Chapter 28
“Figlio di—” My words are cut off as the pressure builds in my leg. I take another swig of the bottle of whiskey in my hand, staving off the pain rippling through my body. It’s not the first time I’ve taken a bullet, but I sure as shit don’t remember it being this painful.
Levi lifts a finger underneath the bottle with a smile tugging his lips, coaxing me to take another swallow of the liquor. I don’t argue because right now it’s the only thing keeping me occupied, and I won’t deny it’s already starting to numb the pain.
Opposite me, Sera stands against the kitchen island, biting down on her thumbnail as she winces for me and my pain. As much as I don’t want her to see me like this, I don’t really have a choice in the matter. I said I could wait until morning but she insisted on getting me patched up. A part of me hates that she’s worrying, but I do enjoy the fact she cares—something I’m slowly getting used to.
When it was just me and my father, there was no room for that. You got hurt? You got fixed up. It was that simple. But this dynamic is different. We all care for one another. The odd relationship we’ve all found ourselves in speaks to us in different ways. Levi keeps me grounded, whereas Sera keeps me strong. We get each other, understand the levels of need we all require. I don’t think I’d ever thought that was possible, yet here I am craving the proximity of Sera and Levi like it’s the only medicine I need.
“I still don’t understand how they knew we were coming?” Matteo asks, immediately distracting me from the doctor who has his forceps buried in my thigh.
I hiss out, taking another gulp of whiskey.
We’ve all been thinking the same thing since we left the compound. Someone must have known we were coming, which means someone is leaking information, again. It’s either that or Raf seriously fucked up when he went through the schematics for the place.
“They didn’t,” Raf sighs from the kitchen island.
I guess that answers my suspicions.
His eyes are drawn to the coffee in his hands, unable to meet even my gaze as he continues defeatedly. “At least not until you entered that tunnel.”
Marco frowns. “I knew something didn’t feel right. It was too quiet, too…”
“Easy?” Matteo cuts in like he can read his twin’s mind. He probably could if I didn’t know any better.
Marco nods, releasing a sigh as he confirms with his brother. “Something like that, yeah.”
“That tunnel wasn’t as unused as I thought,” Raf admits in a defeated tone.
“Even I could have told you that,” I grind out as the doctor hits a sore spot. My hand slams onto the table as he finally clasps onto something and I have to resist the urge to punch him because I swear he’s enjoying my pain—sadistic fuck.
“There was a sensor in the tunnel that was tripped as you entered.” Raf takes a sip of his coffee, glancing up at me.
“A sensor?” My brows knit together as I glance at the twins. “A motion sensor? Heat sensor?”
Raf shakes his head. “I don’t know,” he replies, his voice laced with guilt. He runs his hand through his disheveled hair, making it even more messy. And while I want to be pissed at him for missing something that could have led to something much worse than we encountered, I can see he’s beating himself up about. I don’t need to add to that when it’s clear how much he’s blaming himself. “It’s unclear unless I take a good look. I should have picked it up, though. I should have noticed it, but—”
“But you didn’t,” Sera cuts in as she enters the kitchen. Her tone is soft, yet I feel the anger she’s trying to suppress. “We’re safe, that’s what matters right now. And we’re not revisiting, got it?”
Yeah things could have gone a lot worse than me taking a shot to the leg. We might not have gotten to Luisa at all; she could still be there, living her hell under the Verdi’s hands. Or she could very well be dead. I know that thought is the one that sits the heaviest in my mind because I swore to Levi I’d get her back and I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if I didn’t come through on that promise.
Another sharp pinch and then a tug in my leg sees me groaning and throwing my head back. I drain the contents of the whiskey bottle, slamming it onto the kitchen table when I’m done. It was only half a bottle, but it seems to be doing the trick. The pressure in my thigh soon dulls to a numbness, and the bullet lodged in my thigh is wrenched out.
“Ah hah!”
I glare at the doctor through slitted eyelids, but he just grins at his bloodied utensil that is now clutching the offending piece of metal.
“You’re lucky it didn’t hit an artery,” he comments, dropping the bullet into a bowl beside him.
