Chapter 24 #2
“I want you,” I tell her. “I want to pursue whatever this thing is between us, but …” I swallow thickly, wondering if what I’m about to say will force things between us to end before they’ve even started.
“But I don’t want what my brother has,” I admit.
“I don’t want kids. It’s bad enough that your life is at risk.
And add in all the ways I’m fucked up—between my emotional dysregulation and dyslexia—”
“Hey,” she says, pressing the pad of her finger to my lips.
“You are not fucked up, and if our children were born with either of those disabilities, they wouldn’t be either.
They would be loved and cared for, and you would never let them struggle.
But if you don’t want babies … then I’m okay with that. ”
“Just like that?” I ask, shocked that she would change the entire course of her life for me. “You said you wanted a family that included kids.”
“And I do,” she admits. “I always thought that, one day, I’d have kids, and I hoped I would be close with them. I love my parents, but I hated that they sent me away to keep me safe. And then they were killed. Everything they did to keep me safe, and in the end, they still died way too soon.
“Between losing them and thinking my life was about to end, thanks to Enrique, I don’t want to take life for granted.
Amid all the chaos, I found you. I’ve dated over the years, but nobody made me feel the love and happiness that I feel when I’m with you.
And if being with you means it’s only us, then that’s enough for me. ”
Fuck, this woman. She’s everything I swore I never wanted yet can no longer live without.
Her hands go back to my shoulders, and she starts to move. I let her take over, ignoring the fact that she’s willing to give up having kids just to be with me, instead focusing on her luscious tits. They’re soft and round, and I can’t get enough of them.
I don’t know how I got so damn lucky to have a woman like Dani want me, but as she rides my cock, finding her release the way I showed her how to do, I vow to do everything in my power to never let her go. I might not deserve her, but that doesn’t mean I’m not keeping her.
“Matteo,” she moans. “I’m so close but …” She pouts, frustrated with her body.
“I’ve got you, Sweetness,” I tell her, giving her a quick kiss.
I flip us so she’s lying on her back, and then I lift her leg over my shoulder, getting the angle just right so I’m hitting the spot that will send her over the edge.
Sure enough, a few thrusts in, and she’s screaming my name as she comes all over my cock, taking me right along with her.
“I need a shower,” she says once she’s caught her breath. “Wanna join me?”
She waggles her brows and runs her hand seductively down my torso as if she has to convince me to do anything. She’ll learn soon enough that I would do anything for her, no convincing necessary.
“No.”
Dani pouts. “What do you mean, no?”
“It’s not happening.”
“That’s not fair.” She crosses her arms over her chest, her tits spilling over since we’re still naked.
After we showered and had the Greek food she’d never gotten to eat delivered, we watched an episode of The Vampire Diaries while we ate, and then I ate her for dessert.
She passed out shortly after her third, maybe fourth orgasm, and I lay in bed and watched her sleep all night, my mind racing with the fact that I’d almost lost her before I even had a chance to tell her how I felt.
And I’m glad I was awake because early this morning, she woke from a nightmare, and I was there to hold her and remind her that she was safe and Enrique was now nothing more than ashes, thanks to the crematory technician we have in our pocket.
After she calmed down, she laid her head on my chest, and I thought that meant she was going to go back to sleep—until she spoke.
“I want to watch your fight,” she says for the third time.
Apparently, I left my phone where she could see it, and Lucian texted me, regarding my upcoming fight, which led to Dani insisting that she go to said fight.
“Enrique is gone,” she adds, “which means I’m safe to leave.”
She’s not wrong, but my thoughts go back to the last fight.
It was almost a year ago. I had just beaten my opponent when the fire alarm went off and everyone scrambled.
We got a call that one of our warehouses had also caught fire, so Dominick sent Peyton, Hillary, and Brielle home while we went to go check it out, only to learn it was a distraction so Anthony could get to Damien while we were on the other side of town.
Thankfully, Brielle killed him before he could kidnap Damien, but the whole thing was a fucking mess, and even though it all worked out, I haven’t scheduled another fight there ever since.
“Please.” Dani slides her thigh along my shaft and rests her chin on my chest, hitting me with the sweetest little pout.
