BOW DOWN: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (Barone Crime Family) (51 page)

I
was
nervous as I waited for Vince and Rafa to get back from confronting Ernesto.

I was out of my depth with all of this. I knew I didn’t really understand mafia politics, but I couldn’t help but feel nervous about all the moves Rafa was making. So far, he hadn’t been wrong, and he had kept me safe. I still found it hard to let go and let him take care of me like I knew he wanted to, though.

From what I could tell, being in the mafia was deceptively normal. They had offices and mansions and a beautiful compound right out in the open. I was sure they had other stores to act as fronts for their money laundering, but some of them probably made real money.

Underneath it all, though, was the threat of violence. It was impossible to ignore that lingering danger in everything that was happening, even in a normal conversation. Violence suffused everything and gave even the simplest of actions a deadly tint.

I didn’t know how these men survived it. Rafa even seemed to thrive in the constant danger. He had nearly died only a few days ago, and yet he was already up on his feet and acting like nothing had happened. He was running off headfirst into more danger, and that scared me so much.

Fortunately, I didn’t have too long to wait. I didn’t have to sit around and stew and let my own fears get the best of me. After maybe ten minutes or so, the boys came back, both of them grinning big.

“Well?”

They looked like triumphant athletes back from a big win.

“Went perfect,” Rafa said.

“So he’s going to back down?”

“Not at all,” Vince said, heading over to his desk. “He’s pretty pissed.”

“Isn’t that bad?”

“No,” Rafa said. “We want him to be mad. We want him off balance. He thinks he’s invincible, but we’ll show him he can bleed.”

“What he said.” Vince laughed.

“What are we going to do now?”

“Now, we’re going back to our room so I can get some lunch.”

I sighed. “I mean after that.”

“We wait and see.”

“Wait and see?”

Rafa nodded. “Right now, we need to see how Ernesto is going to react to this before we make another move.”

“Don’t worry,” Vince said. “Rafa knows what he’s doing.”

“Okay,” I said. “I trust you guys.”

“Come on.” Rafa opened the door. “Let’s go.”

I followed him back out into the hall and back toward our room. I caught up with him, walking close next to his shoulder.

“So what really happened?”

“He was unhappy, made some empty threats. But I think what the guy said on the tape is real.”

“That’s good then.”

“Could be. Depends on what Ernesto does with this info, and on what Arturo does.”

“If his guys are really stealing, won’t Arturo want to stop that?”

“Ernesto is part of the old guard. He and Arturo have had a long friendship. If Ernesto is really stealing, he’ll get his, but we have to prove it. Right now, we don’t have proof.”

“We need to get some.”

“Maybe. We’ll see.”

We reached the room and Rafa opened the door. We stepped inside and he shut it behind me.

Then he grabbed my wrist and pulled me against him.

“Rafa,” I said.

“I’ve been thinking about this since the second I woke up,” he said softly. “You think you don’t deserve a little punishment for what you did?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I think sitting next to you for three days straight is punishment enough.”

He grinned and pressed me up against the door. “I don’t know about that.”

“I thought you wanted lunch.”

“I do.” He dropped to his knees and started to unbutton my shorts. “That’s what you’re for.”

“Rafa, be careful. You’re not done healing.”

“You think this is going to hurt me?” He laughed, tugging my shorts off. “This isn’t going to hurt me.” I gasped as his fingers found my pussy, and I was surprised by how wet I was already.

“Your stitches,” I managed to say as he tugged off my panties.

“They’re fine.”

“Shit.” I groaned as his mouth found my pussy, his tongue working my clit.

He wasn’t wasting a single second, and I had to admit that I liked it. He began to work me, rolling his tongue along my clit and sucking me, his hands feeling my full ass.

I had to admit that I was worried. Three days ago, Rafa was nearly dead. The doctors had had to totally repair a serious vein in his leg, and they said he was supposed to avoid any strenuous activity.

But I couldn’t stop him even if I wanted to. Rafa was holding my ass tightly as his tongue worked my pussy. I laced my fingers through his hair, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was what I wanted. I’d been dreaming about this moment when he finally could get out of that hospital bed and take me the way I wanted to be taken.

He moved his right hand back toward my pussy, and I spread my legs wider, leaning back against the door. My legs were tired, but he helped support me with his left hand as his right began to fuck me with his fingers. I moaned, tossing my head back as he worked me, his tongue sucking and licking my swollen clit while his fingers moved in and out of me.

I had almost forgotten the way he could make me feel. Just being around him set my heart beating fast and hard. But when he touched my body, I lost everything else. Any worry or desire was gone in the hot, hard, and wet motion.

Rafa took me. That was the only way to describe it. He took me and made me his, completely and absolutely. No matter what I did or said, I was going to be his and he was going to get what he wanted from me, and that set my heart pounding in my chest.

