Chapter 65
DANTE
W hen I arrive at the Peppermint Moon, Leon is just getting off his phone.
“That was Edoardo,” he says with a grimace.
“Yeah, what did he have to say?”
“He demanded that we return Ettore unharmed along with the rest of his men.”
I grin.
Leon shrugs. “I told him to go fuck himself.”
Blunt. “And how did he take that?”
Leon returns my grin. “About as well as you’d expect. He said if we sent his brother and their men home, we would be free to leave the country, that he wouldn’t pursue us so long as we never set foot on American soil again.”
“Magnanimous of him.”
“Yeah, I thought so too. There was a time when I thought I might have been able to build something with Edoardo, but, you know, there’s something’s off about him. I don’t trust him any more than I trusted Ettore.”
“You think he knew what Ettore did?”
“I told him that I had evidence Ettore orchestrated the hit on Cedro’s wife. He did a poor job of faking surprise. He hung up when I explained that couriers had delivered evidence to all the capos.”
“I agree. It sounds like he already knew. He was probably straight on to them, checking if you were bluffing, and then trying to put a spin on it when he realized you weren’t.”
“The fight is about to get dirty,” Leon says. “We’ve just carved a large chunk out of an empire and declared it ours. There will be retaliation. But, fuck it. We’re ready… How was Christian? And Carmela?”
“Christian was sleeping when I left. But we both know him, and he will bounce back. Carmela was wearing her guilt like armor. But she has her sister and Cedro with her. I’m sure they have a lot to talk about. Her father has a lot of self-recrimination, too.”
His eyes turn distant. “We’ve all got some regrets to work through.
But I don’t regret that this brought matters to a head.
Sure, it might have gone better. But it could’ve gone a hell of a lot worse.
The capos have the evidence and can decide for themselves.
That Cedro is with us will lend weight to our case.
We handle most of the money laundering. Without us, their cash flow will come under significant pressure.
That will work in our favor. Still, the family is fractured.
I don’t underestimate the task ahead of us. ”
There are a lot of permutations of how this could play out.
All of them carry risks.
“At least it’s an open fight,” I say.
“It is,” he agrees. “And, finally, Christian is where he belongs, at our side.”
When I return to the house, it’s the early hours of the morning.
Cedro is waiting for me.
I’m not in the mood for this conversation. I want to check on my brother and Carmela, but I sense he won’t let me brush him off.
My update is succinct. This is not his show anymore, but I’m in love with his daughter, and out of respect for that and his former role as don, I give him this much.
“I want Ettore.”
“Oh, no, Cedro,” I say, a warning in my voice. “You don’t get to make demands.” I already have plans in regard to Ettore, so fuck Cedro. He can wait for news like everyone else. “Make no mistakes, Leon is my don in every way that matters. Not you.”
His eyes glisten.
He nods. “You’ve changed, Dante.”
Undoubtedly, I have.
“I want to be there when you kill him.”
A tired smile finds my lips. “You are very pushy.”
His return smile is rueful. “I was used to being a don in my previous life. Sometimes a little of that slips through… Will you ask Leon for me?”
“I will.”
“You’re only doing it because I’m the father of the woman you love, but I appreciate it either way… At least I presume that’s why, and you still have feelings for Carmela?”
My brows pull together. “I’m not following where this is going.” I do, but he’s fishing, and I won’t make this easy for him. If he had any sense, he would read my expression and back the fuck away.
“Christian?”
My face shutters. “You’ve reached your question limit, Cedro. But you can take this as you will: it’s none of your goddamned business. And don’t make it your business.”
I leave before I say something I will regret. But I’m fucking fuming and need to take a moment outside Christian’s bedroom.
She’s going to be in there. Someone who didn’t know her might presume she would be sitting in a chair watching over him. I fully expect her to be in his bed with him.
Maybe it makes me crazy to admit this, but I want her to be.
I push the door open and step inside, shutting it softly behind me again.
The curtains are open and moonlight spills across the room and bed.
He’s on his back. She’s curled into his side.
A wave of fierce love crashes over me. I could have lost him. I could have lost her.
I don’t care about other people’s opinions, and certainly not Cedro’s.
He’s a traditional man, and what I want doesn’t fit the traditional mold.
Something has been said since I left for him to ask that question.
