Chapter 13
There was nothing but peace and tranquility. The fire continued to burn while my man and I laid in bed, spent and satiated. I sipped on more animal blood from its bag, about a quarter of it left. We didn’t speak; we just enjoyed each other’s presence.
Until I broke the silence.
“I hope I haven’t been burning through your stock.”
When I turned my head, I saw Dominic shaking his head, staring at the ceiling. Naked too under the sheets, one of his legs was uncovered. With the sheets messy at his waist, I was tempted to tear them away and play with his cock. I bit the inside of my lip, moving my hand somewhat closer to him as I thought about it.
“No. There are plenty of animals to sustain him. But we have enough emergency stock in the event of a shortage.”
“Humans?”
He nodded. “Mhm.”
On and off, I had thought about what human blood tasted like. What it smelled like. In hybrid pregnancies, it wasn’t advised for the mother to regularly consume it. Something about it affecting the baby’s thirst, causing its vampire side to become stronger and more powerful, which put the mother at greater risk of complications. My curiosity hung over me, regardless. Julie only said it wasn’t advised; she never said it was off-limits.
Walking two of my fingers between us and across Dominic’s hip, I led them to his cock, caressing him over the sheets. A small, satisfied moan rose in his chest. He threaded his fingers together and slid his hands behind his head.
“What do they taste like?” I thought out loud.
I then slid my hand back up toward Dominic’s stomach as he turned his head, our eyes unwavering from each other. The man was nothing short of a stunning beauty. It was as if God took extra time while sculpting him, chiseling his features with razor-sharp precision. His tousled hair splayed on his pillow begged to be played with.
He lowered an arm and pulled back the sheets, flitting his eyes to himself and then back at me. He arched his brow, his expression telling me he wasn’t done with me teasing his cock. I first passed him my now empty bag of blood and then reached again for his cock as he placed the bag on his nightstand. I slowly stroked him, rubbing my thumb around his tip.
“Damn,” he murmured, replacing his hands behind his head. “What was your question again?”
I laughed, causing his cock to stir in my hand, hardening further. Another, deeper moan left him. He closed his eyes.
“Humans… What do they taste like?”
“Well, I can say that you, personally, taste like honey-dipped dragon fruit with a hint of sweet, sweet strawberry.”
Momentarily taken aback, I looked at him in amusement, shaking my head. This man…
“Wow,” was all I could say.
He chuckled, smiling.
“But no, smartass,” I went on, laughing. “I meant… Well, you know what I friggin’ meant.” I stroked his cock at a steadier pace, smirking when he wrinkled his brows and wet his lips.
“You’re asking me to describe the impossible. There is only euphoria and frenzied exuberance. That first drop of blood ignites the spark that quickly leads to pleasure so sublime… The best sex you could ever experience holds no candle to it.”
All his words did was make me hungrier for a taste and hungrier for more of him . The longer I worked his cock, Dominic rocked his pelvis into my hand, tensing and licking his lips. He bent his leg, gripped his thigh, and angled himself toward me, speaking Italian under his breath. I didn’t want him to come yet, at least not on the sheets. I wasn’t done having my fun.
I let him go. Dominic groaned in displeasure, opening his eyes. His brows drew low over his eyes as he watched me sit up on my knees, gently pushing him back down on the bed. He hummed satisfactorily while spreading his legs for me. I took him into my mouth, bobbing my head, holding his hips.
“Fuck,” he growled, fucking my mouth to my rhythm. He fisted my hair. “ Bellissima … Your mouth… Fuuuckk.”
Dominic was close. So fucking close. I shifted and pressed my palm into the mattress, stroking him with my other hand as I sucked, bobbing my head faster. His cock was thick, filling with his release. Power swirled through me when he began to squirm and whimper with need. A man like Dominic, a feared mafia don becoming so vulnerable, falling under my complete control and mercy… He was putty in my hands, and I loved every fucking second.
“Don’t stop,” he rasped. “Swallow every fucking drop.” He fucked my mouth faster, breathing heavier. He was right where I wanted him. “Fuck.” He fisted my hair tighter but not enough to cause any real pain. “I’m… I’m gonna… Oh, fuck.” Dominic grunted, spilling his seed down my throat as I drank every warm, salty drop. As he came down from his orgasm, he made little noises, like his release was the ultimate relief. I sucked the tip of his cock before I was done, licking his slit. He let go of my hair, and I looked up to see him staring at me, satiated. Calm.
I crawled over him and bent low to kiss him, gently taking his lip in my teeth, tugging it before letting it go. He lifted his head and kissed me with more force, more passion. Rolling me onto my back, he straddled my hips, his now flaccid cock brushing against my belly as we continued to kiss like we hadn’t in days.
* * *
Laying snuggled against Dominic, our son kicked, bringing more noise to the thoughts I tried shooing away in the shared silence. Did Dominic want him to be part of the mafia? Did he want his son to take his place when it was time? Honestly, leaving our son out of this life wouldn’t bother me. Was it ultimately our son's choice? Yes, but I wanted him to make the choice himself at eighteen, not have it made for him beforehand.
