Chapter 16
AFTER SETTLING CATARINA, I called an urgent meeting in the rush. With all the shit that had just gone down with Zan, no one was happy about the meeting. As expected, Vino, Sal, and Val went through the roof, beating themselves up for not seeing it. Planning steps immediately took place, and while I had been up close and personal with this one, it was agreed Matteo would take the lead. I was fine with that. He was smarter than shit. With my back up resources to help him, we would find this guy and I needed to focus on Catarina.
Entering the kitchen, I found Dan and Brett waiting.
“I’m going up for the night. Make yourselves comfortable.” I smirked.
“She’s not here.”
Anger flooded my body, and my hands began to shake as heat rose to the top of my head. “What? Where is she?” I growled, heading for the door.
“Said she needed to work off some steam, so she went to the gym. Scraper’s with her.”
Fury boiled over as I dialed Scraper, who confirmed where she was.
“Let’s go. Now!” I yelled at Brett and Dan.
I swore, this woman was not thinking straight. Someone was sending her this shit, and she just left?
Entering the gym, the first thing I smelled was sweat, and lots of it, along with some overzealous users of perfume. While I choked back a gag, I headed to the front desk. The woman was young and cute in that girl-next-door sort of way, but when her eyes focused on me, they widened until they took up half of her head.
As we breezed right past her, she didn’t protest, but she was undoubtedly calling in reinforcements. Scraper had told me Catarina was in back with her trainer, whoever the fuck that was.
Women on treadmills glanced up, smiling, and men lifting weights stopped momentarily as we walked through. I kept my eye on all of them, not knowing who this guy threatening her was. Chances were he was watching.
After checking the wall filled with stair-steppers and two of the classrooms, we headed down a small hall off to the side.
“Again!” the deep sound of a male voice echoed through the hallway as we followed it. “No, your legs are wrong. Let me show you.”
Turning the corner, my eyes narrowed into slits so small I could barely see. The trainer guy stood with his chest pressed up to Catarina’s back. Her legs were spread wide, as if she was doing squats, with her knees bent and feet pointed out from her body. The guy’s hands were on her thighs as he pressed them down toward the blue mat underneath their feet.
“What the fuck?” I snarled, busting into the room.
The trainer was built, but I would fucking take him in a heartbeat just for touching Catarina.
He stopped and stood up, looking at me curiously. “Can I help you, sir?” His voice was calm and self-contained. I wanted to fucking punch him on the spot.
“Get your fucking hands off my girl.”
He tilted his head to the side, studying me; not in fear—even though I had two guys behind me—but in consideration. He must have seen whatever he was looking for as he crossed his arms and gave me a chin lift.
“I needed to get out,” Catarina said, staring straight ahead of her at a bright blue wall, her arms outstretched in front of her.
“You were not supposed to leave.” I walked in front of her until her fingers were a hair’s breadth from my chest. Then I placed my hands in my pockets instead of grabbing for her.
She still looked as beautiful as the moment I had left her all those months ago, except her body had firmer curves than before. Each contour of her luscious shape was toned, and her tight clothes gave me the perfect view. The light sheen of sweat added to her beauty. I remembered when that sheen had come from me. I would damn well put it back on her soon.
“I needed out. I needed to come here,” she countered, standing tall from her position without moving her feet. She took three deep breaths and lowered again. The small bra she had on barely covered her tits, and it looked like they could bounce out at any time.
I squeezed my hands in my pockets, trying to hold back. “Dolcezza, this is important. Someone is after you, and until we find him, you have to listen.”
Her eyes snapped to mine with guilt, despair, and anger swarming in them.
“I know, but sitting upstairs was too much. I needed out.” She turned to the asshole who had been touching her. “Phillip, I’m hitting the bag.” She stood from her position then headed out the door.
“Dan, follow.”
I turned to Scraper as he continued to stand in the corner. “Boss needs you and Ghost in the rush. Now. We’ve got her.”
He nodded, pulling out his phone, no doubt calling Ghost.
I looked at Phillip. “Where is she?”
“Next room over.”
“Don’t put your hands on her again,” I ground out before leaving the room.
Catarina wrapped tape around her soft, little hands. I watched as she swirled it around and around, looping it through her fingers, paying special attention to her knuckles. She didn’t look up, but I could tell she sensed me.