“Lucky?” I scoff. I’m still pissed that I hadn’t dodged that one. But then again, I was too busy protecting Luisa, there was no way I could have avoided it. Luckily, as soon as I hit the deck, Matteo and his team came charging through, taking out the guards who had us pinned on the stairs. It all happened so fast that it wasn’t until we made our way through the heavy fog that we realized we weren’t alone. And I’m not talking about Verdi’s men.
Enzo and Levi had brought a whole goddamn tactical team with them, and I’m still trying to get my head around that. There’s no way Bianchi authorized it, and she still doesn’t have a clue so I’m not going to be the one to break that news to her.
We managed to talk a little through the comms before we moved back onto the road. After that, I pretty much passed out from exhaustion—and blood loss— until I woke up several hours later being dragged into the house.
It’s early morning now, and the night is starting to catch up with me. There’s nothing like being woken from deep sleep to have some forceps dug into your leg to really wake you up. But I know sleep isn’t around the corner just yet. We need to finish debriefing and get a handle on the new situation.
Once the doctor has finished bandaging my thigh and given me the all-clear, Enzo walks him out.
“There’s still the matter of Don Verdi,” Sera announces to the room. “Why the fuck is he in my basement right now?”
The room falls silent. Nobody really has an answer for that because the only person who does is currently slipping bills into the doctor’s pockets.
“My guess is that Enzo wants to get him talking,” Raf answers when the silence is too painful.
“Or to kill him,” Matteo shrugs.
Yeah, that sounds more like the Enzo LaRosa I know. He’s not exactly going to let him get away once we’ve had answers, though I’m not sure what answers he would be after. No, Enzo intends to kill the bastard who put a target on Sera’s back and then make an example of him. Ronaldo won’t get far without his daddy, that’s for sure. Luciano had some wits about him at least, his little brother is a lost cause.
“He can’t be here,” she barks. “We’re lucky I’m not being investigated by the Elders for Luciano’s death. If anyone outside of this room finds out we have Don Verdi, which they will, I will have to answer for it!”
Once again, the room falls silent. I think we all feel partially to blame for what transpired tonight. Whether it be the fact we infiltrated another families’ home, took out a load of soldiers—effectively declaring war—and then kidnapped the head of the family. This doesn’t look good for Bianchi.
“I’ll talk to him,” Raf says, pushing up from his stool. “It’s the least I can do.” He goes to push past Sera, but she stops him, pressing a hand to his shoulder.
“Don’t beat yourself up,” she offers sweetly. “You did everything you could.”
Raf’s eyes trail over to me for a split second. Then he takes a deep breath and nods before continuing out of the kitchen.
Once the door closes, Sera turns around, coming towards me. Her eyes are rounded, softened only by the relief that laces her words. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she tells me, leaning down to drop a soft kiss to my lips. “I don’t know what I would have done if…”
I bring my hand to cup the back of her, bringing her face back down to mine. I’ve never been great with speaking my feelings, let alone being able to express them. But as I close my mouth around hers, not caring for the audience we have, I try to tell her exactly how I feel. No words can really explain the emotions I feel for her, but from the way she sighs against our kiss, our lips moving together, I sense she gets it.
Her tongue snakes against mine, the warmth of our kiss pulling me deeper into the feelings I’m still navigating. When she eventually pulls away, she strokes her palm down my face. Such tenderness for a woman with the world against her. “Rest,” she whispers.
With a small nod, I accept my orders. Though they feel less like a command and more caring, I’m not going to argue. I push up from the chair I’ve been sitting in, Levi catching me under the shoulder and letting me bear my weight on him.
It’s a struggle getting up the stairs, but we make it. Levi lets me into our room, helping me shrug out of my gear and torn pants. Blood coats my thigh and leg—the areas the doc didn’t clean—and I don’t miss the way Levi’s eyes follow the trail.
“Luc—”
“Don’t,” I huff, limping towards him. The pain is still excruciating, but I grin and bear through it just to close the distance between us. “If you’re going to tell me how I should have been more careful, or how lost you’d be without me. Don’t! Luisa is family, your family. I don’t regret a single thing, so neither should you.”