“Dominic?” He hummed a noise of interest. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“Uh-oh,” he joked.
“Oh, hush,” I playfully spoke. A low laugh rumbled in his chest.
Using his arms for support, Dominic lifted his body, giving me his full attention.
“Go on.”
I cleared my throat, trying to find my words. “As our son grows up… What if he doesn’t want to follow in your footsteps?” I watched Dominic for any sign of what he was thinking. It was no use; he was unreadable. “What if he doesn’t want to deal with this life and instead wants to venture off and do his own thing? Would he have that choice?”
“Lilith, I’ll always support our son, but he’ll be my heir. This life is what he will know and what I will train him for. I don’t want the Rosini legacy to die when I do.”
My throat tightened at the thought of Dominic dying, but I blew a breath and pushed that aside, not surprised by his answer. I could see training our son to fight, to protect himself. He should know self-defense. Hell, I’d even help Dominic teach him about finances and accounting. But the killing… That was a hard line in the sand for me. Yeah, I killed a man, but that man was Fabio, and he needed to be put in the ground. Taking lives under the guise of an oath or as a means to silence someone left an uneasy weight in the pit of my stomach, and Dominic knew this. He grew up desensitized to shit like that, to those dark, gritty layers of life and the horrors of it. I wanted our son to be as happy as he could be and to be safe and prosper to the fullest. I didn’t want him to grow up regretting his choices.
“But what if he wants to do his own thing and go his own path? Would you let him?”
Dominic sighed, moving out from beneath me and sitting on the edge of the bed. Resting his elbows on his knees, he leaned forward, pushing his hands through his hair. I pulled myself up higher against the pillows, rolling onto my side. He kept his head in his hands.
“Lilith, I know if you had your way, we’d live in a quiet neighborhood like this but with a white picket fence, and we would never have to look over our shoulders, but that’s not the life we live, and it’s not the life our son will live. You need to accept that.”
“But why? Why can’t he make his own name for himself out from under your shadow?”
Sighing louder, Dominic sat up straight and tipped his head back, shaking it as he looked back down at his arms now on his knees. I realized my words were probably sort of harsh, but we needed to talk about this. Hash this out now and get on the same page.
“If he wants his own side gig, then whatever, but as I said, my name won’t die with me.”
I couldn’t stop my next words from pouring out.
“God forbid he has a mind of his own. I’d think after the way Hector forced your hand, you wouldn’t do the same to your son.”
Instantly, I regretted saying what should’ve stayed in my head. When Dominic turned enough so he could look at me, the venom in his eyes made my heart race. I sat up slowly, my arm holding me up. Lips pressed in a hard line, he glared, his chest rising and falling. My breaths struggled in my throat. My voice went small.
“Dominic, wait?—”
“I will never be like that bastard, and to insinuate that I would fathom such a hell for my son isn’t a hill you want to climb. This kid’s role is already assigned, and that’s final. I won’t turn him, but I will see to it he stands with me and with this family, upholding our oath and honor.”
“But—”
“You won’t win this one, Lilith.” He turned his back to me, staring ahead. “This conversation is over.” He stood up and walked into the bathroom, grabbing its door handle and slamming the door shut. A minute later, I heard the running of the shower.
I dropped back against the mattress, staring at his pillow, eventually hugging it, burying my nose in it and inhaling his scent. Tears lingered in my eyes. I needed him to understand. Damnit, I needed him to see how forcing his son into a corner could backfire and make our son resent him. Maybe even hate him. What I hated most… I chose to stay here. Dominic told me after we destroyed Fabio that if I desired, I could leave and go back to my old life. I stayed, knowing good and well that the mafia wasn’t for the weak and the scared. And from what I saw in movies and read in books, sons carried on the ways of their fathers and kept the family going. I knew when a boy was born, their future was already written for them. I was na?ve to think the rules would change with us.
Just because Dominic wouldn’t allow our son the choice to break free didn’t mean I wouldn’t make it my mission as he got older to fight for him to obtain any semblance of his own individuality.
I quietly shed tears into his pillow, hugging it tighter. My boy kicked, and I smiled into the pillow, bringing my right leg up a little, knee bent.
“I love you,” I whispered, voice shaky.
The shower stopped running, and minutes later, Dominic opened the door and walked around to his side of the bed, getting something off his nightstand. I recognized the thud of his pack of smokes against the wood as he tossed it back on the nightstand. I didn’t hear him move after that, sensing him staring at me.
“Lilith, look at me.” Quietly, I sniffed. “Lilith.”
I shook my head, not wanting him to see me in yet another moment of weakness. Hearing Dominic set down his cigarette and lighter, the mattress dipped, and his presence crept closer. We played tug of war with his pillow, him ultimately winning and reclaiming it. I turned my head to hide my face in my pillow, but he grabbed my chin and forced me to show my tears.
