She’s perfect.
I rubbed her back as she heaved and spat. “You saved us, Rae. I’m not taking over your life; I’m not taking your power away from you.” I pulled her hair back and gently brushed a firm touch across her spine. “I’m keeping you alive to use it again.”
“I can’t need you,” she snapped, wiping her mouth on her sleeve.
“Too late.”I’m already yours.
She just didn’t know it.
Clawing her hands back through her hair, she stepped out of my touch. “Start talking, Dominico.”
I shot a glance to my men. Luigi gave me a thumbs up, while Emanuele climbed into one of the trucks to drive it into a warehouse we owned. We would come back later to dispose of the bodies and the trucks. I should really go help them. Cops, and Feds, would be crawling over this part of the city if they weren’t already. But I turned to the pretty, shaking flower.
“There’s another crime family that runs this part of the city. I happened to save the life of the boss’s son the other day. We’ve been working together—off record—on a few projects.” I slid my weapons back in their holsters as I spoke.
Rae gaped at me. “Wait, hold up.” She raised her hands. “You’re justadmittingyour business dealings to me? An outsider?”
I planted my hands on my hips. “You asked for an explanation.”
“Yes, but!” She threw her hands up and stepped back. “Oh, shoot fire! That’s fucking gross.”
Catching her hands, I drew her away from the mess on the cracked cement. “I’m telling you, Rae, because I need you to understand. My grandfather won’t be alive for much longer.”
“He’s coming back this week.” She frowned. “Or are you killing him?”
I wish.“His health is bad, even if he won’t acknowledge it. This isn’t the first time he’s had chest troubles. But he won’t have surgery because it will seem weak to his men.” I squeezed her fingers. “No, I’m not killing him. He’s doing that himself.”
But if he wasn’t fast enough, I would have to step in and help him.
It seemed like relief swept through her face at that. “Okay, well, good. He’s a bastard, but murdering family is wrong.”
I almost laughed. Almost. “I’m making allies in the city. I’m also working to clean up the messes the lazy old men have made. It’s not easy.”
Rae shot a look to the spiderweb crack on her back windshield. “No, it’s not.”
“But I need you to know, nothing is going to happen to you.” I tugged her close, wrapping my arms around her. “Nothing is happening to you,” I repeated and kissed her.
She struggled, squealing in protest.
The thing was…I didn’t fucking care.
While today had been a test of how Rae would handle the underworld, to say it didn’t bother me that she’d been in danger would be a lie. I needed to feel her. Hold her against me. Reassure myself as much as her.
Her lips didn’t part for me, and she didn’t kiss me back.
I knew why, but it didn’t bother me that she’d just been sick. I needed to feel her mouth more than I needed to breathe.
The kiss was short, and I pulled back sooner than I wanted.
“That was gross,” she protested, trying to cover her lips.
I pulled her hand away, pressing the palm against my chest. “I’m not taking away your power or control, Rae. But every inch of you…I’ll ruin it for anyone else. You’ll only crave me. You’ll only surrender to me.”
She stilled and watched me. Uncertainty flashed through her eyes. The flecks of amber shimmered in the darker browns. She didn’t trust me yet, and how could she? This thing would take time. But I needed her to hear it. The more times, the better.
“Nico, andiamo vai!” Emanuele shouted, as the brothers piled into the green Corvette.
“Alright, go sit down, and I’ll get us out of here,” I said, squeezing her hands one more time.
