’ll need to make Alessandra’s birthday cake.”
“You’re going to make her a cake . . . after you both fought like that?” Liam asks, seeming to be confused.
I nod, gather the courage to look at him, and speak. “Yes. We fight because we’re family and have very strong opinions on what we think is right. Even though I’m pissed at her and she says she hates me right now, she’s still my sister and it is her birthday. So, I plan on making a Mille-Feuille Napoleon cake for her.”
“You don’t need Maeve to tell you where to go. I’ll take you, and on the way, we can stop at a pharmacy because I doubt there’s a first aid kit in the house.”
Liam and I get in his car and head into town. I’m surprised Luca isn’t with him, or one of the other security guards his family has hired. Oddly enough, it’s refreshing to be alone with him. Being by ourselves, I’m slowly seeing a different side of him. One where he doesn’t keep his walls up because of prying eyes.
He took me to a small bakery supply store on the western side of Dublin. There was an old couple who immediately recognized him and thanked him so much for coming in. They explained they were having difficulty with some teenage thugs coming into their store, demanding free supplies and baked goods. Even confessed the kids took a hefty bit of cash one time. Liam didn’t have to help this couple, but I could see how much the actions of these kids irritated him. I also saw how seeing one of the key figureheads of the mafia was so well received. Instead of fearing Liam, they welcomed him with open arms and explained their issues. They felt comfortable enough telling him what happened, hopeful he’d help. This is a huge difference between the Italian and Irish mobs. My family scares people to death, whereas the Mackenzies demand respect.
Liam introduced me to the couple as his wife and what shocked me more than anything is how happy they both were. They came up to me, wrapped their arms around me, and congratulated us both. Then the wife pointed out she hadn’t heard about a wedding. Liam took the opportunity to tell her we eloped and are going to have a ceremony at a later date, offering them the job of baking the cake and scrumptious treats for our guests. The way her eyes lit up told me how much she loves the Mackenzies . . . as does her husband. They wouldn’t let us leave without a couple of boxes of mixed pastries, cupcakes, cookies, and miniature pies, along with the supplies I needed for Alessandra’s cake.
After the shop, Liam did take us to the pharmacy and got a first aid kit. The moment we got back into the car, he looked over my hands and cleaned me up. We didn’t say much on the drive back to his house but went straight into the kitchen. He kicked the staff out, allowing it to just be the two of us for a bit longer. I’m not new to having a household staff, although sometimes it can be overwhelming. You feel like you’re constantly being watched by others.
Liam takes the baked goods out of the bags and opens both boxes, sitting them on the island while I run around opening cabinets, looking for bowls and utensils. I go ahead and pre-heat the oven as I start combining ingredients. In the meantime, Liam is chomping away on the goodies.
“These are delicious,” Liam moans, obviously savoring some sweet treat. I go over and look at the truffle-like dessert he’s eating, but taking one whiff of the box I know there’s whiskey in them.
“They stink,” I complain, much preferring my alcohol to be wine.
“They do at first,” he admits. Picking one up, he brings his fingers closer to my mouth. “But trust me when I say you’ll love it. Think of it like tiramisu. Most people hate it at first, but slowly it grows on the person who isn’t used to the combination of chocolate with the coffee and soft cake. Instead of coffee, you have Irish whiskey with chocolate, fresh cream, and butter.”
I open my mouth and allow Liam to put one in, shut it and savor the combination of flavors. The whiskey isn’t quite as strong as it appeared to be based on the smell, however, it’s so creamy and subtly sweet. I twirl my tongue around inside my mouth, highly enjoying the treat. “Okay, you’re right. Maybe when we get married, we can have some of those.” I say, open to the idea. Going back over to the stove, I finish combining the ingredients for Alessandra’s cake and put it in the oven.
“How long do you have to wait until it’s done?” he asks.
“About twenty-five minutes. I already have the filling prepared but I won’t add it until we’re ready to take the cake over. I want it to be crisp. Not soggy and gross.”
“Understandable. It already smells good. Come back over here, I want you to try something else.” I wonder what else he’s insisting I try, although considering the truffle was delicious, I’m sure whatever he’s exposing me to now will be as well. Upon getting back on his side of the island, I see slices of thin bread, appearing to be dense in nature. They have raisins and berries baked into them, causing them to smell sweet but not in an overwhelming way. Liam breaks off a piece and I open my mouth, allowing him to put it inside.
Just as I thought, it’s sweet but not overpowering. The spices in the bread compliment the raisins and cherries in a lovely way. “This is barmbrack. Usually it isn’t made until around Halloween, however, they make it in their shop all year long. Pretty good, yeah?”
“Mhm,” I moan, chewing on the delicious treat. “You keep feeding me yummy treats like this and I’m going to gain weight.”
Liam’s eyes don’t waver from mine as he smiles. “Caprice, you’re a tiny little thing. You could use a few extra pounds. What are you, a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet?”
