CHAPTER 3
MAISY
Angelina’s knuckles are white where her fingers grip her coffee cup. Not a good sign.
“They laughed at us,” she spits out. “Actually laughed .”
Beside her, Celina sits ramrod straight with rage in her eyes.
“Tell me everything,” I say, watching Lisa pour more coffee. Our dining room feels too small for all this fury.
“We presented the security initiative to Uncle Colletti,” Celina begins. “Simple stuff—training the women in basic self-defense, teaching them to spot surveillance. Things that could save their lives.”
“Essential skills,” I agree, remembering how those same skills once saved me from one of Milan’s men. Back when I was still searching for Rosey.
“My father called it cute ,” Angelina cuts in, voice dripping with venom. “Said we should focus on planning the next family dinner instead. Like we’re still living in the 1950s.”
“Then Adam started in,” Celina continues, her fingers drumming a deadly rhythm on the table. “Said women shouldn’t worry their pretty heads about security. That’s when I almost showed him exactly what these pretty hands can do.”
“What stopped you?” Lisa asks, settling into the chair beside me.
“Uncle Leo.” Angelina’s lip curls. “Walked in, took one look at the situation, and said—what was it exactly, Cel?”
Celina mimics his condescending tone perfectly. “ Ladies, why create problems where there are none? Our security is impeccable. ”
I grip my cup tighter. “The Martinez widow probably thought her security was impeccable, too.”
Silence falls. We all remember how that ended—Maria Martinez, gunned down in her own driveway. No training. No awareness. No chance. Clueless as to how to protect herself. And the thing is, they weren’t even going after her.
“It got worse after that,” Angelina continues. “We brought up the Martinez case, and my father—” her voice catches. “He said if I had time to worry about security, maybe I wasn’t spending enough time with my husband.”
“They’re scared,” Lisa observes quietly. “Change threatens them.”
“They should be more scared of leaving us vulnerable,” Angelina concludes.
“We’re seen as the weak link.” Celina stands, clearly needing to move. “The easy target.”
“I tried explaining the benefits,” Angelina says. “How trained women could spot surveillance, identify threats. You know what Uncle Leo said?”
“Something infuriating, I’m sure,” Lisa mutters.
Angelina’s laugh is hollow. “Stick to the kitchen, let the men handle danger.”
I pace the length of the dining room, my mind racing. “We need a different approach.”
“They won’t listen to us,” Celina says. “No matter how logical the argument.”
“Then we make them listen. By using the men who do take us seriously.”
“My brother, Logan, and Kai.” Lisa nods. “They have influence. Heck, they’re the heads of the syndicate.”
“More than influence,” I correct. “They have vision. They understand that strong women make stronger families.”
LOGAN
Lately, I’ve found myself paying closer attention to the details around me, noticing things I might have overlooked before.
And right now, I’m noticing how Maisy stabs her pasta with more force than necessary.
We’re at the dinner table, winding down after a hard day’s work.
Kai and I have no problem being at home in sweatpants and t-shirts, but Orion’s still in his three-piece suit.
Leila moves silently around us, refilling wine glasses. Maxim and Luca are engaged in their usual dinner competition of who can eat the slowest, while Mila creates abstract art with her ketchup. The twins, mercifully, are focused on their bottles, and Damien…well, more food is on him than in him.
“They laughed at them,” Maisy says suddenly, her voice tight. “Actually laughed.”
Orion sets down his fork. “Colletti’s always been traditional.”
“Traditional?” she scoffs. “Try medieval .”
“Mama, what’s medieval?” Maxim asks.
“It means very old-fashioned, buddy,” Kai answers, smoothly intercepting a spoonful of pasta that Mila aims at Luca.
I catch Maisy’s eye across the table. “Tell us exactly what happened.”
Maisy launches into the story, each sentence laced with frustration as she recounts what went down.
“Ava, no throwing,” Orion interrupts Maisy, then continues. “Colletti’s resistance isn’t surprising. Change threatens him.”
“It shouldn’t,” Maisy argues. “Strong women make stronger families.”
“We know that,” I say, wiping Damien’s face, “but they see any change as a loss of control.”
“Then they’re idiots.”
“Mama said a bad word!” Mila announces gleefully.
“Inside voice, princess,” Kai reminds her, but I catch him smiling. “And yes, they’re idiots.”
Orion leans forward. “You know, we can talk to them. But—”
“I know you can.” She’s almost too confident.
Orion nods at me, then at Kai—silent but clear. It’s time.
“But right now, darling, we want to talk to you about something else. About next weekend.”
Maisy frowns. “What about next weekend?”
Kai chuckles. “We have a little surprise for you.”
“A surprise?” Her brows hitch.
“Is it your birthday, Mommy?” Mila asks.
“It’s not, honey.” Maisy looks suspiciously at the three of us. “I don’t know what your dads are talking about. I have the club meeting—”
“Which can be rescheduled,” Orion cuts in smoothly. “We need you with us.”
“You need me, or you have a surprise for me? Which is it?”
I smirk at her. “The first one is always valid. And we do have a surprise for you. So, both.”
“Daddy, can I have juice?” Maxim interrupts.
“Finish your water first,” Orion says without looking away from Maisy. “So?”
“You’re not being fair,” she breathes.
“Think of it as prioritizing,” I try to explain.
I note the signs of her internal struggle; we haven’t had a surprise for her since, well, ever.