“You constantly challenge me, and I like that, but don’t think I don’t care about our son’s happiness.”
I held onto his wrist. “I’m sorry I said that.” I kept my voice small.
He let go of my chin and swept stray hairs off my face and over my shoulder.
“Don’t be. We both want him to be happy, but you need to understand that certain traditions are set in stone.”
“What if he did want to walk away from the business?”
The pain of his answer was written on his face. He let out a long, afflicted breath, weighing the gravity of his words.
“I would be disappointed… And he would be shunned, but I’d still make sure he was protected, and I would still love him, regardless.”
My chest tightened at his admission. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fucking fair.
“That’s so cruel.”
“Such is life.”
Dominic was right, and that twisted my heart the most. There was nothing I could do, which just made me feel like I had already failed my son. I couldn’t safeguard him. I couldn’t preserve any particular path for him, unless…
“Are you filling Thomas’s position?”
Dominic’s brows creased as he looked at me with suspicion, speaking with caution. “No. Why?”
After some Googling—because I wasn’t by far any kind of scholar on the mafia ranks—I learned a consigliere played a pivotal role in a family. As the don’s closest advisor, next to the underboss, they are one of the most trusted men. Dino had held higher authority than Thomas, but Thomas’s wisdom and advice were never overlooked. If Dino wasn’t available or couldn’t handle any situation, Dominic placed all his faith in Thomas.
Was I ready for such responsibility? Aside from offering advice and insight, a consigliere could be called on to mediate disputes or help in negotiations, one of those being contract negotiations. They attended every meeting, miniscule in importance to life changing. If I were sworn into Thomas’s position, Dominic would grant me access to their contacts, including police, politicians, and those more closely guarded, like Andre.
Would I respect the position and its power? Of course, I would. I would keep proving myself worthy and that I could be entrusted with the most sensitive pieces of information. Our secrets.
I would also be able to better protect our son and be his voice when he went unheard. Consiglieres got away with telling the don no. They could argue against decisions, and no one in either of the other families could stop me. Only Dominic could override me. To everyone else, I would be untouchable as consigliere, just as I was untouchable now.
“I want it.” Dominic widened his eyes. “I want to be your new consigliere.”
The silence was deafening but short.
He caressed my cheek. His eyes told me he expected nothing less from me.
“Are you sure?—”
“I’ve done my homework, and I can balance both. Let me prove it, please. You and our family mean the fucking world to me. I feel so useless as a soldier, especially with the baby coming.” Taking hold of his hand, I nuzzled my cheek against his knuckles, kissing them. “I’d be safer as your consigliere than your soldier.” Looking at him, I added, “And I feel I’d make Thomas proud.”
Dominic crawled closer and palmed the back of my head, planting a kiss on my forehead. His words felt smooth, like butter on my skin.
“You already make him proud.” He kissed my skin again. “You make me proud, Bellissima .” He pulled back, gazing into my eyes. “Let me talk to my men. Give me twenty-four hours.”
“Deal.” I smiled.
Dominic crawled off the bed, tossing his towel in the hamper on his way to the fireplace. That was another sexy thing about him; he picked up his clothes. After putting out the dwindling fire and foregoing a fresh pair of boxer briefs, he got back into bed. I felt his breath. Once my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed him staring.
“Never doubt my love and commitment to you and our son.”
I placed two of my fingertips on his lips. He immediately went silent. I moved my hand.
“It’s not that I doubt you because I want you to know that I do support our son being your next in line, and I do support him continuing this legacy. I just want it to be on his terms and his decision, that’s all. We need to come to a compromise because you’re too important to me, Dominic Matteo Rosini. And it might shock you, but I actually do like my new life. I mean, have you seen yourself lately? What woman wouldn’t want this scrumptious sexiness of a man in their bed?”
We both laughed, our tension easing.
“It’s not the money or the big house or fancy cars,” I added. “All I want and need is you.” Holding my hand, Dominic kissed it, his lips light as a feather.
“Before I met you,” he said, “women faked it, and I tossed them out with their money. They’d say what they thought I wanted to hear just so they could suck my cock and gain access to my credit card. Love wasn’t in my vocabulary—not until you came along.
“It takes a woman like you, a woman who fought and clawed her way to survival, to begin to understand and connect with me and to accept my flaws and my darkness. We’ll figure this out just as we do with everything else. I promise.”
I believed him, but I still treaded this line regarding our son with caution. Deep in my heart, I knew Dominic wasn’t saying any of this to be pitiless. These rules and oaths were hammered into his psyche by Hector from the second he got his hands on him. With time and work, my gut told me that we could shatter those glass houses and pave our own way and build our own molds, instead of piggybacking off of outdated customs. Nothing was concrete. If I had to be the one to throw the first stone, so be it.
“I love you, Dominic. Always and forever.”
Dominic squeezed my hand, filling me with reassurance and the sense of absolute safety only he provided.
“I love you, too, Bellissima , always and forever.”
Our breaths, like our chests, rose and fell in synchrony, our hands still intertwined.