“Fuck, that stings.” He laughed, stepping back. We went back and forth a few times, dancing around each other. Our bodies fell into a dance of steps neither of us knew, but somehow we seemed to understand. Nicco got a few kicks in, and I got a few hits in. Overall, we were both playing it too safe to make any real headway.
“Come on, Crash. Show me the big guns.”
I shook my head. “You heard your brother. If I do too much, I’ll be sidelined.”
“And you don’t trust me not to rat you out?” he asked, his face falling a little.
“I don’t know. You’re his brother. I’m just your fighter.”
Nicco watched me for a few seconds before he rushed me, taking me by surprise, and jumped on me, knocking me to the ground. He pinned me beneath him, our chests heaving from the exertion.
“I hate that you don’t think you can trust me,” he admitted, his blue-grey orbs staring intensely down into me.
“I don’t trust anyone other than Monroe and Loren. It’s just facts. And they had to battle their way through my armor to get there.” My voice was soft, the realization I didn’t let people in hitting me.
“What do you think I’ve been doing? I’ve been trying to find the secret password. I want to be let in, Wells. Why won’t you let me?”
The cocky guy was gone, and he stared at me, full of intensity, waiting for my answer like it meant everything. I opened my mouth, shutting it a few times.
“Why?” I asked, the one word the only thing that would leave me. It came out in a breathy whisper, but he easily heard it since he was still on top of me.
“Do I need a reason?”
I shook my head. “I don’t trust people who give things away for free. Nothing in my life has ever worked that way. It took a lot for me to let Loren and Monroe in. To think that more than two people are interested in knowing me is absurd. I don’t get it. I’m a failed stockbroker who was too stupid to see the pitfalls before him. The only thing I have going for me is the love of two people who are too good for this world. Outside of training dogs, I have no redeemable qualities. People don’t like me. I was always the angry one with too much baggage, and Monroe was the golden boy. Even you all call him that. I’m just the one who’s happy with the scraps.”
It flowed out of me, unbidden. I hadn’t meant to be so vulnerable with him, but something about Nicco made me want to share. If only to prove I wasn’t worth the wasted breath to him. I didn’t expect to have anything more than what I already had. It was more than I ever dreamed of, to begin with.
Nicco pushed on my chest, drawing my attention. “Wake up, Wells. None of us are good enough for those two if you put it down on paper. Thankfully, that isn’t the measuring stick we use here. You’re in the mafia, for fuck’s sake. Open your eyes and see the life waiting for you to wake up and take it. Stop waiting for someone to hand it to you.” He moved closer, our lips a breath away. “Take. It. Don’t apologize for being you. Don’t.”
His eyes bored into mine, waiting for me to do as he said. For some reason, having this tattooed mafia prince on top of me, spouting for me to take the things I wanted and not apologize for who I was, clicked something in me. I’d gotten so used to living by the world’s definition of who I should be that I forgot I wasn’t in that world anymore.
“Fine. I will,” I growled, grabbing his head and pulling his face toward mine, slamming our lips together. I knew he was waiting for me to cross that line, to show him I was willing to take what I wanted.
The kiss was brutal as we battled one another. It was so different from Monroe. Nicco was similar to me in so many ways; we just chose to cover up our scars differently.
Rolling, I pinned him to the ground, liking my advantage above him. I ground myself into him, loving the sound he made. Nicco’s moan was liquid heat, spurring me on, the whole sound coursing through my body. My hands were in his hair, and I grasped it by the ends, pulling his head back.
“Happy?” I sneered, still a little pissed he pushed me to this even if I’d wanted it.
“I will be when you quit fighting me and get naked already. I have an ass to claim.”
I scoffed. “Like hell are you claiming my ass with your studded dick!” I narrowed my eyes at him, daring him to try. I’d knock him out so fast that he wouldn’t remember his first name.
“Ooo, I kind of like when you get all domineering, Crash. You going to punish me, Daddy?” he teased.
“I’ll punish you, but don’t call me that.”
I shoved my hand down his pants, not being gentle. This wasn’t the time for that kind of moment. I found him easily, the studded member eagerly waiting to meet me. Nicco’s eyes rolled back, his moans increasing as he thrusted up, trying to gain more friction. Sitting up, I let go of his hair and pinned his hips between my thighs. I watched him as I stroked him, licking my lips.
“You’re too fucking sexy.”
“Why do you make that sound like a bad thing?” he teased.
“Because your stupid tattoos and abs make me want to do stupid things.”
“I thought we already agreed you were only doing things you wanted.” He lifted his eyebrow, challenging me. Huffing, I squeezed him, watching as he groaned.
“Roll over,” I commanded, waiting to see if he’d follow. I leaned up, giving him only the barest amount of space to move. He reached in his pocket, pulled out a bottle of lube, and handed it to me. Smirking, he sat up without question, and I wondered if I’d been played. Had he wanted this all along?
Nicco freed my cock while I debated, and all thoughts fled me, and I groaned as he wrapped his lips around my dick. “Shit,” I cursed, losing all pretense of controlling this.
Nicco sucked me down, and I found myself struggling to hold back. I’d wanted to show him who was the boss in this dynamic, proving I was the alpha asshole, but when he wrapped his lips around me, I lost all thoughts and just wanted him to keep doing what he was doing.
When I came down his throat, I blinked as he trailed kisses up my body, reverently kissing the tattoo he’d given me, before landing on my lips. Nicco kissed me long, taking his time before he pulled back.
“You can get me back later if you want.” He kissed me again, much more gently, the earlier aggression gone. “I have an idea. Come on.”
We stood together, and I was a bit dazed, if I was honest. Two orgasms in a day had my body feeling spent. I grabbed my bag, tossing a shirt on, wondering what the enigmatic man had up his sleeve this time. I couldn’t deny that he hadn’t steered me wrong so far.
Nicco grabbed my hand, pulling me along, and I found myself excited. He was right. This wasn’t the same as the real world, and I could be more than just the man I was with Loren and Monroe. They gave me the foundation, but I could break out some, expand my wings and soar to a height I never thought possible. And it started with trusting these other men explicitly.