Lawless: Mob Boss Book Three (17 page)

“
A
re you worried
?” she asked Nico the next night as they walked along the path that ran parallel to the water in Monte Carlo. They’d eaten at a little place with outdoor tables, the lights of the harbor reflecting off the water as waves rolled gently toward land. Tomorrow they would fly to Rome and meet up with Kane and the FBI, but tonight had been just for them.

Nico pulled her closer as they walked. “I’m worried about you.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said.

“That’s what you always say.”

“And it’s always been true.”

He kissed her head, and she was glad he didn’t call her on the lie. She leaned her head on his shoulder. She’d had one glass of champagne at dinner, not wanting Nico to be suspicious if she refused. She’d almost told him about the baby more than once, but she knew the time wasn’t right. It would be selfish, a way to share the responsibility of the knowledge. Nico needed to focus on the meeting with Raneiro. On getting out alive. He couldn’t afford to be distracted. Besides, she had to go with him now; Raneiro had demanded her presence.

They stopped under a light near the water and leaned against the railing. The wind was chilly coming in off the water, and Nico tightened his hold on her. His shirt brushed against her skin, and she felt the ripple of his solid chest as he pulled her closer. Her body answered the call of his, heat already building between her legs as he lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was gentle at first, but it didn’t take long to grow deeper, and he slanted his mouth over hers, his tongue greedily invading her mouth as she met him stroke for stroke. She shivered when he pulled away.

“You’re cold,” he said. “Let’s get back to the hotel.”

“That’s not why I shivered,” she said, pressing her body against his. “But yes. Let’s get back to the hotel.”

Ten minutes later they burst into their room, their hands roaming each other’s body before the door was even fully closed. Nico pushed her against the wall next to the door and slipped off her sweater, then pulled down the top of her dress to expose her bare breasts. He cupped them in his hands, closing his mouth around one of the pink nipples. Her breasts were even more sensitive than usual, and she almost cried out from the pleasure-pain of it.

She arched her back, pressing the flesh farther into his mouth. He groaned in response, and a rush of wetness soaked her panties as she felt his erection strain against her stomach. He tongued the pink peak of her nipple, then sucked until she gasped, lifting a leg up around his hip so she could press her aching pussy against the rigid line of his cock.

He reached down with one hand, grabbing her ass, pressing her more fully against him until he was nestled between her thighs good and tight.

She slipped her hand between them, rubbed her palm over his cock, felt it pulse under her hand. She was undoing his belt, dying to feel the satiny length of him in her hand, when he tugged the dress lower on her body. It fell to the floor, and he knelt at her feet, lifting one of her legs onto his shoulder.

She leaned her head back against the wall, dizzy with desire as he kissed his way up her thigh, nibbling at the pale, tender skin right near her pussy. Reaching down, she slid her fingers into his thick hair and pulled, wanting his mouth on her.

She thought he might tease her in response, might make her wait. Instead he pushed aside her panties and spread her open with his tongue, lapping at the petals of her sex, burying his face in her like he couldn’t get enough.

She clutched his hair tighter. “Nico…”

He flicked his tongue over her clit, then covered it with his mouth and sucked as he slid his fingers inside her. She moved her hips in time with the motion of his fingers, reaching for the climax that was already there like a promise. She almost reached it when he pulled out his fingers. She balled up her fists, but she didn’t have time to focus on her frustration. A moment later, she spread her wide open with with his hands, exposing every inch of her.

“God, you’re beautiful, Angel.”

He licked her exposed clit, and she shuddered at the torture of it, his mouth working every crease, every crevice. He slid his mouth down to her opening, fucking her with his tongue while he fingered her clit, moving in circles until she was pressing into his face, beyond inhibition, beyond anything but the orgasm she needed like air.

“I’m going to come, Nico. I’m going to come so hard.”

“Hm-hmm,” he said against her clit, the vibration of his voice adding another element of bliss to the motion of his fingers moving in and out of her, the intense, almost unbearable ecstasy of his tongue lapping at her clit.

She ground her hips against his mouth, rushing for the top of the mountain, racing for it, desperate to reach the top. He moved his fingers faster, sucked harder, and then she was tipping off the edge, free falling into a void of pleasure where nothing existed but the explosion at the center of her body.

She was still coming back to reality when he stood between her legs. She unzipped his pants while he kissed her hard and deep, her pleasure a sweet tang on his tongue. Then he was in her hand — long, hard, and heavy.

Ready for her.

She stroked him, felt the drop of cum at the tip of his cock, massaged it around his tip.

“I need to be inside of you, Angel.” He buried his face in her neck, and she heard all of her desperation in his voice. “Let me get a condom.”

