10. Dante
DANTE
Samantha’s still sleeping when I wake, and I curse myself inwardly, my head pounding from all the sunlight and tequila.
I should wake her up. Get her back to her room.
I brush her hair back from her face and she mumbles something incoherent. I smile. Something I’m doing a lot lately. A lot more than I ever have.
It’s a fucking problem.
I don’t deny to myself that I’m crazy about her.
I have been for years, and nothing’s going to change that. But nothing will change how off-limits she is, either.
How forbidden this all is.
Elio would fucking rip my head off if he had any idea how I felt about her, that I had her in my bed. There’s so many different women I could have chosen, and I had to go and fall in love with my best friend’s daughter.
I shift on the bed to grab my phone, checking the time. It’s nearly noon. I squeeze my eyes shut briefly.
Elio will be home soon.
I gently shake her shoulder and her eyes flutter open, hazy and amber-brown and beautiful. “Morning,” she rasps out.
I can’t help but smile. Fuck it. He won’t be back until late afternoon at the earliest, and it’s not like I’ll get another opportunity to be close to her like this.
“Good morning, tesoro.” I kiss along the side of her face. “Did you sleep well?”
“Like a rock.” She stretches and my eyes trail across her body, my dick jumping in my sweats. I grunt and roll over on top of her, covering her with my body, my erection pressing against her hip.
“Oh, you’re happy to see me,” she drawls.
She laughs and I kiss her mouth, swallowing down the sound as it turns into a moan.
I slide a hand between her legs, pressing my thumb against her clit. I dip two fingers inside her, just to the first knuckle. She’s already slick.
I kiss her throat, shoving down my sweats with one hand and guiding myself into her.
Her legs go around my waist instantly. Her hands move to my shoulders, her perfectly manicured nails digging in.
I thrust harder with a long moan, kissing her again and again, tasting tequila on her tongue from last night. I can’t get enough of her.
I move only my hips in long, slow strokes and she mewls up at me, her brown eyes wide, mouth pouting. “What is it, little one?”
“Close,” she gasps.
“Fuck, me too. You’re so tight and wet.”
“You’re so big.”
It comes out in a long moan. It’s not the first time I’ve been told I’m well endowed, but it seems to mean more coming from her. My thrusts speed up, my balls drawing up.
But I don’t hurry, keeping the strokes even as she writhes and trembles beneath me.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me,” I murmur, kissing her mouth again.
She cries out and finally, I let go, letting myself fuck her hard and fast, chasing my own orgasm. Samantha clenches around me tightly and I grit my teeth, managing only a half-dozen more strokes before I come. I stay inside her, groaning against her neck, my breath coming short.
She takes her nails out of my back. I’ll love the sting in the shower later. It’ll remind me of her. And I’ll need all the memories I can get, because I can’t be with her like this when Elio’s home.
Samantha wraps her arms around my neck, threads her fingers through the too-long hair at the nape of my neck. “Papa’s coming home today?”
I hum against her neck, not lifting my head, just breathing her in. “Later this afternoon. I’m picking him up from the airport at four.”
She sighs heavily. “I’m supposed to go to lunch with my friends at two.”
I frown, lifting my head to look at her. “What friends?”
“Sofia and Reese. Maybe Vaughn.”
Reese. I make a sound like a growl low in my throat and she giggles.
“You don’t like my friends?”
“They’re reckless.”
“So am I.”
“Don’t remind me.”
She smiles and I roll off her, pulling out with a groan and plopping down on my back, throwing a forearm over my eyes. Samantha sits up next to me, her back against the headboard.
“I’ll send Ricardo with you to lunch.”
She huffs. “I’d rather it be you.”
I fight a smile. “I know, tesoro. But I’ll tell him to stay in the car.”
“Good.” She shudders. “He’s weird.”
“Weird how?” I ask, frowning, protective instincts rising in me.
“Not bad weird just… weird,” she admits. “It always feels like he’s watching me.”
I snort. “That’s his job, tesoro.”
“I guess. I should take a shower.”
I glance at her in interest and she smirks.
“You can’t join me, I’ll just end up dirty all over again.”
I groan but she’s right. There’s no way I can keep my hands off of her. But when she stands up I miss the warmth of her next to me.
“I”ll see you later tonight?” she asks, hope evident on her face.
“Maybe,” I hedge. “Your father might have work for me.”
She pouts but nods. “Alright. Just… be careful.”
“Always.”
Samantha walks out of my room naked and I watch her ass jiggle as she goes.
I lie there for a few moments before getting up and showering myself, sticking my head under the water and trying to forget what she tastes like.
My stomach growls, the tequila swirling around in there and making me nauseous.
The only staff other than the housecleaners that come every Friday is Maria, Elio’s cook who comes every day like clockwork for breakfast and dinner.
Elio always skips lunch, and Ella, one of the maids, makes lunch when Samantha or someone else wants it.
I wonder if she’s made breakfast since Elio isn’t home.
I dress in a pair of slacks and a t-shirt, not expecting to need a suit today. I head downstairs and see Maria standing in the dining room, frowning. She breaks out into a smile when she sees me.
“Oh, good. I was thinking I’d have to throw this out.” The table is full of pancakes, sausage, biscuits, and cut fruit.
“You made enough for an army.”
“Elio likes his breakfast. I know he’s out of town, but it’s just habit. Is Miss Samantha eating with you?”
