Epilogue #2
With a snarl, I grip the arm around my throat and lean forward, bringing the man’s feet into the air, before throwing myself backward.
He stumbles back, tripping over his feet until we both slam into a wall.
The impact forces a grunt from my attacker, and his grip loosens enough that I can slam the back of my head into his face.
I have to get out of this hold. I have to get to Seth before Lash guts him. I can’t lose him. Not so soon. Not after I promised I’d never let him be taken again.
A scream cuts through my anger-fueled panic. Seth has wrapped himself around Lash like a fucking spider monkey, clinging to his back. His arm moves, wetness splattering my face, as Seth buries his knife in Lash’s chest again and again.
Eventually, Lash collapses and Seth falls away, his chest heaving as he stares up at the ceiling. Vincent gives a subtle nod, and I’m released. I rush to Seth’s side, checking him over for any wounds before I pull him into my arms.
“Is he dead? Did I kill him?” Seth’s voice is small, and he looks up at me, eyes bright with unshed tears.
“Even if he’s not, I doubt he’s going to try that with you again.
” Getting to my feet, I pick Seth up, cradling his smaller body against mine.
“And what the fuck was that about?” I send Vincent a cold look.
Even knowing what Seth went through just a few weeks ago, he decided to pull this stunt anyway?
“I had to be sure the partner of the Black Wolf of Vicellia is ruthless enough to be part of the Family. I need to make sure my son doesn’t become a pariah to our organization.”
“What the fuck you talkin’ about? Son? This queer is your son? You shittin’ me, Boss?” Antonio saunters up to the desk, weasel eyes squinting as if he’s having to think really hard about this.
“Figured Vincent would have told you when you went up and told him about all of my transgressions.”
“How odd. I don’t believe I had any such conversation with Antonio.” Vincent gives Antonio a level look, a clear warning to be careful with what he said. Antonio is a dumb fuck, though, and he either doesn’t notice the warning or ignores it.
“You mean to tell me your son is some queer and you’re perfectly fine with him fucking a boytoy right under your nose?” Antonio spits out. “You a fucking queer, too? It’s bad enough what you let in Lirael’s crew, but now your son? He going to run around in booty shorts and –”
Antonio’s homophobic rant ends abruptly on a gurgle.
Seth lets out a gasp as Antonio sways on his feet, a look of surprise on his pudgy face.
His throat blackens, the stain spreading down to disappear past the collar of his poorly tailored suit.
His thick lips open and close soundlessly, bits of bright blood visible on the inside.
He opens his mouth to scream, but only a wet, tearing sound emerges before he drops to the floor.
Seth’s grasp on my shirt tightens as he stares at Antonio’s body, and Vincent taps a button on his desk. A few moments later, two guards come in and drag out Antonio and Lash’s bodies.
“What just happened?” His voice is small, timid, and I grind my teeth at my father scaring him like this.
“Magic,” I say softly. “The kind that makes the US government nervous.”
Eventually, the three of us are alone in Vincent’s office, and we sit in the chairs not wet with blood splatter. I keep Seth in my lap because it’s a comfort for both of us. Vincent looks between the two of us, his keen eyes missing nothing.
“I won’t insult any of us by pretending what just happened was something unexpected,” Vincent begins as he takes out a bottle of whiskey and three glasses.
He pours two fingers’ worth of the liquor into each glass, pushing ours closer to our side of the desk.
“You are one hell of a vicious fighter, Seth.”
Seth swallows, his cheeks wet from the few tears he allowed to escape. “Yeah, well, still a pretty shitty thing for you to plan.”
Vincent pauses while putting the whiskey bottle away, and I grip Seth a bit tighter, but all Vincent does is let out a chuckle. “Perhaps, but it lets me know how serious the two of you are.” He leans back in his chair, arms crossed as he stares at nothing.
Seth turns his attention to Vincent, who meets his gaze. “Are we welcomed here, or will we have to run?”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about. You specifically, Frankie. I’m getting old. And I want to enjoy what life I have left. Barbara would want that. God rest her soul.” He pins me with a knowing look, and I have to grab onto the armrest to keep from toppling over.
“What are you asking?”
“I’m asking if you want a key to the kingdom. I’m asking if you want a part in taking over this business.”
