And now he’s gone.
Because of me.
I run my hands up the sides of Shaye’s arms, sliding them over her shoulders, my hands cupping the sides of her face. I tilt her head back, leaning into her so our foreheads touch. “I love you so fucking much,” I say, my voice thick. “Do you know that?”
She nods, tears in her eyes. “I love you too,” she whispers, rising on her tip toes to graze my lips with hers. I hug her body tight against me as I drink her in, her tongue plunging into my needy mouth. And I do need her…need this…to bury everything else, if only temporarily.
I unzip her dress and peel it off of her, letting it pool around her ankles. Her breasts are bare, the deep pink buds beckoning me to taste. I dip my head, taking each one in my mouth, swirling my tongue around each of her nipples, my cock thickening with each soft mewl that falls from her swollen lips.
I lift her body into my arms and she locks her ankles around me, raking her fingers through my hair. My pulse nearly explodes out of me when her tongue and teeth assault my neck, moving toward my ear and that sensitive spot she always remembers to visit. I tighten my grip and move slowly into the bedroom a few feet away. I don’t bother with a light; I lay her in the center of the California king bed and unbutton my shirt, dropping it on the floor. I kick off my shoes and lean down, looping my thumbs into the sides of her thong and slide it down her legs. Her knees fall open, exposing her perfect pussy to me. Her blue eyes are hooded; her gaze of longing shadowed by long lashes.
I can’t get my clothes off fast enough. Buttons pop off my shirt, my belt clatters on the floor, my pants and boxers flung to the side of the room in my haste to dive inside of her.
I climb on top of her, my legs straddling her body. “I want to feel you, Shaye.” The head of my cock teases her slick opening. “Just once.” I sink inside of her wet heat, groaning as her walls clench me tight. “Fuck, that’s incredible.” There’s a condom laying on the nightstand, but I just needed to be inside of her for a second without any barriers. Just her and me, like it was always meant to be.
I thrust once, deep inside of her, and she gasps, her nails digging into my hips. “Oh my God…”
“We can’t do this, babe,” I grunt, thrusting once more. “Let me put on a condom.”
Her pussy is so wet, I can’t help sliding into her once more, a long, deep stroke that makes her scream and lance my back. Fuck, are those nails or knives? “I know you should, but holy crap, this feels so amazing.”
I stop moving and lean on my forearms, whispering against her mouth. “I promise someday we’re gonna do this the right way. But now I have to take care of you, okay?”
She nods, and I pull out, leaning over to grab the condom. I tear open the package and roll it on and slide back inside of her. Her pussy is so tight, and my cock stretches her wide, filling her again, inch by inch, a slow tease that always drives her fucking crazy. She presses her hands into the small of my back, urging me deeper, the way I know she loves it.
I reach around her, gripping her ass and angling her so I can drive into her with everything I have. I rise to my knees, my hands holding her hips steady as my cock throbs and pulsates deep within her. She fists the comforter, turning her face into a pillow to muffle the screams.
The deep, dull ache in my balls makes me grit my teeth. “Fuck, Shaye,” I groan, my hips thrusting faster as the slow explosion rumbles deep in my groin and blasts out to every extremity, igniting every cell in its path. The flames shoot through my insides, feeding on pure carnal energy. My gut clenches as I fill her, the way I long to do without this condom. I want to give it all to her, the way she’s given herself to me.
I release her gently, guiding her back to the mattress, and I collapse next to her. She flings an arm across my chest and pushes away the pillow. “Baby, what was that?”
I furrow my brow, my breathing labored. “What are you talking about?”
She flips onto her side to face me. “You didn’t wear a condom to start. Why?”
I let out a breath. “I don’t know. It was a stupid thing to do. I just…I needed to be as close to you as possible. I didn’t want anything between us, even a piece of latex.” I stare at the ceiling. “After what happened tonight…”
Shaye rolls closer to me. “What happened, babe? Talk to me, please.”
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.” I push back my hair. “Telling Mrs. Batta that Carlo was dead. Murdered. On my watch. Her husband, the father of her children, beaten to death like a fucking dog.”
“You couldn’t have done anything to stop it.” She trails a finger down my arm. “It wasn’t your fault, Nico.”
“Yes, it was.”
“Why? Because you think you know who did it and since that person is your enemy—?”
I sit up, my head in my hand. “I don’t think it, Shaye. I know it.”
“How can you say that without having any proof? Just because it doesn’t look like a weapon was used, that doesn’t mean it was Luca.”
I nod and lean over the side of the bed, grabbing my pants. “You’re right.” The piece of paper is still tucked inside one of the pockets. I pull it out and drop it next to Shaye. “This is why I know who killed Carlo.”
Shaye holds out the note, her brows knitted. “Pictures? I don’t understand. Who was taking pictures?”
“I sent Carlo to Frank’s memorial to get pictures of Luca. I needed to have them on hand to alert the guys. He’s been gone for a long time, and I wanted to know I was looking out for the right guy. The same guy I remember.” My chest tightens. And it was the same fucking guy that I last saw years ago, right before his life fell apart.
Right before I escaped his downward spiral within an inch of my own life.