Chapter Nine
Marco
HE WAS chatting heartily with a few of the restaurant’s patrons when he felt cold slither down his spine. He glanced over his shoulder to see someone at the hostess’ station that he didn’t want anywhere near his restaurant or his family. The consigliere wasn’t a man anyone should want near them or their loved ones. He was a brutal man but, most importantly, he was intelligent and observant. He would see things Marco needed to remain secret, and he would use it to get what he and his boss wanted.
While the hostess led the consigliere to a table, Marco quickly finished his conversation and made his way across the restaurant, throwing a glance Rome’s way to ensure the man kept Neil who was seated at the opposite end of the restaurant far away from them.
“Luca,” he said as he sat down across from the man who was looking at the menu.
“I’ve heard great things about your restaurant,” Luca said and slowly raised his gaze to meet Marco’s eyes. “I do hope they’re true.”
He fought his instincts to cross his arms and raised his chin instead.
“What does Romero want?”
Luca’s lips twitched. “Straight to it, then?”
Marco stood and gestured for Luca to follow. They needed to have this conversation in a place where people couldn’t overhear them. He led Luca toward his office, his heart skipping a beat when Amelia ran into them in the hallway, Dante on her hip. They had stopped by today to have lunch with him and Neil, but he’d thought she was still back in the restaurant with Neil. From the piece of fruit in Dante’s hand, he could guess that they’d gone to see Emilio.
“Luca,” Amilia exclaimed, stepping closer to place a kiss to his cheek.
“Amelia, you’re shining,” Luca said, grinning widely at her.
“Oh, you,” Amelia said, batting her lashes at Luca who winked at her.
“Hello little one,” Luca said to Dante, though he had the good sense to not touch him.
Amelia turned to Marco and with a smile, she said, “Emilio is bringing us more fruit at the table but let me know if you need anything.”
She knew exactly who and what Luca was and despite her innocent demeanor, she was telling Marco she would be ready if he needed her or the men.
He gave her a nod and she turned with a finger wave at Luca.
“She gets more gorgeous every time I see her,” Luca said, gaze tracking her down the hallway.
“Touch my sister and I’ll happily start a war with Romero over killing you,” Marco growled.
Luca put his hands up, a cocky smile on his face.
“No worries, Serrano. She’s not the woman I want.”
“God help that woman,” Marco drawled.
Luca shook his head. “No, God help me .”
Marco let out a huff and started down the hallway, heading into his office. He opened the door and stepped inside, walking to his desk. He sat down in his chair and waited for Luca to take a seat as well.
“Why are you here?”
“Straight to it, then?” Luca smirked at him for a second, then schooled his expression and leaned back in his chair. “We’re looking to expand shipment routes.”
Marco arched a suspicious brow at him. “Which shipment routes?”
“Cuba.”
All he could do was stare at Luca for a long moment, then a burst of laughter escaped him.
“If he wants to take over his nephew’s shipment route, he’ll have to do it himself. I’m not getting involved with their family business.”
Luca’s shrug didn’t make him feel any better.
“I told him you wouldn’t care to get involved.”
“Seems like he should’ve listened.”
“I concur,” Luca said, a dangerous smile playing on his lips.
Marco didn’t want anything to do with the Romero family if he could help it. They were a powerful bunch, and they certainly weren’t above killing to get what they wanted.
“I think we’re done here,” Marco said and stood, making it clear this conversation was over.
Luca didn’t look disappointed in the least. In fact, he was smiling warmly as he shook Marco’s hand. He didn’t trust it one fucking bit.
He heard the door creaking and snapped his head up, a flare of panic hitting him when he saw Neil in the doorway. He needed to have a chat with Rome it seemed, though he wouldn’t be surprised if this was Alicia’s doing.
Neil’s gaze was on Luca and his expression was almost blank. There was anger behind that facade, though. He figured Luca noticed it too when he straightened, eyes running cautiously over Neil.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Luca said and stepped forward, seemingly intent on shaking Neil’s hand.
“I didn’t think Philip Romero sent his consigliere to handle business,” Neil said, an almost sarcastic tone to his voice as he glared at Luca’s outstretched hand. “I thought he sent his daughter.”
Luca dropped his hand while Marco’s heart was trying to take flight.
Neil had not just insinuated that Caterina was her father’s true heir, but he’d also let Luca know that he knew things outsiders wouldn’t. He had a feeling Neil even knew more than him. Fucking spook.
“La mia principessa is much too busy for errands,” Luca said and gave Marco a nod before turning and walking out of the office.
The second the door closed behind Luca, Marco turned to Neil and muttered, “ His princess?”
Neil’s lips quirked and Marco mock-gasped.
“What do you know?”
“Nothing,” Neil said but the gleam in his eyes gave him away. “Did you miss the part where he called you an errand?”
Marco rolled his eyes and said, “He was just trying to save face. I’m sure he didn’t like being the least feared man in the room.”
Neil raised a brow at Marco.
“And who do you suppose is the most dangerous man in the room?”
Marco smirked at Neil who grabbed him by the waist to pull him closer.
“You don’t think I’m fearsome?”