If I even think he’s offering well-meaning opinions to his daughter, I will kick him the fuck out of my home.
But she loves the old fool, so I need to trust him to heed my warning.
I strip down and slide into the bed behind her. She rouses sleepily.
“Hush, baby. Go back to sleep. It’s only me.”
She’s wearing a too-big T-shirt that I suspect to be one of Christian’s. I like her wearing my clothes to sleep in, but I don’t mind her wearing his.
I’m exhausted, my head is buzzing with the many conversations and worries, but my dick still wakes up.
I smile and kiss the back of her neck.
Christian made his rule about me not fucking her while he wasn’t around, but I’m guessing that extends to me fucking her while he’s half unconscious.
Shame.
There’s always tomorrow.
CHRISTIAN
I come awake to the sensation of hot suction around my cock.
Fuck, I like this dream.
My hand reaches down and connects with a head… and long hair.
“Ah, fuck!” My eyes slam open to find Carmela on her hands and knees, her head bobbing as she sucks my dick. Dante is behind her, fucking into her slowly, making her tits sway and pushing her onto me with every thrust.
Jesus! Fuck. I’m going to come. Christ, think of something else, Christian.
I summon up the image of a body we pulled out of the river one time, all bloated and swollen… Yeah, that works. My fingers spear her hair. Fuck, she has amazing hair. It feels like silk under my rough fingers. It’s long, dark, and forms bouncy waves. It looks hot all messed up from my touch.
I’m conscious of her triggers, so I don’t hold her tight, letting her move how she wants to, letting her do this on her terms. Fine by me. She can wake me up like this every day if she wants to.
Dante slides his right arm around her waist. Her sudden jolt as she sucks me deeper tells me his fingers are playing with her.
“Fuck, yeah. Get her off. Make her come, Dante. Fuck, she’s sucking me so good when you do that. Don’t fucking stop.”
I need to stop fucking talking.
I need to remember the dead body, but it’s too late; I’m on the slippery slope toward detonation, and no amount of coaching is going to stave this off.
“Come, Carmela. Come, right now.” I’m going to nut so fucking hard.
Her moan is deep, guttural, and filthy. It feels like she’s trying to suck my earthly soul through the end of my dick.
“Good girl,” Dante growls.
My thoughts turn empty of everything but the sensations. I’m a ball of raw pleasure, my dick shooting cum down her throat as she hums and twitches, getting her tongue all over me as she sucks in the most captivating way.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I groan.
Dante is grinding against her. He’s filling her all up. Knowing he’s coming in her makes it extra fucking hot.
I shudder. She’s still sucking me, and I’m really oversensitive, but I also don’t want to scare her by pulling her off by her hair. My eyes cross. My fingers clench and unclench helplessly. “Holy shit! Go easy, babe.”
Dante snickers. He must take mercy on me because he pulls her back by her hips, and her lips pop off.
She turns to glare at him.
“His dick will be sensitive after he’s just come,” Dante says by way of explanation. “Give it a few minutes, and I’m sure he’ll let you play again.” He grins. “I realize you can keep going all day once you’ve been revved up, but most men need a little break.”
She pulls out of his hold, hisses, and clamps her hand over her pussy. Pitching from the bed, she stalks for my bathroom with more elegance than you’d expect given she’s still attempting to contain his cum.
We both lean to watch her go.
“Damn, she has a nice ass,” I say.
“And tits,” he says.
“Her blow job game is on point, although the finish could use some finessing.”
He chuckles. “Yeah. You’re lucky I took pity on you… I like her. I think I’ll keep her.”
“You’re such a dick,” I grumble. “As if you’re ever going to let our good girl go.”
His smile drops. “You’re right. Not a fucking chance… How are you feeling?”
“Like I battled with a brick wall and lost… I need to take a leak. Help me up. Moving is going to be a motherfucker.”
Dante is all business as he helps me get up. I’m sweating by the time I’ve got a pair of sweatpants on.
“I’ll use one of the other bathrooms.”
He nods.
“You going to meet with Leon?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“You’re struggling to stand, asshole.”
“I’m just a bit stiff. I’ll take something for the pain, and I’ll be good.”
He looks like he wants to argue, but in the end, he nods. “It’s going to get rough for a while.”
“I know. I’m good with it.”
He flashes a smile. “Me too.”