14

 

CARINA

 

Being on my own for most of the day has been nothing but a bust. I haven’t been able to find out any information regarding the shooter from yesterday, nor any information from the guys on who they thought it could be. The only thing they tell me is that “the boss has a lot of enemies. It could be anyone.” Like that fucking helps.

I’ve stopped myself countless times from going into Mateo’s study to see what they were up to. No doubt, they’re still trying to break into Vinny’s computer. Amateurs. Give me five minutes, and I could have all the information they want.

You see, I wasn’t only trained in how to kill my target. I was also trained in gathering information. Daniel would sit me down and make me gather as much information as I could from each laptop he came back with from his missions. It took me a few years, but I became so good at what I did, he didn’t even have to bring that stuff down to me. I’d set in the training room, with Rossi behind me, and I could hack into anything my father told me to. If only Mateo would give me the chance to explain that, I’d do it in a heartbeat just to get some answers to this fucked up mess we find ourselves in.

Yet, he won’t give me the time of day. He won’t give me the chance to explain to him that I’m versed in more things than just kicking ass and taking names. Instead, he’s going full force into this, which isn’t what needs to be done. It needs to be handled with finesse. It needs to be approached the same way you would a ticking bomb.

What happens if you approach a bomb too forcefully?

It will self-destruct. And that’s exactly what Mateo is going to cause.

Everything around us will start imploding, causing a domino effect. Each thing that falls further from our reach will cause another, and another, and another, until we have nothing left to figure out who did this.

A commotion from my right catches my attention, and I spy Lucio talking lowly with someone that seems vaguely familiar. He looks like a much older version of Mateo, with the jaded eyes and dark hair, only his are graying at the sides. His form is stocky, yet I know there’s nothing but muscles underneath his suit. When he turns his head toward me, he does a double take, a large smile spreading across his face.

I don’t know, but the only thing that comes to my mind is that I should not trust this person. Something about him gives off a vibe that he’s not here for anything good, and he’s trying to wiggle his way into the fray when we all know there’s not any more room for anyone.

“Well, if it isn’t Reap herself,” he says, patting Lucio on the shoulder as he slowly makes his way to me, his earlier conversation already forgotten.

The closer he comes to me, the more my hackles rise. My fists clench and unclench at my sides, my heart pounds so hard I can hear it in my ears. He isn’t right. My mind feels like it’s short-circuiting when he’s around me, and I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to. I cannot be held responsible for what my instincts make me do with being subjected to someone such as this man in front of me.

“I’m Anjelo, but you may call me Mr. Calvetti,” he says, offering me his hand.

I don’t take it. Instead, I look from it to him, before my non-existent filter lets me down again. “You are not welcome here. I do not care who you are, what you are to this family, but they have been placed under my protection, and you are not welcome in this house.”

“Carina!” Lucio barks, grabbing my arm.

Without thinking, I jab out with my hand, catching him in the sternum. The hit lands solid, causing him to release me, growling, as he stalks closer.

“He’s not welcome here, Lucio. I don’t give a shit who he is, but he needs to leave,” I seethe, readying myself for a fight.

“That is my goddamn father you’re talking about, bitch! It will do well for you to watch your tone with him.”

Stepping up to him, my chest meets his as his fiery eyes glare daggers into mine. More commotion sounds out all around us, but I can’t be bothered. I won’t hurt Lucio unless I have to, but that man has to fucking go. I don’t know why I’m getting the feeling he’s up to no good, but I always pay attention to my feelings. They’ve never led me astray before.

“If you don’t get him out of this fucking house, I’ll do it myself,” I grind out, forcing him backward as I take a step. “No one will be able to fucking stop me!”

“Carina!” The rough sound of Mateo’s voice causes a slithering feeling to envelope my skin. I shudder, stepping away from Lucio so I can look behind me to see a disappointed Mateo standing next to his brother and Domino.

“Yes?” I ask, already knowing what’s coming.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? That is my pop you’re talking to, and he demands the same respect as everyone in this goddamned house. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Does he really not feel the ire his father puts off? The wave of hatred, slime, and death that waifs from his body? How can no one except for me see it?!

“He’s disloyal, and quite frankly, not welcome.” Widening my stance, I give him a stern look as my tongue clicks against the roof of my mouth. “You need to give me one reason to back down. And it better be a good one, because the only thing I see when I look at him is a traitor.”

“Apologize,” he seethes, taking a step toward me.

“Fuck you! I apologize to no-damn-body, least of all a slimy bastard like him!” I yell in return as every inch of my body fills up with fury.

“Carina! Shut the fuck up before I wire your mouth shut!” he roars as Domino and Giovanni grab his arms to keep him from coming toward me. “You have no goddamn idea how thin the ice you’re treading on is. Yet, you keep walking, and walking, and walking, testing your goddamn luck!”