I swallow. I know being a son of the Don gave me privileges, but I always assumed that being a bastard meant certain doors would always be closed to me. That I would forever remain the enforcer and hitman of the organization, even after Vincent was gone.
“What’s the catch?”
Vincent chuckles, “You have to run it with your siblings. We will have a family meeting in a few weeks to decide on things. But if you want a seat, you have one. You and your feisty boy.”
Seth grins up at me before he pins my father with a look. “Have you made any headway with my uncle’s letters?”
“Gio is working on them. If he discovers anything, I will let you know,” Vincent promises. I can tell Seth wants to ask more questions, but he doesn’t voice them. I can understand his hesitancy. My father is a very intimidating man, even when you don’t see him kill someone with magic.
“Now,” I say with a sigh, “how about I take you home?” I pull him up so that I can capture his lips with mine, my tongue licking against the seam until he parts for me. I would keep going, but Vincent clears his throat pointedly.
Seth scrambles off my lap, his cheeks bright red. “Sorry,” he mumbles as I drape my arm over his shoulders.
Vincent waves it away. Not expecting any sort of emotional show, I tug Seth with me toward the door. “I’ll send you information about the family gathering in a few days,” my father calls after me.
I wave my hand in acknowledgment. As much as I want to pepper him with questions about this sudden turn, I have far more pressing concerns. Such as figuring out how long I can edge Seth before he cries.
Seth
I can’t believe the time is finally here. Finally, Frankie and I will be mated.
I’m so excited that I can’t sit still as Frankie drives us back to our apartment. Frankie ended up moving in with me after that first month. I tried to tell him it wasn’t necessary, but after several weeks of him staying to help me sleep, he started stashing clothes there.
I know he still has his condo, but he doesn’t really stay there anymore. When he’s not working, he’s with me. He says my apartment feels more like home than his condo ever did, so I stopped arguing about it. It’s not like I hate having him there.
I still have horrible nightmares, but feeling Frankie behind me when I jolt out of sleep keeps the panic from overtaking me.
Seeing him in the hospital after the attack, the burns raw and oozing, made me burst into tears all over again.
Even when the nurses freaked out and tried to escort him to the burn unit, he refused to leave my side.
And now, we are taking the next step in our relationship.
I give him a smile as he pulls into the parking lot, grabbing his hand to kiss his knuckles before we get out. I’m a bundle of nerves as we make our way inside and up to my —our— apartment.
We waste little time talking. It took a week of begging to get Frankie to agree.
A week of proving that I still want to be mated with him.
As soon as the door is closed and locked, I’m launching myself at him.
Our mouths crash together, and he lets out a deep moan that has my dick leaping to attention.
It doesn’t take much to lead him to the bedroom, clothes falling away from us in abandon.
I can clean later, right now, all I want is him.
We haven’t had sex since the assault, even though the doctors cleared me for it over a week ago.
I wanted to wait and let our mating be the first time, a way to wash away everything that has transpired.
“Are you sure?” Frankie asks breathlessly.
I crawl onto the bed, giving him my full attention.
He’s bare before me, and I let my gaze wander over his body.
He’s absolute perfection in my eyes. While I want to trace the healing burns with my fingertips, I don’t bring attention to them.
I know Frankie is self-conscious about them, though he doesn’t say anything.
And while I do miss his beard, there’s still plenty of salt and pepper hair to run my fingers through.
I lean forward, sucking one dusky nipple into my mouth. “Yeah, I’m sure,” I reply once I’m satisfied I’ve paid enough attention to the nipple. Before I can move on to the other, he grabs me by the back of the neck and pulls me up to his lips.
“Then be a good boy and get on your stomach.” The growl in his voice has warmth radiating from my core, and I scurry to do as he says. I’ve barely gotten myself comfortable before he’s behind me, rough hands pulling my cheeks apart so that he can blow his warm breath against my puckered hole.
He’s gentle with me, his fingers kneading my ass as he takes a tentative swipe with his tongue, and I whine against the sheets. I push my ass back as he licks me again, my nerves zinging with pleasure at the slight contact.
Damn, I know I’m needy, but I didn’t think I’d gotten that desperate.
“Please, Frankie. Don’t tease me, not today.”
Frankie chuckles, placing a kiss on my hole. “Very well, my little minx.” I shudder as he nips at one cheek, a slick finger gently prodding against my entrance. I bear down and groan as he slips inside.