“Fearsome? No. But it was pretty hot,” he said, hands sliding down the front of Neil’s dress shirt. He was going to add it to the growing pile of Neil’s clothes he needed to replace.
“Oh?”
The teasing gleam in Neil’s eyes had him jerking the man closer, their lips nearly brushing as he said, “Very.”
He could feel Neil smile against his lips and took his mouth in a hard kiss, hand sliding into his hair to tug his head back. Neil gasped, lips parting and giving Marco free access. He slipped his tongue into Neil’s mouth, kissing him with rough and possessive strokes.
He lifted Neil onto his desk, uncaring that something shattered when he shoved it out of the way and onto the floor. He grabbed Neil’s thighs, pushing his legs apart to step between them.
He pulled on Neil’s shirt, popping the top three buttons, and then he tugged the shirt over Neil’s head. He slammed his mouth over Neil’s, biting that lush bottom lip of his. Neil’s hiss had his cock straining harder against the zipper of his pants, but he needed Neil naked first. He needed to see the man in all his glory.
He was in no way gentle or patient as he jerked Neil’s belt open. He didn’t bother pulling it loose, instead, he opened Neil’s pants and tugged everything down to make him step out of the clothes as well as his shoes.
He straightened and took a step back, gaze slowly moving over Neil’s naked form. He was the sexiest man he’d ever seen. That lean build. That pale skin so in contrast to his black hair. He was especially fond of that trail of black hair under his navel.
Neil lifted himself back onto the desk and leaned back on his hands, legs spread, and that gorgeous cock standing tall.
Marco jerked open the desk drawer and grabbed the bottle of lube there, pumping some into his hand. He’d already had the man that morning so he doubted it would take long to get him ready. That was one thing he loved about having Neil there for days at a time. He could fuck him anytime he wanted. Anywhere he wanted.
He wrapped his hand around Neil’s cock, giving it a few slow strokes that had the man cursing him before he slid his hand further down. He put his fingers against Neil’s hole, putting light pressure that had his fingers slipping in easily.
He only fucked Neil with his fingers for a moment, knowing damn well Neil liked to feel it when his cock stretched him out. He removed his fingers and dried the lube off on Neil’s thigh, grinning when the man huffed out a laugh. Then he freed his cock, his pants sliding down to his hips. He left them there, loving the power of being dressed while he had Neil completely naked in front of him. It did something to that dominant part of him that always seemed to claw its way out when Neil was near.
He lifted one of Neil’s legs up, hand under the back of his knee, and brought his cock to his entrance, looking into Neil’s hazy gaze as he slid inside him. He started slow, barely rocking his hips back and forth, waiting for Neil to beg. To hear that depraved need in the man’s voice. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Marco,” Neil gasped, his lips parting on a moan. “Please.”
“Please what?”
Neil grabbed a handful of Marco’s shirt, gaze intense and filled with heat as he stared into Marco’s eyes.
“Please. Fuck me. Fuck me like I know you want to. Please,” Neil cried out.
He tugged Neil closer to the edge of the desk, his ass almost hanging over it, and slammed into him, burying his cock deep inside the man with each thrust.
“Yes. Right there,” Neil groaned. “Fuck.”
Neil wrapped his legs around him, keeping him in just the right place for him to hit the man’s prostate with each stroke of his cock inside him. It felt so fucking good and it was only highlighted by the pleasure he saw on Neil’s face and heard in the desperate sounds he made.
“Scopami proprio così,” Neil groaned, nails digging into Marco’s arms.
Neil dropped his head back with a deep groan as Marco slammed into him hard. He lowered his head, lips trailing up the side of Neil’s neck.
His man was about to come.
He wanted to fall over that cliff with him and when that look of reckless abandon he knew so well spread on Neil’s face, he filled the man with his come, hips smacking against him. Neil joined him, spurts of come landing on his belly and chest. He caught Neil’s lips in a filthy kiss, licking into his mouth. He tasted like dirty promises, the smell of the man, their sweat, their come, filling his nose.
He stilled against Neil, breaths coming out ragged as he looked at the sexy man in front of him. He ran his fingers through the come on Neil’s chest, gaze lifting to meet the man’s eyes.
“It’s a good thing Luca didn’t see you like this,” he said.
Neil chuckled, shaking his head. “You think he wouldn’t be afraid of me anymore?”
“No, I think he would be very dead.”
Neil’s eyes widened and then he blinked, a fond look spreading in those grays.
“You would kill him?”
Marco jerked Neil closer, hand sliding into the hair at the back of the man’s head to pull it back. Neil’s lips parted on a low gasp, his pupils darkening his eyes.
“This body is only for me,” he said, his voice dark and assertive.
He knew Neil had never felt like he belonged. But he did. Neil belonged with him. He fucking owned him. The man was his now.
“That better go both ways,” Neil said, brow raised.
“Damn right, it does.”
They were both getting hard again, Neil’s cock brushing against Marco and sparking a flash of lust inside him.
A wicked smile spread on Neil’s lips. “Perhaps you should get on your knees and prove it.”
Oh, he would get on his knees. He would get on his knees any fucking time Neil wanted him to because he couldn’t get enough of the man. He couldn’t imagine a time he ever would.