“Give me a goddamn reason why I should allow him to be here, then. Why I should put your protection at risk. I promised to protect everyone in this house, and I will do just that, but you are the only person I would die for! Now, fucking tell me!”

The entire room is filled with nothing but silence as Mateo regards me. His eyes slowly run over my body from head to toe before they trail their way back to my eyes. A heat I’ve never experienced before overtakes me as I see his dilate to an almost black. His chest rises and falls swiftly, and both hands twitch at his sides to make a move. I don’t know what’s happening between us right now, but something in Mateo’s eyes bleeds of a predator.

A predator sizing up his goddamn prey.

In a motherfucking time like this.

“Mateo, what the fuck are you looking at?!”

“Father,” he says, never breaking his gaze. “Go home. We will continue this discussion later.”

Every part of my body begins thrumming with awareness. And no matter how hard I try to will myself to stay calm, it seems my body has other ideas. A deep, aching throb starts in the apex of my thighs. It’s like it’s connected to each harsh inhale he drags into his frazzled body.

Inhale. Throb.

Exhale. Pressure

Inhale. Throb.

“You’ve got to be—”

“Not another goddamn word!” his voice booms, startling the men around us.

I’m the only one that doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even move a muscle, as my eyes stay trained on his. My stomach quivers from his words, heat barreling through every part of me. It’s confusing because from the movies Dom’s made me watch, I should not be getting horny at a time like this. Nope, if anything, I should be thoroughly pissed because he thinks he can still order me around.

Yet, the wetness already saturating my panties screams another tale. Angry Mateo hits every one of my turn on buttons.

“You need to go upstairs.”

“Now is not the time for this! We have shit we need to do!” I scream-growl.

The first time since we started this staring contest, he breaks his gaze with mine to look over at his brother. “It seems you were right. It’s a good thing I’m not a betting man or I would have lost.”

His words confuse the ever-loving fuck out of me. But I stand tall, pretending as if I know everything. It’s not until his eyes turn back to mine, their black depths scanning me up and down hungrily, that I get the picture. Me standing up to his father, for him—to protect him—made him unbearable with need.

“Seriously?” I groan, tossing a look over to Giovanni, who’s holding a hand over his mouth, fighting a smile. Then, over to Dom, who has tears of laughter in his eyes, but he’s watching the whole scene unfold with rapt attention. “I’m not fucking you because you’re horny over the fact I told your father off. That’s just gross and a new low even for you.”

Never thought I’d say those words. Hell, never thought I would be speaking so freely about sex, period. This needs to digress fast because there’s no way in fuck I’ll be able to go through with this. Nope. Not when the last time we were in a bed in that way, he left to go fuck that bitch.

“Go. Upstairs. Now.”

“Mateo, we do not have time for this! Jesus,” I say, turning toward Giovanni. “What did you all do to him in there?!”

“We made him see the truth,” he replies, winking.

“Jesus jumped up Christ. You were supposed to get into that fucking laptop, not spout love poems to each other.”

“Carina,” Mateo warns, his voice gravelly, deep, and shudderingly sexy.

Why the fuck does it feel like I’m walking the plank? No sane woman would ever refute that to a man that looked, acted, and oozed sex appeal like Mateo, but we have important things that need to be done. There’s no time to mess around.

“I’ll make sure you all get dinner,” Domino says, wiping his eyes. “Everyone fall out, we’re going to search the woods again.”

I watch, mouth agape, as the men just leave me by myself with a half-crazed Italian that hasn’t had pussy in at least a week. Knowing Mateo, that’s the longest he’s been without the slit since he was old enough to pop that male cherry of his. Jesus Christ, those sons of bitches are throwing me to the head wolf, and motherfucking laughing about it. I’ll gut every one of those bastards. I swear it.

Then, it dawns on me. From seemingly nowhere. I have the ability to protect myself from Mateo. I have the ability to demobilize him before he even knew what was coming.

So, why am I still standing here? Why am I still trying to talk him down when I already know the way to get away from him? Do I even want to get away from him? He’s nothing like that good for nothing piece of shit Rossi, that much has been made apparent since coming here. He isn’t the kind to force someone into fucking, but he is the kind to coerce them into loving it.

The longer I think about it, the more my body’s reaction to him makes more sense. I want him to fuck me just as much as he wants me to fuck him. We’re both wanting that fissure of time where we don’t want to worry about anything other than the body that’s pressed up against ours. We want to forget, then face all of this shit tomorrow.

We want to feel, where so long we’ve been forced to stay numb.

“Go. Upstairs.”

Cocking a brow, my body makes the decision for me. “Make me.”

His smirk turns into a full maniacal smile, and when paired with his black eyes, it makes him look like a hot-as-fuck devil about to tear up some demon pussy. It’s hot. Electric. And I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy the burn.

“With pleasure,” he replies, growling.