“Wanna hold the bag?”
If that was what she needed, sure. I didn’t answer with words; instead, I slipped my arms out of my leather jacket and handed it to Brett along with my watch. I walked to the bag right as she finished taping up.
She intertwined her fingers then moved them every which way, checking the tape. When she looked up, anger now swarmed in her eyes so fiercely it would have melted a normal person. Thank goodness I wasn’t normal.
“Hold it tight,” she ordered, but it didn’t bother me one bit.
I stepped up to the light blue bag suspended by chains above. My boots sunk into the mat, making me immediately think I should have taken them off, but I didn’t.
My eyes focused on hers as I placed one hand on either side of the bag, centered my feet, and added my shoulder to the bag for support. The first jab was light, as if she was testing me to hold it for her. I didn’t realize our trust with each other was so far down the shitter. It was definitely something we would be working on.
Without a word, she went for it. Right. Left. Right. Left. Jab. Hook. Jab. Hook. Fast. Faster. One after another, she rocketed her body at the bag. It vibrated in my hands as I gripped it more tightly, taking each shock of her punches. She just kept hitting, never saying a word.
Time to open up.
“Why are you so pissed?” Luckily, the only one in the room was Dan since Brett had waited outside the pulled door, giving us privacy for what needed to be discussed.
She took a few more jabs and then started kicking. The first one tossed me back a bit, but I got my footing quickly then didn’t move a muscle.
“Pissed? Why in the hell would you think I’m pissed?” She alternated between kicking and punching as sweat dripped down her face, down her neck, and between her tits where it pooled, leaving her bra soaked and making my dick stir.
“Talk to me,” I demanded, but she continued her assault on the bag. My girl could seriously hit. I was damn proud.
After a bit, she complied.
“What do you want me to say?” Punch. Kick. “I was a fucking idiot. I know you think I am, and now every single one of you are pissed at me. And my father will be disappointed in me for not coming to him.” Punch. Kick. Punch. Punch. “So pissed doesn’t seem like the right word. Livid is more like it.”
She held her hands in a fighter’s stance, and with each jab, she pulled back with fantastic reflexes. Her face showed exactly how livid she was, but it was mostly with herself. Not only was what she had done stupid, but it could have gotten her killed. She needed to remember that so it never happened again.
“To top it all off, I’ve lived with this shit, thinking if I talked, you and my family would die, and come to find out, it was a big pile of horse shit.” Her fists began pummeling the bag with a ferociousness I hadn’t known she was capable of. Sure, I had seen her shoot someone, but this was different. This was her body and instincts taking over and defending, and it was hot as fucking hell.
“So instead of telling me, you shut me out so only you would get hurt.” My brows pulled together in challenge.
“What was I gonna say? Hey, Jag, got pictures today of my father killing yours. No, I wouldn’t do that to you.” At least inside, this pissed off woman was someone who gave a shit about me.
“Your uncle, father, brothers, cousins—you could have told anyone. When your safety is involved, I don’t give a shit what you have to say. If it will hurt me or kill me, I don’t give a shit. I only care about you being safe.”
She stopped mid–swing, placing her hands down by her sides. “I feel like such a fucking idiot. I’m smarter than this, Jag. What the hell is wrong with me?” Her head dropped to her chest as her shoulders sagged.
I instantly released the bag and wrapped my arms around her, the heat from her workout pulsating off of her. Her body was so sticky from sweat it clung to mine. She didn’t move; her arms still at her sides, but her head rested on my shoulder.
“In some way, you thought you were protecting your family. The bottom line is, we are here to protect you, always and forever. If you feel a hair on your head is uncomfortable, you tell me.” I gripped her shoulders, pushing her back because I needed to see her face. Lifting her chin with my hand, I saw her eyes were closed, but moisture was pooled on her lashes. “Look at me,” I whispered softly.
She slowly fluttered open her eyes, showing me that beautiful blue-green gaze I had missed for way too long.
“That’s why I was gone for so long. I had to make sure you were safe, and then to find out you weren’t …” I shook my head.
“I’m sorry.” The moisture in her eyes grew as her hands came to the front of my shirt, one resting on my fast-paced heart, the other on the other side. “Is it gone?”
“Is what gone?”