Levi nods, like I’ve stolen his capability to speak. In a way, I have. I want him to hear me; hear what I have to say because for once, I think I know what that is. He catches me at the waist as I lean a hand against the wall. His warm hands stroke my side, firm yet comforting—not that I need it. But there’s something swimming in those dark eyes, a secret, perhaps? Something he wants to share but doesn’t know how.
It’s the same feeling creeping through me every day, and gets stronger every time I’m around Levi. I’m drawn to him; unable to get him out of my head when we’re not together. He speaks to the depths of my soul that Sera doesn’t, but together they have every piece of me.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” he murmurs, and the crush of disappointment hits me. I guess I was expecting more than that.
“You already said that,” I growl, my fist clenching at my side.
“Then I…” he sighs, eyes dropping to the space between us. “I…”
I grab his chin with my blood stained hand, bringing his gaze back to mine. His dark eyes are swimming with lust and indecision, a dangerous concoction that I won’t deny is a turn on. He’s always taken the reins when it comes to our relationship— aside from the times we’ve fucked—it’s always been Levi leading the way. But this time, I want to take control. I want to be the one to take the lead.
Now that business is done, every muscle in my body twitches with the need to be with him, an irrational response to his absence that I’m swiftly becoming accustomed to. I used to enjoy the moments of singledom, and thrive in my own company. But with Levi, I breathe deeper, walk taller, feel lighter. With Sera, there’s so much between us that I can’t even begin to list the qualities that she brings out in me.
“Il mio sole,” I rasp and his eyes widen in response. “You’re my family.”
Levi’s lips curl into a warm smile, his hands sliding up my side until he’s gripping the back of my neck and pulling me to him. He doesn’t say anything, though he doesn’t need words to express exactly what he wants to say. He slams his lips onto mine, crushing his body against me. Our kiss is heated, desperate, and filled with so much desire that I forget about the pain coursing through my leg. Right now, there’s nothing I need more than Levi—maybe Sera—but this moment is for us.
Tangling his tongue with mine, his fingers dig into my scalp. The longer we lose ourselves in the kiss, the more desperate we both become, until we’re both panting. Levi drops to his knees, running his palms up my thighs. When he reaches the bandage, he plants a kiss on it, making me shudder.
I throw my head back to revel in the agony that ripples through the pleasurable anticipation as Levi makes his way to my hard cock. He’s always enjoyed working me up. It’s like he gets satisfaction from watching me lose my mind. And I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t enjoy it too—to some extent. The asshole definitely makes me work for it.
“Levi,” I groan when his hot breath skates over my dick. Looking down, I find him licking his lips as his fingers hook into the waistband of my boxers. My cock springs free and before I know it Levi has his lips wrapped around the head, fisting my shaft firmly.
He takes me hungrily, running his tongue along the underside of my length. Just the way he teases has me seeing stars. I’m desperate for him in more ways than one and he knows it. He bides his time pumping my cock into his mouth, sucking me like a goddamn expert. It doesn’t take long beneath his touch before I’m sinking my hand into his thick curls, thrusting all the way to the back of his throat.
My legs quiver—a telltale sign I’m so close to blowing my load. But I don’t want it to end. I want more. I want him.
“Let me fuck you,” I moan through pants of pleasure.
He chuckles, mouth full of my cock, and the sound ripples through me.
I’m on the verge of begging when he finally pulls away, lust swimming deep in his eyes. But there’s an edge of sadness in them.
“I’m pretty sure not even you can handle that right now.” He stands up, taking my hand and leading me to the bed. I’m curious as to what’s going through his mind, but as he helps me sit and starts to undress himself, I sense that having my dick buried deep in him is out of the question. He reaches for the bedside table, yanking the drawer open and pulling out a bottle of lube.
I quirk a brow, drawing another incredulous chuckle from him. “It’s time I fucked you,” he says, his tone void of anything comical.
“Don’t you think I’ve been through enough pain tonight?” I snark, but I can’t ignore the curiosity of what it would feel like to have Levi in my ass. I can’t say it’s something I ever thought about before—at least not until this moment.
