My last name itself was hint enough to anyone who knew politicians, and since Matteo had most of them in his pocket, it was safe to say he knew politicians. He knew them better than their own wives, with all the dirt he kept on them to convince them to do his bidding.
We’d never talk about it. We didn’t need to.
He knew I’d do whatever it took to make sure that Murphy never touched a woman or child in Chicago. I couldn’t save the world, but I could rid it of one more piece of slime.
It wouldn’t cost me any sleep at night.
Twenty-Three
Ryker
I cursed Tiernan Murphy for the fact that it was late when I got home. I hadn't been able to kiss my kids goodnight, and Dante was the only one who greeted me in the living room when I stepped inside. "Any trouble?" I asked him.
"Nope. She's sweet, now that she’s stopped glaring at me like I was the devil for being complicit in this." He stood, stretching his arms above his head. "I better get home before my wife puts my balls in a vice," he said, making his way to the front door. That Dante could call my Hellcat sweet was remarkable.
"I hate to say it, but shit is about to get ugly. I'll be gone more than I planned. You good with that? Or should I find a backup?" I asked.
"Nah, that's okay. Matteo put me on your girl full-time, but if it's as bad as I think it is, you should get someone on the kids when they aren't here," Dante suggested.
"Already arranged," I said, and if he'd been most people, I would have been offended that he thought I wouldn't think of it. There was nothing that slipped my mind in terms of my family's safety.
"Call me when you need me," he said, making for his car. I watched him go, made sure that Gio closed the gate behind him and it locked safely. I wouldn't take any unnecessary risks, and I suspected that meant I would need to take more guys under my direct payroll. Being Matteo's most trusted enforcer had its perks, and the fact was, I would never lack for money.
I'd spend it all if it meant I kept my family safe.
Once I shut and locked the front door, I moved to the stairs and climbed them. I took the time to step into each of the kids' rooms, kissing their heads and silently slipping out.
By the time I made it to our room, I was exhausted and ready to drop into bed and sleep. But I wouldn't get into bed with my Sunshine without showering work off of me. Even without blood on me, it felt dirty.
It felt wrong to sully her with that part of my life. She was nestled under the covers, her head turned away from me as she slept. I sneaked into the shower.
When the scorching water poured down on me, I thought about jerking off. It had been my routine after work for years, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not when Calla lay in the other room, all warm and mine, just waiting for me to make love to her. I'd already decided that I would by the time I washed my hair and body, so I hurried through the motions.
Our first time shouldn't have been as rushed, as frenzied as it had been. I'd meant to take my time with her, to savor her and explore every part of her body with my own. But emotions had run high and fucking her had seemed like the best idea at the time when she stood there and challenged me so beautifully.
Stalking into the bedroom quietly, I stared at her for a moment. She'd rolled over to her back, the blanket slipping down to expose her blue nighty. She’d cocked one leg out of the blanket, looking delectable as her fair skin shone in the moonlight streaming through the window where she hadn't closed the blinds. I moved to them, shutting them as quietly as I could so I wouldn't wake her.
I wanted her sleepy and pliant. Warm and lost to the sensations I gave her.
She could regret them in the morning, and I was sure part of her would, but the more that Calla had to face this pulsing attraction between us, the sooner she could see it for what it was.
Love.
Inexplicable, illogical love.
It made no sense, defied all reason that you could fall in love with someone the first time you spoke to them, but it was there no less.
I knelt on the bed by her feet, touching my fingers to the smooth expanse of leg that beckoned to me. She jolted at my touch, like she felt that same undercurrent of electricity that I got every time I touched her. She didn't wake, proving to me she recognized my touch.
Even in her dreams, she knew who I was. Knew that I wouldn't hurt her even after I confessed to killing someone. I trailed my fingertips up her calf, watching her skin pebble in goosebumps, and when I reached her knee, I tucked a hand around the back of it and pulled it further apart from the other so I could kneel between her thighs. My hand continued a path up the top of her thigh until I reached where the nighty covered her sweet little pussy. Her hips lifted momentarily, settling back down as she whimpered in her sleep with a needy sound that made me grin. Trailing my hand over her nighty, I continued until I teased the skin of her arm in a soft caress. Up and up I went, all the way to her neck and then her bottom lip. Those pursed lips parted for me, drawing the tip of my finger in and making me groan. When I pulled my hand away, I immediately replaced it with my mouth, settling my body down to cover hers in that same moment.
My lips against hers, her shocked gasp of breath against mine felt like she breathed life into me. She invigorated me. She chased away the shadows that always controlled me.
My Sunshine.
I felt the moment she woke up, felt her confusion for only a moment before I coaxed her to open further for me. Her arms reached up, wrapping around me to touch my ribs hesitantly. But she opened, touching her tongue to my lip in encouragement. I gave her what she wanted, kissed her with everything I had.
Not with force or intensity, but by pouring all the love I felt for her into that kiss.