She stopped him from leaving, looked into his eyes. “Don’t.’

He held her gaze, his cock pulsing in her hand. “Are you sure.”

“I’m sure.”

She wrapped a leg around one of his hips and he lifted her up, braced her against the wall until both feet were off the ground. She guided him to her opening, relishing the moment when he stood poised on the threshold of their mutual desire. Then he was driving into her, pressing her against the wall as he thrust, dragging slowly out of her, then thrusting again, the friction against her clit sending shockwaves of pleasure so intense she had to force herself not to come too soon, to wait so they could come together.

He was like a wild animal, mindless, clutching her ass, pounding her pussy into oblivion as she held on, feeling his desperation. Then he was moving faster, his breath shallow, and she knew he was close. She let go, allowed herself to climb, to fall all the way onto him when he pushed into her, letting him hit the top of her womb until it hurt so good she felt tears of pleasure sting her eyes.

“Come inside me, baby,” she coaxed. “Spill it into me.”

The words pushed him over the edge, and he growled as he drove ferociously into her, shuddering as he poured his come into her pussy, the heat of it causing a wave of pleasure to push her the rest of the way. Then she was coming too, crying out as she shook against him, his strong arms holding her up until the last tremors had shaken her body.

He lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“You’re mine.” It was as much a promise to her as a warning to anyone else, and he held her tight as he carried her to bed. “Always and forever, Angel. Mine.”

N
ico wasn’t even surprised
to find that it was raining in Rome, and he tried to avoid the gloom that settled over him as he and Angel made their way to the hotel where they would gear up for the meeting with Raneiro later that night. It was just rain. There was no such thing as a bad omen, whatever his Catholic mother might have said.

They picked up the key at the front desk and made their way to the elevators, careful to seem casual in case any of Raneiro’s men were watching. Kane had set it up so they wouldn’t have to be seen together, but Nico wasn’t taking anything for granted. He’d had to leave his weapon in Monte Carlo because of airline security, but Kane had promise him another. It was a good thing; Nico felt too vulnerable without it, unable to protect Angel.

They rode the elevator to the fourth floor and made their way to room 4021, then used the key to open the door. The room was dark and quiet until they closed the door behind them. Then Kane stepped out of the shadows and turned on the light, and Nico saw that there were three additional people in the room.

Nico confirmed that the room had been swept for cameras and listening devices, and they went over the plans for that night one more time. Kane’s men would be in place well in advance, hiding in one of the shipping containers on the dock that was to be their meeting place. No one had been alerted to their presence — not even the dock managers and shipping directors. Rome belonged to Raneiro. No one here could be trusted.

Nico and Angel would both carry weapons, even though they were sure to be frisked. It’s what they would have done if the FBI hadn’t been watching, and it was important that they behaved exactly as they would have otherwise, right up until the moment when Raneiro was taken into custody.

Wiring them wasn’t an option — it would be discovered in a thorough frisk — but the surrounding area would be wired ahead of time, and Kane and his men would be watching and listening.

They went over the plan three times, covering their bases, making small changes where it seemed necessary until there was nothing else to discuss. Then everyone else left them alone with Kane.

“How are you feeling?” Kane asked when everyone was gone.

“Good,” Nico said. “Ready to get this over with.”

“How about you?” he asked, touching Angel’s shoulder.

“Fine,” she said.

Nico knew she was lying. She’d been quiet all day and had only eaten a few bites of toast at breakfast. He’d asked her about it, encouraged her to eat, but she’d said she was nervous. He couldn’t blame her, but seeing her so unsettled made him want to kill Raneiro all over again. It was his fault they were in this position. His fault they hadn’t already left this all behind.

“Good,” Kane said. “Remember, we’ll be there even though you won’t be able to see us. If something goes wrong, we’ll be to you in under a minute.”

“Nothing better go wrong,” Nico said. He was counting on Kane to help him keep Angel safe. If he thought they could do it alone, he would have.

“Everything will be okay,” Kane said. “We’ve done this kind of thing more times than I can count. Just take the rental car to the dock. Behave exactly as you would if we weren’t there, even if it seems risky. Tipping him off will be riskier, and whatever happens, we’re going to get you guys out.”

Nico nodded, and Kane patted his back.

“You’re doing a good thing. Already the information on the Darknet file has helped us connect some dots. A lot of bad guys will be going down because of it.”

Nico wanted to be glad, but right now, he only cared about bringing one bad guy to justice. Bringing one bad guy to justice and getting the woman he loved to safety.

