Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Tre
The conversation wasn’t as horrible as I expected, but I could’ve lived without it.
Even if Joaquin hadn’t voiced his suspicions, Uncle Tommaso did.
I believe the only reason he’s considering I spoke the truth was because Joaquin called him out about it.
I’m certain he did it as a preemptive move.
He wanted to judge their reactions before leaving me alone with them.
Mom said the only thing he has going for him is his protectiveness. It was never in doubt, but I know she appreciated seeing it. He’ll never temper it, not even when I’m with people I know will protect me with their life.
“What happened? I don’t need to speak Italian to understand that. It’s close enough to Spanish to know what it means.”
I close my eyes. Not to debate whether to tell him what’s going on. Not even to debate how much I tell him. I’ll tell him selective truths. It’s to build up the gumption to tell him what I’ve decided to reveal.
“Neither Toria nor Elle were ever the direct targets.”
I get that out of the way immediately. I was never sent to harm them, even if I was supposed to use them.
Joaquin watches me, his expression entirely emotionless.
It’s disconcerting just how blank it is.
He’s done this to me before, but I’m still not used to it.
I can usually read—make an educated guess—about the men in my family.
But even as Joaquin and I get to know each other, I don’t think I’ll ever know anything he doesn’t want me to. It’s fucking unnerving.
I knew the moment I fell for him that I’d have to give more than he can.
But as he waits for me to speak, I battle a swell of resentment.
It’s not that I want to know his secrets.
It’s that he gets to keep his. I don’t resent him so much as I resent the situation we were born into.
I could’ve left it. Or at least put it to the side, but I had to go and fall for not only a syndicate man, but one in a ruling family.
Fucking glutton for punishment.
At least being with Steven warmed me up.
And that brings me back to Elle.
“My uncles want to know how things stand with the war in Italy. They wanted me to learn from Sera and Toria. I swore I would never betray them, and I haven’t.
When I refused, they pointed me toward Elle.
I warned them I would never learn anything from her.
She’s far too shrewd to ever let something slip. They still insisted I try.”
That’s fifty percent of the truth.
I hate not giving Joaquin one hundred percent, but I’m not ready for that yet.
Not until we know who’s after me. There are too many pieces already in play without adding Joaquin and my dad going to war.
It’s one thing when it’s rival cities or rival syndicates.
It’s entirely different when it’s personal. When it’s one-on-one.
I know Joaquin won’t strike first, and that’s purely for my sake.
But he will strike last. He won’t forgive Dad for putting me in the middle, and he won’t allow the risk that I could get caught in the crossfire.
I’m certain he already has his family working on who tried to run us over.
No one knows which one of us was the target or if it was meant to be a twofer.
I wait for Joaquin to respond, but he remains silent. I thought his face was unnerving. The silence scares me. He relents when my heart rate monitor beeps.
“Tre, what else?”
“Uncle Tommaso wants me to stay here until he figures out who did this.”
“We stay.”
“I never thought it would be any other way.”
“That sounds like you’re resigned to giving in to me.”
“Not at all. I refuse to stay without you. Joaco, I know my family will protect me no matter what. They’d die for me without hesitation. But I already feel safer with you than I ever have with anyone else. Safer than when I’ve been with an entire contingent of guards.”
“Because not only would I die for you, I’d take the entire world down with me.”
“I know. That’s why you’re going to make such a good daddy.”
He leans over me and cups my jaw with both hands. His kiss is so incredibly tender. You’d never guess this man seeks anyone’s approval. At least not anyone outside his family. But he clearly wants mine, and he’s relieved to know he has it.
“You truly believe that, Tre?”
“Yes. Neither this baby nor I are letting you go, so you better get used to being called Daddy.”
We stare at each other, and something sparks. We come together for a kiss that makes my head spin. It’s an out-of-body experience—like I’m floating near the ceiling and watching this couple tongue fuck each other. It’s hot.
“What’s my name, chiquita?”
“Daddy.”
That’s fucking hot too.
His hand trails down my neck, over my collarbone, cups my breast, then rests on my belly.
His hand is hot through the hospital gown’s thin material.
Its weight tethers me to not only the bed but him.
I don’t want him to move it. It feels like I belong to him, and I’m here for that.