I’m about to give in when the sound of footsteps ascending hits my ears. Instinctually, I grab my gun from the drawer in my nightstand and block Dani so she’s protected since the bedroom door is open.
I raise my gun, preparing to shoot whoever the fuck is in my condo, when Lorenzo’s eyes meet mine, and he raises his hands over his head.
“Shit! It’s me,” he says. “I heard what happened last night …” His words trail off as his gaze shifts from me to … “Dani? What the fuck are you doing in bed with Matteo?”
Dani screeches in surprise, pulling the sheet over to cover herself, which leaves me completely exposed.
It only takes Lorenzo a few seconds to put the pieces together, and once he does, he curses under his breath and slams the door closed.
“Get dressed and then get out here!” he yells through the door. “Now!”
Dani scurries off the bed, throwing on one of my shirts and sweats since she doesn’t have any clothes in here, while I watch her sexy ass.
“Matteo!” she hisses. “Hurry up.”
“Your brother’s not going anywhere.” I slide out of the bed and pull on a pair of sweats, forgoing the shirt since it’s only Lorenzo, then pull Dani into my arms. “Breathe, Little Russo.”
She frowns at the nickname. “So, we’re back to that? Little Russo?”
“You’ll always be Little Russo.” I lean in and brush my lips against hers. “But now, you’re my Little Russo.”
A small smile graces her lips. “So, does that mean you’re going to tell him that we’re together?”
“I don’t think I need to tell him anything,” I say with a laugh. “He already saw us.”
Her smile fades, and I chuckle.
“Let’s go, baby. Your brother is waiting.”
When we get downstairs, Lorenzo is on the phone, discussing business. But when he sees us, he tells whoever it is he’ll call them back.
“Fuck, Dani.” He pulls her into his arms and hugs her tightly. “When I heard what happened this morning, I damn near lost my shit.” He glares up at me. “You should’ve told me.”
“Everything happened so fast,” Dani explains, pulling back. “One minute, I was ordering food, and the next, Enrique had me in his car, telling me he was going to rape me and then kill me.”
Her admission has me seeing red and wishing I could’ve spent a few hours with that fucker. He deserved the worst kind of torture for the shit he’d put her through, but he’s dead, so that’s not going to happen. And all I can do now is focus on Dani and make sure nothing like that ever happens again.
“And then Matteo and Dominick blocked us in, and before Enrique could kill me, Matteo shot him in the head,” she continues. “It was insane. Don’t ever piss off Matteo because, let me tell you, his shot was dead-on.”
She giggles at her own joke, and the sound goes straight to my heart. Without thinking, I pull her into my arms and kiss her temple, and Lorenzo’s attention shifts from his sister to me.
“And then you brought her back here and you were so busy fucking my sister that you couldn’t let me know she was okay?” He quirks a brow.
If he were anyone other than my best friend, I’d punch him in the face for what he just said. But he’s pissed—and he has every right to be.
“Lorenzo,” Dani begins, but I squeeze her, silently asking her to let me handle this.
“You’re right,” I tell him. “I should’ve called and told you what happened. I’m sorry.”
Lorenzo’s face softens, and he sighs. “So, what is this thing between you two? Are you just fuckin—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I warn. “I love you like a damn brother, and I let it slide once, but it won’t happen again.
I love your sister, and I should’ve talked to you about it, but I was trying to resist her and …
” I shake my head. “I didn’t want to be with her.
I know I’m not good enough for her, but—”
“Fuck that,” Lorenzo says. “You’re one of the best people I know. And when you love someone, you do everything you can to keep them safe. So, if you love my sister …”
“I do.”
“Then, I know she’s in good hands,” he finishes. “You’ve been protecting me our entire lives, and I have no doubt you’ll do the same for my sister.” He steps toward me. “But if you fuck around on her or hurt her, I’ll hire someone to kill you.”
I bark out a laugh, and Lorenzo chuckles.
“I’ll never do anything to hurt her,” I promise him.
“Good.” He pulls me into a hug. “Then, welcome to the family.”
We break apart, and he glances at Dani. “And you … the threat is officially gone, so I’d better see you in the office first thing tomorrow morning to start learning the family business.”
He raises a brow, and her face breaks out into a huge grin.
“I’ll be there.”