Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Thirty-five hours. That’s how long I have until I’m back on the jet on my way to her. There hasn’t been a minute since I left where I haven’t been thinking about her. I can still taste her, hear her moans of pleasure. I’ve never wanted anyone or anything the way I want her.
I thought one more night. That’s all I’d need to get her out of my system. Then I woke up with a hard fucking dick that wanted to get straight back inside her again. It’s not just her pussy, though. There’s something else that draws me to her.
She’s easy to be around, to talk to, and she doesn’t look at me like a meal ticket she’s waiting to lock down.
Which is exactly how the women in Vegas look at me.
I get the feeling Poppy would be more than happy to never see me again, or at least it would suit how she wants to feel.
There’s no denying the way her body responds to my touch, the way she begs and pleads me to fill her.
The sound of tapping heels against my marble floors has me snapping out of my own head. I know that walk. My mother. She obviously wants to make an entrance. The only time you know she’s about to walk into a room is if she wants you to know.
“Sammie, you look tired,” she says, entering my office. I chose to work from home today, because my mother is right. I am fucking tired.
“Didn’t sleep much. How are you?” I stand, walk around my desk, and kiss my mother’s cheek.
“Well, my son was out gallivanting in Texas so I didn’t sleep much either,” she says.
I chuckle. “I was not gallivanting. I took a woman out for dinner.”
“How is Poppy?” Mom sits with a smirk on her face. I didn’t tell her anything about who I was with, especially not her name. I’m not surprised she knows, though.
“Did you follow me to Texas?” I raise a curious brow. “That’s a bit much, Ma.”
“I didn’t follow you. I have other ways of finding out what my children are up to,” she says.
“You want coffee?”
“No, I can’t stay. I just came to give you this.” Reaching into her oversized purse, my mother retrieves a manila folder and places it on my desk.
“What is it?”
“Everything there is to know about Poppy Kestral.” She smiles as she nudges the folder towards me.
I push it back. “I’m not reading that. If she wants me to know something, she’ll tell me.”
“Don’t be foolish, Sammie. Read the file. You might change your mind about this woman when you do,” Mom says. “And if you don’t, then you’re going to have to figure out how to keep her because that’s not going to be easy.”
“We had one date. We’re not walking down the aisle, Ma.”
“When have you ever flown across the country to take a woman out to dinner in some backwoods bar?”
“Last night.” I smirk.
“Exactly. You like her more than just one night. Which means you’re going to bring her in, and when she realizes who your family is, she isn’t going to like it.
Read the file, Sammie.” Mom stands and walks around the desk.
She leans down and kisses my cheek. “I love you, and if this girl is the one you have your heart set on, then don’t let any obstacle stand in your way. ”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to argue that it’s not that serious, but I’m sitting here counting down the hours until I can go back to Texas. My mom is right. I’ve never had this kind of reaction to any woman before. Maybe Poppy is different.
“You know, she said she wanted to meet my mother.” I smile.
“She did?”
“Yeah, to thank you for raising such an amazing son.”
“I didn’t do that alone. We have a village, and you have a good head on your shoulders and an even kinder heart in your chest. Love you. I have to go. E wants to see me about something, but read the file, Sammie J.”
“Sure,” I agree, having no intention of reading it.
I don’t need to know anything about Poppy that she’s not ready to tell me.
I figured something happened to make her not want anything serious.
She’s dead set on running, and there’s the fact she’s never mentioned her parents.
The only family she’s talked about are her cousins.
Which is why I plan on turning up to her family dinner tomorrow night.
I’m sure I’ll find out more about Poppy by just being around her. I don’t need to go digging to do it.
I grab the file, open the safe on my wall, and shove the folder inside. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
Walking into the bar, I find my cousins sitting around a roped-off table, pretentious fuckers that they are. I roll my eyes when I notice they’re not alone. No, they’ve got a few women hanging off their every word.
“Ah, he lives.” Alfie stands, shaking the brunette from his side. I step over the rope, and his hand grips mine while his other arm wraps around my back. “I thought you were going to punk out on tonight,” he says.
“And I thought we were meeting for drinks and to discuss the next shipment,” I tell him.
“We are. Later. First, we have fun. Also, this was Elias, not me,” he says, turning back to the table and finding his spot next to the brunette with fake tits larger than my head.
Four of my other cousins are also at the table: Elias, Esterio, CJ, and Hudson.
The first two are brothers and the sons of my Tío E, who is the current leader of the De La Sangre Cartel.
Elias and Esterio have no qualms about spending cash and flashing their wealth around.
Then there’s CJ. He’s the son of my Uncle Carlo, while Hudson and Alfie belong to my Uncle Louie.
Technically, we’re not blood related. And considering Alfie and Hudson’s little sister just married Elias’s little brother, that’s probably a good fucking thing.
I take a seat next to Esterio, who is perched near the end of the table, away from the women. “Your dick break?” I ask him. Because out of all my cousins, this one has to be the sluttiest. It’s fucking weird to see him sitting alone.
“Something like that,” he grunts. “Heard you spent the night in Texas? You take an interest in cattle?”
“Something like that,” I repeat and lean back against the chair.
A waitress approaches with an empty glass and an unopened bottle of whiskey. She sets them down in front of me. “Mr. Russo, is there anything else you need, sir?” she asks, batting her eyelashes.
“No, I’m good. Thanks.” I pick up the bottle and twist off the cap.
“I’ll have one of those,” Elias calls out from across the table.
After pouring my own glass, I slide the bottle to him. “I’m invoicing you for that,” I grumble.
“Fuck off. We’re family,” he grunts at me.
“Money getting slim, Elias?” I raise a brow at him. “Need me to buy your drinks all night?”
“Well, since you’re offering, yes,” he deadpans. Fucker. I know damn well money is not tight in the Lopez family.
Speaking of Lopezes…
My gaze locks on the youngest one across the room. Eliana, the little cartel princess. Her wide eyes look like a deer caught in headlights as she stares back at me. She places a finger to her lips, turns, and disappears around the corner.
Personally, I think she’s old enough to do whatever she wants. But I know her brothers and father, and there is no way in hell they’d want her in this club.
“Your little sister just disappeared around that corner,” I tell Esterio.
“Eliana? No fucking way!” He jumps up and over the top of the table. Without question or even knowing what he’s going after, Elias follows him.
“What was that about?” Alfie asks me.
“Eliana is here.” I laugh.
“Good. I hope she finds herself a nice fuckwit to date,” Alfie grunts.
“Don’t be bitter just because your sister married one of them.” I laugh at his disgusted face.
“There’s still time for Frankie to come to her senses,” he says.
My phone vibrates against my leg. Pulling the device out of my pocket, I can’t help the smile that comes over my face when I see a message from Poppy.
Poppy:
If I Google you, am I going to like what I see or not?
Me:
You thinking about me, Poppy?
Poppy:
My cousin says I should Google you. Why?
“You’ve got the look,” Hudson says, pointing a finger at my face.
I peer up at him. “What look?”
“The one they all get when it hits them. Lovesick.” He shakes his head at me. “Really? I thought you’d hold out longer.”
“I’m not lovesick,” I deny. “I’ve got shit to do.” Standing, I pick up my bottle of whiskey. “I’m keeping this.” No way am I leaving a one-thousand-dollar of De Bellis Cinque on the table.