I wriggled my ass, squeezing his hair as he worked me. He was like a man dying of thirst, finally finding a drink of water. He lapped me up like I was iced tea, and I could barely contain myself.

I gently pulled myself away from him. He looked up at me as I pushed him back slightly. He grinned and slowly moved onto his back, letting me straddle his waist. I pulled off my shirt and tossed my bra aside as he began to feel my breasts, teasing my nipples.

“This is what I needed,” he said, “your fucking perfect body on top of mine.”

“You need rest.”

“Not now I don’t.” He slapped my ass and I giggled. “I need to come deep inside this tight little pussy.”

I smiled as I slid down him and unbuckled his pants, kneeling over him. I slid his pants off and then his briefs, being careful of the stitches along his leg.

He watched me as I took his cock in my mouth and slowly sucked his length, my hands on either side of his hips. He groaned as I began to suck him faster, my tongue rolling along his tip. I sucked him hard, loving his taste, losing myself in his groans.

“Come on, girl,” he said. “Suck that fucking cock. I’ve had dreams about this.”

I took him into my throat, loving how much he wanted it, needing to work him. I pulled back, gasping and jerking his soaked cock off, staring into his eyes. He groaned and pulled me back down, pressing my mouth down along his cock, pushing it into my throat. I let him fuck my mouth like that, taking him between my lips, groaning.

I couldn’t help but reach back and feel my soaking clit, rubbing myself as I sucked his cock. I spread my legs, ass in the air, sucking his thick cock, taking it down my throat. He grunted, pushing me down, and then released me.

I gasped and couldn’t take it a second longer. I moved forward, wrapped my legs around his waist, and slowly slid down along his thick cock.

“Oh shit,” I gasped as he took my hips. I slid down his length, taking him inside me. He groaned as I twisted my hips, working my back, and slowly slid back up.

“That’s right,” he said. “I love feeling this soaked pussy wrapped around my cock. I love feeling your skin from the inside, you dirty fucking girl. Ride that cock.”

“Yes, Rafa,” I groaned.

“Fuck. Say that again.”

“Yes, Rafa.”

He slapped my ass hard as I began to ride him up and down, sliding along his slick cock. I felt the glow of pleasure building in my core as I began to slide faster and faster, working my hips.

He took my ass in his hands and fucked me, working with my rhythm. I put my hands on his chest, looking down into his eyes. I wanted him to come inside me, wanted to take his hot cum deep inside my pussy. I couldn’t believe how good it felt as I rode him, working my hips.

He slapped my ass again. “I want you to come on this big cock,” he commanded. “I want to see you fucking come.”

“Yes, Rafa,” I answered.

He reached forward and pulled me down toward him. He held my hair and kissed me hard as he began to fuck me rough. He slammed into my ass, his cock pistoning in and out of me, filling me and fucking me. I moaned into his kiss, rolling my hips and working his cock.

I could feel it building, building inside. I could feel how close I was, and I wasn’t going to stop. Rafa wasn’t going to let me stop. He held me down and fucked me, pulling me against his chest. I gripped his shoulders as he destroyed me, completely destroyed me, and I wasn’t going to stop him.

The orgasm came over me then. It rolled through my body and he held me tight, not letting up, his thick cock fucking me hard as I came. It obliterated my mind, ran through me like a fire, burning through my core and taking me to that place I could only ever reach when Rafa took my body.

I felt him stiffen and groan in response to my orgasm, and I felt him come inside me. I couldn’t help myself; I began to roll my hips, working with him through our orgasms, loving it and needing it.

Finally, it passed, and I collapsed next to him on the floor. We were both dripping sweat. I reached down and checked his leg.

“Bleeding?” he asked.

“No,” I confirmed.

“Good.” He laughed. “It would be worth it anyway.”

I just smiled and put my head on his chest. I listened to the thumping sounds of his heart and realized that I didn’t think I’d be able to live without that beating in my ear ever again.

I was changed, and I didn’t know what that change really meant.

M
y fucking wound ached
, but it was more than worth it to have had that girl riding my cock. Cassidy made me feel right, made me feel good. She lit a fucking fire in my stomach and set me blazing for hours.

No other woman had made me feel that way. Maybe it was the danger we found ourselves in together, or maybe it was the baby I knew was growing inside her.

Or maybe it was just her. Smart, strong, and fucking sexy, Cassidy was something I’d never experienced before. I knew I should have hated her, knew I should have let my people have her, but I couldn’t. She was my enemy, but she wasn’t.

We ate lunch together, talking and laughing quietly. It was so comfortable being together like that. After the time we spent together while I was recovering from surgery, it felt like I had known her for years. We could talk about everything and nothing, and it all felt good.