When sweat trickled down the side of her face, she lifted her shoulders on both sides, quickly wiping it away. “Why you had to leave; is it gone?”
While I would never give her too much information when it came to business, I would never totally isolate her from things that pertained to her, either. At least not anymore.
“It’s gone.”
Her hands gripped more firmly, and my hands moved to her hips, holding her tight.
“I missed you.” Her voice was so soft, if I wasn’t this close, I might not have heard it.
Warmth filled me as I smiled. “I missed you, too, dolcezza.” I brushed my hand over her cheek, feeling her shudder at my touch.
Her eyes focused on me as her plump lips parted in invitation. I took it, lightly brushing her lips in a kiss so soft it was like butterfly wings fluttering. Her lips quivered, and her fists gripped my shirt more forcefully.
I kept my lips pressed to hers, leisurely taking time to feel every part of her succulent lips. Hers moved in tune with mine as I pulled her body flush with mine, feeling every curve that I had missed for so long. The memories didn’t do it justice.
Moving one hand to her head, I laced my fingers in her sweat-drenched hair, turning her head to deepen the kiss. It wasn’t fierce, but it was intense. Every move, she met me, taking and giving. I licked her bottom lip and then her top as her body rocked, her knees apparently wanting to give out. I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her to me securely.
Entering her mouth, my tongue rubbed and caressed hers, feeling entangled. We took our time exploring each other as if this were our first kiss, and nothing we could do would be enough. We needed more.
I cupped her face, pulling her away from my lips. Her eyes were still closed, but a smile graced her lips. I moved softly, kissing her again before quickly pulling back.
Our breathing was coming in short pants like we hadn’t had air for hours, and in a way, that kiss had felt that way. Nothing else mattered. The world didn’t exist, only us in this moment.
Her eyes fluttered open, her smile still present while I rubbed slow circles over her cheek, enjoying seeing her in the flesh.
“Take me home.” Catarina’s eyes flared, not from anger, but lust. And as much as I would love to, I had work to do.
“I’ll take you home, and I will find out who did this. You’re too damn important.”
“You’re going to find out who sent it?”
I pulled her close, giving her a soft peck then pulling her away to look in her eyes. “Yes, dolcezza. I will find out who is doing this. No one will hurt you.”
“Be careful.”
As my heart did some stupid sputtering shit, I smiled, unable to keep from kissing her again.
“Always. One more thing, Rex is with you now.” She stilled in my arms. “Scraper still is, but I’ve got this guy Rex who will be with you, too, until we find out who is doing this.”
“I need to meet him.”
“You will.” As soon as I told him his next task.
He would love this one.
***
After drawing Catarina a bath, I left her to soak while I made a couple of calls. One was to Rex, who was on board for his next job, and the other to Matteo. In only a short time, he had already figured out the pictures were the originals.
After the trial, my mother had been given all of Dad’s things, so someone must have gotten the shots from her home. I had put an instant call in for her to have detailed security and her home swept.
Matteo sent the notes to Techie, who had some type of handwriting program he could run to see if there was a match in some database thing. It sounded difficult, but if he could find the asshole, I would take it. He had also begun running fingerprints, even though several of us had now touched them.
Matteo also had Techie pull video from Catarina’s house, her office, and everywhere else she had been, looking for anything suspicious. It wasn’t answers, but it was something. We would also look at all the surrounding areas for anyone suspicious.
I thought about my past, and while I had made a shit load of enemies—as one did in this business—I couldn’t think of one stupid enough to come after the underboss’s daughter to get to me. I was an only child with only my mother, Zan, and Damian for family. The last two were dead.
I mentally flipped through those in California I was close to. Those guys had been there the last six months nonstop. None of them would have had time to come here and stalk my girl.
While other families were always trying to get further in, going after Catarina would have been a death wish for them. Better yet, why go after her to get to me? The only way to get more from our family was to take out Vino, so that made no sense, either.
My mind kept reeling, making everything in my head spin around in confusion. I had no fucking clue who this guy was or what his motivation was.
I moved quickly, not realizing how long I had left Catarina in the tub. Opening the bathroom door, I saw her beautiful face was turned toward me, her eyes closed and face relaxed. The fear and worry had been washed away, and her cheeks were rosy from the heat of the water, her voluptuous breasts cresting just over the water. My dick stirred at the sight, but I knew she had been through a lot today, so I needed to back off—even if my dick would be pissed off.
