She never lied to me, but she never told me the full truth.
But in that moment, standing in that hallway with my head against the door, breathing hard like I’d just run a mile, I felt it hit me hard, hit me so deep that I knew I’d been forever altered.
“Hey, little Clair.”
I turned my head and saw him standing halfway down the hall. He wore a pair of dark slacks, a white shirt tucked in, sleeves rolled to his elbows. His hair was pushed back, casual and messy, and a little smile tugged at his handsome lips.
“Hey, yourself,” I said, pushing off my mom’s door and walking to him.
“How’s she doing?” he asked, gesturing at her room with his chin.
“Fine,” I said. “Angry, but fine.”
“Good.” He cocked his head. “I just got back from speaking with the Don.”
“Yeah?” I stopped a foot in front of him, looked up into his dark eyes. “What did he want?”
“Thinks the Jalisco are gearing up for something big,” he said. “Not sure what exactly yet, but it’s coming soon.”
“I didn’t think they could really do that,” I said.
He made an uncertain gesture. “He thinks it’s some final, desperate push.”
“What do you think?”
He shrugged and rubbed his chin. “I think he’s right,” he said. “They don’t have much of a choice, really.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see then.”
He looked at me, and I could tell there was something else. I stayed quiet, my head tilted a little, my heart beating a steady rhythm.
“He wants me to convince you to move faster,” he said, his voice very soft, so soft I nearly didn’t hear.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
He stepped closer, stooping down toward me. I thought he was coming in to kiss me, but instead his lips brushed past my own, stopped at my ear. My heart skipped as his big, right hand pressed against my lower back.
“He wants you to sign the documents right away,” he whispered. “And to give over your property as soon as possible.”
“He told you that?”
“Told me to convince you. But I’m warning you instead.”
“Why?”
He pulled back, stared into my eyes. He didn’t have to answer.
I leaned forward and kissed him.
He bit my lower lip then slipped his tongue against mine, hand still on my lower back.
My mother was wrong. All my life, she was wrong. She could only see the world through her single perspective, through her hate and her anger, and now I could understand that, I could see past it, or at least see an alternative.
She loved my father once, because she knew something I was just starting to understand.
A man could be more than the things he’d done. He could be the things he wanted to do, the things he was going to do.
And the way he made me feel.
I pressed myself harder against Luca, a little moan escaping my lips, as he turned me toward my room’s door and pushed me up against it.
I reached down, found the knob, turned it. The door pushed in and I stumbled back, tugging him along with me.18LucaShe stumbled back into her room and I kicked the door shut behind us.
I wasn’t sure why I told her what the Don wanted. I was supposed to keep that mission to myself, since it would be easier to get her to do what he wanted without her realizing. But as soon as I saw the look she gave me, those hard eyes both wild and filled to the brim with need, I knew I couldn’t lie to her, not even a lie of omission.
I had to be honest. If the Don wanted me to try and get something from her, she had to know. Maybe I was betraying my family, but I wasn’t so sure about that.
She tasted like coffee and cherries. I pulled her body against mine again and turned her toward the bed, not wasting time as I tugged at her tank top. It came off, her breasts spilling out. I palmed them, teased her hard, pink nipples, kissing her neck, listened to her breathing hard. I pulled back then pushed her down onto the bed.
She fell back onto her elbows and stared at me, eyes wide, as I dropped down in front of her.
She leaned forward and kissed me as I pulled her yoga pants off. But instead of leaning back, she pushed forward and unbuckled my belt. I let out a grunt, staring at her as she looked up and met my gaze. She took my belt off, pulled my slacks down. I unbuttoned my shirt, let it drop to the floor, stood there as she kissed my stomach and peeled down my boxer briefs.
I was rock hard as she took me in her hand and stroked me, kissing me all around before taking me in her mouth. She sucked me hard and deep, licking my tip and shaft. I let out a groan of pleasure, unable to help myself. I pushed her down deep and savored the feeling of my cock in her throat, a growl escaping my lips, a groan of pleasure. I teased her breasts and pushed her deep again, fucking her pretty mouth, sliding into her throat.