I furrow my brows, getting frustrated. “It’s none of your business. Don’t you know it’s rude asking a woman her weight.”
“I’m trying to be sweet here and you’re taking me the wrong way. You could be a hundred and sixty and I wouldn’t care. I’ve always been fonder of the thicker girls. More for me to grab onto.” He winks at the end but I watch the way his eyes slowly venture down my body, staring at my hips. “You already have a nice ass there, though. Luckily, I got an eye full this morning.”
My body betrays me again as my cheeks flush with redness, showing my embarrassed state. Liam, on the other hand, smiles wider, looking at me as if I’m this cute, innocent thing. Out of nowhere, he cups both sides of my face and stands from his seat, leaning down to where his lips are a mere millimeter from mine.
“What do you want from me, Caprice Mackenzie?”
I suck in a breath, seeing how obvious this push-and-pull chemistry is with him. Instead of pulling away, I’m as honest as I can be. “I want you to do what you would to your wife.”
21
What eats you whole leaves you hungry.
Liam
She wants me to treat her like she’s my wife. Caprice doesn’t have any idea what she’s asking. She is my wife, however, not in a conventional way most people are used to. Where others have had years to get to know each other before one proposes and then they marry, we’ve only had a couple of weeks to know things about each other.
Still, she wants me to treat her like she’s my wife. I take in her features, from her almond-colored brunette hair to her amber-tinted brown eyes and soft olive skin. She’s every man's wet dream and I had fought not wanting her in this way.
For a brief period of time, all I wanted was to use her for my own gain, not to lust after her the way I am right now. Hell, I thought I could do it too. I thought I could marry her to further affirm I’m ready to take over the mob from my father, but he informed me earlier today that just because I’m married, it doesn’t mean I’ll get it any sooner. He’s stated oh so clearly how he’ll step down when he’s ready to hand over the reins.
I run my tongue over my bottom lip, trying to maintain my composure. Internally. I fight with myself, wanting nothing more than to throw her up against the nearest wall and show her just how good being my wife can be.
Those innocent eyes of hers stare into mine, revealing a dash of mischief. I know the second we start, I won’t be able to stop myself. It’ll be explosive as all hell. I knew that the first moment my eyes ever landed on her. Instantly, I was able to tell she’s the type of woman you don’t take one shot of. No, Caprice is the type you slowly sip and savor over time.
I suck in a short breath, grumbling my warning. “I don’t stop once I start, Caprice. I will ravage you like a piece of fresh meat.” Every word I’ve just said should warn us both that this moment isn’t the right time. From what she’s confessed, she’s never had a good sexual experience in her life. I don’t want us to be added to that list because I was too rough with her. While I’ll be slow with what I do, I’m a rough bastard when I have what I want. It’s been two years since the last time I had sex. Two fucking years, because the last woman I gave my heart to ripped it out of my chest.
Caprice glides her hands up my chest slowly before she wraps them around my neck, keeping her eyes on mine. “If I was afraid, I wouldn’t have said it.”
The fact she’s practically a mind reader is even more appealing. “I don’t want you to fear me,” I say, laying it all out on the line. I know if I make one mistake, she will.
“Liam, I trust you. I don’t know why, but my heart keeps convincing me you’re good. You aren’t like anyone I’ve ever met before, and it gives me hope. So, listen to me when I say I trust you. I came here to hide under your family’s nose, hoping the protection Ireland provides would keep my father away. I knew then you all were good. In my heart, I knew.” She places her hand on her chest. “And you’ve proven my heart right. You’re good.”
I bring my lips a tiny bit closer to hers, where they’re touching but we’re not quite kissing. “Caprice, I appear to be good, but I’m not.”
“Then show me your darkness, Liam Mackenzie. I’m a tough cookie. I can handle it.”
“You don’t understand what you’re asking for, Caprice,” I state, closing my eyes.
“Stop trying to talk me down. I want you, and from the looks of it, you want me too,” Caprice hisses, sucking my bottom lip into her mouth. With that small action, my control starts slipping away. I wrap my arm around her body, holding her firmly against my chest, and wrap my other hand around her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of the vanilla lavender body wash I put in the bathroom this morning. She smells decadent.
Caprice allows a soft breathy moan to slip through her lips, most likely in anticipation of what I’ll do. I force her to back up, pressing her into the cabinet and counter. Sliding my hands to her hips, I pick her up by her ass and plop her on the cold stone, breathing heavily against her mouth.
I open my eyes and see the glimmer of heat in hers. It’s everything I need to press the gas on what we’re doing. If she had shown even an ounce of fear, I would’ve held myself back, but here she is, egging me on.
“Are you sure you want me, Caprice?”
“Did I stutter?” she hisses, showing her evident annoyance.
I slip my suit jacket off, placing it on the counter next to Caprice. Her irises expand in anticipation so I continue slowly unbuttoning my shirt. She saw me shirtless earlier, but she didn’t see my back. I’m sure where she comes from the Italian guys are prim and proper. While I look the part, I’m not.
