“Now, get inked, princess, so we can get out of here. I have a very pressing need to do somereminding.”
“That’s enough motivation for me.” I’d probably get twenty tattoos if it meant I could go home and spread my legs for the man I loved with all my heart.
I turned and walked toward Antonio. A life I never thought I wanted was the life I was about to embrace. I was about to accept the wolf, to permanently commit myself to my family, and all the while I had a future with Lorik to look forward to. That alone was worth everything.
Just as I got to the door, I turned back and smiled at Lorik. “I love you.”
His lips curved up at the sides. “I love you too…my mafia princess”
***
LORIK
I watched as Karina left with Antonio. She was nervous. It was written all over her face as she glanced back at me while walking out the door. I knew it bothered her, the decision I made. During the last two months, she kept trying to convince me to reconsider. Not because she didn’t want me to do this, but because she was afraid I would one day regret it. And the truth was, I wouldn’t. I would never regret choosing her, choosing a life with her above my old life.Shewas my life now, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. She was mine, and that was all that mattered.
Lifting my hand, I stared at the new tattoo on my skin. It hurt like a motherfucker, but I couldn’t tell her that. She was about to get the same symbol tattooed on her wrist, and I didn’t want to make her even more nervous.
The symbol on the top of my hand proved I was a wolf now. I vowed to be loyal to the Valenti family, to uphold their laws and do what was expected of me. And even though Karina was the most important reason for me making this decision, she wasn’t the only reason. After hearing Anderson’s story about how our justice system failed his niece and how Lorenzo gave Anderson and his family the justice they needed to be able to move on, I realized not everything in life was black and white. For years, I’d chased after the Valentis, believing they were the scum of the earth who didn’t give a fuck about any laws but their own. But I was wrong; I knew that now.
My decision to become a part of the Valenti family didn’t mean I was blinded to all the questionable businesses they ran, but it meant my eyes had opened to all the good they had brought to the people of Boston over the years. The Valentis took care of the people who needed it the most, brought justice to those who deserved it. Everything they did, they did for the greater good, and I was willing to live with that—to be a part of it.
I rubbed the finger Lorenzo had pricked earlier. Watching my blood drip on a card bearing the image of St. Francis while Lorenzo said,“This drop of blood symbolizes your birth into our family. We are one until death,” then witnessing him setting that card on fire was real powerful shit.
I’d heard about the mafia initiation, and I always found the notion of it absurd and creepy. But while I stood there watching the card with my blood burn into nothing but ash, solidifying my place in their family, it gave me a strong sense of belonging. By doing this, I didn’t only vow to be loyal to the Valentis, I also showed the depth of my commitment to Karina—to the daughter of the man who had now become my boss.
Like I said, powerful shit.
I inhaled and dragged my hand through my hair before deciding to pour myself a drink while I waited for my woman to get branded as well.My woman. God, it felt good thinking of her in that way.
I flopped down on the very expensive leather couch and let my mind drift to thoughts of the future. Thoughts of how Karina was now mine, and how I was going to enjoy every goddamn minute of it. For a while, there, her pussy had “forbidden” written all over it, but now because of a symbol marked on my skin and because of my vow to put her and her family first, I had every fucking right to claim that sweet Heaven between her legs every time I wanted—and no one could do shit about it.
“With that look on your face, I shudder to think what the hell is going on in that dirty mind of yours.”
I looked up and spotted Dante standing in the doorway. “Oh, you have no idea how dirty my mind really is.”
“Oh, God, stop.” Dante held his hands up. “If those dirty thoughts have anything to do with my little sister, I’m going to be forced to put a bullet in your spine.”
I grinned like a fucking idiot. “Then you better load that gun…brother.”
“Good God, you’re an asshole.”
I laughed as Dante took a seat on the couch across from me. Dante was the brother I liked most. He didn’t go around acting like he had a stick up his ass like Antonio did. In fact, I would even go so far as to say Dante and I had some sort of friendship brewing. We might end up being drinking partners very soon—which was a big fucking deal in the world of manly friendships.
“For the life of me, I don’t know what my sister sees in you.”
“Oh, that’s easy. It’s because of my big—”
“For the love of Christ, do not finish that sentence.”
I burst out laughing, and Dante snickered.
I nodded toward the door. “She done?”
“Yeah. The tattoo she got isn’t as detailed as ours.”
“Where is she?”
Dante got up and walked to the table and poured himself a drink. “I think she’s having a little father-daughter bonding time.”