I stepped close to the oval shaped tub, reaching for two towels and laying them on the tiled ledge. Lifting my hand, I brushed my fingers over the softness of her rosy cheek. “Catarina, time to get out, baby,” I murmured, giving her small strokes.
Her beautiful blue-green eyes fluttered open, a smile forming on her tempting lips.
“Time to get you in bed.”
She yawned, lifting her arms from the water and stretching them above her head. The arch of her back pushed her breasts high above the water, her normally light pink nipples coming out a deep red.
I groaned at the vision as her eyes opened and she began stepping out of the tub. The water cascaded down her voluptuous body, making my mouth water. For nine months, I hadn’t touched her, hadn’t touched anyone, and damn if I wasn’t dying inside to do exactly that.
I reached for the towel and reluctantly wrapped her delicious body in the soft fabric. She began to place her foot on the floor, but I beat her to it, sweeping her up in my arms, and then I heard the sweetest sound.
A giggle escaped her lips. I’d missed that sound. It was so much better than over the phone, and I knew at that moment, I would do whatever possible to make her do it again. It was the best sound ever.
“You pick me up like I weigh nothing,” she said into my chest, shivering as I stepped out of the bathroom and into the coolness of her bedroom.
“Because you don’t,” I scoffed. “Every curve you have, I wouldn’t trade for the world.”
She audibly sighed, melting farther into my body. I pulled her blankets down, though not very skillfully considering I was holding her, and then laid her down. The teal bedding wrapped around her body as I pulled the blankets up, covering her.
“Are you going to lie down with me?” The timidity and fear in her question had me biting back a curse. As soon as this day was over, I would show her exactly what she meant to me and that I was never leaving her again.
“Of course. Let me go shower. I’ll be right back.”
After taking the fastest shower I could manage, I headed back to a very asleep Catarina. I stared at her for long minutes just to make sure she was real, that this was real. We were finally in the same room, and it wasn’t my imagination playing tricks on me.
Stripping off my towel, I climbed into bed, gathering her up in my arms. My girl. I kissed the top of her head, and her leg swung over the top of my thighs while her head rested on my chest. I pulled her tight and drifted off to sleep.
***
Catarina inched down my body, one slow kiss at a time, a sexy smile playing on her lips with each touch. Her tongue darted out, tracing the lines of my abs while I gripped the sheets, trying to hold back my body’s reaction to thrust.
Her hands joined in as her fingertips snaked around my chest, leaving goose bumps in their wake. Her dark hair swept around her back with loose pieces floating down my body, each touch feeling like an angel’s kiss. Then Catarina moved between my thighs, continuing to kiss my skin. She trailed around my groin to my thighs and back up where one hand cupped my balls, rolling them between her fingers, causing pleasure to surge through my body.
Her eyes looked up through her eyelashes as she opened her mouth wide, taking my hot flesh between her beautiful lips. Fire raced to my dick, short circuiting every other part of my body as her tongue licked the purple, throbbing tip around and around then moved to the underside where she licked the deep vein in earnest. Her lips closed back over where she …
My eyes flew open, and I blinked rapidly, looking around the room. Catarina. I still felt it.
I looked down and met the most beautiful eyes that I had missed for far too long. Her long eyelashes partially covered her eyes while her mouth was doing wicked things to my dick.
I smiled. “Hungry?”
She released my cock with a pop. “Very.” She wasted no time licking every inch, taking her time sucking me deeply down her throat as she swallowed repeatedly.
My hands clutched her hair, gripping it hard as my hips thrust into her mouth. She released me, and I groaned.
Catarina climbed up my body, giving small kisses along the way.
“I need you,” she whispered, coming so close to my lips I could feel the tickle of her breath.
“You’ve got me. Take what you need.”
Her lips fell to mine, light as a feather yet determined. As much as it killed me not to take control, I allowed her to set the pace. She was in absolutely no hurry as she kissed and sucked every inch of my lips while I did in return.
As Catarina kissed me, I felt her legs move to each side of my hips. I closed my legs, giving her a better stance. Her bare pussy rested right on my dick, and each time she moved to kiss me, she moved along my cock, causing a painful throb. My hands gripped her hips, moving her just a bit more, back and forth, and she gasped from feeling the pressure.