Business in the front, party in the back, as they say. There are two halves to me— the good and the bad. If Caprice wants to see both, then I’ll show her who I really am.
I turn, allowing my shirt to fall down a bit, revealing my back covered with ink representing everything I’ve done for my family and my country. “Are those the trinities?”
“Yes. They represent many things. Some believe it’s pertaining to God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, in my culture, we view the trinity a bit differently. While it’s represented in a religious sense, there’s also another meaning— life, death, and rebirth. Every trinity linked together on my back is symbolic for me. It’s the number of men I’ve issued the second representation to in order to protect what’s important to me.”
I turn back around to face Caprice, expecting to see fear. Instead, I’m shocked. Her eyes are filled with tears and as I’m about to speak, she cuts me off. “You go to such great lengths to protect the people you love. I’m not used to that. Where I’m from, you pay someone to handle your problems, but you handle them yourself. Liam, I’m not expecting you to be perfect because Lord knows I’m not. I’m not even expecting insta-love or any of that shit. What I do expect is for both of us to respect each other, especially since we are married. It may only be in a legal sense, but one day I do hope I fall for you and we’re a couple in mind, body, and spirit. I will accept the body part now, though.” She giggles at the end, earning a smile from me.
Bringing my lips to hers, I kiss her with more passion than I’ve ever kissed anyone— including my ex. I show Caprice I can have a soft side as well as a harsh one before I pull away. “Finish this damn cake so I can take you upstairs and show you what it means to be mine.”
22
Her appetite for him was voracious and although the starvation was torture she was certain the feast would be salacious.
~ A. Jade
Liam
Caprice took her time allowing the pastry to cool before she put the filling in. I watched her dash powdered sugar on the top and grab a few raspberries from the fridge before we walked alongside each other back over to Luca and Alessandra’s flat.
We stand at their door, knocking lightly, waiting for it to open, but I’m getting the feeling it won’t. “Who’s there?” Alessandra asks.
“It’s me. I made your favorite cake for your birthday. You don’t have to eat it with me or anything, but I wanted you to have something, and I hope you enjoy it,” Caprice says. Even though she doesn’t stutter or choke, I can see the emotion written across her face.
Much to my surprise, Alessandra does open the door and Luca is standing a few feet behind her. Instead of looking to Caprice, he stares at me and mouths, ‘She’s having a rough time.’ I nod, understanding it must be even more difficult for her. She’s barely an adult, and from everything I’ve heard, she wasn’t treated in the same way her sister was.
“I’m sorry I slapped you. I shouldn’t have done that,” Alessandra tells Caprice.
“It’s fine. We were both angry,” Caprice replies, handing her the cake. Alessandra opens the top and smiles brightly at the contents, opening her arm to give Caprice a hug. “I’m going to go hang out with Liam for a while, but you and Luca enjoy your cake.”
“I . . . are you sure you don’t want to come in?”
Caprice glances up at me with a sinful smile. “Yeah, Liam and I have prior obligations. I’l
l come over tomorrow though.”
“You two can go out with Shaun and Bishop. They’ll escort both of you into town so you can get some shopping done,” I tell them, looking back to Luca, who nods in agreement. He and I have a meeting with my father which could take the entire day. It’s better we stick to our schedule, and this way the girls are protected and busy.
“Okay, sounds like a plan,” Caprice says.
“Cap . . . I mean it, I’m really sorry. I’m having a difficult time adjusting to all this change. I feel like life just screwed me over so bad. Honestly, I saw the way you felt trapped by our father and I thought I’d be free the second I turned eighteen. Only, the universe had other plans for me,” Alessandra tells her sister, adding a half-smile at the end.
Caprice gives her sister another hug. “It’s fine. We’ll talk about everything tomorrow while we’re having our girls' day.”
“Okay, see you tomorrow,” Alessandra states, shutting the door.
Caprice and I get out of the security house and are on our way back to the main house when she stops all of a sudden and looks at me. “I heard what Luca said to Bishop earlier. What was all of that about?”
“It’s not my gossip to tell,” I say, not wanting to bring up old shite.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll just go to the sources myself.”
“Fine. Luca’s fiancé died a little over a year ago. She was pregnant with Luca’s baby, but she was Bishop’s ex. She had a one-night stand with Bishop. They met at Maeve’s, actually. She found out she was pregnant. Her and Bishop dated for six months but it didn’t work, so they broke up before Aoife was born. Obviously, Roisin spent time around all of us. She and Luca connected that way but had known one another since they were kids. Luca had gone to Bishop to make sure he wasn’t breaking bro code and Bishop gave the all-clear, stating all they had in common was their daughter. Long story short, everything was great for Luca and Roisin but they drifted apart during her pregnancy and were on a break. Roisin had told him they might be better as friends and they were on a break when they died, but she wore that ring every day, and she was pregnant with Luca’s kid . . . when she started fucking Bishop again.”
Leave Me Breathless: The Black Rose Collection Page 54
