Joker's Wild (Vegas Underground 5)

I cry out and moan and beg as he takes me fast and hard.

“You keep up that noise, I’m not gonna last much longer.”

“Don’t stop,” I cry out. “I mean, come! Please, give it to me. Give it to me harder. Now.”

I sound like the sluttiest porn character and I really don’t care. All I know is I’m getting exactly what I need in this moment.

And it feels incredible.

“Fanculo, fanculo, fanculo, fuck!” Junior roars and slams deep into me. I swear I feel the heat of his cum, even though the condom.

I come too, ripples of pleasure rolling through my body as I milk his cock for all it’s worth.

“Yes, Junior, yes.” I’m still babbling.

Junior eases out and I float away, into the blessed space of no thought.

I return to reality when he cleans me with a washcloth and rubs my ass.

“You okay, baby?” The stern don is gone, replaced by the very human, very gentle side of Junior. It’s a side I doubt he shows many, and I feel honored that he’s shown it to me so many times today.

I roll to my side and sit up. My face feels hot. I push my hair out of my eyes. Junior hands me a bottle of water. “You’re the hottest fucking woman on the planet, you know that?”

I flush, drinking from the water bottle. “Thank you.”

He smiles and puts a knuckle under my chin to lift my gaze. “You thanking me for the best sex I’ve had in years? Okay, I’ll take it.”

“Not for that. Well, yes for that, but just thank you.” I find the courage to look him in the eye. “For today. For helping me forget.”

“Forget what, baby?” he asks softly.

My eyes get wet, but it’s okay. I don’t feel sad anymore. Just wrung out. “Today’s my little boy’s birthday,” I say, my throat squeezing. “And he’s with his dad somewhere. And I don’t know where.” My voice wavers and breaks on the last word.

“Oh, baby.” He pulls me up from the bed and into his arms, pulling up my panties and jeans while he holds me. It’s a simple gesture, but I’ve never felt so taken care of in my life. At least not by a man. With Abe, I had to be his mama, not that he accepted anything I had to offer. But he certainly never gave. Never took care of me, even after I gave birth to his son. Never did me any favors.

I bury my face in Junior’s chest and he rubs my back, cups the back of my neck, kisses my hair.

“I’m sorry, doll. I really am.”

“So that’s where my money goes. I’ve hired a private investigator to find them, but it’s really expensive. And so far, my ex has kept under the radar.”

“You’re gonna find them.” Junior’s voice has a ring of conviction and I want so badly to believe him. “You will,” he says firmly, like he knows I’m unsure. “And when you do, I’ll be happy to take care of your ex for you.”

My stomach knots and I push him away. “Junior, no.”

He holds his palms up. “Well, if you ever need me to take care of him or anyone—you know I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

I shake my head, fresh tears wetting my eyes, but this time they’re not for me. At least I don’t think they are. They’re for him. For me because I can’t have a man like him. It’s not normal to suggest violence as a solution to every problem. And I don’t think he even wants to be that man anymore. I don’t think it’s the real him. “Junior...”

“Yeah?”

“No.” I try to keep the condemnation out of my voice, but don’t quite succeed. When I see him flinch, I rush on. “I appreciate the offer, I really do. It’s amazing to know I have someone like you in my corner.” I reach out to touch his arm. “But I’m not down with the violence. And honestly? I don’t think that’s really you. I don’t believe that’s who you want to be. I mean, you told me you want out.”

He scrubs a hand over his face, suddenly looking ten years older. “Yeah. Well. It’s who I am, Desiree. I may hate it, but I can’t change what is. And if I’m going to use violence for anything, it’s sure as hell gonna be to help the woman I care about.”

I don’t think he meant to be so revealing, because he shoots a semi-alarmed glance at me, like he can’t believe he said that.

The woman I care about.

The words hit me straight in the chest. The arrow pierces, but it spreads warmth through my chest. It also scares the shit out of me.

We’re not doing “care about” here. We were doing rough sex. I can’t care about Junior Tacone. At least, I don’t want to. There’s no long term future for me with a mobster.