A
ngel rolled down the window
, breathing in the cool night air in an attempt to calm her stomach. She’d been slightly nauseous all day, and she wondered if it was the beginning of the infamous morning sickness she’d heard so much about. She hadn’t been able to keep down much more than toast all day. She was hungry, but the thought of food turned her stomach. Nico assumed she was nervous.

It was a convenient enough excuse for now, but the truth was, she was less nervous than she should have been. A strange kind of calm had settled over her during the day. This was it. The final leg of their journey. They were almost there, and if everything went according to plan, she and Nico would be meeting up with David in days. She would be able to tell Nico about the baby. They would be able to start again.

She tried not to think about something going wrong. They’d come this far. They had justice on their side, not to mention Kane and the FBI. She was trying to put aside her newly learned skepticism. Trying to relearn how to hope again. Only time would tell if it was something she could regain.

They made their way through the city, the old streets as beautiful as she remembered, lights casting a soft yellow glow on the pavement. She saw the Colosseum lit up in the distance and remembered the night Nico had taken her there, kissing her in the shadow of all that history when they were just beginning to create their own. They’d come such a very long way together, and she looked over at him, taking in the straight line of his back, the look of concentration on his strong face as he navigated down to the waterfront.

He glanced over at her. “What are you smiling about?”

“Was I?” she asked.

He nodded.

“I just love you, that’s all,” she said.

He reached over and grabbed her hand. “That’s all I need,” he said.

They reached the loading area for the cargo ships that plied the waters off the coast, and Nico made his way through a series of turns. He’d been here before. They reached a sign that read 728, and he pulled into the shadows and cut the lights on the car.

“Say the word and we’ll leave,” he said to her.

She shook her head. “We’re too close. Let’s finish it.”

He leaned over, kissed her hard. “You’re the bravest woman I know.”

Nico had said a lot of wonderful things to her. Had told her she was beautiful, professed his love countless times. But now a lump formed in her throat. She’d never known someone as good and brave as Nico Vitale. That he might think her either of those things moved her in ways she couldn’t explain.

“You ready?” she asked.

He nodded.

“Have the file?”

He held up a flash drive. “Let’s do it.”

They made their way farther into the shadows of a massive metal hangar, their footsteps echoing across the cavernous space. The area was strangely deserted, and Angel wondered if Raneiro had paid off people to make themselves scarce while he did business. She felt exposed, visible from all angles while she couldn’t see a thing beyond the column of light cast from the dock outside the hangar. Undoubtedly Raneiro was out there right now, fucking with them, letting them feel like the sitting ducks they were until he was ready to reveal himself.

As if on cue, she heard his voice from the darkness in front of them.

“Stop right there please.”

They did, and he emerged into the small beam of light flanked by two men dressed in black. Angel registered their presence but not much else. She was too focused on Raneiro, the architect of her pain. All of her hatred came back in a rush. She itched to reach for the gun in her jeans. Itched to pull the trigger and rid the world of him once and for all, whatever the consequences to herself. She remembered the baby and forced herself to take a deep breath.

One step at a time.

“We have the file,” Nico said. “Just like you asked.”

“I’m afraid we’re going to have do a little weapons search,” Raneiro said. “We live in a dangerous time.”

Nico held out his arms as the two men came toward them. One of them patted him down while the other one worked on Angel, running his hands up her thighs, lingering over her breasts and her crotch.

“Better tell your man to hurry with the girl before I break his arms,” Nico said.

Raneiro chuckled as the men relieved Nico and Angel of their weapons. Then Angel was standing in front of Raneiro Donati with nothing at all that could kill him.

“I have to admit that I’m impressed,” Raneiro said. “I wasn’t sure you could do it.”

“Oh, ye of so little faith,” Nico said.

“It wasn’t an easy task,” Raneiro said.

“But not impossible for someone with your resources. Why didn’t you have one of your men do it before now?”

He was getting Raneiro talking. Keeping him conversational in the hopes that he’d get Raneiro to admit he knew what was on the file. The admission would be critical to the FBIs case. Otherwise, Raneiro could claim he thought it was something else, and then he might go free.

“As you’ve surely come to realize, Sean Murdock isn’t someone to be trifled with. I couldn’t afford to incite his ire against the Syndicate, especially with his technical knowledge.”

He had sold Nico down the river to Sean Murdock, knowing that even if Nico got away from the Syndicate, he’d be still be on the run from Sean Murdock for the rest of his life. The knowledge reignited her anger. Had the timing of any of it been coincidence? Or had Raneiro orchestrated everything to see that Nico would be alienated form the Syndicate, knowing that he was the one person who would go after the Darknet file to buy his freedom with the woman he loved?

