Kissing her again, I take longer to explore her lips this time. She runs her fingers up my arm and tightens them around my shoulder as she presses her body against mine. I can feel her breasts as they smash against my chest, and I grip her tighter.
I slide my tongue between her lips, and she opens her mouth and turns her head to give me access. I take it, pressing my lips firmly against hers and moving together. I keep the rhythm slow, and all I can think about is fucking her at the same pace.
My hand is still on her face, and she turns toward it. With her eyes still on mine, she opens her mouth slightly and sucks at my thumb. I feel her teeth bite down lightly on the pad, and it sends a shiver from my hand straight to my cock.
“I need to get you back to my apartment.”
“Yes, you do.” She stands on her toes and pulls my ear close to her mouth. “I want to feel your cock in me tonight.”
If she had placed her hand on my dick first, I would have come in her hand. I can’t even form words. All I can do is nod dumbly, grab her hand, and force my way through the crowd waiting for their cars.
I glance down the sidewalk as I approach the valet. Next door, there’s a big sign proclaiming some charity event going on tonight, and everyone around is wearing their finest. Couples mingle and chat, laugh at each other’s jokes, and all wait to retrieve a car from the same group of valets. As the voices rise into the air in a stream of white noise, I hear Rinaldo’s voice above the rest.
“I’m not going to argue with you about it. You’re troubled, so I’m staying with you tonight.”
“You don’t have to do that, Naldo,” Felisa responds. “I know Lele has to be wondering.”
“She’s fine.” Rinaldo waves his hand dismissively, then takes Felisa by the arm and leads her to his waiting car. I grab Alina and pull her to the other side of the doorway to keep from being seen.
“Evan? What is it?”
“Shh.” I place a finger over her mouth. “Just wait a minute.”
“I still worry about it, Naldo.”
“Lele knows her place,” he says. “She isn’t going to make trouble.”
“I realize that, but she did bring me here from New York, and I…” The rest of the sentence is cut off as the car door closes, and they drive away.
If I hadn’t already been sure of what needs to be done, I am now. Every muscle in my body is tight as I stare at the back of Rinaldo’s car as it heads down the street in the direction of Felisa’s apartment.
“Evan? You’re hurting me.” Alina’s voice is soft but enough for me to notice I have quite a grip on her forearm. I release her and stomp up to the valet to demand my car.
Alina is silent as I speed down the street, whipping past other cars as drivers shout at me. I’m reminded of one of those daytime talk shows where they go on about road rage and how you never know if the guy in the next car is carrying a gun.
Yeah, I am. I’ll use it, too.
The faces of various people I don’t trust flash in front of my eyes as I park the Camaro and head for the elevator. Beni, Becca, Joshua Taylor, Paulie—everyone. I don’t trust any of them, but they aren’t my biggest concern right now.
Someone’s trying to get in the middle of my family.
All right, they aren’t really my family, but I don’t fucking care. No one messes with them. No one.
I barely remember that Alina is still with me until I turn around and she’s in the apartment. She standing near the door and looking at little like a beaten puppy—refusing to make a squeak for fear of being noticed.
I take a long breath and walk into the bedroom. I can’t imagine I’m going to sleep well at this point, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need it. I’ll need all my wits about me tomorrow because tomorrow I will put an end to this. I can’t stand it another day. I’d do it tonight, but Rinaldo would be there. I can’t let that happen. I can’t let him know.
I begin to formulate a plan as Alina quietly crawls into bed with me. She doesn’t speak and waits until I put an arm around her before reaching around to cradle my head. The position calms me slightly—or maybe it’s the lavender scent.
I relax, emotional and physical exhaustion collide to overcome the rapid thoughts in my head, and I sleep.
As soon as I awake, I know I’ve overslept. The sun is coming in through the northern window, and Alina is already up. I can hear her in the kitchen.
Shoving myself out of bed, I grab for the nearest clothes and head to the bathroom. After a three-minute shower, I’m toweling off and dressing. Alina’s in the kitchen, and she smiles as I enter.
“I gotta run,” I tell her. I shove money into her hands. “There’s extra in there for a cab. They can hail one for you down in the lobby.”
“Okay.” She looks from the cash in her hands back to me. “Do you want something to eat before you go?”