Of course, that couldn’t last. Nothing good could last in the mafia.

There was a knock at the door just as we finished eating.

“Go away,” I yelled.

She laughed and got up. She walked over to the door and opened it.

Arturo Barone was standing there, smiling.

“Hello, dear,” he said.

She stepped back, clearly surprised. I stood up, a surge of protective fear running through me.

Arturo never made house calls. You always went to him if you were going to see him at all. In all my time with the mafia, I’d seen Arturo outside his office maybe a handful of times.

He stepped into the room. “Are you going to offer me a drink?”

“Of course.” I stood up.

“You sit down,” he said to me. “Didn’t you almost die?”

“Yeah,” I grunted, and sat.

Cassidy went to the bar. “What would you like?”

“Whisky.” He looked at me. “I’m glad you survived, young Rafa.”

“Thank you.”

Cassidy gave him a glass and he took a small drink.

“We should talk,” he said.

“What about?”

“Your visit with Ernesto this morning.”

I sat very, very still, not sure what to expect. I had figured Ernesto would go to Arturo, but I’d never expected him to go straight there. I’d figured the guy would at least get his people in line before talking to Arturo.

“He tells me you threatened him,” Arturo said. “Which is good, considering the shit you saw on that tape.”

“Did he show you?”

“Yes,” Arturo said.

I didn’t know what fucking game Ernesto was playing, but that man was totally fucking stupid.

“And?” I asked.

“And Marco is dead, or at least about to be dead. And Ernesto won’t be bothering you anymore.” He walked over and sat at the table. Cassidy joined us.

“Ernesto knew about Marco.”

Arturo shook his head. “He didn’t.”

“How can you be sure?”

“If he knew, he wouldn’t have come to me right away. It took my boys ten minutes to find the leak, and Ernesto was as surprised as me.”

“So he gets away with it.”

“No, he doesn’t. The men involved are being rounded up, and Ernesto’s crew is going to be seriously weakened.” Arturo smiled at me. “Which is good for you, right?”

“Right,” I answered.

“Funny how it works out that way. The Spiders give you the perfect bit of information.”

“Yeah. Funny.”

He smiled at Cassidy. “You did well.”

“Thank you. It was all Rafa’s plan.”

“I’m sure.” He took another sip and then sighed. “This part is awkward.”

“What is?” she asked.

“I need more from you, Cassidy.”

“No,” I heard myself say.

There was a short silence as Arturo looked at me.

“You’re very protective of this girl,” he said finally. “I understand that she is carrying your baby, or at least you say that she is, but you must know your place.”

“She’s been in enough danger.”

“And she won’t be in any more. I simply want her to contact her Spiders again, and let my people try to trace their signal.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Cassidy said.

“That’s okay. You can try.”

“Okay,” she said simply.

I wanted to flip the fucking table.

This had not been part of the plan. I didn’t want her to get more involved with the mob, let alone personally involved with Arturo himself. She needed to fly under the radar, let the organization forget about her so that she could slip away and live her life again. Instead, she was inserting herself in the middle of a damn mob war.

“Cassidy,” I said, but Arturo held up a hand.

“If the girl wants to help, let her help.” He stared at me. “She already got you out of one jam. Maybe she can do more good.”

I bit my tongue and stayed silent. I knew I was only going to do more harm than good if I kept speaking out, so I clenched my jaw and didn’t say a word.

Arturo stood up. “We’ll give it a try tomorrow,” he said. “Rest up, young Rafa. Feel better soon.”

He left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

I stared at Cassidy, and she smiled sadly.

“Why?” I asked. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I owe you,” she said. “I got you into this. I nearly got you killed. At least I can try to get something from the Spiders for you and your people.”

“You don’t owe me shit,” I said. “Fuck, Cassidy. You should be running away, not trying to help. We’re the damn mafia.”

“I know that.” She bit her lip. “I’m not helping the mob. I’m helping you.”

I leaned back in my chair and sighed. “This is a mistake.”

“Maybe. I’m making a lot of those lately.”

“I’m just trying to keep you safe.”

“I know that. But if I can get something for Arturo, I think that’ll be the end.”

“It’ll never be the end,” I said softly. “That’s what they do. They use you and then destroy you.”

“We’ll see,” she said.

I sighed, shaking my head, and stood up. “I have to go talk to Vince about this.”

“Okay.”

I gave her one last look before turning and leaving the room.

The damn girl had a knack for getting into trouble. I knew she meant well and genuinely wanted to help, but she just kept making choices without consulting me. It made protecting her really hard.

But then again, that was what I admired about her. She wasn’t afraid to make choices and to try something. She wasn’t afraid of screwing up so badly that she was paralyzed with fear.

She was strong and she was brave.

Maybe she was too strong and too brave for her own good.