I stiffen. “I don’t think so. I think she has lunch plans.”
Maria hums. “I guess you’ll have to eat double, then.”
I laugh, relaxing my shoulders. I have to calm down. She wasn’t implying anything, just making conversation.
Maria smiles, ducking her head. “I’ll get out of your hair.”
“Sit. Eat with me.” I spread my hands. “I certainly can’t eat all of this.”
She flushes. “I shouldn’t. It’s not proper.”
I scoff. “You’re part of the family, Maria,” I say honestly.
She hasn’t been with us very long, just about five years. She’s around my age, and pretty with a round face and wide blue eyes.
She flushes deeper and sits down hesitantly, making herself a plate. I sit next to her and we chat while we eat.
She’s deep in a story about how her husband, Ralph, tried to dig them a pool at their old house and I’m laughing, nearly doubled over when Samantha walks in.
Samantha freezes when she sees us. She’s wearing a pair of denim cut-offs that show off her thick thighs, and a flowery blouse. She looks adorable. I finally sober and wipe at my eyes.
“Didn’t think you’d eat before lunch.”
“I’m not,” she says flatly, her dark eyes meeting mine. They’re flashing with something I can’t quite name. “Was looking for Ricardo.”
“Oh shit,” I say, pulling my phone out of my back pocket. “Forgot to text him. I’ll do it now.” I shoot a quick text to let Ricardo know he’s needed and Samantha huffs.
“I have to leave in an hour.”
“He’ll be here in fifteen,” I say, frowning at her sharp tone. Maria stands, an awkward expression on her face, and exits the room.
“What’s with the attitude?” I ask in a low voice as I stand up.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She turns on her heel and walks into the living room.
I follow her, still frowning. “Samantha.”
She whirls around to look at me. “What?”
“What is going on with you? Are you upset that your father’s coming back?”
Samantha wilts slightly, but her eyes are still flashing. “No.”
I walk closer to her, cupping her cheek. She leans into the touch. “Well, something’s going on. Tell me, tesoro.”
Her bottom lip pokes out and my heart clenches in my chest. “I guess… I guess I was jealous.”
I blink. “Jealous?”
She huffs again. “You and Maria.”
I bark out a laugh. “What? Why would you be jealous of Maria?”
She frowns. “Because you were laughing like she’s the funniest person alive.”
“She is pretty funny,” I drawl, grinning because I find her baseless jealousy so cute.
“Stop,” she says, smacking my chest weakly. I grab her wrist in my hand and wrap her arms around my neck.
“I”m not interested in Maria.”
“But she’s closer to your age and—”
“Also, I’m pretty sure her husband Ralph is unhinged,” I continue, cutting her off.
Samantha pauses. “Maria’s married?”
I nod. “For twenty years now. She has two kids. Do you not ever talk to your staff?”
She frowns again. “I guess… I guess I never thought about it. I’m a spoiled rich girl, aren’t I?’
I snort. “Maybe a little.”
She relaxes, leaning against me, and I brush my lips against hers. “I should go finish getting ready,” she says, but doesn’t move away.
I kiss her forehead. “Go on, little one.” I turn her toward the stairs, patting her on the ass. She giggles, looking back at me with the light back in those amber-brown eyes of hers. The ones that haunt my dreams.
I smile, watching her walk up the stairs and disappear into her room. “Be careful.”
I freeze when I turn around and seeing Maria, holding her purse. “M-Maria, I–” I stutter, but she holds up a hand to stop me.
“I’m not going to tell anyone. But I’m just saying… be careful. Elio can be a dangerous man when he’s tested.”
“I know.”
Maria nods, giving me a small smile. “And I’ll tell Ralph you think he’s unhinged. He’ll love that.”
I smile back weakly, my heart still pounding. She leaves the house and I let out a long breath.
I’ve got to get my shit together.
I pick Elio up at the airport at four and he’s in a mood, throwing his bags in the trunk and slamming my door when he gets in.
“Hey, hey. Be easy on my baby.”
“It’s a fucking sedan, it’s not a baby, it’s an old lady,” he grumbles.
“Still.” I glance at him as I pull out of the airport. “Who pissed in your cornflakes?”
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Diego thinks we have a rat.”
“Shit,” I curse in a low tone.
“Yeah, exactly. I haven’t ever had a rat in our midst, but Diego’s convinced that there’s someone working for Ricci.”
“Why does he think that?”
“Because Ricci always knows where our shipments are lately. He or his men show up too often for it to be coincidence.”
“Who does he think it is?”
Elio throws up his hands. “Doesn’t know.”
Diego Rivera is our ally two towns over, and Elio had been visiting with him and collecting money, checking over our shipments. He’s a shrewd guy, and if he says we have a rat, we probably do.
But who could it be? Every one of Elio’s men have been with him for at least a decade.
Who could have flipped?
“Take me to a bar. A club. Somewhere with women.”
I blink. “Women?”
“Yeah, women. You remember them? Beautiful, fun in bed…”
I roll my eyes. “I haven’t forgotten women exist, Elio.”
“Haven’t you? Come out with me, Dante. Just once.”
I grit my teeth. “You know I hate crowds.”
“I know. We’ll find a dive with mob groupies. Please. I need to let off some steam.”
I groan loudly, taking the next exit, and Elio grins.
“No tequila,” I say flatly.
He chuckles. “No promises.”
I have a feeling tonight is going to be something.