“But send an estranged member,” she said, “someone you’ve already disavowed, and you can claim ignorance.”

He clapped his hands, and the sound echoed off the metal walls surrounding them. “Smart and pretty. You’ve done well for yourself, Nico, in spite of her pedigree.”

The reference to her father was below the belt, and Nico put an arm out in front of her as if to stop her from doing something rash.

Raneiro held out his hand. “Let’s see it,” he said. “It’s theft has caused quite an upheaval in certain circles.”

Nico removed the flash drive from his pocket. “There’s some really nasty stuff on here, Nero. I have to admit that I’m disappointed.”

Angel recognized Nico’s old pet name for Raneiro. Would it inspire him to keep talking?

“You’ve always romanticize our business, Nico. Always refused to see it for what it is. If you’d been more honest with yourself about it, you might have inspired fear in your mean instead of disdain.”

“You’re right,” Nico said. “I believed things could change. That was my biggest mistake. But there’s a big difference between drug running and weapons trafficking. Why go after the Darknet file? Why seek out information that will allow you to step into black market weapons sales — something that has no honor code, no tradition?”

“Violence is its own tradition,” Raneiro said. “It will never cease to be part of our world, whatever the pacifists try to tell you. The only thing to do is to step aside and become a casualty or use it to make you stronger. To make sure you are one of the few who remain standing when law and order meets its inevitable demise. You’ve chosen to step aside. I’ve chosen to become stronger — and richer.”

“By stealing information on weapons that are responsible for the killing of innocent people all over the world?” Nico asked him. “Weapons that bring about the demise you’re talking about?”

Angel held her breath. This was it. An acknowledgement by Raneiro that he’d specifically sought out the information Nico was referring to would be enough for the FBI to make the case that Raneiro had intended to broker illegal weapons — and that would be enough to put him away for a long time.

He smiled. “You’re either a victim of change or an agent of it, Nico. The Darknet file will allow me to be an agent, and that is an infinitely more powerful position.”

Angel barely had time to register that Raneiro had said the words before chaos erupted around her.

She saw Raneiro’s men raise their weapons first, aiming at something over her shoulder. Gunfire broke out a moment later, and she felt the jolt of concrete as he body was slammed into the ground. Nico was covering her body with his as Kane’s men moved in clad head to toe in black tactical gear.

“FBI! Lower your weapons!” Kane shouted.

But Raneiro’s men weren’t the kind of men to surrender. They open fired instead, spraying the surrounding area with bullets. Angel covered her head, adrenaline coursing through her body. Her mind was a jumble of observations as gunfire was exchanged.

Nico was exposed. Risking his life to save hers.

She was carrying their baby.

No one here was going down without a fight.

Where was Raneiro?

She dared a glance up and saw that one of his men was down, blood seeping from a wound in his head. The other one was on the ground, too, dragging himself backward toward the safety of one of the crates lining the walls. He was hit in the leg, maybe more than once.

But Raneiro was still there, seemingly unmoved by the ten FBI agents moving toward him.

“Lower your weapon,” Kane shouted. “This place is surrounded. You’re not getting out of here alive unless it’s in handcuffs.”

Silence seemed to thin the air in the hangar as Raneiro studied Kane. Angel thought he should be scared, or at least concerned about the situation in which he found himself. But his expression was placid; the expression of someone resigned to whatever the fates had in store.

She didn’t know who fired first. There was an explosion in the room, the sound echoing off the metal walls, making her ears ring until she couldn’t hear anything but a high pitched whine. Raneiro was on the ground now, but not dead; sliding toward the wooden crates, his hands empty.

And there was something else.

His gun had landed just a couple of feet from where she and Nico lay on the ground. She could reach it. If she hurried, she could reach it. Then she could kill him. End this once and for all. Never have to worry about him again.

“Put your hands over your head,” Kane said. “Nice and slow.”

There was a brief moment of indecision. She saw it on Raneiro’s face, a reflection of her own as she eyed the gun only inches from her fingertips. Then he reached behind his back and Kane’s men opened fire. The force sent Raneiro sprawling.

There was a split second of shocked silence in the moment before Kane’s men moved toward the dead bodies. And then Nico was sitting up, holding her head between his hands, scanning her frantically for signs of injury.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “Are you hurt?”

She saw Raneiro’s gun, still on the ground, over Nico’s shoulder, as she felt the spread of wetness between her legs. She looked down to see a circle of blood seeping across the crotch of her jeans. Nico’s eyes followed hers, confusion shadowing his features.

He pulled her into his arms. “Help! We need help over here!”