We take her to dinner, and she loves the theatre and the ballet, so we go there, but she’s never had a proper surprise.
What she has coming to her will blow her mind.
It took us a lot to pull this together without her knowing, and for that, she’s going to have to cancel her meeting. Definitely.
“Fine,” she finally says. “But this better be worth it.”
“Oh, it will be,” Orion promises, his voice dropping lower.
“Papa, you’re using your scary voice,” Mila observes.
We all laugh and I see Maisy’s mood lighten as her shoulders ease, just a fraction. A small sign, but it’s enough. She’s allowing us to take care of her again.
“Leila,” I call, “the children might want their dessert in the playroom tonight. Can you manage by yourself?”
Our housekeeper moves efficiently, gathering plates and children with practiced ease. “Sure,” she states matter-of-factly.
“I called Sasha, she should be here soon. She’ll be helping you put the children to bed,” Orion informs her, ignoring Maisy’s eyes burning into him. Good man. He’s always ten steps ahead.
Leila leaves the dining room, and then it’s just us adults.
“So,” Maisy says once we’re alone, “You said you can help. Tell me about your strategy for handling Colletti.”
“In the morning,” Orion promises. “Right now, I wanna do something else with you.”
Her breath catches. “The children—”
“Are well supervised,” Kai finishes.
I stand, moving behind her chair. My hands find her shoulders, feeling the tension there. “You need to unwind. Doctor’s orders.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” she purrs.
Orion chuckles. “Sex is always a good idea.”
“Come on.” Kai stands up. “Unless you’d rather discuss family politics?”
She rises from her chair and locks eyes with me, then with Orion, then Kai. An infinitesimal smile shows on her lips and she heads toward the stairs.
The three of us follow close behind, like men under a spell—helpless, willing, and completely hers.
KAI
“I need a shower,” Maisy sighs, peeling her dress up and over her head in one fluid motion. Wearing only panties, she steals my breath.
“Hurry up, sweetheart.” Logan takes off his top and lies down on our bed in his sweatpants, while Orion takes his time with his suit, methodical and controlled, slowly working each button.
“I’ll help her.” I press my palm to the small of her back, guiding her toward the bathroom. It’s a pointless gesture—this is her house too—but she lets me have this moment of pretending I’m in charge.
“I guess it’s you and me in here, Kai,” she purrs.
I follow her into the bathroom; she halts at the mirror, and our eyes meet in the reflection. There’s a softness in her gaze—disarming, almost dangerous in the way it unravels something in me.
I chuckle and move a strand of her hair from her shoulder, and kiss her slowly.
Standing behind her, I kiss her back, moving down her spine, going lower until I kneel and pull her panties down.
I kiss her butt cheeks, then tap her on the leg, and she lifts one foot and then the other to allow me to take her panties off.
I take her hand and guide her behind the glass door as I run the shower.
The water sprays and soaks me too, but I don’t mind.
I kiss her softly, chastely on the lips, moaning into her kiss, then step out to take off my wet clothes.
My cock is hard as steel, and I know I’ve been controlling myself for too long.
“You’re beautiful, baby girl.”
She smiles and tilts her head back, her eyes closed, her face and hair enveloped by the flow of water, steam slowly filling the stall.
“My cock can’t wait,” I whisper in her ear as I grab her neck from behind, push her against the wall and press my body flat against hers. I rub myself against her, moving my hips back and forth.
She moans as I sink my teeth into her shoulder, hard enough to leave marks. I hear her whimper. “Kai…”
Her legs open for me; her ass perks up. I can tell how horny she’s getting as I hold her tight, pressing her body against the wall and rubbing my cock between her butt cheeks.
“I know, baby girl, I can feel how much you want me,” I murmur before sucking on her earlobe. She shudders and pushes her ass into me.
I wrap my hand around her wet hair and yank her head back, exposing her neck to me. She bends backward and I latch onto her nipples, sucking and biting one at a time.
Then I kiss her, weaving my tongue into her mouth and drawing a long moan out of her.
“Show me what this mouth can do, Maisy.” I spin her to face me before forcing her descent, watching her gracefully sink to her knees. I take her wet hair again, one thick lock in each hand, and hold her face steady as my cock hits her face.
“Say aaah.”
No complaints from her. She wants this, I know.
She opens up, and when she takes my cock in her mouth, I nearly pass out from the sweet pleasure.
I don’t want this moment to end. “That’s right, baby girl.
Now, look up at me.” She gazes up into my eyes, her head bobbing as I pull her hair, making sure she does a good job.
Our eyes are locked and the view I have is one to die for.
I’m not going to last long, that’s for sure.
“Fuck, Maisy, what you’re doing to me…” The deeper she takes me, with the gurgling sounds she makes, the louder I grunt.
I’m so close that I tighten my fingers in her hair, quickening the pace.
After a good, sweet while of face fucking, I can’t avoid the inevitable any longer.
My grunts change into one long growl, and my hot cum shoots to the back of her throat.
She swallows, gulping down every last drop. All the while, our eyes remain locked. Fuck, this woman is God-sent.
As if he was waiting at the door, Orion shows up in his boxer shorts. “What’s taking so long?”
I smirk and turn the shower off. “Maisy’s shower took a little longer than planned.”
Maisy grins as she stands up and wipes the side of her mouth, but Orion clearly doesn’t find it funny. He’s too intense sometimes.
“We had a head start, Kai and I,” Maisy purrs.