“Relax,” he soothes, pulling my boxers off completely. He then pushes me onto my back, lifting my good leg so it bends.
I let out a groan as he sinks his teeth into my uninjured thigh. Then he moves on top of me, hand gripping my cock again. “Do you trust me?” he asks, pumping me lazily.
My eyes widen. I don’t know if it’s a genuine question or he’s just an idiot, but when I don’t answer, his smile suddenly falters. My chest pinches with all the unspoken feelings crushing me from the inside out. The only thing I can do is nod because I do. I trust Levi with my life. I’m unequivocally in love with the bastard, I just can’t find the right words or confidence to tell him that.
Satisfied with my meek answer, Levi leans back and squirts lube on his fingers, then slowly reaches down and teases my ass, toying with the ring of muscle.
“Fuck,” I pant, suddenly enjoying his touch more than I realized. The cool gel shocks me for a second, but as Levi strokes my shaft, I soon relax.
Sliding one finger into my ass, he leans forward and swallows my gasp with his mouth, stealing a heated kiss from me. Our lips move together, his tongue exploring mine. And with each hungry swipe of his mouth on mine, he pumps his finger in and out of me.
Cazzo.
My breaths pitch to an unsteady speed, and I find myself unable to suppress the groan that rumbles from me. “Levi,” I groan.
“I know,” he smirks against my lips. He slides a second in and fuck, I swear my dick gets harder. If this is what it’s like then I don’t want to stop. At all. There’s an odd sense of pleasure curling through me, sweeping me into a blissful state. I find myself relaxing further, until all I can think about is Levi’s cock seated inside of me.
“Do it,” I moan out, my hands gripping the back of his head. “Fuck me, il mio sole.”
He doesn’t need telling twice. He retracts his hand to squirt more lube out on his thick cock and, shit, I forgot how big he was.
Levi laughs lightly when he sees my eyes bulge, leaning back over me to steal a quick kiss from me. “Don’t worry, Pretty Boy. I’ll take it easy on you.”
Without another word, he lines his cock up at my ass and pushes slowly. At first, it’s tight, uncomfortable. I genuinely don’t think he’ll fit. But as Levi returns his attention to my own cock, jerking me slowly but firmly, I don’t even notice the pain as he sinks further, until he lets out a blissful groan. His eyes are locked on where our bodies connect, his eyes unblinking. Like if he tears his gaze away for even a second this might all be a dream.
“Holy shit!” His voice is husky, filled with restraint and desire as he pulls out before sliding back in again, hitting that spot that has my eyes rolling to the back of my head.
“Hmm…” I mumble unintelligibly.
With his hand hooked on my good leg, he starts pumping into my ass with determination, the lube making it easier for him to move. And thank fuck for lube and whiskey because I’m almost certain we wouldn’t be doing this otherwise.
Levi starts to pick up the pace, his cock hitting me deep while his other hand works mine. His eyes lock with mine and all the unspoken words seem to spill silently in that look. It’s a look of adoration, devotion. A look that could break me in two if he had the chance. I realize then just how much I love this guy. Maybe it’s the near death experience—though I can’t really consider it that—or maybe it”s just the connection we have. It’s a bond I’ve never had before, not even with Sera. What we have is different, special. He’s tethered to me, and I to him.
With his forehead pressed against mine, the world around us seems to evaporate. It’s just us. And with each punishing thrust, I’m sent closer to the edge. Each stroke over my length has me moaning for more, until there’s nothing left to do but to fall.
I don’t fall though. I crash.
My balls tighten and my hips buck to meet each punch of Levi’s hips. I stutter for a moment before ropes of cum spurt out, covering my stomach. I cry out, unable to hold back when my climax sweeps me up.
Levi crushes his body against mine, sealing our lips as he groans hard into my mouth. And then I feel his own release. Hot cum fills my ass as Levi shudders before collapsing on top of me. Our lips are still caressing one another, slow kisses that are filled with so much emotion.
He pulls away slightly, his lips turned up in a sated smile. “You’re my family, too.”