The Mobster and the Soccer Mom

He followed her around the desk. He reached for her and she turned away and he saw her face crumple. She gulped a few times, trying to get a hold of herself. It didn't work. She broke into tears. He froze. She stumbled over to the couch and fell onto it with her back still facing him. She started sobbing. Her shoulders were shaking and she put her arms over her face. He stood and watched the sobs continue.

"Jenny. Sweetheart. Don't cry. I'm sorry. Whatever I did, I'm sorry. " He broke off when a knock sounded on the door.

Sabrina's voice called out. "Jenny. Cab's here. "

Jenny stumbled to her feet. She wiped her eyes and straightened her skirt. She didn't look at him. As she walked past him, he reached out and grabbed her arm. "Stay here. " He gritted out.

She pulled on her arm. He didn't release her. "No. "

She kept pulling. "You're hurting me. "

He eased his hold but didn't let go. He put his other hand to her face and lifted it. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot, babe. " He took her mouth in a punishing kiss. She hung in his grasp as he devoured her with ruthless purpose. She hung there for several long moments as his tongue and teeth attacked her. She jerked back. He held her at arm's length. They stared at each other. She pulled from him and he released his grip.

She turned and fled.

Chapter Ten

Richard woke with a pounding headache. He hadn't consumed that much bourbon since his early twenties. Now he remembered why. Shit. His head was going to split open. Memories from the night before came to him.

The fight. The tears. The panic he felt after she left.

He crawled out of bed and swallowed four aspirin and stood under a hot shower. The needles of water attacked his skin as he tried to shake it off.

He wasn't completely stupid. He knew she was upset about Darlene. Or she was upset because of what he had said to the fucker trying to make it with her. Or she was mad about both.

He needed to see her. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to hold her. What the hell was he going to say to her? That he wasn't through fucking her yet? That he would never, ever, in this lifetime have enough of fucking her? Jesus Christ.

He hung his head as the truth hit him.

Sunday evening, Jenny was no better off than she had been when she had climbed from the cab on Friday night. She went from bouts of crying, to eating ice cream, to watching old movies.

Richard tried to call her twice. She didn't pick up either call. He didn't leave a message.

She was scared it was over. She was scared it wasn't. Her distress was taking a toll on her. She wasn't sleeping. She wasn't eating properly.

She was sitting in the kitchen, staring out the window when her doorbell pealed. The sound petrified her. It pealed again. She got up and slowly walked to the front door.

"Who is it? " Her voice was weak.

"It's me, Jenny. " The sound of his voice made her knees start shaking. "Open the door, sweetheart. "

She turned the lock and opened the door a few inches.

"Can I come in? " Jenny was watching him from behind the door. She slowly opened it and he stepped through.

Richard closed the door and leaned against it. They watched each other in silence. He opened his arms for her. She took a step toward him and stopped. He reached out and pulled her to him. She collapsed against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.

"Angel. Please don't ever do that do me again. " His voice was filled with emotion. She sagged in his arms. He lifted her face and sipped at her lips. " You're so precious, so beautiful. I didn't mean to hurt you. Or piss you off. I don't ever want to hurt you. "

His soothing words flowed through her. His tenderness was like a balm to her heart. She took his hand and led him over to the couch. She made a move to sit next to him, but he pulled her onto his lap. She relaxed against him. She sighed. She had things that needed to be said.

"Richard. I feel like I give in this relationship. And you take. " That was it. Concise and to the point. She waited for his argument. His attack of dominion and power.

He played with her hair. "Yeah. That's the way it's been. Hasn't it? I've been a selfish bastard. "

His agreement startled her enough to question him. "Why do you do that? Friday night? Why do you think you can tell people that I belong to you, and then turn around and let some woman think that you might spend a different night with her? "

Her accusation disconcerted him. "I didn't do that. I was just trying to brush her off so I could deal with the asshole trying to dick you. That's all I was doing after I saw you come back from the bathroom. That mother fucker was watching you when you went in my office. He was watching you when you came out. I was about to get up and go to you then when Darlene came to the table. I feel sorry for her, Jenny. She's had a rough couple of years. Her husband ran off with her best friend. She lost her job. I feel bad for her, Jenny. But I sure as shit don't want to sleep with her. "

She listened to his explanation. It was the truth as he saw it. It satisfied her anger about the other woman. She leaned in and kissed him gently on the mouth. He reached up and took her face between his hands and pressed easy, nonthreatening kisses on her lips. "I'm sorry if I was rough with you before you left. I don't want to hurt you. I didn't hurt you, did I? "

"No. I'm okay. " She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him back. After another few minutes of soft kisses, she broke her mouth away and looked at him. "Why do you think you can tell people that I belong to you? "

"Because you do. "

"No, I don't. " Her voice was even.

"Yes, you do. You're mine. You belong to me. Mine. " His words started calm, but ended harsh.

"There hasn't been anything said about me belonging-- "

"Okay, fine. I'm saying it now. I want you. You belong to me. Why do you keep disputing this? We sleep together. Are you sleeping with someone else? Do you want me to sleep with someone else? " His voice was getting punishing, belligerent. His hands went to the top button on her shirt and started opening it. She grabbed his hands to stop him.

"No, I'm not sleeping with anyone. And no, you can't either. Stop that. Why do you start taking my clothes off every time you think you aren't getting your way?" she yelled at him.

"Because just the thought of you with somebody else pisses me off. And when I get pissed off about it, t

he only thing that calms me down is getting it in you. " His nostrils flared, but his hands stilled.

"Okay, Richard. I'm yours. But you're mine, too. It's got to go both ways. "

"Deal. But I'm warning you right now. I don't share. I've never been jealous before but with you it's driving me crazy. "

An arrow of joy went through her at his words. "Okay. I'm not going to give you a reason to be jealous. But you've got to give me about two minutes to turn down an offer before you come barreling to my rescue. " Her tone was mild.

"Two minutes. That's it. And we might as well get this settled now, also. I want you to pack your stuff up and move in with me. This is ridiculous us going back and forth like this. I've got more room at my house, you can have your own office. " His words were a statement.

Shock went through her. "No, I don't think I can do that. That would be long-term and--"

"Hell, yes, it's going to be long-term. You might as well sell the house; you're not going to need it. "

The impact of what he was suggesting jarred her. "No. I can't sell the house. This is my home. This is the boy's home-- "

"The boys live in Houston. "

"They come home for the summer. For Christmas-- "

"They can come to my house. I like kids. You love my kitchen. It's your kitchen. You'd like that, hmm, sweetheart? " His voice turned soft, cajoling. His lips went to her ear and his hands undid the second button on her shirt.

"Richard, stop. We have to talk about this. I can't believe you're trying to bribe me with your kitchen. I can't sell my house and move because I love your kitchen. "

"No, you sell your house and move because you love me. " His words engendered panic within her. She couldn't love him. He couldn't know she loved him. Apprehension and excitement raced through her. She looked into his eyes. He watched her take in what he said as he unbuttoned her third button.

Her excitement turned to panic. "I can't love you. You're a mobster. "

"I'm a what? " He shouted the question at her.

"Well, aren't you? Don't you make all that money doing stuff that you shouldn't be doing?"