Page 178 of Always: A Legacy Novel

“Fine.”

“Don’t pout.”

His hand smacked her ass hard overtop her skirt.

Catherine winked over her shoulder. “So hey, think you can get me off on the floor, too?”

“Is that supposed to be a real question? Because you know how I am with a challenge and all.”

“I mean, whatever it takes.”

Cross smirked.

Catherine shivered.

Yeah, they were definitely the bad ones.

As long as they were bad together.

Cross hated the month of March in New York. It was as if the weather couldn’t make up its mind whether it wanted to remain in a winter state, or start changing to spring. All it did was stay cold, or make a damn mess.

He shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of his leather jacket, and headed across the road to where he had been called. Mentoring had been one thing, but now he was full-on working as a foot solider for the Donati famiglia, and he no longer got the right to refuse anything.

Someone called. Cross went.

Someone had a job. Cross showed up.

Someone made a demand. Cross provided.

There was no other option, not if he wanted to earn his button and take the Cosa Nostra oath. It made shit hard sometimes because his life no longer felt like his own a lot of the time. He didn’t get to do whatever he wanted and be wherever he wanted. He had to work his time around made men, and their wants and needs.

Cross headed inside the restaurant to find a good portion of the Donati men inside, shoveling various breakfasts into their faces. His step-father sat at a table with Wolf, and sipped from a cup of black coffee.

“Come, sit,” Calisto demanded as soon as he noticed his son.

Cross took the only open seat at the table, noting the stacks of cash that Wolf was counting. “Tribute today?”

Calisto nodded. “My favorite day.”

Of course it was.

Money made every man’s day.

That, and sex.

“Did my papers come in from the lawyer yet?” Cross asked.

Calisto nodded. “Got the call this morning—you only need to sign on the dotted line, and the place is all yours, but it might have to wait a bit.”

“Why is that?”

Cross certainly shouldn’t have been there while tribute was happening. That was an event that was strictly between a boss and his men—men that were made.

“I have something I thought you might be interested in,” Calisto said.

“Oh?”

“How does running some guns sound?”