I’m here to claim him too. But he slides it beneath my hospital gown, then up my inner thigh.
I have nothing on under the gown, so his finger easily slides into me. I widen my legs as he finger fucks me.
His thumb rubs teasing circles over my clit as his finger curls to stroke my G-spot.
My abs flex with each contraction around his fingers.
My pussy sucks his finger in and won’t let go.
I push my heels into the mattress and rock my hips as I silently beg for more.
He has a finger inside me, and he knows I want at least a second.
He knows I can take more, but he’s careful after what happened today.
He keeps the pressure light despite my frustrated moans.
“Daddy, please. I need more.”
“No.”
He compromises and rubs my clit harder, knowing that’s what I need to get off.
I feel myself inching closer to release.
I struggle to remain quiet, but now my moans come from eagerness.
I reach up and grab his shirt as I lift my hips off the bed and come.
I’m desperate for his kiss, and it muffles the sounds I make as I climax.
He knows how satisfied I am, and that’s what matters most.
“That’s right, little one. I’m the one who’ll take care of you. I’m the one who’ll keep you safe. It’s my baby you’re growing. You are mine, Tre.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
I like the dirty talk because I know there’s truth to it.
My only friends who’ll understand this are Sera and Toria.
It’s why I could never betray them. Even women whose families are affiliated wouldn’t get what it’s like to fall for one of these New Yorkers.
When you’re the right woman for them, their gravitational pull can’t be ignored.
You come near their force field, and it sucks you in.
We’re opposite magnetic poles that can’t resist each other.
I don’t know if I’m a moon in his orbit or he’s one in mine, but it’s a cosmic connection.
“Tre?”
“Did they put something in my IV?”
“No. Just saline. Why? What’s wrong?”
He straightens and reaches across me to turn the bag from side to side. He’s not hiding his emotions now. It’s sheer panic.
“Joaco, I just felt a little loopy for a moment. Maybe it’s the orgasm you just gave me. I’m fine now.”
If he said they’d put something in the IV, I would’ve believed him. My mind feels fuzzy, almost like I’m drunk. As I inhale, I get a whiff of his cologne. It immediately calms me. It was thinking about us that did it. Being near him is practically intoxicating.
Or maybe I just need some sleep.
I don’t know how I passed out so hard, but I did.
Like I feel drool on my chin as I come back to the land of the living.
I don’t open my eyes immediately because I’m still sleepy.
Then it’s because I hear Joaquin’s voice.
He’s speaking to someone in the bathroom.
I strain to hear a second voice, but there isn’t one. He must be on the phone.
“Sean, I don’t give a flying fuck whether you think your wife is too good to talk to me. Ask her if her fucking shit stain brother went after my woman. I swear by all that’s holy, if you push back on this, O’Rourke, I’ll prove I’m the psychopath you claim I am. And where I go, my brothers do too.”
I can’t hear what Sean says, but it can’t be good because Joaquin’s even more pissed when he responds.
“The auction next week. That ruby and sapphire necklace you want for your mom’s birthday.
It’ll look gorgeous around my mother’s neck.
Those Cold War maps that haven’t been declassified but you’ve been begging your friend at the State Department to get you.
Mine. I’ll fucking burn them in your front yard, you fucker.
Ask Nicolina if Ewan sent someone after my girlfriend. ”
There’s silence again, and it tempts me to climb out of bed and creep to the door. But Joaquin will sense the moment I sit up, let alone get out of bed. I’ll never make it to the bathroom door before he hangs up and plops me back where he’ll say I belong.
“Because they were friends when they were kids. Hate me all you want. That’s fine by me because I loathe you. But my girlfriend did nothing to anyone.”
There’s only a moment’s pause before Joaquin’s tone drops to such deadly calm I fear what’ll happen next.
“What the fuck did you just say?”
Once more, the silence practically kills me. I’m unprepared for the bathroom door to swing open. Joaquin stands in the doorway, staring at me. There’s no point in pretending I’m still asleep, even though my eyes are only open a crack.
“Don’t forget to call me back, hijo de puta.” Son of a bitch.
He pockets his phone and continues to assess me. I don’t know what he’s looking for. I’m afraid he’ll find it, and I’m afraid he won’t. Either way, I feel like I failed him somehow.
“Joaco?”