“You like that?” I asked, yet got no response other than her hips beginning to move of their own accord, faster and faster. “Yeah, my girl likes it.”
She whimpered, pulling her chest away from mine, and I instantly missed her soft flesh. Then she rose slightly and grabbed my cock between her thighs, squeezing hard. This time, it was my turn to groan.
Catarina lined her body up with mine then eased inch by ever-slow inch onto my cock. My control was slipping, but I held on to the remaining thread.
Her thighs rested on my hips as she seated herself completely on my shaft. She didn’t move, and I enjoyed the deep connection we had at that moment. Her pussy squeezed my dick, the pleasure so great my eyes rolled back in my head.
Hands cupped mine as she pulled them away from her hips and laced her long fingers with mine. I watched as she lowered her body, pulling our intertwined hands above my head, which had her breasts covering my chest with their warmth.
With her eyes locked on mine, I felt so close to her in that moment. She had a grip on my heart, locking herself deep inside it forever. I was never letting this woman get away from me again.
“I haven’t been with anyone since you,” she whispered quietly. “I couldn’t.”
Her declaration made me want to fist pump in the air. I had hoped she wouldn’t let another man touch her because I would have to kill him. Therefore, hearing her say that filled me with relief.
“Me, either, babe. It’s only been you.”
She smiled wide.
“My hand got quite a workout.”
She laughed at that, a sound I had missed. She wasn’t focused on the pictures or notes, and she didn’t think about her family or father in this moment. Right here, right now, her body and mine were totally focused on us, and I was going to soak up every single minute.
She flipped her head to the side, trying to get the loose strands out of her face. I moaned, vibrating my body all the way to where my thick dick was penetrating her. Then her hips began to move up and down, slowly. I moved our connected hands to my chest as she rose, putting her weight on her knees. She squeezed my hands and began to use them to steady herself through each thrust.
Catarina’s movements began to increase as I started bucking my hips, filling her. She moved her feet under her and continued riding my dick. That position did it; I lost what was left of my self-control.
I held tight to her hands as my hips bucked up fast and hard, not showing any mercy. I rested my feet flat on the bed, bending my knees, and plowed into Catarina. Her pussy quivered.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” my words came out in pants as I continued to thrust into her.
Catarina threw her head back, screaming my name, her pussy gripping me so hard it took all I had to pump into her. Watching her come, my blood roared. I wrapped my arms around her body, flipping her to her back, never losing our connection, but releasing her hands.
Using every muscle in my legs, I let go and only felt. Her screams were music to my ears as thunder raged in my head. With every push of my dick inside of her, I felt my balls slapping her ass, the sound feeding my frenzy.
Catarina’s hands gripped my chest, clamping on to my pecs as her body convulsed. I couldn’t hold back; two more thrusts and I came with my girl, shooting my seed deep inside her body.
My entire body felt languid when I reluctantly pulled out and fell beside her on the bed, not wanting to crush her. I gathered her up in my arms, and we laid there quietly for long moments as I held her firmly, listening to her calm breathing.
“Guess I need to get up and face my family today.” The apprehension in her voice gripped my insides.
“I’ll do whatever I can to make all of this easier on you.” I meant every word. Her family would be pissed, but I would take as much of the brunt for her as I could. “We’ll do it together.”
“Is everyone seriously pissed?” Gauging from her solemn voice, it was a rhetorical question she just thought she needed to ask, but I answered, anyway.
“They’re not happy you kept it from them, but they do understand you thought you were protecting them. It doesn’t mean they accept that, but they mostly understand. I’m sure they have a lot to say to you, but I’ll be there every step of the way.”
Her body shivered. “As long as you all stay safe, that’s all I care about. If they want to yell at me, I’ll take that. I deserve that. The disappointment is what’s gonna kill me, but again, I’ll deal,” her voice mumbled into my chest.
As her hand moved up and down slowly, making small, swirly shapes, my body jumped, reacting to her touch.
“It’s horrible to say, but I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders now that everyone knows. I don’t have to hold it in. I am still scared shitless the guy will hurt them and you, though.”
“Don’t worry; I’ll find the bastard and make sure he pays.”