Chapter 43
ROMERO
By the time we’re pulling into our driveway, I have her moaning into my mouth, her fingers tangled in my hair, her tongue doing things that make me want to devour her whole.
She’s straddling my lap, those perfect tits pressed against my chest, and all I can think about is getting her inside and fucking her senseless.
“I love you,” I growl against her lips. “Fuck, I love you, Leni.”
She doesn't hesitate for even a heartbeat, kissing me harder before breathing the words back to me, “I love you too.”
Her mouth is hot and desperate on my neck as I kick the car door open and stalk towards the house, heart pounding with adrenaline and need and that intoxicating rush of knowing she’s still here—still mine.
“I’m not making it to the bedroom,” I mutter against her skin, already tasting her. “Wall. Floor. I don’t give a fuck where.”
She laughs breathlessly, dragging her mouth across my jaw. “Countertop. I want the kitchen countertop.”
“Done.”
I reach the front door and shoulder it open, my mind already cataloging exactly how I’m going to spread her across that marble surface, just barely registering the familiar sound of approaching footsteps before two people burst into the foyer.
“Leni!” Amelia shouts, Ethan right beside her.
I stop dead in the doorway, feeling Leni’s body go rigid in my arms. Her head snaps back, her eyes going wide as her arms slip from around my neck like I’ve suddenly turned radioactive. I glance at her mother and brother with barely concealed annoyance.
Ethan’s face is ghost-pale, clearly still shaken from everything that went down earlier, and Amelia’s expression morphs from relief to shock as she takes us in—me, aroused and ready to devour her daughter, and Leni, disheveled and breathless in my arms.
Right. I’d asked one of my men to bring Amelia here to meet Ethan. I thought Leni might need comfort from someone who isn’t me. Support from her family. I sure as shit didn’t expect to be carrying her in like this, ready to fuck her against the nearest flat surface.
Fuck my life.
Slowly, using every ounce of self-control I have left, I let her slide out of my arms and back to her feet. My cock throbs in protest, stiff and angry in my pants, and I have to turn slightly, one hand casually pulling my jacket forward to hide my obvious hard-on.
My wife doesn’t notice my predicament. As soon as her feet touch the floor, she’s rushing across the room straight into Ethan’s arms. He catches her tight, his whole body shaking with relief. Amelia joins their embrace, wrapping her arms around both her children as tears stream down her cheeks.
“You’re safe,” she whispers, holding them like she’s afraid they might disappear. “Oh my baby, you’re really safe.”
I watch them from the doorway, jaw clenched, my body still thrumming with need and frustrated energy. I was so fucking close to having her, goddamn it.
But this matters too. They need each other—this family that’s been through hell and back. And as much as I want to drag my wife to the kitchen and show her exactly how much I love her, I can wait.
Hell, for her I’d wait forever if I had to.
“I’m so sorry, Leni. I’m so sorry,” Ethan chokes out. “I shouldn’t have left you alone with that psycho.”
“Hey.” Leni pulls back to look at him. “I asked you to leave. We’re both safe because you left. Don’t feel guilty about doing exactly what I needed you to do.”
“I’m so sorry too, Leni,” Amelia says, her voice thick with emotion. “For everything I put you through. Both of you. All the pain I caused with my addiction, the danger I brought—”
They cycle through several rounds of apologies and declarations of love, and I start to feel like I’m intruding on something sacred. I turn towards the door, ready to walk back out to give them some privacy, when—
“You scoundrel!”
I pause, glancing back, certain she can’t possibly be addressing me. But Amelia is glaring at me with pure venom.
“Shame on you for taking advantage of my girl.”
“Mom!” Leni snaps, shooting me an apologetic glance. “Don’t talk to him like that.”
But Amelia is on a roll now, beyond listening to reason. “We want a divorce. You’re going to release my daughter from whatever hold you have on her, and I’m going to return every penny you’ve spent on us. Every single one.”
“Yes.” Ethan jumps in. “I’m dropping out of NYU immediately. I’ll get a job and pay back everything you've spent on my education so far.”
My brows hike up as I stare at the pair of them, now standing protectively in front of Leni. It’s admirable, really. But they don’t need to shield her from me. And more importantly, “I’m never letting her go.”
Amelia’s hands ball into fists at her sides as she takes a threatening step towards me. “I killed my own husband in cold blood. Don’t you dare underestimate me. You’re going to let my daughter go, or I'll—”
“Mom!” Leni cuts off whatever creative threat was about to emerge, grabbing Amelia’s arm.
“Stop. I don’t know what Ethan told you, but it’s not true.
It’s not true,” she repeats, glancing at her brother.
“I only said those things because of the dangerous situation we were in. I love Romero, and he loves me too.”
My lips curve into a satisfied smile, and I cross my arms, watching with fascination as color floods Leni’s cheeks while she declares her love for me to her family. Will I ever get tired of hearing her say those words? Doubtful.
“What?” Amelia eyes her daughter skeptically.
“I mean it.” Leni’s voice strengthens, becoming more confident. “This man has my heart in his clutches, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
It takes several more minutes of convincing before they finally get it through their protective skulls that Leni and I are not getting divorced. She’s mine now and will remain mine. Once they finally accept this reality, I politely but firmly kick them out, needing some alone time with my wife.
They can have her tomorrow—no, make that the day after tomorrow. But right now, I want her undivided attention focused solely on me.
“Whew. Well, that was intense,” Leni chuckles as we watch Logan drive away with her family. He’s taking them to one of Rafael’s hotels for the night. They’ll be safe there. And nowhere near here.
Alone at last.
“What did Amelia mean when she said she killed her husband?” I raise a brow, not really caring about the answer as I close the distance between us.
She grins, looking a little bewildered. “Because apparently, she did. She told me she drugged his food, and once he passed out, she stabbed him to death. Then she delivered his dead body to Mikkel Verona so he could take credit for the kill in exchange for leaving us alone.”
Interesting. I study her face carefully as I come to a stop right in front of her. “So now you know I didn’t kill your father.”
Her grin widens. “You still put a hit out on him, though. So this doesn’t let you off the hook.” Her eyes twinkle with playful challenge as she loops her arms around my neck.
“Oh?” I murmur, rubbing my forehead against hers. “What can I do to get myself off this hook?”
“Well, for starters, you can kiss me.” She’s already putting her lips on mine, pulling me into a drugging kiss that has my cock leaking precum.
“And?” I ask when we break apart, both of us breathing hard. “What else?”
She drags her tongue over my bottom lip, and I nearly lose my fucking mind. “I seem to recall you making a very specific promise about fucking me on the kitchen countertop. That might be a good second step.”
She squeals as I lift her effortlessly into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist.
Time to make good on that promise.